Cape Blanco Lighthouse & State Park

Cape Blanco Lighthouse stands at the westernmost point in the contiguous United States, roughly 40 minutes south of Bandon near Port Orford, and has been lit since 1870.

The experience

The lighthouse is a modest white tower perched 245 feet above sea level on a headland where the Pacific extends uninterrupted to the horizon. Guided tours climb the tower and cover the lighthouse's role in coastal navigation, the keepers who lived here, and the shipwrecks that made it necessary. The adjacent 1898 Hughes House, a restored Victorian-era ranch house, adds a second stop for anyone interested in the settlement history of the southern Oregon coast. Cape Blanco State Park surrounds the site with trails along the cliff edge and through coastal meadows. The wind here is relentless, even by Bandon standards, and the views from the headland take in miles of coast in both directions. As a half-day trip from Bandon, it earns the drive on a rest day or for companions who have done the closer options.

Logistics

Lighthouse tours operate April through October, Wednesday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Closed Tuesdays. Parking $5; tour $2 per adult. Roughly 40 minutes south of Bandon on Highway 101. Layer up: the wind on the headland can be fierce on otherwise sunny days.