Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area extends out from the Oregon coast, one mile into the Pacific Ocean. Standing 93 feet tall at the westernmost point of the basalt headland, the lighthouse has guided ships and their supplies along the west coast since 1873. Last year, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse underwent a preservation project that lasted about 90 days.

The offshore islands are a year-round refuge for harbor seals and a spring-summer home for thousands of nesting seabirds. Gray whales can be spotted during their annual migrations to Mexico (late fall-early winter) and Alaska (late winter-early spring). During the summer months, some gray whales take the opportunity to feed in the shallow waters around the headland.