Location: Above the Umpqua River, at the entrance to Winchester BayĬape Arago Lighthouse: The Latest Lookout After dark, watch for the unique red-and-white flashes emanating from this steadfast lighthouse. And, no, you aren't seeing double: this lighthouse bears a striking resemblance to its sister structure at Heceta Head. The 65-foot tower looms 100 feet above a serene stretch of sand dunes. This stucco and brick column is actually the predecessor of the Oregon coast's very first lighthouse, which tumbled inauspiciously into the Umpqua River in 1861 following a particularly fierce storm. Umpqua River Lighthouse: The Second-Chance Beacon Open daily during high season tours available by appointment year-round. Heceta Head also offers bed and breakfast accommodations in the assistant light keepers house.
Historic restorations were completed this year, and the lighthouse's 1000-watt quartz bulb – said to be the brightest on the coast – is once again visible up to 21 miles offshore. Poised at the edge of the 1,000-foot high Heceta Head, a popular spot for nesting seabirds, its 56-foot tower looms 205 feet above the ocean. This stuccoed brick bastion towers high above a stunningly scenic viewpoint. Heceta Head Lighthouse: The Watchtower Restored
Location: Yaquina Bay State Recreation SiteĬurrent status: Deactivated in 1874 Restored in 1996 as a privately maintained navigational aid Open daily except for holidays hours reduced October through May. Its 161-foot high beacon still beckons seagoing ships, thanks to the patronage of ta band of local lighthouse lovers. Today it's the second-oldest standing lighthouse on the Oregon coast,and purported to be the oldest standing structure in Newport. It guided seafarers for a mere three years before it was upstaged by nearby Yaquina Head Lighthouse, but this 42-foot-high wooden structure has certainly withstood the test of time as well as the notorious ravages of the coastal elements. Yaquina Bay Lighthouse: The Time Tested Tower Location: Three miles north of the entrance to Yaquina Bay Open 11-4pm closed Wednesdays in high season hours reduced October through May. Located within the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, this lighthouse is surrounded by a seascape so scenic and classically coastal, you'll wonder if you've stepped into an Edward Hopper painting. It's the tallest lighthouse on the Oregon coast, and known for its unique flashing beacon pattern. This conical brick bastion, looming 162 feet above the ocean on a narrow spit of land jutting due west, boasts a 93-foot tower accessible by 114 steps straight up. Yaquina Head Lighthouse: The Commanding Column Location: 10 miles west of Tillamook, at the southern entrance to Tillamook Bay Open daily April through October, 11-4pm. You might catch a glimpse of whales, seabirds, Steller sea lions, or something even more fantastical: rumor has it a ghost is also hanging about the grounds. This lighthouse is accessible along a scenic trail with panoramic views of marine life. The original lighthouse lens, which guided many a mariner to safe harbor in days of old, remains in place. The humblest among Oregon's lighthouses, this brick and iron octagon rises just 38 feet from its perch 217 feet above the ocean. Location: 1.2 miles off Tillamook Head, just south of SeasideĬape Meares Lighthouse: The Humble Beacon She's also visible from Cannon Beach and Seaside proper. No surprise, then, that she's known in these parts as "Terrible Tilly." Today, Tilly is privately owned, but visitors can catch prime views along the Oregon Coast Trail or at Ecola State Park's main viewpoint. Buffeting waves can hurtle stones as high as the 133-foot-high lighthouse lantern, and at least one surveyor died while attempting to land at the lighthouse. This iron, brick and basalt beauty was erected atop a rocky islet to guide ships piloting toward the treacherous entrance to the Columbia River. Here's our tour of Oregon Coast lighthouses from north to south: Situated on rocky outposts, lighthouses double as excellent wildlife viewing areas and outstanding lookouts for storm watching and migrating whales. Most of Oregon's lighthouses are in close proximity to state parks and provide year-round recreational activities. They are among the most scenic and most photographed monuments on Oregon's coast, and seven of the lighthouses remain open to visitors, welcoming more than two-and-a-half million tourists each year. These watchtowers remain as much a part of Oregon's rugged coastal landscapes as any landform or off shore monolith. Oregon's coastal lighthouses are visible links to the past, existing somewhere between land, sea and sky, these towering sentinels showcase the Northwest's nautical legacy from an entirely novel perspective.
0 kommentar(er)
