Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area Reviews

This is a beautiful historic lighthouse with lot of trails, tide pools and views! We also got the pleasure of watching three eagles hunting for a meal. It was an amazing day with blue skies and very little wind, which is a nice combination! This is a national park conservatory so passports and sr passes cover the fee for entry.

You will have to pay a modest fee per car. Incredible picture opptys. A super tidal pool area (but you will need to be able to walk stairs). Stop by the gift shop on the way to the lighthouse as it contains a lot of historical perspectives. A must see (sea).

My family of five (two adults and three teenagers) visited this area twice while we were vacationing in Newport. It's a great place to go and poke around in the tide pools and they let you touch everything. The first time we went in the evening at low tide and we enjoyed poking around in the tidepools and watching the sea lions on the distant rocks. The sun starting to set and the lighthouse view was magnificent! The rangers there were helpful and very personable and willing to answer all of our questions. We went back again the next morning during low tide and were able to see whales very near the lighthouse which were fun to watch. The tide was lower than the evening so we were able to also get a better view of the sea lions basking in the sun. I recommend anybody to check out this area!

Meh. If you get in at a time it's not too crowded and the weather is calm and clear, it's worth a quick stop. Otherwise, I would skip. Lighthouse is pretty, but the physical structure itself was closed when we were there. There are new wooden stairs down to Cobble Beach, but OMG, that beach tried to kill me - the beach is a collection of perfectly round, perfectly smooth, perfectly slippery volcanic rocks. I'm surprised they don't make you sign an indemnity waiver! Be sure to wear good shoes and socks. There are some other trails around too, but after Cobble Beach tried to kill me I was done and booked it out of there.

It was a foggy day and the lighthouse was being painted so if was closed but the paths along the cliffs were great and there were seals in the water. It was a nice little stop off on our trip.

Awesome little light house with a lot to do! A must go-see if you find yourself on the coast between Depot Bay and Newport, OR.

We stopped by Yaquina Head visitor center. Immediately we put our names in for the lighthouse tour before checking out the center. The visitor center was very informative. We learned alot from both the movie as well as the displays. The tour of the lighthouse was very worthwhile also. A very interesting history. After, we walked down to the tide pools which were at low tide. Interesting as well. Unless you have one of the various federal passes, the cost to enter was $7.00. We spent a good two hours there walking around from the visitor center parkinglot. If in the area, with worth stopping by.

A simply beautiful place with a breathtaking view.

For those traveling by car there’s an entrance fee of $7 which is good for three days. Bikers and pedestrians can enter for free.

We loved the whole park. We did some hiking (rather short hikes but nice). We also took the tour of the light house. They can only accomodate 16 people on the tour. You must sign up at the visit center. Not sure of the price because we were there on Martin Luther King day and it was free. Very interesting tour and hike up over 100 stairs.

Beautiful lighthouse which is obviously well taken care off. Lots of parking. Visitor center is very nice with a gift shop and several exhibits and films. Kids can dress up and take pictures or act out being a light keeper and family. Wales were feeding right under the light house. Great pictures of tails, backs and spouts! Accepted our senior federal national parks pass even though a state park. Fantastic day in Newport, Oregon!

What a wonderful area to visit. A three day pass costs $7.00 but it is certainly worth it. There are three separate area to visit as well as an excellent Interpretive Centre.

This place was beautiful. The lighthouse was very nice and the little hike up the hill was a great adventure. Wild flowers were still in bloom!

I've been to the light house many times, but this past trip was the best ever. The weather was perfect. We walked down the many steps to the tide pools and climbed around looking at anemones and urchins and sculpins etc. Then back up the many steps to the light house where we spent over an hour looking at the nesting birds and four gray whales that were hanging out in the area. Then we went back to the interpretive center and had a picnic in the area behind the building. A perfect day.

Decent price to get in. Have to plan ahead if you want to do the free lighthouse tour. Good video in the tourist center. A couple of nice small beaches to visit. Spectacular views. Enjoyed our time there.

A beautiful light house and wonderful wildlife. Birds to seals and tide pools. Worth the entry fee. Take your national park pass with you!!

A really MUST STOP experience on the Oregon coast. Lots of friendly staff about, lots of parking and a great nice interpretive center with clean restrooms and a gift shop. You are forced to enter this area before being able to drive on to the lighthouse.
No dogs allowed on the walk to the lighthouse, for no apparent reason. There was a staff member with a tripod telescope trained on a nearby bald eagle who was allowing visitors to view, however, no social distancing and no masks so we took a pass. The lighthouse area is plagued with flies, we had to cut our visit short due to the nuisance. And since we had to leave the dog in the car we were forced to leave the windows open and came back to a car FULL of flies. I'm talking 20-30!
We were able to drive away and park down nearer the water and walk to the small beach, which was shallow and protected from the wind and perfect for little ones. You can also walk down to a cobble beach where the surf causes the stones to rattle together with a great clatter; you can stay up top and get the view and listen from there if you prefer. Lots to see and do at this great park.

We spent a few hours exploring the tide pools and near by seals. There’s a set of stairs to travel down to tide pool area. Then you have to traverse large slippery river rock to get to the pools. I highly recommend sturdy shoes. Once at the tide pools, you’ll be amazed by all the creatures you see. We highly recommend you take the time in your day to visit the tide poles and discover whatever you can underneath the rocks.

The highlight of visiting this area was the tide pools and watching the seals swim in the water. The seals were very close and we spent a long time just watching them swim and look at us.

The Yaquina Lighthouse is maintained by the BLM and they have an excellent interpretation center as well as qualified tour guides.

We had a Lighthouse tour booked for 2 pm. At 1:45 I got a phone call saying they had our 4 tickets reserved at the interpretive centre, which was about a 10 minute walk from the lighthouse. We were in the car driving at the time so we rushed there then ran to the lighthouse and made it just in time. The ticket reservation we made never gave us this info, but we would have preferred to know this in advance so we didn’t have to rush. It was an amazing tour and amazing tidal pools nearby, with great guides to help you be informed.

Incredible coastal scenery. Climb down to rock pools when tide is out. amazing birdlife on nearby rocks.

We have driven by Yaquina Head probably a hundred times over the years. Finally stopped in and were really impressed. More than just a pamphlet and a short walk. Kids liked the tide pools and the quarry beach was an interesting extra feature. Look forward to checking out the lighthouse once restoration is complete.

We went to the lake house as we visited Newport. It is very beautiful there and very scenic the lighthouse you cannot go into, but you can take plenty of pictures outside.

The interpretive center was closed, due to Covid. But, the restrooms were open. And they had a walk mapped out to go to the lighthouse, so people could distance.
Weather was perfect and the views are outstanding!

This was spectacular to visit. Didn’t pay entry fee due to government shutdown but folks were working. Even on a day of clouds, it was beautiful

This setting is incredible! We had a beautiful day of blue skies while visiting. Loved the steps down to the water, and the photo opportunities it provided. There is a variety of settings to view. They have a large information center, but we went before they opened at 10am. I'm sure it is filled with great info though.

Love seeing the blue rocks and listening to them rattle as the surf moves them. Usually lots of sea lions to observe. There are naturalists there to answer questions. Also take the time to tour the lighthouse as it is fascinating.

If you are road tripping on the Oregon coast or if you love lighthouses this is a great place to stop. You enter the grounds and have to pay a vehicle day use fee but it is very affordable. You can then stop at the info center or drive to the end where the lighthouse is. Don't let them trick you like they did for us. It appeared like you HAD to park at the visitors/info center but that wasn't the case. We parked there and looked at all the exhibits inside and the walked the rest of the way to the lighthouse. The walk isn't bad/far but it was really windy and cold. If you are here on a nice day walking would be fine. The lighthouse is photogenic and there are also areas where you can walk down to the beach.

We hit the tide pools at 730 leaving us only an hour before park closed. It was foggy out at sea, but the ocean rocks and lighthouse were beautiful from a distance. Bring your water shoes or tennis shoes for ease in area. Lots of creatures to see, wish we had more time. Nice hiking spot too. Entrance for 3 day pass is $7.

Beautiful location for a rugged lighthouse and interpretive center. But with Covid 19, both were closed. Public bathrooms were open at interpretive center. Great place to walk and look back at Depoe Bay.

A great BLM/National Park not to be missed. Cobble beach is a great beach to watch seals swim 50 yards from you. A lot of good historical info on the lighthouse.

You have to walk in the rain but it is worth it if it isn't blowing to bad. When the sun comes out this place is amazing.

The lighthouse is a cool historic structure in a picturesque setting. But the surrounding area of tide pools and massive outcroppings with birds are also amazing sights to behold!

We decided to swing off the highway and visit this lighthouse. The only thing that would have been better was if we could have gone inside. I believe they do allow that at certain times of the year but we were there during off-season. Got some great photos.

I grew up 30 miles north of here and have lived 60 miles east of here for over 40 years. This is the first time I've visited this area. I'm rather embarrassed and will suggest it as a stop for others. We didn't have much time and only visited the interpretive center but it is excellent.

It was foggy, chilly and very windy but we still enjoyed the tidal pools and cobble stone beach. The Yaquina Lighthouse was closed due to staffing shortages. That was disappointing. The Yaquina Interpretive Center was interesting and we spent extra time there learning about the history of this area.

was nice place to go and do some walking around. Unfortunately it was high tide so we didn't get to go beach combing. There is a gate fee. add $10 to it and you'll get a tears pass to the place that your friends can borrow.

We didn't get to spend a ton of time here as they were about to close for the day, our 3 kids were pretty wiped from the drive, and the weather had turned pretty cold and rainy, but I did want to point out there were some really nice view points from off the lighthouse area, and they accepted my military-America the Beautiful pass or some combination of the 2 for admission. I don't recall exactly, but I believe if you are a military veteran, admission is free, which is always a nice perk to be able to take advantage of.

Not only is this a beautiful lighthouse but the tidal pools here are the best I've ever seen. The park has done an amazing job of protecting the pools while still letting the public view them freely. They have breeding grounds for the seals. you can take tours of the lighthouse but make sure to schedule in advance as they sell out quickly. You can definitely see a lot of wild sea life here. They see a lot of whales and of course sealions/seals. The tidal pools are full of sea urchins, starfish, anenomes, sea cucumbers, crabs and so much more! This was one of my favorite stops along the Oregon coast. I highly recommend! Good for all ages. If you have your national park pass this is free, otherwise there is a fee to enter. Don't forget military get national park passes free!

For us, the wildlife was as interesting as the lighthouse and an unexpected treat! The day we visited in June, the tours of the lighthouse were all full for the day by the time we arrived about 11 AM, but we gained a lot of information about the history of the lighthouse from the visitor centre.

There is a large parking lot (would hold 100 vehicles or more) at the visitor centre and a very small one (holds 10-20 cars) at the lighthouse itself, but there is a paved, wheelchair accessible path between the two areas. We were encouraged to stay parked at the visitor centre & walk. We were hesitant since my husband is in a wheelchair and we didn't know how long or steep the walk was, but we found it quite doable with a manual wheelchair. The path was 1/3 mile long, just a nice leg stretch, with some elevation change but not a lot (down to the lighthouse & then back up to the visitor centre).

