Yaquina Head Lighthouse In Newport, Oregon
The Yaquina Head Lighthouse is located on a narrow point of land jutting due west into the Pacific Ocean.
This headland provides you with one of the most accessible wildlife and ocean viewing locations on the Pacific Coast. Be sure to bring your binoculars and plenty of film for your camera!
Building The Yaquina Head Lighthouse
The lighthouse is located off U.S. 101, 3 miles north of Newport. The lighthouse stands 162 feet above sea level and the tower is 93 feet high making it the tallest on the Oregon Coast.
Winds and rain have buffeted this lighthouse since its beginning in 1872. It took approximately one year, and over 370,000 bricks to construct Oregon's tallest lighthouse. After much labor, the lighthouse was lit on August 20, 1873.
During the construction of the lighthouse, two boats met their doom on Yaquina Head's shores trying to deliver supplies.
There was a large dwelling built for the three keepers that manned this lighthouse station.
The original light keepers dwelling was torn down when the Coast Guard took over and was replaced by two new bungalow type dwellings for the service personnel.
When the station was automated, the living quarters were vacated and fell into disrepair. The buildings were often occupied by hippies, some of who were vandals. The only thing left is the lighthouse and attached work room.
There were a number of storms and high winds that caused surface damage to the tower and the keeper's dwellings. Fences were built to ward off rocks and other debris from destroying the property.
However, this didn't stop the tower from being struck by lightning in October of 1920. Luckily, through the years, the lightening and severe storms haven't really hurt it. In fact, to this very day the structure of the lighthouse is within one inch of being perfectly straight.
Living Tidepools
While you are here be sure and visit the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area which is the home of
"Quarry Cove". This former rock quarry is now converted to a man-made system of living tide pools. It is accessible to all by a series of concrete pathways navigable by wheelchair!
Consult a local tide table to plan your visit to coincide with low tide so you may enjoy this world class, unique feature!
In May of 1997 the new interpretive center was open. The center features exhibits related to many features of the area and a well-stocked interpretive store.
Proceeds from store sales directly benefits Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses, as they are used for lighthouse interpretation and maintenance.
| Yaquina Head Lighthouse is operated by
the Bureau of Land Management
Visitor Hours: Noon to 4 PM Daily
Winter: May be closed during extreme weather. |
Yaquina Head Spiral Staircase
Have you ever climbed the stairs of a lighthouse? There 114 steps up the circular staircase! If you aren’t in shape you sure do feel them. Also, it is worth the time to talk with the volunteers at this lighthouse; they are all very nice and have a number of interesting stories and facts to offer. They told me that ships could see the light 19 miles away. They also added that it could be seen "no further, thanks to the curvature of the earth." At the top of this lighthouse you will get a good view of the lens that magnifies a blinking 1000-watt light bulb.
Lighthouse Open To The Public
Yaquina Head Lighthouse is one of the most popular lighthouses in the United States. There are hundreds of thousands of guests that visit every year. I enjoy visiting this lighthouse because there will always be something new to see. The view is spectacular.
If you plan to visit this lighthouse don't forget your binoculars and camera with plenty of film.The view is spectacular and you can see for miles. You can watch all the wildlife and also the beautiful wild flowers. You can stand there and look out over the pacific ocean and imagine what it was link many years ago.
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