Yaquina Head Lighthouse: An Oregon-Coast RV Traveler's Guide
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Yaquina Head Lighthouse stands at the tip of a basalt headland just north of Newport, Oregon, reaching one mile out into the Pacific. At 93 feet it is the tallest lighthouse in the state, first lit on August 20, 1873. It anchors the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, a BLM-managed site famous for tide pools, seabird colonies, and gray-whale watching.
What makes Yaquina Head Lighthouse worth an RV stop?
Yaquina Head is Oregon's tallest lighthouse, first lit in 1873, set in a BLM Outstanding Natural Area with tide pools, seabird colonies, and whale-watching. The Bureau of Land Management manages the site; check the BLM page for tour and access details.
- ·First lit August 20, 1873
- ·93 feet tall — Oregon's tallest lighthouse
- ·Tide pools, nesting seabirds, and gray whales nearby
State
Oregon
Managed by
Bureau of Land Management (Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area)
First lit
August 20, 1873
Tower height
93 feet (Oregon's tallest)
Nearby
Newport, OR
Yaquina Head reaches a mile out into the Pacific from the central Oregon coast, and its 93-foot tower — first lit in 1873 — has guided ships along this rocky stretch ever since. Congress designated the surrounding land an Outstanding Natural Area in 1980.
The headland is one of the best wildlife-viewing spots on the coast: visitors can explore tide pools at low tide, watch nesting seabirds on the offshore rocks, and look for gray whales, harbor seals, and other marine life from the bluffs.
An interpretive center sits near the lighthouse, and tours are offered by the BLM. Confirm current tour times and access on the Bureau of Land Management site, and base your rig in or near Newport, just to the south.
Official sources
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