Since the tours were full, we expected to have only a quick look at the outside of the lighthouse and view, so were quite surprised to see hundreds of nesting Cormorants and Common Murres as well as 20 or so pairs of mother & baby seals on the rocks around the lighthouse. They were a distance away so binoculars and a zoom lens on the camera definitely helped for a good view of the birds and seals. With the zoom lens on my "point and shoot" camera I got excellent photos and one video of a baby seal nursing. I wish I could post the video here! Once the baby finished nursing, the mama stroked it like we would a human baby. It was a once in a lifetime viewing moment! Don't expect to see that, but watch for seals on the rocks below the lighthouse, especially if you are visiting at low tide.

There is also a walkway to the beach. With the photos I have seen on this Trip Advisor site, although you are not allowed near the seals, it looks like it is definitely worth a walk on the beach to view the other sea life in the tide pools if you are visiting at low tide. We didn't attempt it on this visit, since the path was quite steep for the wheelchair.

Totally worth the $7 we paid to get into the park! So many seals out playing in the water and sunning on the rocks. The lighthouse is beautiful, and offers some great photo ops. The tide pools had many different sea creatures and our 7 year old loved exploring! Definitely stop into the information center, they have a great display and short video of the history.

There is so much to do and see here. Interpretive Center, hikes, the lighthouse, easy beach hike and more difficult beach hike, big waves crashing on cliffs.

This is a National Conservation Center with wildlife thriving there, in May this was a sight to behold, Colony Rock is home to an enormous number of breeding birds. If your an observer of wild birds your gonna be in heaven.

I lived in Oregon for ten years and when ever I went to the coast would always stop there - it is as good as the photo shows, but even better.

I am a lighthouse buff, and came to this place in order to see and tour the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. But there is so much more to this place than that I truly enjoyed the lighthouse tour, with the tour-guide stepping into the role of a lighthouse keeper's wife in the 1880s or so. She did a great job, and the light itself was a delight to see and climb .
And the Visitor's Center included a very good and informative historical display of the light and the area. There are also hiking trails, which I did not do, but I did make a point of heading to the Tide Pool area at low tide. It was an absolutely wonderful experience, and was probably the best tide pool experience I've ever had. Highly recommended!

*Written for our visit during summer 2019*

INCLUDED IN THE 5-DAY OREGON PACIFIC COAST PASSPORT
I recommend purchasing the 5-Day Oregon Pacific Coast Passport if you're going to visit several Oregon coastal sites, including Yaquina Head OUtstanding Natural Area. (The passport is valid at over 15 sites along Hwy 101). The passport was $10 and valid for 5 days. (Summer 2019).

NOT JUST A LIGHTHOUSE
Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area features an Interpretive Center, lighthouse and tidepools. When you sign up for the light house tour, they give you a plastic pass. We had to kill some time before our tour started so we visited the Interpretive Center where you can learn about seabirds and marine life, and watch a short film about life in a lighthouse, etc. There's also a gift shop.

A BEAUTIFUL NATURAL SETTING
From the Interpretive Center, it's about a 10 minute walk to the lighthouse. There, you can see gorgeous views, a pebbly beach, perhaps whale watch and take photos of the lighthouse and surrounding area.

TOUR RECOMMENDED
We enjoyed a 45 min tour of the lighthouse with a guide dressed in period costume. You get to go to the very top (You must be in the condition to climb a steep spiral staircase -- wear comfortable shoes!) and see the light. The guide tells you what life was like living in the lighthouse.

See my photos attached. I highly recommend you make Yaquina Head a stop on your Oregon Coastal tour.

*Written for our visit during summer 2019*

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Be sure to visit the surrounding areas and trails! From tide pools to trails. There is more to see than just the lighthouse. Interpretive center is well done and very informative. Great volunteer staff!

Great experience for my kids, we won’t be able to see things like this again. Prepare to get wet feet. So bring extra shoes and socks.

Had a great time here. the staff are helpful and the views are great. Arrived just a bit too late to join a docent led tour of the lighthouse. Be sure to check out start times for this prior to going.

First of all, the ranger at the entrance accepted our National Park Pass for the entry fee. We didn't take the tour inside the lighthouse as we had done a tour of Heceta Head's lighthouse previously. If you haven't been inside one, it's worth the half hour or so. The area outside the lighthouse is spectacular. You're on a cliff (200' ?) overlooking to the west, Colony Rock, a large mesa, totally covered with sea birds. To the south you can see the beach in front of Newport, but directly below the cliffs to the south are tide pools and more rocks with sea birds. We even saw 5-6 California Harbor seals on the rocks and not far offshore were 5-6 gray whales, occasionally surfacing and spouting. These must have been the resident whales that stay year-round in Newport, as this isn't the time of year for the migrating whales.

Due to Covid restrictions some areas were off limits but that did not take away from the amazing views.

I walked each of the three short trails while there. They were all great. Quite a swell came from the ocean later in the day so my third hike near the lighthouse I got drenched. I parked near the top area and walked around the whole time.

Lots to see and lots to do and will be even better once they can open all the things up again.

If you have an National Park Pass, you will not have to pay the park fee. We got there early and we were able to find a parking space near the lighthouse. If there is no parking there you will have to park in the lower lot and hike to the lighthouse. There were some excellent views of the coast line. There is a place were you can take the stairs down to the beach. We did not because my husband walks with a can but there are still plenty of spots around the lighthouse to enjoy. We were there in August and there were a bunch of annoying black flies. Defiantly worth a visit.

The light house is fairly interesting (and functional still, even though it was constructed in 1871). The walk around the lighthouse was good and provided many birdwatching opportunities. Bring your own binoculars!

We stopped at the visitor's center and then walked the trail to the lighthouse, made a slight detour down to the cobblestone beach and then walked around the lighthouse. We didn't take a tour of the lighthouse, but did climb the Salal-Hill trail to get a better view of the surrounding area. There were many informative signs that explained the history of the area as well as the lighthouse. We enjoyed seeing so many wildlife - birds and seals. A nice stop in Newport!

We enjoyed the wander around the grounds. We did not go into the lighthouse but enjoyed the information shared on the wooden stations placed around it. The stairs down to the beach are worth it. Incredible to see all the smooth rocks on the shore and to hear the sounds they make when the waves wash through them. We were fortunate to see a gray whale feeding just off shore!

The place is Absolutely Amazing and easy access to the lighthouse as well as the ocean. They are very knowledgeable at the visitor center. The views are Spectacular.

We went on a rainy day but this area is still worth seeing. Recommend that you have rain gear even if it looks sunny. The weather can change in an instant.

The lighthouse was closed when we visited but I noticed there's a new short hike taking off from the parking lot. Superb views from the top of the hill, on a sunny day of course.

I came here with my wife during a vacation in Newport.

The weather was interesting; some wisps of fog rolled over and around us.

The cormorants and murres were nesting and noisily happy.

I visit here every time I go to Newport. When the flowers are in bloom, I get the best photos. There is a walkway you can take down to the bottom but watch out for the tides. It's quite a few steps so have some good shoes and know you can climb back up.

A nice stop over for the light house and the ocean side trail, look for whales, a good change to watch , plenty of sea lions, the light house tour is not to be missed, ensure to buy the ticket and book the tour in specific time, no admission without booking, plenty of car parking,

Easy access to a lighthouse and walks along coastal vista and tide pools. Close to easy access to Agate Beach and long walks on uninterupted sand all the way to Nye Beach and Newport.

You can spend a day here or have several visits. The visitor center is informative, clean and well staffed. Watch the cool short movie. Walk or drive to the lighthouse. Walk down the stairs to walk on the beach with the cool smooth rocks, that sing as the waves crash. Bring your binoculars to bird watch, and to see the seals playing in the water!

A great spot to spend an afternoon, small fee to enter, a small hike to the lighthouse, they have tours every hr (in august) very informative by a history major , the grounds are a possibility for whale sightings. You can also trek down wooden stairs to a grey pebble
beach which is scenic. A definite recommend stop on the coast line

We ended up heading out to the Lighthouse on one of the most beautiful days on the Oregon coast. We even saw two whales!! This is a great place to spend a few hours. Make sure you stop at the interpretation Center and go through the exhibit. If you're traveling with kids make sure to check out the junior Ranger program.

You need to stop at the interpretive center to get a ticket to the the interior of the lighthouse. We didn't. No go.. But you can walk around the lighthouse, enjoy the view and read all the signage.

Wonderful place to visit, with easy access, beautiful views, and amazing park staff. Additionally, as a person with a disability, it was truly amazing how helpful the staff was in accommodating my mobility issue. The property is well maintained and all areas of interests were clearly marked.

Try to visit during low tide so you can see the tide pools. If it’s high tide all of the tide pools are covered in water. Staff is super friendly.

The visitor center was informative and kid friendly. The nature beach area and lighthouse are a short walk away.

The beach was very accessible but go early so you can see all of the sea life (seals, hermit crabs, birds and starfish) before high tide.

The lighthouse tour was amazing and informative. Tour guide was knowledgeable and learned a lot about the area. Highly recommended.

It was very crowded and no parking close by, but we drove up the road and found a space 1/4 from Lighthouse. The views were spectacular and we spotted a Bald Eagle on a high rock.

We stopped here on a road trip with our 7yo son and the experience far exceeded our expectations. The interpretive center is well worth a stop. It is full of information presented in beautiful exhibits and feels like a small museum. It is also where you need to book a lighthouse tour if you plan to do so. Get there early. Tours were full by noon. Also note that kids need to be 5 years or older and 42” tall to tour the lighthouse. Our son loved the exhibits. The walk along the lighthouse trail was gorgeous and the tide pools were some of the best that we have ever explored. They provide laminated information cards to aid in your exploration. We were lucky to spot many of the creatures on the cards. The lighthouse was beautiful from the outside and the view was spectacular. Bring binoculars!

This is a must-see in Newport. The lighthouse sits in an absolutely gorgeous location. Visit in March to look for migrating whales. We saw six close to shore. There are also a lot of birds in the area.

Don’t miss this wonderful place!
The scenery is outstanding!
This lighthouse is kept in pristine condition and makes for some wonderful pictures!!

You will want to start at the information center, I enjoy learning.
Next we went to check out the lighthouse - and it is spectacular! Next take at least one of the hikes.
You will love them.

Beautiful lighthouse and surrounding area. Parking was a bit difficult because it was so busy. We were able to see whales spouting while we were there and a bald eagle close by. This is a must see if in town. We walked down to the tide pools but it was high tide so we missed the pools. Still a nice walk down to see the beach area.

Explore the tide pools after a historic tour of Oregon's oldest lighthouse. We enjoyed touring Yaquina Lighthouse and learning about its history while our son enjoyed looking at the ocean creatures in the tide pools!

We got in the entrance with less than 10 minutes to spare--they close at sundown. We drove the half mile to the lighthouse, just in time to catch a marvelous sunset. Come at low tide, to explore the tidepools at the bottom of the stairs. For physically handicapped, there is also access to water's edge via wheel chair.

This is a really nice lighthouse and park with a lovely beach. Lots of stairs up and down to the beach but benches along the way to rest. Tons of birds on the big rocks across from the lighthouse. Even penguins We also saw 2 whales there cavorting offshore.

