Location: Along the Oregon coastline from Washington border to the California border Length: 363 miles (584 km) Time To Allow: 10 to 12 hours Description/Highlights/Points of Interest Starting in Astoria and traveling south to Brookings, the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway provides views of amazing coastal scenery. The road winds by estuarine marshes, clings to exposed seaside cliffs, passes through gentle valleys and brushes against wind-sculpted dunes. Encounter the scenic splendor of sea stack rock formations eroding under constant surf as well as plethora of unusual plants and animals. Charming small towns, museums, state parks, overlooks and lighthouses ensure an unforgettable journey. Suggested Itinerary Start your journey in the city of Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. Astoria offers more points of historical interest than any other place on the Oregon Coast. Stop and see the Flavel House and the Astoria Column which stands 123 feet (37.5 m) high on Coxcomb Hill above the city. Climb the column for an unsurpassed view. For a glimpse into life on one of the most important expeditions in the nation's history, travel three miles (4.8 km) east on Alternate (Old) 101 to Fort Clatsop Road and follow signs to Fort Clatsop National Memorial. This memorial stands on the site where the Lewis and Clark Expedition spent the winter of 1805-1806. Visit a replica of the original fort and in summer watch colorful living history programs. The city of Seaside was Oregon's first seashore resort. The turnaround there is the location of the statue designating the end of the Lewis and Clark Trail. At the south end of the Promenade you will find the Lewis and Clark Salt Cairn. This is where members of the expedition made salt from seawater. The site of the famous Annual Sandcastle Building Contest in early June is Cannon Beach. The beach was named for a cannon washed ashore in 1846 after the wreck of the schooner, Shark. A replica of the cannon is on display four miles (6.4 km) south of town, with an accompanying historical marker. The original is at the Heritage Museum in Astoria. A popular Oregon destination is Lincoln County. Just north of Lincoln City, it is common to pass anglers on the Salmon River adjacent to Highway 101. Lincoln County has miles of ocean beaches known for fine agates and other minerals, ocean cruises and whale-watching trips out of Depoe Bay and Newport. Lincoln City also has Oregon's first factory outlet shopping center. In Newport, see the Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site on Highway 101 on the north end of the bridge, which was dedicated in 1936. The restored Yaquina Bay Lighthouse is part of the state recreation site at the north end of the bridge. This lighthouse contains a museum and is open during scheduled hours. The Hatfield Marine Science Center & South Beach Marina is your next stop and offers informative displays and intriguing marine animals. Renovations to enlarge the public wing have been completed and it has reopened. The center is part of Oregon State University and conducts ongoing marine research. The world-class Oregon Coast Aquarium opened in May 1992, with indoor and outdoor exhibits. Inside, don't miss the jellyfish and Whale Theater. Outside, walk the paths to the sea aviary with its tufted puffins and to the viewing pools to see otters, seals and sea lions swim under water. The basalt that forms the shore at Devils Churn is penetrated by a split in the rock that narrows to a few feet before finally disappearing into the cliff. It is awe-inspiring all months of the year and is an excellent spot for photographers. Parking is provided on two levels with restroom facilities between them. Just south of Devils Churn, you'll find a road going inland. At the branch in the road, turn left and continue climbing sharply to the Cape Perpetua Viewpoint (allow ten minutes). There is a fine view of both the northern and southern coasts. The stone shelter was used during World War II as a lookout for enemy ships and planes; today, visitors look for whales. The Cape Perpetua Visitor Center is the focus for the various education efforts of the U.S. Forest Service around Cape Perpetua. Within the center are exhibits, a small bookshop and a small theater for natural history films. Turn right at the branch and take an auto tour with interpretive signs leading through the forest past young and old stands of trees. The route follows a one-lane paved road with turnouts, covering 18 miles (29 km), and returns to Highway 101 in Yachats by way of the Yachats River Road. From the Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park there is a 3/4 mile (1.2 km) trail leading up to Heceta Head Lighthouse, past a pretty little cove that's the place to see the lighthouse up close. A half-hour walk up the trail to the former assistant lighthouse keeper's home, Heceta House, leads you to the lighthouse. Heceta House is open for tours Thursday through Sunday, Memorial Day through Labor Day, 11 to 3 p.m. and also serves as a bed and breakfast. The narrow turnouts, just north of Sea Lion Caves, provide the vantage from which most photographers get their shots of the lighthouse. These natural caves are home to Steller sea lions. Parking is available directly in front of the gift shop and on the other side of the highway. From the caves, visit Old Town Florence where many delightful shops, restaurants and galleries can be found near the Siuslaw River. