Heceta Head Lighthouse Oregon

Heceta Head Lighthouse is one of the most famous lighthouses on the Oregon Coast and is located in Florence, Oregon. This scenic lighthouse is a great place to take pictures, go for a walk, swim on the beach, or to just enjoy the tranquility of the Pacific Ocean. This is also a budget friendly place for you to visit. The lighthouse was first illuminated in 1894, and stands 56 feet tall. Located on the edge of the coastal forest on a cliff, this stunning lighthouse stands 206 feet above the ocean, and it’s light can be seen for 21 miles!

As you arrive, you will reach a parking lot that is a little over a half a mile from the lighthouse. You will have to do a bit of walking up the hill to get to the lighthouse. As always I recommend wearing closed toed shoes for the best results. The hike is beautiful and provides plenty of scenic viewpoints to gaze at. I enjoyed looking at the rocks that were in the middle of the beach, as well as seeing some porpoises jumping in and out of the water. The old caretaker’s house has been turned into a bed and breakfast, which is about halfway through your hike. There is also a gift shop full of cute merchandise to purchase. I picked up a magnet for my fridge, then continued my hike.

Heceta Head Lighthouse Photo Spots

As I made it to the top of the hill I noticed that there were so many different photo opportunities. Something really unique about this lighthouse is that it is built into a hillside, so you can climb the hill and take pictures of the lens. The hill is just about the same height as the lighthouse which offers you amazing shots of the fresnel lens. If you have some extra time, there are plenty of hiking trails just past the lighthouse to explore.

Beach

As you arrive to Heceta Head Lighthouse, you will notice that there is a beach right next to the parking lot. This beach is perfect for skipping stones, having a picnic, or reading a book. The water is a bit cold, and the beach is rugged, so swimming is probably not the best idea in the world most of the year. During low tide there are some decent tide pools here on the right side of the beach. We didn’t see too much sea life in the tidal pools, but we saw all sorts of pieces of crabs. The birds here must have had a field day munching on all those crab legs and shells I saw all over the place.

Roadside Viewpoints

As you are driving towards Heceta Head Lighthouse you can take some amazing pictures from the side of the road. There are numerous spots where you can safely pull over and park in small lots to soak in the scenic beauty of Oregon’s rugged coast. From this viewpoint we saw sea lions on the rocks below, they were so fun to watch as they played. This was the highlight of my day, looking out at the lighthouse, and looking down at the sea lions. It is pretty windy and exposed, so no matter the weather I’d advise bringing a jacket.

Conclusion

This was definitely one of the most unique lighthouses I have ever visited. I am somewhat of a lighthouse fanatic if you haven’t noticed that, and have been to some in North Carolina, Iceland, Canada, Ohio, Minnesota, and Oregon. What stands out about this one is the unique viewing locations from the hillside, and the proximity to the forest. If you walk through those woods, you can barely tell you are next to the world’s largest ocean until you get to the edge of the forest. Compared to the nearby Yaquina Head Lighthouse, this structure is able to be viewed from further away and from much different perspectives. This is the most unique lighthouse I have visited so far! I hope that you will enjoy your trip to Oregon’s Coast. Watch my YouTube short below for more Oregon coast content, and click these articles.

Note from the editor: I try really hard to keep this website ad free, to support my independently owned blog, consider showing your support below on buy me a coffee”.