We visited the Yaquina Head Lighthouse - different than Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. It’s so worth the visit. Stop at the visitors center and get a free pass to tour the lighthouse. It has a narrow spiral staircase and small children are not allowed. The tour is so interesting and you get to see the light as well.

My family likes to travel to Oregon to visit relatives and vacation every year or so. A few days at the coast and a visit to Newport are always on the agenda.

This summer (2020) the area was closed due to Covid. Seemed unnecessarily cautious, but that’s the way things seem to be progressing.

Based on numerous visits in the past...If you like to visit tide pools, Yaquina Head Natural Area is wonderful. Fairly easy access to the cobble beach itself. Plentiful tide pools with abundant sea life and usually mostly free of kelp and sea grasses so pools are easily reachable and explorable.

Important to note that the beach area is a cobble beach. This particular area is not a sand beach. To reach the pools you will need to walk across a span of cobbles which can be tricky, but if you aren’t mobility-impaired it shouldn’t be a problem.

There is usually a park employee near the tidal pools to answer questions and identify the creatures you discover.

We stopped at the ranger station to see what was available. Nice facility & nice staff!
Drove up to the lighthouse--wildflowers everywhere. Spent time just watching seals...or just watching for movement...the sun must have felt good.
This is one of those sights that you can spend an hour or half a day. We didn't have time to tour the lighthouse.

Though a small place great tour for our group of 10 or 12. Glad we signed up early. Ranger girl in period costume for 1800’s. Great lighthouse facts

We made a semi-quick stop here. The museum is interesting, a few interactive displays for children, and an interesting movie regarding the life and times of the lighthouse and it's keepers. We hiked to the lighthouse - not far and easy hike. Beautiful scenery along the way. It was pretty cold so we didn't linger too long and opted not to hike down to the tide pools. I would like to come back to check out that area and to take the lighthouse tour. Very interesting piece of history.

I have visited this lighthouse numerous times. My husband proposed to me here 17 years ago. We recently visited with our children. It is in need of some external TLC, but the vista is still awe-inspiring. It is worth the fee to enter. If you have a National Park Pass, you are good to go. Active or retired military, remember you can get a lifetime national park pass for a one-time fee.

Wonderful place to see Mother Nature, history, and ocean life! We will return here many times over the rest of our lives. A must see if you are in the area. Best money I spent all weekend!

Great stop to see the lighthouse and beach area. Stopped to see the lighthouse and visited the visitor center. We arrive late in the day, and the lighthouse tours were full. We spent some time in the center, and some of the visitors with tour reservation were no-shows, so we got the tour. If you are there a half hour before the tour, I think it is worth your time to see if anyone drops off at the last minute. Nice walk form the visitors center to the lighthouse - better than trying to find parking by the lighthouse. Take some tome to take the stairs down to the beach area. The sound of the rocks being moved by the waves was unexpected.

On a clear day, the view is an amazing blue. It is well worth the visit. The only unpleasant thing was that there were flies everywhere. Everyone I saw, including myself, were swatting them away. This was mid September and no wind, so I don't know about other times or conditions. If you forget your binoculars, there are several coin operated versions at various locations.

Nice stop off with great views. The beach was really cool with all the volcanic rock. There are stairs to take to the bottom to check it out. Unfortunately they are doing some work at the lighthouse so you couldn’t get closer to it thank the parking lot. Still worth the quick visit there.

If you visit the Oregon coast, this is a must visit. We went here twice, once at high tide, once at low. The cobble stone beach, nesting peregrine falcon, sea lions, tide pools, flowers, cliffs, lighthouse, views, whales, etc...A three day pass is $7! The lighthouse can only be visited as part of a tour, you'll need separate tickets for that. The interpretive center is great for kids. They also have clean bathrooms and very knowledgeable staff.

Came early in the morning so the sun would have a low angle and light up this famous lighthouse. The hike was refreshing from the car park and saw a lot of seals, birds, etc. along the way. Lots of photo possibilities. Need telephoto lens for wild life.

We just visited the Yaquina Head Natural Area with our kids, ages 4 and 9, and they loved everything. We visited the Interpretive Center and read about the history of the area. The center had really nice exhibits and information about the lighthouse and the front desk woman was so sweet and friendly!

We were lucky enough to visit the tide pools and this was such a fun experience for our kids. Park staff were there and did a great job greeting visitors and explaining more about the expectations of respecting the space and the animals that live there. This area is not ADA accessible as there are many stairs to climb.

We all got to touch and see so many living things and we have no doubt that our kids will remember this day for the rest of their lives!

Absolutely stunning the views are spectacular if you are lucky you will see perigrine falcons and bald eagles it was beautiful

You have the famous lighthouse to visit. You have the very interesting interpretive center. You have several hiking trails to explore. So much in one area. Truly a place you should visit.

What a great history lesson and access to our past. The light house interpretation center was neat and informative. The short walk (1/3 mile) to the light house was nice and is a paved path. The view at the light house is stunning. There is access to the beach and tidal poles. Be prepared for lots of people. There is a fee to access this place! There is a lot of parking.

Exploring the light house was great but viewing the Oregon Coast from this point were outstanding; don't miss the opportunity!

It is possible to park quite near the lighthouse. There are great views all around, from the high steep cliffs. We walked down steps to the beach, the tide was in so no rock pools, but there were interesting pebbles. There is a small visitors’ centre a few minutes drive away with informative displays about the lighthouse.

We loved this place! Beautiful views, lots of history, wildlife, tide pools, and such beautiful flowers on the hike up to the top of the hill. I am so glad we stopped here. Don’t miss out! Go! Well worth the 7 dollar fee, and that gets you 3 days there. We did not go into the lighthouse, but we did enjoy all of the views, and the winding hike. Worth it!

The interpretive center at the beginning of the lighthouse area is very informative. You can drive down to the lighthouse or walk from the interpretive center. If you want to take a tour of the lighthouse you have to get to the center very early or call ahead (not sure if you can make reservations for a tour), because the tours fill up fast. The lighthouse is nice from the outside. There are some huge rocks jutting up from the ocean at the back, that houses many of the local birds. There are so many birds that it is very noisy, but in a good way - it is also very awesome to see that many. My husband and I were lucky enough to see a small whale swimming about - really only got to see its tail, but even that was amazing. Beautiful area to stroll around or have a peaceful picnic.

Go early in a.m. for a more "atmospheric" visit. Also less visitors. Beautiful setting views of seals (sea lions?) and common murres (in the Auk family - looks similar to penguins).

When in Newport...be sure to visit this lighthouse! It’s an easy drive and they have a large parking lot and great interpretive center.

We had visited this spot briefly about 15 years ago, but this time we had hours to spare. There is so much more to this special area than just the lighthouse. Rocky coastlines with high tide crashing waves greeted us, and we had a blast exploring several breathtakingly beautiful spots plus the lighthouse too! Loved this!

It is a nice scenic view but you cannot go in the lighthouse as of March 2022. We did see 3 sea lions from the lighthouse view down on Cobble Beach.

Nice little indoor museum with gift shop.
Went down to the Quarry Cove also. Another nice view down there.

This was my first Lighthouse, and it was amazing! the landscape was picture perfect! We got to play in the tide pools, watch whales as they passed by, and all of the Sea Lions were beautiful!

It was really pretty but the flies were biting yesterday. Cool lighthouse and views. So many great stop offs on this drive.

Fantastic! Do not miss this place. We saw the lighthouse, tidal pools, seals and beautiful views. Tidal pools were just incredible! There is a $7.00 per vehicle entrance fee. Guides onsite to answer questions about the tidal pools. Lots of parking. One of the highlights of our trip. Very close to Newport.

Each side trip on the Oregon coast is worth a look see. This one has a lot more. Exhibits, views , lighthouses, tours, sea life birds.

Can’t go wrong.

We made a quick stop to see the lighthouse and discovered so much to see. It’s worth a return to take in all the wildlife and views.

Small fee to get in, but good for three days. Short walk to the lighthouse which ery unique, tide pools with sea life too. Will be returning a second time before leaving, it was that good!

Ever since I was a kid and we'd come here for field trips from Corvallis, it's been one of my favorite places to visit. I now take my kids here and any visitors with us whenever we are on the Oregon Coast.

Wear comfortable shoes for walking on the rocky shore. All sorts of tide pools to look at. The seals and birds are all around you.
Take a camera and binoculars with

It was worth the entry fee to see the seabird spectacle. The winds were so strong the car door slammed shut on my leg as I was trying to get out, so be careful! There's a nice little hike up the hill behind the lighthouse and on too the interpretive center, and a short drive down to a protected little bay where you might see seals.

Freshly painted this lighthouse was beautiful with tide pools close by. Short walk along paved path from parking

Very accessible site with lots of hiking trails, nature, and history. Well staffed by very friendly volunteers. Easy place to spot seals, sea lions, birds in a very quiet and unassuming location.

We weren't able to get inside the gate at the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, so we headed north to Yaquina Head , and we were not disappointed. The visitor center was an interesting source of historical information, and the movie presentation on the lighthouse is well worth watching. If you have to choose between the movie and the lighthouse tour , watch the movie and just visit the outside of the lighthouse without taking the group tour. You can visit the lighthouse site with spectacular views of the sea crashing on the rocks below, and then hike down to the beach for a closer view of the rocky shore and seals sunning on the rocks or bobbing in the water close to shore. The beach walk requires that you be able to walk on a very unstable surface of marble-like stones , which are interesting in themselves. Not for strollers, carrying small children, or for persons who are at risk of falling. There were several park rangers and volunteers available to provide information and to answer questions.

Absolutely a must see while on the Oregon coast. Don't forget to also check out the Cobble beach. Plan for low tide so you can hear the water as it moves across the cobble stones.

A good spot to visit on the Oregon coast. Easy access, very old and cool lighthouse, and beautiful views! We saw lots of grey whales! Doesn’t take long, but a great stop if you’re in the area.

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is exactly what it claims to be - a beautiful area with sweeping vistas that provide amazing views on a clear day! You'll probably see many gulls and other birds soaring on the trade-winds - a beautiful site, especially when you see two bald eagles as we did! However, these same winds can be strong and chilly, so even on a warm day, carrying a jacket or hoodie is a good idea.

The trek down to the tide pools at low tide can be fascinating, as you can see anemones, urchins, starfish, etc. Just be aware that the path to the water is all stones, which can be slippery and unsteady, so proper shoes are in order.

We didn't have time for the Lighthouse tour, but I'm sure that will please also. One additional spot you may want to visit while there is the trip down to the cove and beach which is accessible by taking the small road on the right as you are leaving the main parking area. Once parked, the walk down is fairly steep, but well worth it as there are more beautiful seascapes and secluded beach that cannot be seen from the main visitor's area. There is also a short side road which takes you to even more sweeping vistas where views down the coast extend for many miles away!

A very enjoyable day, especially if you enjoy photography!

We drove to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse early in the morning from Yachats on Tuesday, July 27. We got there at around 7:45 am and saw the sign that said they opened at 8 am and the gate was closed. A biker told us we could park down the street in the parking area and walk up and it would be free. Otherwise, it would be $7 per vehicle.