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area extends from Florence to North Bend with many access points off of Highway 101. The headquarters is in Reedsport. (Allow one to two hours but you could spend the day here.) From the recreation center, venture down South Jetty Road, less than a mile south of the Siuslaw River Bridge, this road goes west from Highway 101 into the dunes. Just before the foredunes, the road turns north. There are several parking areas on the west side of South Jetty Road that allow easy access to the beach, but there is no camping. Windsurfers often use this as a staging area and people net crabs off the pier. Formerly a Lutheran church, the Siuslaw Pioneer Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Exhibits cover a range of topics dating back to the early days of settlement. Jessie M. Honeyman State Park, a 522-acre park, is named after an early proponent of the Oregon state park system and is open year-round (allow 30 minutes to an hour). There are extensive camping facilities. Honeyman includes three lakes: Woahink, Cleawox and Lily Lakes. The day-use facilities on Cleawox Lake include picnic and swimming areas, as well as boat rentals. Carter Lake Campground and Taylor Dune Trailhead has magnificent lake and ocean views and leads to Oregon Dunes Overlook. Turn off Highway 101 and travel 1/4 mile (.4 km) to the overlook. Marked trails lead out to the beach and the walk is approximately one mile (1.6 km). An 80-foot ramp leading to the viewing area is wheelchair accessible and provides a vantage point overlooking miles of dunes. The Umpqua River Bridge is one of the historic Oregon Coast bridges. The Umpqua is one of the major rivers in Oregon and is navigable by fairly large vessels upstream as far as Scottsburg. At the pulloff, enjoy the best place to see the mouth of the Umpqua. There is ample parking and viewing space and new interpretive signs about what to see and do. The Umpqua Lighthouse can be seen from here. While driving, stop for a moment and enjoy the Horsfall Dunes and Beach Access before crossing the McCullough Memorial Bridge. Built in 1936, this is the largest of the historic Oregon Coast bridges on Highway 101. Five miles (8 km) west of Highway 101, Cape Blanco was discovered by Spanish explorer Martin de Aguilar in 1603. The lighthouse is located at the westernmost point in Oregon. Cape Blanco State Park has electrical hookups, hiker/biker areas and a horse camp. Historic Hughes House in the park is an 1898 Victorian home built for area pioneers by Per Johan Lindberg, who also built many of the notable homes of Port Orford. Tours of the home are available from May to September, Thursday to Monday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Campgrounds and picnic areas are located at Humbug Mountain State Park. This mountain was once known as Sugarloaf Mountain, but its name was changed to Tichenor's Humbug as the result of a mistake made by an 1851 exploring party sent out of Port Orford by Captain William Tichenor, who led the party north instead of south. This 1800-acre park includes the mountain, Brush Creek drainage and ocean frontage. A trail makes a three-mile (4.8 km) climb to the summit, and another trail links the campground and day-use areas of the park. Humbug Mountain is six miles (9.7 km) south of Port Orford. In the rain-forest atmosphere of the Oregon Coast, the developers of Prehistoric Gardens have created life-sized replicas of dinosaurs (allow 1 hour). From this point, continue along the Oregon section of this byway to the California border. Western Discoveries World Wide Country Tours Awaken your frontier spirit as you follow the footsteps of Lewis and Clark and the Oregon Trail pioneers. Experience cowboy life, discover Native American heritage and take in awesome scenery. From Montana's vast prairies and Idaho's roaring rivers to Washington's and Oregon's peaks and the Pacific Ocean, it's your own modern-day expedition! Visit Little Bighorn, the site of Custer's famous Last Stand. Savor a cowboy breakfast served from a chuck wagon. See Old West art at the Charles Russell Museum. Cruise the Missouri River. Test your frontier skills at a Lewis and Clark campsite and tour the World Forestry Center.