A Trifecta of Perfectness – Heceta Head Lighthouse, OR
It was the perfect trifecta of perfectness -> the perfect day, the perfect hike and the perfect lighthouse. Yes, despite my wanton repetition and bad use of language there was really no other way to describe it. A long, leisurely hike through brilliantly green coastal forest, teasing views of endless coastline and a unique (and quite visually dramatic) decent right on top of one of the cutest little lighthouses I have ever seen. End it off with a 2-mile return on gorgeous Washburne beach and you feel like you’ve completed a rich, full circle of life all in one day. And to top it all off we were the only folks there…
Heceta Head Lighthouse is one of the most photographed lighthouses on the Oregon Coast and it’s really easy to see why. Perched on dramatic cliffs 205-feet above the ocean floor with a beam so strong it can be seen 21-miles from land it manages to seem both imposing and cute at the same time. White-washed walls, pink roof and even a bed-and-breakfast (nearby) for the refined traveller. Originally lighted in 1857, the keepers house is apparently also haunted by the Grey Lady “Rue”, giving it an added allure and romantic quality. It remains an enduring icon of early life on the Oregon Coast.
Most people simply stop and take a shot of the lighthouse from Heceta Head Lighthouse Scenic Point, but we wanted a much more intimate experience. We planned our visit around the 6-mile roundtrip hike from nearby (and fabulous!) G.Washburne State Park. It’s a beautiful walk with both great views and easy trails, and you can back-track along the beach to complete the circle. The whole area has a very relaxed and remote feel which is mirrored in G.Washburne State Park, no doubt the nicest park we’ve been to on the coast so far. I really can’t recommend both things enough, especially if you get lucky enough to get weather such as we did.
But there’s also other things to keep you busy out here. You’re only ~12 miles from Florence and the big dunes that surround it. The cute Historic Downtown is right on the river and, although it’s definitely a tourist-spot, it has a very laid-back and inviting feel. There’s even paw-friendly dining for those out with pooch. The surrounding dunes are iconic in their own right. There are over 40 miles of them almost 2 miles wide and up to 200-feet tall, accessible at multiple points from Hwy 101 and a haven for OHV enthusiasts.
But we were happy to be out in the boonies at G.Washburne where we could relax in peace and walk the beach in romantic isolation of all the things of man. We finished off our perfect day with champagne because…well…because we could…and it just made so much sense to do so.
After all, that’s what the joy of RVing is all about. The find of a perfect day and the enjoyment of a perfect night in just the most perfect spot. A trifecta of perfectness indeed!
What a perfectly delightful day in a perfectly delightful place on a perfectly delightful day. Champagne seems a most appropriate ending to such a great day.
It certainly was 🙂 Nina
Sounds like an absolutely perfect kind of day including the champagne!
Yeah, it certainly was a keeper of a day!
Nina
Heceta Head is one of the lighthouses we visited a few years back. Suzy was unable to make the walk from the parking area, but she sat in the car enjoying the view and doing some reading (I bet she also took a nap!). Your weather was much more amenable than what we had, but it was still a good visit. Your pictures are “picture perfect” to add to your trifecta of perfectness!
It’s a pretty lighthouse, the nicest we’ve seen so far IMHO. Glad you guys got to make the stop when you came through.
Nina
perfection!
Well, your photos and commentary have made me perhaps change my direction for my next ‘move on’.
Definitely have to make this one of my stops even though I’m in sw NM now and thought I’d be heading southeast (Florida, maybe) next, but who knows….Oregon coast looks mighty appealing ! Thanks for this update!
Hey Marietta,
Well you might want to wait a tad….It looks like we might have caught the very end of the very last “bout” of great weather before we left the coast (just a few days back). Forecast came out with 7 days of rain from now on and they officially declared the start of “fall” weather-patterns. In Oregon terms that means lotsa rain! We’re heading SW now and I think we might be doing it at just the right moment. Hope you’re enjoying NM…isn’t it a fabulous state?
Nina
Thanks for another place to add to our agenda for next summer. Photos are gorgeous! I agree with Erin….Get that Champagne out and flowing!
The more the merrier! Definitely a good stop for your trip next year!
Nina
Great shots! Must feel good to have your pack all back together!
Yes, it’s real nice to have everyone back together! Doesn’t feel the same without one of us here.
Nina
Lovely pictures of Heceta Head. We gave the lighthouse tours a couple summers ago and stayed at Washburne State Park. Having spent many weeks there you can be assured that your perfect weather day wasn’t the norm. However, even in rainy, foggy days, that lighthouse was the best volunteer gig we’ve had! It’s a beauty. Glad you got to enjoy it!!
Oh how fun! You guys volunteered there! We met a couple of the local volunteers and that seemed like the BEST gig ever. Definitely something we’d consider doing.
Nina
Gorgeous! When we were there we didn’t have time to take that hike to the lighthouse, so we were the ones at the scenic point taking photos. =) This is such a beautiful area, though, and I can’t wait to go back.
Definitely gotta go back and do that hike, especially if it’s nice weather. It’s a simply stunning walk!
Nina