We ended up waiting until 8 am to drive back to the gate and were told that the America the Beautiful Pass worked for entrance. It was a little foggy and cold and windy at the Lighthouse but we enjoyed the visit. We were one of the first people there.

Spent a couple of hours on Cobble Beach whale watching. There were at least three grey whales in the area, along with seal pups and sea bird rookeries, and tide pools.

The lighthouse is great by itself but don't miss the adjacent tide pool area! We saw some gray whales and tons of harbor seals along with all the wildlife in the tide pools. The sun sets behind the lighthouse and the view is amazing.

Yaquina Head lighthouse Station was built in 1873. Oregon's tallest light house it's light still shines.
Guided tours of the lighthouse offered only as staffing allows. Tours start at 10:00 AM.A group of 8 spaces on any single tour. Children must be 42" or taller in order to climb the stairs.
Absolutely amazing and beautiful to watch whales feeding and sea lions basking in the sun.🌞 Summer hours: July-September 10:00AM -5:00 PM.

We went here while we were in Newport, Oregon. I originally thought that we were going to go to the Bay Lighthouse, but we went north instead of south. This is a very nice area with many things to do. The one thing that I can recommend is to go on a relatively nice calm day.

My wife and I visit this lighthouse whenever we stay in Newport. A special interest is the cobble beach, many seals basking on the rocks and swimming in the water, and a special treat of Harlequin ducks. The ducks were preening and very close to the beach.
From the lighthouse observation deck, we saw spouting whales. Climbing Salal Hill you get a much wider panorama. We easily stayed over two hours on the beach and the hill.
Free with Senior Access or some other passes. About $7 a car if no pass. Wear windbreakers. Beautiful sunsets. Pets not allowed on beach or to lighthouse.

Stop at the visitor's center for your free tickets to tour inside the lighthouse. The grounds are beautiful, the views abound, but going inside the lighthouse was the icing on the cake. Check tide times and visit Cobble Beach to see all the wonderful tide pools. The sound of the water rolling back off the rocks is music to the ears.

Note: if you will be in Oregon for a week or more, ask the rangers about a five-day park pass that will allow entrance for one fee to several Oregon parks including Yaquina Lighthouse.

This place is stunning. There are tide pools, and beaches. An awesome interpretive center. And of course the Yaquina head light house.

Oh! And you can hike the trails! Great way to spend a day!

This place is like a hidden gem for sea animal viewing.

We could see whales very close to the shore, a bunch of harbor seals relaxing during low tide and a few star fishes too. The tide pool is amazing during low tide and there are Forest Department guides to help visitors point out sea animals.

Out on the point, the Bureau of Land Management has done a marvelous job of maintaining and developing the area. The Natural Area has a Visitor Center, a tide pool, a quarry and of course, the lighthouse. All are destinations in themselves.
The Visitor Center provides a nice overview of lighthouses and the people who tended them. Good displays and videos. The tide pool is created by Mother Nature. But the BLM has provide good access via a stairway. And when we visited, there were BLM Rangers providing commentary on the area. The quarry is paved with wheelchair accessible walks down to the ocean. And the lighthouse is wonderful.

This is an excellent visit. One we have made a number of times.

This a National Park...so entrance fee charged. They have a top notch exhibit building. Worth taking time to go through and get the whole story of wretched ships and history of the Lighthouse. The Lighthouse is sometimes open for interior tours.

We knew that staying overnight in Newport meant that we should check out this lighthouse. What we didn't know was how much more there would be to see and experience!

We came in early on Saturday morning and the tide was low, exposing much of the cove at the first viewing point--before you even get near the lighthouse. We didn't go all the way down to the shore, but there were several people poking about.

A short drive up the hill brought us to a generous parking lot (and the second set of bathrooms we encountered--a nice touch!). Great views up the coast to the north and a beautiful walk up to the lighthouse. Tons of seabirds on the rocks and in the air. We were there too early for the lighthouse activities, but it was beautiful nonetheless. Very breezy in mid-June, and my husband went back to the car for a skull cap to keep his head warm.

Looking left from the lighthouse, you can see a black beach and seals swimming and lounging. We realized that you could actually walk down to the beach, so we gave it a shot. Informational signs on the way down showed it to be Cobble Beach, and it was unlike any beach we had ever been on. Smooth, rounded, black cobble stones make walking a challenge, but for those willing to brave it at low tide, there are tide pools to explore and rocks to climb. The stairs down to the beach were divided into shorter flights with plenty of deck to rest for those not in the best of shape.

There was a fee to enter the park, just $7 I believe, and worth every penny. We spent a few hours here before departing for Crater Lake. Fantastic surprise that is worth your time and money!

We stopped to see the lighthouse, but the tours for the day were already mostly full by 11 am. So we walked on the trails instead. Great decision as we were able to see a bunch of whales and seals right below us. I would definitely recommend stopping to see the whales. I don’t know what times of the year they are there but we really enjoyed it.

If you are going to Yaquina, you need to be at the interpretive center by 10 to get your tickets for the lighthouse tour. The tour in april was only 3 times a day. Tour was great because the tour guide teaches you about the lighthouse as if it was back in the 1800's. Very informative about how the lighthouse workers had to do their job

Staff was extremely helpful and the exhibits were really interesting and well curated. I loved watching the movie about the lighthouse as well.

Wow! We couldn't go into the lighthouse since repair work was being done, but it didn't matter. Yaquina is an outstanding site to view nature. There are fascinating tide pools, seals on rocks, a beach to walk on, and the Pacific Ocean. Inland, we found a pair of peregrine falcons on a cliffside. Bring binoculars.

We didn't have enough time in our schedule, only spent a hour. Beutiful ground and nice visitor center. Junior ranger program too.

This gorgeous, eerie lighthouse is the one they used in The Ring. It was made in Paris during the Victorian era and still uses its original Fresnal lens. It’s also the tallest lighthouse in Oregon!

This was a very short, easy walk up a paved roadway and walkways with lots of paved parking. They weren’t charging any fees due to the interpretive center and interior of the lighthouse being closed due to Covid. We were pretty much the only ones there while visiting! They also have it labeled where to walk to keep everyone socially distanced and walking up one way and down another.

Even in the fog, it’s gorgeous and is a great place to play with my camera! Also has some breathtaking vistas around the cliffs. There’s a large, whimsical compass etched into the concrete near the information signs. I’d love to come back and tour the inside of the lighthouse! There are some nice, clean restrooms at the interpretive center that are still open so that was useful! Will definitely come back once all is open again.

Park the car and enjoy the walk out to the lighthouse. There is a group of whales that seem to stay year 'round. We watched for 1/2 an hour as they spouted and lifted their tails out of the water.

This historic lighthouse was made in Paris and shipped to Oregon.
Yaquina Head Light was first lit in 1873 and is the tallest lighthouse in Oregon at 93 feet!
Situated on a point that prominently displays its beauty for miles around,
the area around the lighthouse is absolutely beautiful and there are wonderful opportunities for stunning photography, especially at sunrise and sunset!
If you are in the area for a few days get the 5 day pass for $10 - it includes quite a few other scenic stops.

Be sure to stop and see this.
really great few and information. Didn't take the tour but I would have if the time was right

This is a very pretty lighthouse along the gorgeous Oregon Coast (seriously one of the most beautiful areas I've ever visited). We came right after it closed for the day, so we didn't get to go inside, but the area around it was very interesting and afforded some spectacular views of the ocean. There's a large amount of seabirds to see around here as well and it's just a fun place to visit overall!

This is truly exceptionally beautiful. Wouldn't mind a less windy day, but we'll worth the visit. Incredible views, history, and wildlife, all in one place. Don't miss this!

Can not go up to the Lighthouse it is closed "due to COVID" ?? But it is all outdoors with the best view of the coast. May be able to walk up there from the parking lot of the interpretive center, but for the elderly and disabled that is not really an option.

Great place to go. Stunning scenery. Parking limited so could be busy in summer. The interactive centre was excellent. Highly recommend the trip!

This was a surprisingly beautiful lighthouse and great views of the ocean. They give a great tour and the guides dress up in character.
We had a great time and climbed to the top to enjoy the views.
We are excited to come back!

the lighthouse was pretty cool, even though you can’t go inside, and the area was real cool too. The problem I have was the interpretative center. Everything was blocked off due to covid. I think the parks department is just lazy now and using covid as an excuse not to open fully. It’s sad because they looked like they had some fascinating things to learn about too. US parks department, I am vaccinated, everyone I know is too, quit being so lazy and open up. What are my taxes going for anyway?

The views from the Yaquina Head Lighthouse are mesmerizing and it was very breezy up there. Detailed plaques talk about the area and give a history of the lighthouse. There was also a walking path across from the lighthouse parking lot where you could go up on a bluff for more views. If we'd had more time, we would have explored more of the trails. It was definitely worth the $7 admission fee.

It's an easy walk to the tide pools, although there are quite a few stairs down to the beach. I'd advise leaving the strollers on a landing, you can't use them at all on the beach its all round rocks. Great place for kids to see the tide pools and although we couldn't get in for a tour, the outside of the lighthouse is fun to visit. The visitor center is nice and the informationational.

Stopped by the Yaquina Head Lighthouse on our way outta town and absolutely loved it! You had to purchase a park pass, which is good for 7 days, it was $7-10. The views from the Lighthouse were amazing. We saw 4 large grey whales in the cove and it as a bucket list check off to see that, can’t recommend this place enough, don’t miss it.

Excellent! Cool to see the lighthouse, but on this visit we saw whales fairly close in. Even without the whale watching, it's a beautiful place and worth your time.

My husband and I stopped here hoping to make the last tour up the lighthouse (we missed it by minutes), but the area is still well worth the visit. The lighthouse is old, historical, and very cool (it is the tallest lighthouse in Oregon), and the views are fantastic. The only thing we did not enjoy about this visit was the flies. There were hundreds of them, and they swarmed everything and everyone...it was really gross. If it hadn't been for the flies, we could easily have spent a good chunk of time here walking around, but we had no desire to stay because of that. I don't believe they are bad like that year round, but early September was not a good time for a visit.

This site offers a great combination of coastal views, wildife(birds and seals), and a lighthouse. Stop in the Visitor Center for info on lighthouse tours and to check out the museum. The lighthouse is the tallest on the Oregon coast. Check the rocks just offshore for seals and seabirds. The day we visited there were seals resting on the rocks and other rocks nearly covered with seabirds. If tidal conditions are right, you can go down to the shore and look for sea life in the tidal pools. This can be anything from a short photo stop to an all day trip. This is a BLM fee site (Oregon Coast Pass or any federal parks pass accepted). Well worth the stop.. .

The tide pools are wort the walk. They also have created accessible access for those with a handicap. Check in at the visitors center.

