Lighthouses have a way of drawing people to them. Their historic background, their prominent locations overlooking the ocean can cause people to just stare at them in a kind of admiration. Lincoln County has three lights, Yaquina Bay, Yaquina Head and Cleft of the Rock that is a private aid to navigation. Each has its own construction story, logs of the keepers’ lonely life, dedicated work and personal stories while stationed at the lighthouses. Of course there is even a ghost story or two. Yaquina Bay and Yaquina Head lighthouses were built in the 1800’s to provide for the safe passage of sailing schooners, they now provide a place to explore, to learn and to contemplate life at another time. No other county offers three lights so close to one another.

If you can visit only one lighthouse on the Oregon Coast, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area near Newport is a good choice. This historic site situated on a point of land jutting out into the ocean has it all, including an interpretive center.

Lighthouses have a distinct reputation for giving a people a warm, secure feeling. They represent a guiding light that will keep us out of harm’s way. They are a beacon of brightness that leads us into a safe port and away from a rocky encounter. The lighthouses on the central Oregon coast are loved by those that visit and explore them.

If you are traveling further along the 363 miles of Oregon’s coastline there are an additional eight lighthouses for you to explore. Some lighthouses are open to the public for tours, others are private aids to navigation and still another is viewable but only accessible by boat.

  1. Cleft of the Rock

    Nestled in the northern shadows of Cape Perpetua on a bluff overlooking the ocean sits a neat A-frame structure attached to a lighthouse. It is the home of Jim Gibbs, former U.S. Coast Guardsman, lighthouse keeper, and noted author and historian. Gibbs, author of 21 maritime books, is considered an…

  2. Heceta Head

    Because it is so easy to pull over and see the postcard perfect view of Heceta Head with the lighthouse, assistant keepers house, and nearby offshore rocks, this scene has made Heceta Head the most photographed lighthouse on the Pacific Coast. It appears in numerous calendars and on note cards.…

  3. Yaquina Bay

    On the southern end of Newport, just north of the Yaquina Bay Bridge, stands a lighthouse that is unique in several respects to any other Oregon lighthouse. After being built in 1871, it was decommissioned in 1874, giving it the distinction of having the shortest duration of active duty when…

  4. Yaquina Head

    This is the second lighthouse built in the Newport area and at 93 feet high, it’s the tallest lighthouse on the Oregon Coast. The lighthouse is part of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Besides the lighthouse at this natural…