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Oregon Lighthouses

updated october 21, 2020

Nine lighthouses remain along Oregon’s distinctly craggy coastline, each with its own unique history, landscapes, and light patterns that distinguish them from one another. From north to south, these curious beacons stand as reminders of the lives both saved and lost along the states’s most foreboding inlets.

tillamook rock lighthouse

Nicknamed “Terrible Tilly,” the stories of Tillamook Rock Lighthouse are as fascinating as its isolated location. First lit in 1881, this famous lighthouse remained in service for 77 years. Privately owned for years and through several owners—one of them using it as a repository for the ashes of the dead—the site is currently part of the Oregon Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Cape Meares lighthouse

Accessible from the Three Capes Scenic Route, Cape Meares Lighthouse was first lit in 1890 and is now an inactive lighthouse. Located at the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint, visitors can normally tour the lighthouse for free from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily from May to September with extended hours until 6:00 PM on the weekend, but check for current status due to COVID-19.

Yaquina Head lighthouse

Oregon’s tallest lighthouse at 93 feet, Yaquina Head Lighthouse is also a great destination for viewing marine life in the receding tide pools surrounding the light station. The light station is also located on a migratory path for Gray Whales, which can be best spotted in December to January and again in March and April. First lit in 1872, visitors can tour the lighthouse and an interpretive center year-round, weather permitting, with reservations required. Due to COVID-19, visitors can check with the Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses for up to date tour availability.

Yaquina Bay lighthouse

Seated at the mouth of the Yaquina River, the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse is the only Oregon beacon with the living quarters attached, and the only wooden lighthouse still standing in the state. First lit in 1871, it was only in service for three years before being decommissioned in 1874. A restoration in 1996 returned it to a fully working lighthouse. The structure is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The lighthouse is open every day except for holidays. During the summer months, July through the end of September, the hours are are 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and during the winter, the lighthouse is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Admission is by donation.

Haceta Head

First lit in 1894, the Haceta Head Lighthouse in Florence, Oregon is one Oregon light station you can actually stay overnight in. At the base of the lighthouse is Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast where guests can stay in one of the last lightkeeper’s cottages on the Pacific Coast. Its first-order Fresnel lens casts the brightest light on the Oregon coast. Haceta Head is one of the most popular destinations in Oregon and one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world.

Atop a 1,000-foot cliff, visitors can tour the Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint during the day. For more information on tours of the lighthouse, visit the Oregon State Parks website.

umpqua river lighthouse

Constructed in 1892, the Umpqua River Lighthouse overlooks Winchester Bay and is the site of Oregon’s first light station. Constructed along the river channel in 1855, the original structure succumbed to flooding and collapsed. Lit in 1894, this newer lighthouse and its first-order Fresnel lens draws tourists and maritime history lovers for a red and white light display that can be seen for 21 nautical miles.

cape arago lighthouse

Erected in 1866, the first Cape Arago Lighthouse along Coos Bay was a replacement for the Umpqua River Lighthouse after its collapse. Several bridges were constructed, swept away, and later removed throughout its history. The site is a sacred burial ground for the Coos Indians and was signed over to the Confederated Tribes of the Coos in 2013. Visitors can see a distant view of this famous Oregon lighthouse from Cape Arago Beach Loop, but the island where it sits is closed to the public as is the lighthouse.

Coquille river lighthouse

Formerly known as the Bandon Light near Bandon, Oregon, the Coquille River Lighthouse is a 40-foot-tall lighthouse that was renamed for the Coquille Indians and the river of the same name where it sits. First lit in 1896, it was shut down in 1939 after a large wildfire destroyed most of Bandon. A solar-powered light was installed in the tower in 1991 as part of Bandon’s Centennial Celebration. The site is currently managed by Oregon State Parks. The signal room is open daily from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM mid-May through September, but the tower is closed to the public out of safety concerns.

cape blanco lighthouse

Constructed in 1870, the Cape Blanco Lighthouse is the oldest still-standing lighthouse in Oregon. It’s also the longest continually-operating light station in the state. Visitors can tour the lighthouse, the lens room, and the grounds year-round, although COVID-19 may impact access to the site. This historic lighthouse sits at 245 feet above sea level and can be see for 22 miles. The site was originally settled by Patrick Hughes, an Irish native and farmer. Hughes’ homestead, a 1898 Victorian farmhouse is also available for tours and is supported by the Cape Blanco Heritage Society.

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