We went to visit the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural area. We were a bit disappointed that our Oregon state park pass we had purchased wasn't accepted at this area, so we paid the $7 entrance fee. It was very foggy / cloudy when we got there so could barely see the lighthouse. We parked near the visitors center and walked to the lighthouse. There is parking closer to the lighthouse, but it is a short walk with lovely views from the visitor center. We could see seals lounging along the shores on the small islands off the coast. The lighthouse is BEAUTIFUL and well maintained. Unfortunately, we were unable to enter the lighthouse or take a tour due to Covid. (funny that the gift shop was open though??) We went down all the stairs (there are a lot) down to the shoreline. There are very nice information signs going down the stairs and throughout the area, which were really nice and informative. We really enjoyed watching the seals frolic in the water. Eventually, the sun came out, so we went back to our car and brought down some drinks and snacks to the shoreline to enjoy the seals. The lava rocks are a bit difficult to walk on, but loved the sound they make and the whole experience. I'm just letting you know if you have difficulty walking or difficulty with stairs, you should probably avoid the shoreline. We went back to the lighthouse to get better photos in the sunlight. We even saw a whale swimming by. We then went to the information center, which had a nice little gift shop and clean bathrooms. We had a great time - probably spent a couple hours there. We decided it was really Outstanding and worth our $7 entrance fee. You should go!

Some gorgeous views at the north of the park. Really cool black stone beach south of the lighthouse. Be very careful near the tide pools. I slipped and really hurt myself. There's a trail to the top of a little mound which we didn't do, but probably had great views. Only pit toilets here with no water but awesome. Skip the visitor center and head to parking near the light house first.

nice hike to the lighthouse. historical informative movie at visitor center, lighthouse tour good. steps are a bit steep . not for the very out of shape but great

Very beautiful area. Many various aspects of nature, and ocean life available. Most days the air is clear and provides an enjoyable and calming feeling.

The Yaquina Head light adds to the overall effect, and at the right time of the year, there be whales, many times, quite close to the shore and coves.

With or without the whales, there are so many photo ops throughout the park.

Wonderful car trip to the Oregon coast bed and breakfasts. The lighthouses were beautiful to see, along the coast. The antiques stores and wonderful, delicious seafood restaurants were a bonus.

If your travelling the Oregon coast, do not miss this site. Not only is the lighthouse beautiful, but a short walk takes you to some of the best tide pools anywhere. We also saw tons (literally) of harbor seals.

This is one of my two favorite settings for lighthouses on the Oregon Coast. The other is Haceta Head Lighthouse. Both have been protected from encroaching development. Yaquina Head sits atop a bluff with waves lapping at its base. It is very convenient to get to from Newport. I have visited the site many times since 2006 and done several paintings in watercolor and colored pencil. You should also see the original lighthouse in downtown Newport next to the bridge.

This is a beautiful place to visit. The interpretive center gave a great history on the lighthouse and had a small gift shop. There are times they have guided tours but otherwise the there is no access to the interior of the lighthouse. The grounds are lovely and the scenery of the Oregon coast is beautiful.

It was a foggy day with limited visibility so not charged to enter.
Less than 10 minute walk to lighthouse. Can’t go inside but fun little area to walk around. For us was good to stop, stretch our legs & check it out.

Heaven on earth, my favorite place I have ever been and probably will ever go. It’s peaceful, the lighthouse is beautiful, it was easy to navigate, and the tide pools at the park are a surreal almost alien landscape you have to see once.

The lighthouse is located on a peninsula and provides many opportunities for very interesting photography. There are several areas set aside for animal and bird watching including whales. The whales come in close to a viewing platform so are easy to see without binoculars. The visitors center in very informative and has lots of meaningful exhibits. This site is well worth a 2 hour visit. Sunsets here can be fantastic.

Wonderful Interpretative center at entrance very informative and interesting. after that can take a short walk to the lighthouse or drive up to it. The lighthouse is great though sadly some of the original buildings of the caretaker are gone. It's well worth the walk down to the water front and the black rock beach. Great rock and shell collecting here as well as sometimes a chance to spot a while in distance or in our case some playful sea lions in the water.

You can use your National Park Pass to get into this area. Also, I believe, a Pacific Coast Pass will do. (The Pacific Coast Pass costs $10 and is good for 5 days and is honored at over 15 state and federal fee sites along Hwy 101). Otherwise, the fee is $7, but well worth it. This is the site of Oregon's tallest lighthouse (still operational). Tours are available but reservation must be made in person on day of at the Interpretive Center. You can learn about the history of the lighthouse at the Interpretive Center and there is also a gift shop there. There was an abundance of wild flowers during our visit (May 28, 2019). Wear proper shoes, because you can walk down to the tide pool where you will be able to see seals, but this is a rocky area. You can also hike up the hill behind the interpretive center (accessed from the parking lot at the lighthouse), which we enjoyed doing. There are hundreds of seabirds on the sea stacks in front of the lighthouse. A great place to visit with something for just about everyone.

We got so lucky getting the last tour of the day and the last spots! The tour guild was full of knowledge and cool facts. They do a role play where you act like you are going back in time. Which was fun for the kids. It has a ton of steep steps but it is very doable. Spectacular views. Tide pools, seals ..... so much to do here! We did but the 5 day park pass for 10.00 it was so worth it! You will need to get their at 10 AM or earlier to get tickets for the tour. They are FREE but they do go fast. You can check back though for cancellations. They also have the Jr. Ranger program if you are interested. This is a must stop and do!

This is a beautiful coastal area--even if there were not a lighthouse. We enjoyed the singing stones nearby and seals on the rocks off the coast.

We LOVED the cobble stone beach at the bottom of the stairs. The black rocks make the neatest clacking sound as the waves come in and go back out. The light house was closed to tours but it was still great to walk around the outside. The area was spectacular.

I used to guide field trips to Yaquina Head as a graduate student at Oregon State many years ago. BLM has basically kept the place shut down due to Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. I first visited this year in August and hiked from Hwy 101 to the head to take pictures. BLM finally opened up the drive to the visitors center so no you only have to hike .3 miles to the Lighthouse. The Visitors center and the Lighthouse are closed due to the pandemic, but at least you can walk out to the head.

My family and I are making it a tradition to capture light houses. This was one was a great sight to see. My daughter enjoyed going down to the pebble beach and exploring the natural wild life. She was fascinated with the sculpin fish, sea lions, hermit crabs, star fish and crabs. We spent a good 2 hours roaming the coast taking family photos. It was a bit windy

My husband and I really enjoyed exploring the grounds here. Informative, beautiful and lots of sealift to check out. Bring binoculars!

This is a lovely place to visit. Very pretty views and a wonderful rocky shoreline full of sea creatures. We traveled with our 9 & 10 year old grandsons and they loved it too. There are over a 100 steps down (and up) to the beach and no handicap access to the beach. Staff rangers were available for questions. There is also a nice climb to get a higher ocean view.

Stopped here at low tide. Rangers at visitor center and at the tide pools were very helpful. Saw a gray whale surfacing several times. The cobble beach is very unique. The lighthouse tours were all sold out for the entire day by 2pm. Grear stop!

Beautiful lighthouse and scenic area. While here you can see and visit cobble beach as well. Many lookout areas and neat Compass on the grounds.

Have visited this place twice and both times were outstanding in different ways. First time, I stood on the observation deck and saw whale after whale. Second time was more overcast but only more beautiful. Can't speak to the visitor center, as it has been closed both times I was there. However, the lighthouse and grounds are worth the visit.

We went there at high tide, so we didn’t get to see tide pool in cobble beach, but we saw many sea lions and sea birds there.
The light house was beautiful even though it was cloudy that day.
We pick a wrong trail, we walked on communication hill trail, didn’t see anyone. The whole trail had no view until the end the trail, you could see the beach. If I knew that, I would not use my vacation time on this trail.

Came here with the kids as my wife used to live in the area. We had a good time walking from the visitor's center out to the lighthouse, but you can drive out there if you want. It is a great viewpoint for big, panoramic pictures of the coast. On the walk down, there are some stairs going down to the beach made from the large cliffs breaking down, so not your usual sand. It is a beach made of big, rounded cobblestones. Sized everything from golf balls to big softballs and you walk on them. it is quite a feeling to walk across something like a big stone ball pit (but if you have bad knees or hips, don't do it). It was a great experience.

This place is amazing starting with it's history back in 1870. Very well maintained structure in beautiful surroundings. The interpretive center provides complete details on this place and the tour puts it all together in a hands on fashion.

Interesting tide pools at the adjoining beach, dozens of seals on the rocks in the bay, and we were fortunate enough to watch the Gray Whales just off shore from the observation platform at the base of the lighthouse. Nice treat for our 7 year old!

It would be convenient if they had installed some picnic tables in the area to enjoy lunch while taking it all in.

We visited Yaquina from our basecamp at Newport. There is a $7 fee to enter that is not covered by any state park or forest passes (I believe a national park pass will work). Although the visitor center is closed (with COVID), the restrooms are open. We walked from the visitor center parking area to the marine garden/tidepool area - and spent about an hour there. It was busy but nearly everyone wore masks and practiced social distancing. The tidepooling was great (it was about an hour before low tide). We then walked to the lighthouse and hiked up the hill above the lighthouse (nice view). It was windy and did spritz rain a few short times.

Spent a couple of hours here visiting the Interpretative Centre, which includes a range of exhibits and a 15 min film about the lighthouse, viewing the lighthouse itself [although you cant currently go inside] walking the trails and inspecting the interesting tidepools. To do the latter check the tides as only accessible at low tide. We also got to see different sea birds and seals. It's a very picturesque area with great views over to the miles of white sand beach. 7 USD fee per car applies if you don't have an annual pass - excellent value for money.

Beautiful example of a lighthouse on the Oregon coast. Great views back to Newport from the rocky headland and an excellent visitor center. Our fall visit didn't provide opportunity to view seabirds but the sight of a peregrine falcon on the rocks above the visitor centre parking lot was a first for me.

What's not to like! It's outside & a bit of history. A little hike right now, roughly 1/2 mile round trip. Weather didn't cooperate day we were there, otherwise it would be beautiful.

The turn off of 101 to the Yaquina light house was easy to find. We were able to use our national park pass to get in. We were directed to the headquarters/gift shop where we were able to view their walk through museum information display. If you call in advance you can get a guided tour through the light house itself.We were trying to get to the tide pools but they sent us to the quarry pools instead of the ones at Pebble beach. so we missed the tide pools. We were able to walk around the Light house and we saw seals and lots of birds.

The lighthouse area was as pretty as a postcard. Loved watching the birds on the rocks and whales! Bring binoculars.

I have climbed this amazing light a number of times and each time the guides have been so helpful. You pay a small fee to get in but totally worth it. Also go to their marine science center and climb the safe stairs down to the beach you just might see a baby seal too.

I love going here. The tide pools are fun to explore with any age. My granddaughter and nephew had a blast exploring and finding crabs and other sea life.
You will even enjoy watching the sea lions
swimming around in the ocean.

Yaquina Head has dramatic views of the Pacific coast. The lighthouse is impressive and the Interpretive Center is one of the best we have visited. It covers the history of the area and the lighthouse.
This a beautiful area some ways off the highway with plenty of parking.

This lighthouse location offers great views of the Oregon coast. It was nice to have a park employee give you accurate information about the location.

$7 parking fee gets you 3 days of parking. Some nice short hikes both to the top of hills and down to beaches. Saw about 20 harbor seals playing in the water 50 yards off shore.

After (mistakenly) visiting the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, we drove the few miles here to Yaquina Head Lighthouse. The approach road intersects with Hwy 101 and there are signs for this. You proceed about a mile to the large parking lot for the visitors' center. You then have the option to drive the remaining 1/3 mile to the much smaller lot adjacent to the lighthouse or you can walk on a pedestrian trail which has great views of both the ocean and the lighthouse as you approach it.

