Lighthouses in order from North to South

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse - you will need to bring binoculars if you want to look at this Lighthouse. Poised out on a basalt rock islet in the Pacific Ocean, its nickname was Terrible Tilly. Commissioned in 1881, it was replaced by a whistle buoy in 1957 and is the only privately owned Oregon lighthouse on the national register of historic places. It was used once as a columbarium, a storage place for the deceased's ashes. I found it for sale for $6.5 million if anybody out there has an interest.

Cape Mears Lighthouse - 10 miles west of Tillamook, is a nice drive to the shortest Lighthouse. It stands 217 ft above the ocean, but it's only a 38 ft tower making it the shortest on the Oregon coast. A beautiful park you will need to bring your good walking shoes even though it has a nice path. Always bring your binoculars. 

Yaquina Head Lighthouse - 3 miles north of Newport. I always love going to this Lighthouse. It is a beautiful area that you can walk down to and look at all the natural surroundings and tide poles. Good shoes are a must and of course your camera and binoculars. In the years past, we were able to climb to the top of this Lighthouse. I hope they will re-open it again.

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse - is on the North End of Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport and is the second oldest standing Lighthouse on the Oregon coast. The park volunteers were great to chat with. Unfortunately, I couldn't go in because it was under renovation. Maybe next trip.

Heceta Head Lighthouse - located 12 miles north of Florence, is a hike but well worth it. The light from this Lighthouse was the strongest on the Oregon Coast. After arriving at the top of the hill, you will see a beautiful house once belonging to the lightkeeper. Now it hosts a bed and breakfast. The Lighthouse is 120-year-old and closed in 2012 to undergo historic restoration, and it will open to the public as soon as the project has been completed.

Umpqua River Lighthouse - was a pleasant surprise located three miles south of Reedsport above the entrance to Winchester Bay you have to look for this sign so you can turn off the highway and avoid an accident. You can go into the Lighthouse, but you have to buy a ticket because it is located inside Coast Guard housing. It is maintained by the Douglas County Parks and Recreation Department. Our tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. There is a museum and a large gift shop on the grounds. We were able to climb the stairs and peek inside the Fresnel lens. 

There are three other lighthouses, Cape Arago lighthouse is owned by the confederated tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, so it's not open to the public. You can see it from an Overlook a quarter mile away.

Coquille River Lighthouse and Cape Blanco, we'll have to save you for another day you are located a little bit further south, and we were going east. We visited these two lighthouses years ago, and we're looking forward to returning.