Heceta Head Lighthouse

Heceta Head park and lighthouse are always amazing every time we visit. Typically fall is very quiet, but weather still wonderful and sunny. Trail to lighthouse is well kept, definitely an incline to get there, but not far. Spectacular views from the top. Well appointed gift shop midway if you need a stop. Visiting here never gets old!

One of the best places to visit in Oregon. Really lovely views and the hike from the lighthouse to Hobbit Beach is fun too! Make sure to pay the parking fee, but otherwise entry to the lighthouse is free when it's open and they might tell you about the history of the spot. We've visited several times over the last 3 years and we love it. There's a cute B&B on-site that we haven't stayed at but the photos are pretty and we've heard it's a nice place to stay from a couple we met on the trail once.

We had visited the area several times and unfortunately completely ignored the lighthouse, what a mistake! The lighthouse and premises is sort of a mini museum complete with exhibits. We particularly enjoyed the park hosts who are fantastic at explaining the history of the area and the importance of the lighthouse. The prism structure at the top is astonishingly complex. Everything at the site has been painstakingly restored by the state. What a cool part of our history!

As part of a family reunion trip we visited the Heceta Head Lighthouse with 16 people, including four children under 13 years old and a nine month old baby. We spent several hours at this magical place making lifetime memories. For older folks or anyone who struggles with uneven surfaces, the hike up the hill overlooking the lighthouse may be too challenging. There is bench seating, restrooms, and helpful park staff at ground level next to the lighthouse. You can visit the ground floor of the lighthouse to speak with wonderful volunteers about the lighthouse history. The stairs to the top of the lighthouse are not open to the public. Your experience at the lighthouse that overlooks Heceta beach will change with the weather. We arrived to overcast skies with fog and temp in the high 50s. Two hours later the sun was out with temp in the low 70s and we were peeling off layers of clothing. The parking lot in front of the beach was full. There is overflow parking across the street, under the bridge. We somehow missed any signs about paid parking ($10, I think) and had a ticket when we returned to our car. Not a big deal at all. We are happy to support Oregon State Parks. I highly recommend making time to visit Heceta. The drive from whichever direction you approach the park is also beautiful.

Gorgeous. The guides at the lighthouse are a wealth of knowledge and truly kind. I come here every time I’m in Oregon. I love it. Every hour different cloud or shadow or sunlight. Truly beautiful here.

I visited here the middle of august. By 10:00 a.m. there weren't any parking spots. You can park along the 101 in a large pull off. Southbound lane at the entrance of the park. There is an easy walk up to the lighthouse and another trail that goes up higher and above it for great vistas. Super busy in the summer but worth it. Great views of the historic Bridge built in the 1930s.

The hike up is not only fairly easy, but it’s scenic too! We went at around 10:00 - 11:00 am and it was foggy. The hike up is about half a mile, though it’s windy and goes uphill. There is no to very weak cell service, so be prepared. Once you get to the top, there’s also more trails that go further up the hill near the lighthouse itself. You’ll get better views there. However, there’s some steep drop-offs as you climb up with no barriers, and it might pose a risk if someone trips on a stick or something. Try not to drop anything if you’re climbing up those trails, and keep a close eye on children. Though I would’ve liked the weather to be clear and sunny, the fog just made things even better! There are picnic tables near the beach at the start of the trail, and there’s also a restroom.

We loved this beach, it was so interesting and beautiful with the stark cliffs covered in green plants, the cool bridge over the river that runs into the ocean, and a bunch of little caves in the cliff. We even saw a sea star here! We didn't hike up to the lighthouse, but the beach is awesome!