We checked out the visitors’ center first. They had some exhibits on the construction and function of the lighthouse, plus local wildlife including whales. This was popular with families with shcool-age kids. The ranger on duty advised us that parking could be an issue out at the lighthouse, so we then opted to just walk the rest of the way. It was a sunny day and we had jackets against the wind.

It turned out to be a nice walk with good opportunities to photograph the lighthouse. You also can see the hill which rises just behind the visitors' center; there appeared to be paths up to the summit, though we did not hike that. Parking did seem scarce at the small lot at the end of the road. There were quite a lot of people at the large circular plaza around the base of the lighthouse. Most were checking out a large rock with thousands of birds. However, there was also a passing whale, which you could see every couple of minutes as it came to the surface for a breath. I had never seen a while in the wild before, so it was an extra treat! The ranger indicated that (depending on the season) it was a good spot to see whales.

I thought this was a highly worthwhile stop on our drive.

We tried to visit earlier in the morning, but decided to go back due to the thick fog. By the time we got back there were like 500 people trying to park. This was a fee free day, so I guess everyone wanted to visit. It was also Wednesday.

There's a big parking lot next to the visitor center & bathrooms. The visitor center was basically closed. There were some exhibits open in the main room, but the rest closed off. The gift shop was of course open, but is very small.

You drive farther down the road & come to the lighthouse area. Holy Cow!
The parking lot should be adequate, but not when there's 500 people trying to park!
People were everywhere. On a Wednesday!!
The lighthouse is nice. No tours of course. The view is also very nice. Many people were trying to look at tide pools, but the tide was still rather high.
My advice would be to go early. Unless it's foggy.

I love lighthouses, so being in the area I knew I needed to stop. Was a bit chilly and windy, but definitely worth the trip. Great views!!!

This was a very cool place! The lighthouse is gorgeous and very historic. The rocks and the water is amazing. There are stairs that you can go down and enjoy black rocks and the ocean breeze, highly recommend if in the area!

There is a lot to see in this small park. At low tide, the tide pools were easily accessible, there were birds everywhere (a volunteer for ODFW had some spotting scopes setup), seals were splashing right off shore, and there were whales passing by. The short hike to the top of a hill awarded a breathtaking view, and the interpretive center was well designed and informative. Worth visiting without a doubt.

The lighthouse is closed for construction, however, from afar is still quite picturesque. The real treat was the tide pools. They are a bit of a walk down some stairs to the ocean, but not too difficult. The rocks also are a bit difficult to walk on, but little ones will have a great time if you take it slow. The interpreters were very friendly and helpful in pointing out things to look for. It was some of the best tide pooling that we had on our trip so far. The seals off seal rock were an added treat.

Our first visit here was with our child's elementary school for a field trip. We were very impressed with the rangers who led the program. They did an excellent job with an interactive and age appropriate introduction for the tide pools. The visitor center, though small, is excellent. There are fun and engaging things for kids to do. The gift shop was also small, but excellent and the prices were very good. We look forward to returning here again.

Definitely walk down to the tide pool area to get a view of the lighthouse from the cobblestone beach. This was better than seeing it up close. The beach was so unique, and I loved the sound the rocks made with the tide.
Dogs are allowed, but not up at the actual lighthouse, due to birds nesting nearby,

Tide pools at low tide- awesome! Saw starfish, anemones, crabs, coral, and tons of different birds. Terrific volunteers as well.

Easily accessible, interesting visitors center.

Several scenic views, whale and seal sightings.

Worth the trip.

Absolutely breathtaking scenery which includes a well-preserved lighthouse. Stop at the lighthouse gift shop for souvenirs and then walk the path a short distance to the lighthouse scenic view area.you can also drive, but highly recommend that you walk and take it all in.

Whether you are driving down the coast or in the area, this is a great stop.
There is a fee to enter into the area per vehicle. One option is to park at the parking lot at the main highway and walk in. There is not sidewalks or a path for most of the walk in so you would need to walk along the side of the road. It is only about 2.5 miles round trip. The nice thing about walking in is you get to see all the sites, stop and enjoy the scenery and get close to the flowers.

When you come around the final corner by the lighthouse you will amazed at the beautiful view. The cliffs on one side with the black rock beach, the hillside to your right covered in array of colors and the lighthouse in front of you surrounded by the open ocean (and the occasional whale spout).

Once in the parking lot, you can walk down the boardwalk type steps and head down to Cobble Beach. It is challenging walking along the rocks but worth checking out. One of my favorite things is to get close to the water as the waves crash in, and then listen as it flows away and the rocks roll...it is an amazing sound! Occasionally there will be some sea lions on the beach that you may be able to get close up to and see (obey the signs and don't get too close). When the tide is out you can walk out on the rocks and will see some sea urchins (don't touch them...you'll regret it) anemones, and possibly some sea cucumbers and starfish.

At the lighthouse, you will see a large rock "island" covered in birds (it does smell a bit as well). Depending on the time of your visit, there may be researches watching the island who are also willing to give you information about what they are watching for.

The hill overlooking the lighthouse has a switch back trail that gives you a great view of the lighthouse and the beaches north and south. It is a gradual slope and because it switches back is relatively easy hike (10-20 minutes to the top). You will also walk right through the beautiful flowers and get to enjoy the various colors up close.

Another option is to make this part of a running route...great scenery, gradual hills, and a natural turn around point.

This was our first visit here, but won't be our last. The interpretive center was a great stop and full of interesting history. I'd highly recommend the stop.

Fun little walk to the lighthouse! Super windy but so much fun to hear how the wind howls through the rocks. There’s a little access to walk down to the beach. Pretty dark black rocks and sand. Really enjoyed this visit!

A very beautiful setting and great vistas. The lighthouse is kept in pristine shape and the grounds are worth the stop. History is action so to speak. Love this light house...

A must see spot on the Oregon Coast. The views are spectacular and we saw a whale from the foot of the lighthouse.

Take the time to walk down the stairway to Cobble Beach.

Great views of the coast and Pacific Ocean from this lighthouse. We even spotted a whale! It's worth the drive.

This area is absolutely gorgeous! We walked around the lighthouse protected area and saw all kinds of wildlife. Many sea birds nest in the area on the rocks nearby. The views at the point are outstanding. And the lighthouse is beautiful. We didn't go inside as it was after hours. Our favorite part was walking down below on Cobble Beach. We went twice. Once when the tide was coming in. The sound of the cobble pebbles is so unusual and cool! We returned the next day during low tide to visit the protected tide pools. Because they are carefully protected, they were by far the best tide pools we have seen. Our grandkids loved exploring all the different types of life! Colorful starfish, anemones, crabs, snails..... just a treat! And the volunteers are all so helpful. It's a great place to explore.

This entire area is terrific. You can tour the lighthouse (be sure to call ahead for dates and times!), visit the cultural center, hike along the beach and check out the tide pools.

It is the tallest lighthouse in Oregon at 93'! Built of 400,000 imported bricks, it really is an architectural wonder and just awesome to look at.

Caution: it probably will be windy on the point. Parking is severely limited so plan on walking about 1/4 mile if the parking lot is full. Well worth it though.

Informative history of the development of the lighthouse system in the later part of 1800's. Several easy-to-moderate hikes on the point lead to panaramic views of the nearby beaches. Bring your National Park Pass, otherwise it is $7 to get in...but well worth it!

Very informative staff in the visitor center. Great views from the lighthouse of the birds and ocean. Saw a Peregrin Falcon right by the visitor center. Great photo spot.

Has nice walk areas and if you go at low tide the tide pools have a lot of starfish etc. The view is beautiful and on a clear day you can see for miles. Can get a bit windy there. But worth the visit.

My family and I stopped by this Lighthouse on our way up the Oregon coast in July. The views of the ocean are awesome! You have a short walk from the visitors center down to the lighthouse where you can stop and view the ocean, take some photos, or even walk down to the rocks and admire the harbor seals that are lying on the rocks. The lighthouse offers postcard views as well. Highly recommend the stop! It will cost you to park here if you don’t have the Oregon 5-day pass.

For some spectacular sunsets and ocean views, the Yaquina Head Natural Area is a must. The entrance fee is good for three days and I always go back for the three days. It is such a beautiful lighthouse--very picturesque with the sky and ocean in the background. Take some time to explore the entire area if you can.

We loved stopping here. The interpretive center gives you a story of the lighthouse keepers which is fascinating. There is also a junior ranger program which is a must do for kids, they learn so much. The aquatic animal discovery is also very informative. We drove to the lighthouse but all the tours were full. We parked on the side of the road it was very full and backed up. We walked to the beach area. Its amazing experience to see black basalt cobblestones. The beach is not easy to walk on. The cobblestones are slippery. Be very careful. Sit on the beach and listen to the waves rattle the cobblestones and you can see sea lions on the rock in the distance.

The price ($7), the views, and the volunteers make this a special place to visit. Make sure to stop at the visitors center to pick up your lighthouse tour tickets (free, but they only let so many people on a tour). Drop a dollar in the donation bin for a pin. After that my 5yo, 8yo, husband and I drove to cobble beach. The view is breathtaking and the sound is like nothing I’ve ever heard before on a beach (a roaring crowd). The volunteers were very informative and fun to talk to, at the beach, lighthouse overlook, and on the lighthouse tour. My kids LOVED the lighthouse tour; it was interactive, included photographs, and links to current times that they could grasp. What a special place. ❤️

Be prepared for wind, strong wind, but it’s amazingly beautiful.very young children aren’t allowed to go up the lighthouse. They have to be big enough to walk up and down all the steps by themselves.

Every time I’m on the OR Coast, I visit! The setting of the lighthouse is stupendous. The wildflowers are fantastic. I love seeing the wildlife, including harbor seals, grey whales, sea birds, and bald eagles. The visitor center has great information. I always look forward to visits.

Beautiful lighthouse. Very nice area to visit. I was able to get some great photographs. I would visit again.

This was such an amazing place. I initially drove out to see the lighthouse but was caught up in photographing the coastline. It reminded me of some places in Cornwall, UK. Give it a look!

I recommend you read a tide table! We were here on a sunny day (true!) an hour after low tide. There were a lot of people, it being whale week and spring break, but everyone was respectful of the tide pools and their creatures. The volunteers were friendly and helpful. The birds were also amazing - falcons, harlequins, bald eagles, oyster catchers... We also saw a whale. This would be a great place to take children. The cobble beach and tide pools do not seem to be accessible for wheelchairs.

So much beauty here. Interesting rock formations in the water. Birds up on the rocks to look at, sometimes sea lions. The light house is beautiful. It's also got an entrance to Cobble Beach.

Great views! Stay for minutes or hours! Spectacular views. Hike or enjoy from the top! Whatever you choose, great place to visit!

Great ocean views with hiking trails, some trails leading down to the tidal pools. The The park staff is extremely helpful, friendly and informative. I would go back again.

We had a great visit viewing the waves and whales and seal lions as well as the lighthouse. the lighthouse. We also watched some surfers.

The lighthouse and surrounding area is gorgeous and it is definitely worth a visit. They had a HUGE problem with Kelp Flies this summer and it was AWFUL. They were flying into your face and eyes and landing all over you. At any given moment we had 20+ flies on us. Nobody was happy with the amount of flies. They covered EVERYTHING.

Few years ago we visited that place and I do not remember we had to pay to enter the area. Now it is National park and require either annual pass or $ 7.00 entry ticket per car. There are several parking lots and several viewing points. Some wind so have appropriate clothes. No water, but few restrooms. As in April 2019 we couldn't enter inside of the lighthouse as during our first visit! It was closed with no notes!

We hadn't been to the lighthouse and environs for more than 30 years. The visitor's center is great, the view amazing/fantastic. The weather was a bit iffy when we were there or it would have been nice to take one of the hikes.

The place is soo windy ( probably 50 60 mph gusts) when we visit it in July that i am not sure it is worth to pay $7 to see it. Probably if it won't be soo windy, i would recommend but still not worth that fee.

Friendly volunteer docents, beautiful walkable beaches just south, gray whale migration sitings if lucky. Well maintained walkways, hill walk, stairway or drive to pebbly beach below cliff.

This was an unexpected treat. It was low tide and calm seas and the gray whales were feeding right near the shore. Great to see. Lots of seals basking on the rocks and hundreds of nesting seabirds. A beautiful lighthouse and reserve.

I love lighthouses and this one did not disappoint. It was $7 to enter. There’s a nice interpretive center before going to the lighthouse. There are restrooms, a small souvenir shop, help desk and an informative exhibit about life at the lighthouse a hundred years ago. There are two short films on a constant loop - one explaining the history and life at the lighthouse and the other focuses on the tide pools and birds of the area. Recommend people stop in before visiting the lighthouse.

The lighthouse sits a mile out. There are stairs down to the tide pools. I had my dog with me, so I couldn’t get close to the lighthouse.

We visited here late last week and enjoyed everything so much. The lighthouse has been a "must see" for us ever since we planned our Oregon coast vacation, and we were not disappointed! Well maintained and picturesque, this lighthouse is complemented with such awesome surroundings and wildlife.
Yaquina Head was the first on our southern Oregon coast vacation that will have us visiting 4 more lighthouses at least.... we are so pleased to have gotten a beautiful day to experience this lighthouse.

Visited this beautiful and well maintained facility while exploring the Oregon coast. Absolutely stunning views and amazed by the cobblestone beach sounds of “rock music” and the many animals that make the area their home. Staff were very helpful and eager to help visitors aware of all the natural area has to offer.

This was fun. You have to pay park fee to get in. If you want to do the actual light house tour, I would call ahead as the het booked fast. We took the walk up the hill/ cliff side and it was so pretty. There is limited parking near the light house so check there first if you don't feel lime walking. Then you can walk down to the quarry and see the area after the tides are out.

Interesting historical exhibits and lighthouse. Fantastic views of the Pacific ocean and coastline. Dramatic rock formations. Great place to watch for whales, sea lions and seals. Nice walking trails.

We had to Park about 200 yards from the Lighthouse. It was a long walk, but a a beautiful sunny day. When e we got the the light house their were way too many flies. We couldn't walk down to the tidepools.

Was nice to walk around and look at things. Well marked trails. The tide pools were fascinating and guides were there to fill us in. one of my fav places here

There is so much to do at this beautiful spot. Visit the interpretive center for a history of the lighthouse and the Oregon forests. It has a great display that explains the history of the BLM lands in Oregon. There is a short video that is very interesting about the building of the lighthouse and what life was like for the keeper and his family. You can now make reservations for the lighthouse tour online - and I highly recommend that option. You can also find a schedule of when the Tidal Pools are at low tide online. The tidal pools are incredible and definitely a highlight of the visit.

Great history and explanations about this lighthouse. The docent was very knowledgeable and had some interesting stories and information. The stairs to the top, while winding, weren’t really that difficult. We had to stay 4 steps apart so every just walked politely and no one felt rushed. I recommend the tour for the best experience.

Lovely area to explore. Must see: Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Devil's Punch Bowl. Be respectful of natural beauty when visiting.

Rice sea creatures on the tide pool. Amazing view. Pretty hills to walked on.
Sometimes we can spot the whales spouts. The dog is not Allowed on the light house area.

Amazing views, lighthouse was more than I expected and the lady working there was wonderful and so informative. The lighthouse has a family history and all the rooms are filled with old antiques that they actually used. Not a hard climb either to get there.

When we visited in early July, there were several volunteers there. One had two "monuclars" or short-range telescopes set up, sighted on several seals, and the other on a gull's nest with baby gulls! So cool! The wildflowers on the hills surrounding the lighthouse were absolutely beautiful. Another volunteer was weeding the area and another leading a tour of the lighthouse. Thanks, y'all!! Lots of informative "boards" there give you a good idea of what it was like back in the day.

This was a beautiful sight. Very picturesque. It was amazing to see so many birds on the rocks. We were able to access Cobble Beach. Well worth seeing.

Good visitor center to learn about the area. The. Down the street to lighthouse. We didn’t do the tour but they did have them avaialable, looked busy. We did see grey whales out in the water though. Spectacular views. We didn’t stay very long but can see staying hours for trails and relaxing

Absolutely beautiful area with lots of interesting things to see. The lighthouse itself is classically beautiful and we were lucky enough during June to still see a lot of wildflowers on the surrounding landscape. You can easily walk to the lighthouse from the parking area. On the way to the lighthouse and near the lighthouse you can view the shoreline and a huge rock in the ocean. On our trip there were dozens of seals basking in the sun and there were seemingly thousands of birds nesting on top of the big rock. Telescopes were set up to view the birds and were free to look through and a docent was there to answer our questions. The view just past the lighthouse was great too, but beware the wind was SUPER strong there the day we were there. You can also venture down the sea cliff to explore the tide pools, but we did not do this. Many people did, however. It would be GREAT for kids. There is also a lighthouse tour, but I believe it is only offered in the afternoons so we couldn't take it.

You can take the tour or do your own thing.Nice walk from the Visitor Center or you might get a spot closer to the lighthouse. Whales are usually around too.

We were not expecting to get in to the park for free this weekend, but even if we had to pay, the cost was very reasonable. The lighthouse was beautiful, and the interpretive center was open to the public. The person managing the booth at the front was kind and professional. Also a surprise was the gorgeous weather in the month of January. It was sunny and 60 degrees! Perfect for a visit to the lighthouse. Bring your kids. Nice easy walking, and a lot of places to get out and take pictures.

The lighthouse was impressive. The natural area, however, was most impressive. Cobble Beach was a one of a kind experience and the tide pools were a powerful sight. i was lucky enough to sea harbor seals and blue herons in the secluded bay.

Just a gorgeous place. We visit it every time we go to the coast. Everyone should go there at least once.
The museum was fantastic as well

The entrance fee of $7 is for three days, so I came back three days in a row - and it's worth doing. For one thing, diffferent weather gives different perspectives. Doing the short hike up the Communications tower trail or the Salal Hill trail in the mist is a completely different experience than doing it on a day of bright sunshine. Views from the top of both trails are beautiful on sunny days, whereas on misty days the views are tantalizing and mysterious.

And visiting Quarry Cove or Cobble Beach at high tide is a completely different experience at low tide than it is at high tide. High tide at Quarry Cove is particularly interesting because there are often seals hanging out in the cove at high tide.

So - come more than once, if you are in the area!

You get a three day pass when you pay at the park entrance. We went back again. The pebble beach at the north side of the lighthouse is very scenic and the walk above the lighthouse offers a nice photo opportunity.

I love visiting Yaquina Head lighthouse. Its beautiful. Love the hiking trails. Going down to the tidal pools or up to Communication Hill. Always its free entry on Federal holidays.

What a stunning place to enjoy the drama of the Oregon Central Coast! Stunning rugged coastal cliffs, lots of wildlife, tidepools, and a great visitors center. Do stop here.

This was my first time visiting this beautiful old light house! The view of the Pacific Ocean is breath taking. You can aee whales, sea lions, birds and other marine life. There's a visitor center where you can find6all kind of information. The staff is very profesional and very friendl. I recommend this place.

Yaquina Head is a beautiful area with an interpretive center, cove, lighthouse, Cobble Beach and amazing waves. It is definitely worth the time.

Very picturesque lighthouse, even on the foggy day when we visited. Would have been much nicer had we been able to go inside and climb to the top. Definitely worth the stop.

the wife and I stopped in briefly as we were staying in Newport. the admittance fee for the area was $7 per car but can be used for 3 days. the views are spectacular. Admission to the interpretive center is included in the admission fee. the center gives you a nice history of the lighthouse and the sea life in the area

Both indoor museum and outdoor walking to lighthouse, beach, and cliff environment. You should allow several hours to see everything. Congratulations to BLM for this experience!

This was our second visit to Yaquina Head Lighthouse where we spent more time at the interpretive center learning about the history of the lighthouse. Take the time to watch the video that tells all about the building of lighthouse and what it was like to live there before you visit the actual lighthouse. Also be sure to take the steps down to Cobblestone Beach and the tidepools.

We have a parks permit and it was good to see an old lighthouse still working. We wanted to go inside, but the top is 105 steps up and at 75, out of my range. We talked with the Park Ranger about this and the closed lighthouse on the south side of Newport. This is worth the time.

This whole area and coast line is beautiful with so much to see and experience you should allow time to check out as much as you can to do it justice

The view from the various elevated areas are quite pretty. Trails and access are nicely done.

But don't bother if you expect to tidepool. The three pools you'll be allowed to maybe go near, depending on the day and whims of the BLM, have a few urchins and sea anemones, but you'll be forbidden to go near anything further out than a normal low tide would reveal.

After driving more than 500 miles for the lowest tides of the year, planned specifically to explore and see sub-tidal areas, it was a good thing there are other tidepool areas in the region.

The most you'll be allowed to see is a dozen or more yellow signs forming a barrier to prevent anyone from going anywhere near the water. Off limits to everyone except the rangers, who delightedly have the entire area to themselves, you'll be behind an invisible line that constrains you to what would barely be a low tide.

Instead of offering a controlled area for sub tidal visitors, with someone there to educate (which is what I fondly remember), you'll get a brief talk about not collecting or disturbing the wildlife (which is reasonable and frankly something everyone should know). Then, you'll be reminded often that you cannot go more than 20 or 30 feet in, to stay behind all yellow signs, and generally made to understand you really aren't wanted there and that the public is just a nuisance.

You won't learn much and you'll see nearly nothing. Do yourself a favor and go to Seal Rock or south of Yachats, where you can respectfully see the actual low tide pools and explore.

The tide pools here are great, but they have little police people who tell you where you can go and when. There are other locations to see tide pools that aren't so restrictive. And the lighthouse is closed to visitors, so that is a disappointment as well.

We really liked coming up here. We ended up buying an OR Coast pass for parking that lasts for a year ($35) and we walked all up and down checking out the different tide pools. Very fun. There’s a map that shows where the seals like to sun themselves and where you can whale watch!

Lovely visitors center and a beautiful view of the rookeries along the coast just below the lighthouse. Worth the stop!

This was closed due to the shut government shutdown. No services. But you could still walk around the lighthouse. Would be great when open. No charge to get in because of rhe shutdown

We visited Yaquina Head while driving up the Oregon Coast. It costs a few dollars to get in but is well worth it. There are a number of view points to see the beautiful coast and some access points to the beach/water. There's also a nice visitor's center and museum. The lighthouse is the highlight. We were in time for the tour of the inside of the light, which was very interesting although climbing the tower isn't allowed.

The grounds of the light are very well maintained and offered great views. We could see a couple of whales in the ocean.

This was a great stop.

Watch the video in the information (and ticket bldg if you take the tour. Need reservations) before you go up to the lighthouse. We did not take the tour so can't comment on that. We got there too late. Nice area to hike and beautiful views. It was chilly and really windy the day we went (Aug. go figure).

Must see! Don’t forget to visit the interpretive centre. So much information and some great photo ops. A great stop that shouldn’t be missed.
$7.00 to check it out if you don’t have a state park pass, but the pass is good for 3 days.

The entry is free for retired military. You should stop and the visitor center. The information is very help and history is fascinating. The lighthouse was spectacular, there were tons of seals on the rocks and even a couple of passing whales. You must be careful on the cobble stone beach. If you don’t have good balance the it’s best to admire from afar. Definitely on my recommend list.

The Yaquina Head Lighthouse & Visitors Center are definitely worth visiting! Visitor Center provides a narrated history of the construction & management of the lighthouse. The actual light house provides guided tours to the top (scheduled at visitor center). Be prepared to hike up 100 steps! The views are unobstructed, and beautiful! Plus, they have a hiking trail for those more adventurous!

Wow! So beautiful....what a picturesque setting! We walked from the visitor center up the path to the lighthouse. It’s a short walk and the wildflowers along with the view of the coast along the way are rewarding by themselves. But once at the lighthouse...just an amazing structure and view of the Oregon coast. We walked down the stairs to the rocky beach area and saw sea lions and gray whales. So glad we made this stop!

Make sure to check out the tide pools!
Walk the trails around the area, you won't be disappointed.
Excellent interpretive center and an easy walk down to the light house from the centers' parking lot.

It was fun to see the lighthouse and the area. Unfortunately the lighthouse was closed so we couldn't go inside, hopefully next time we visit.

Really enjoyed the exhibits and the tour was fantastic! Our guide was knowledgeable and really engaged our group to share her enthusiasm for this incredible historical treasure! And though the old-timey games were intended for kids, my husband and I also enjoyed playing a couple of them.

We are very glad that we stopped at this beach. Once we climbed down the stairway, we were blown away by the pebble beach. No sand, only pebbles. It was an incredible experience. The pebbles make a crackling noise each time the waves move them and they settle again. There were sea lions within view of the shore. We missed the low tide, but there is also marine life to see here. This is a must-see spot in Oregon.

Tidepools are great, nice living history lighthouse tour is worth signing up for. Knowledgeable volunteer Suska knows her stuff.

Go see this lighthouse, you will fall in love!!! There it lots to see, you will see puffins on the rocks below, possibly see a passing whale, the sea air there is magnificent!

I loved this place!!! Was there when the orphaned peregrine falcons were there. The rangers there was so knowledgeable!! There was a lady ranger talking about the story of the falcons, no matter what question was asked she had an answer. My friend and I were walking to the lighthouse and were guessing which birds were which and one of the rangers walked up behind us and asked if he could help identify for us. He was great and fun to talk to. The lighthouse is beautiful! The beach was different for me walking on those little rocks was a challenge but well worth it. We sat on the beach for over a hour and listen to the water as it came in and left what a great sound. I recorded it and I still listen to it almost everyday. Don't pass this up!! This is a must see and do on the Pacific Coast. Pure BEAUTY!!!

We had such a great time at the beautiful Yaquina Head Lighthouse and tide pools! Here are some of my notes on our visit.
- Friendly staff
- Ranger at the tide pool explaining things
- Junior Ranger and NPS Passport Stamps
- $7 per vehicle or NPS Annual Pass
- Lots of informational signage
- Views of many sunning seals and other marine life in tide pools (check the tide chart and go at low tide)
- Decent amount of parking
- Great for a day trip - we spent about 30 minutes at the site but you could spend a longer period of time exploring

We didn't plan on stopping here but saw the signs as we were making our way along the 101 and turned in. We paid $7 at the ranger fee station and drove up to the visitor center where the street cones and signs force you into the visitor center parking area. The rain was really coming down and it was pretty foggy so we weren't sure we'd be able to see anything. We went into the visitor center and I must have missed the whiteboard to the left with information on touring the lighthouse. I approached the counter and didn't see any price listing or other instructions on touring the lighthouse so I assumed we just make our way there and climb on up.

We started walking to the lighthouse (in a heavy rain) when I noticed cars driving past us. I didn't realize there is another smaller parking lot at the lighthouse and after you're forced into the visitor center parking lot you can exit onto the same road and continue driving to the lighthouse. It was a short 10 minute walk -- but did I mention the rain? Once at the light house we noticed a small line forming -- the first tour was at 11am and it was still a few minutes before so we got in line and noticed everyone was holding a yellow laminated tour pass.

Sure enough, we should have pick up a pass at the visitor center. In September they allow 16 passes per tour and the tours are at the top of the hour on a first come first serve basis. We walk back to the visitor center --at least the rain had stopped-- and of course the 11 o'clock tour was full and now the 12 o'clock tour was full too. I should have checked out their website in advance. They give all the details there.

We ended up skipping the tour and instead hiked around the area. We took the stairs down to Cobble Beach near the lighthouse parking lot. Wonderful area to explore but still a bit disappointed that we missed climbing the lighthouse.

The tours to the top of the lighthouse are 3 times a day, and you need to get your pass before going in to it with your guide. Make sure your not late for your tour. The history lesson inside the lighthouse was fun and entertaining. The climb is beautiful, with so many windows to peek out of. Your cant go all the way to the very top level, but this is still worth the climb.
The outside grounds offer amazing views in every direction. Make sure to bring your binoculars and camera.
The information center is where you sign up for the tour, but there are also many displays and even a photo prop area and a gift shop.
There are so many trails and lookouts, pack a lunch and head there early and enjoy the entire day there. You won't be disappointed. The views are spectacular.

There is so much to see here! During low tide, the tide pools are amazing and are teeming with marine life. Later during high tide, you can hear the amazing sounds of Cobble Beach. There are seals everywhere and the lighthouse is awesome! The views are incredible!

Great natural & historic area. Tide pools, seals, bird sanctuary/ nesting area, visitor center and tour of light house,

If you want to see some true beauty, head here. This is a don't miss attraction on the Oregon coast. If you only wish to look at the light house, of course it is there and awesome. If you want to be a little more adventurous, walk down the stairs to the tidal pools. Make sure to go on low or outgoing tide. When the tide rolls out, you can look in the rocks there and walk among them, there are many starfish of various colors, small fish to look at in the tidal pools, sea anemone and sea urchins, it is absolutely beautiful. There is normally a volunteer down there to make sure you don't handle the sea life, and to answer any questions , very educational, and it is like going to the aquarium but it is in the actual ocean. The one caution, don't go out to far on the rocks when tide is coming in, you DO NOT want to get trapped out there, and absolutely watch for sneaker waves. Other than that, if you follow common sense, it is safe and awesome to see.

Beautiful lighthouse and a nice place for bird watching, but it was very annoying but the road to the lighthouse was closed, as well as the interpretive center. It IS scenic, though. The weather was bad there, when we visited.

This is a fabulous marine resort with so much to see. There are many wonderful volunteers who help with the history, marine identification local knowledge.

It's been a few years since we visited and this time it was just the wife and me. We parked at Quarry cove parking, checked out the cove, awesome, then went on to the interpretive center. We did the whole interpretive center and then hike on up to the light house. We didn't do the tour this time but we have done it before. We hike the whole deal and that was good, easier than we remembered.

This lighthouse is 28 meters high. We have beautiful view on an nearby island. This island is filled with penguins. We can take pictures from the lighthouse. It is truly amazing!

There are massive boulders in the ocean. And at times we can see a whale.

I stood there for almost an hour. It was so beautiful!

This is a must see!

The Yaquina Head area is fantastic and features the tallest lighthouse on the Oregon coast. Sadly, the viewing area on the west side of the lighthouse was closed for repairs...that was too bad.

If you go, try to make sure it's low tide and take the stairs down to the pocket beach to the south of the lighthouse. It has an extremely cool black rock gravel/cobble beach.

Be advised that there is a fee to access this site, but if you have a National Parks Pass, it will get you in. Amazingly, we were there the last day ours was valid!

Plan on a full afternoon to visit here. The Interpretive Center, Light House, tidal pools, and the hike up Salal hill (.7 miles and 131 ft. gain). A stunning example of the Oregon Coast. A must-see.

Entire area is worth the stop. Best interpreter center we've ever visited.

The Views??? WOW!!!!

Does cost $7 for parking.

Great stop for water views, lighthouse, tidepooling, agate-hunting on the beach (I found several). There is an upper area close to the lighthouse but we drove down the hill (right after you enter) to a much less-crowded beach. Lots of spots to picnic, explore & just sit and relax…

We were driving through on a very windy day- almost needed weights in my pockets to stay grounded however it was a beautiful view. I would recommend going ay low tide I order to see the tide pools.
It was a $7 entrance which is a fair price. The park was very well maintained, had a washroom facility and free parking. And for those interested there in an interpretive centre that we did not visit. All in it is worth the visit. Enjoy

We stopped by on a Sunday morning and even though a week after labor day, the ocean level parking area was packed. We drove up to the top of the hill (heading south on 101) and got the often photographed shot of the light house.

Walk to the top of the nearby hill to watch the sun set. The sound of all the birds singing as they gather on the rock will be the soundtrack. You won’t be disappointed.

I think this is a “must do” stop near Newport. They offer a beautiful view of the beach, a cute lighthouse, and tide pool access on the black sand beaches. It cost $5 to enter the park. This is perfect for families.
The only reason I did not rate this trip as excellent is because some of the attractions (tide pools and visitors center) were closed- I was unsure if it was due to covid or the fires in the area.

We parked at the Visitor Center and checked it out, then walked the Lighthouse Trail to the lighthouse. About half way into the walk, my sister pointed out whale spouts. We probably wanted them for 20 minutes. The would barely breach, but you could see the blowhole burst. It was really cool.
We did not go up into the lighthouse, but we walked all around it, getting a bunch of pictures. We used the restrooms and I wandered up the path towards Salal Hill. I only went up part way for some shots north and of the lighthouse. There were some excellent views from there.

We had the perfect day. It was gorgeous.

The walk, the view, the volunteer hosts made this a special stop on our tour of coastal lighthouses.

Traveling with a 7 and 9 year old and their mom. We all love the beach so this was a preferred stop. The beach here is amazing, different from any. The ground is covered in lava rocks which adds to the beauty, but also demands caution. The tidal pools have wonderful sea animals, and seeing them in their natural habitat is fascinating. We stopped at Walmart to buy everyone rubber boots which was indeed a smart move. The 7 year was horrified that he cannot take a rock home. He said the story about that bringing bad luck was a hoax.
The light house was great as was the visitor center.