by Alan K. Lee
Introduction
Cape Arago, on the southern Oregon coast south of the mouth of Coos Bay, is not as impressive as some of the other headlands on the Oregon coast, but it has a diversity of attractions that no other place on the coast can match. It’s mostly known for the three state parks (Sunset Bay, Shore Acres, and Cape Arago) that line its shores. But there’s also a state natural site, a county park (Bastendorff Beach), a privately run RV park, the decommissioned Cape Arago Lighthouse, and a golf course, in addition to scenic offshore islands, sea stacks, rocky shorelines, a reef with an active sea lion rookery, five beaches, two campgrounds, a historic botanical garden, and miles of hiking trails. Tens of thousands of visitors make the trip to this remote section of the Pacific coast every year. And the surrounding area has an abundance of attractions as well.
Bastendorff Beach
The mile long Bastendorff Beach, located adjacent to the south jetty at the mouth of Coos Bay, is the largest of the five beaches on the Cape Arago shoreline. Bastendorff Beach County Park has a 99 site campground (74 RV sites with water and electric hookups and 25 tent sites with no hookups), an 18 unit group campground, two RV dump stations, a large day use area with two picnic shelters, a fire pit and barbecue, horseshoe and basketball courts, a children’s playground, and easy access to the beach. There is also a private RV campground (Sun Outdoors Coos Bay) at the southwest end of the beach.
Yoakam Point State Natural Site
Yoakam Point separates Bastendorff Beach from Lighthouse Beach. Hiking trails (mostly unmaintained but passable) give access to scenic views of the rocky cliffs of the point, Bastendorff Beach, and Cape Arago Lighthouse. The site has no rest rooms or other amenities – just scenic splendor. (You might be tempted to scramble down the cliff from Yoakam Point to Lighthouse Beach, but I would advise against it. The cliff lined beach, like all Oregon beaches, is public, but the bluff is lined with private homes with no public access point. Access from Yoakam Point is possible but dangerous. Best to leave this one to the residents. They think they own it anyway.)
Cape Arago Lighthouse
Cape Arago Lighthouse is located on Chiefs Island just off Gregory Point between Lighthouse Beach and Sunset Beach. The existing lighthouse structure is the third in a series of lighthouses on the island, dating back to 1866. The first was replaced by a taller structure with a better light in 1909. That was replaced by the current structure in 1934. In 1966 the light was automated and continued in service until 2006 when it was decommissioned.
The lighthouse keeper’s residence was on the mainland, connected to Chiefs Island by a wooden bridge. The bridge stood until it was destroyed by storms in the winter of 2012-13. The first two lighthouse towers, other structures on the island, and the keeper’s house have all been demolished over the years. All that remains are the third tower and some of the piers that supported the bridge.
Sunset Bay State Park
A beautiful, crescent shaped beach at Sunset Bay State Park wraps around a shallow bay protected by a reef and flanked by rocky outcroppings. The inner bay makes for a safe swimming area and a boat ramp on the north end provides a good launching point for small boats, kayaks, and standup paddle boards.
My wife and I have kayaked out of Sunset Bay on numerous occasions over the years. On some of those days the calm waters of the bay belied rougher water offshore (large swells and/or significant wind chop) and we either stayed in the bay or close to it. But other times the ocean conditions were benign enough to allow us to safely get out into deep water and explore the surrounding coastline.
On one of those occasions, a sunny, windless day with a flat, glassy ocean, we spent most of a day paddling south to Simpson Reef to watch the sea lions, and then back north, where we circumnavigated Chiefs Island where the Cape Arago Lighthouse sits. And a lot of the time we just drifted on the amazingly flat ocean and soaked up the sunshine and the views of the shoreline. Quite a day.
Sunset Bay State Park offers not only one of the finest beaches on the Oregon coast, but also 65 campsites (30 RV sites with full hookups and 35 tent sites with electricity and water), eight yurts (three are pet friendly) and a group tent camp that will accommodate up to 25 people. Three of the campsites and three of the yurts are accessible to campers with disabilities. We have camped there many times and have always enjoyed our stay.
Shore Acres State Park
The park is named for Shore Acres (originally spelled Shoreacres), the estate of Louis Simpson, son of the 19th century shipping magnate, Asa Meade Simpson, who made a fortune shipping logs and lumber, first to California, and later to as far as Australia and Africa.
Louis Simpson’s first mansion at Shore Acres was completed in 1908, but burned down in 1921. It was replaced by an even larger mansion in 1927. But Simpson’s fortunes took a turn for the worse when demand for timber all but disappeared during the Great Depression. He went bankrupt in 1940 and his creditors sold the estate to the State of Oregon.
In 1942 Oregon loaned the estate to the U.S. Army for use as a radar installation. The Simpson mansion was used as a barracks and officer’s club. The mansion suffered from the harsh climate and lack of maintenance and was torn down in 1949. The only original structure remaining at Shore Acres is what was once the gardener’s cottage.
The estate’s formal gardens fell into disarray, but were restored in the 1970s. Covering five acres, the gardens now draw thousands of visitors each year. In December the gardens are lit up each evening with a spectacular Christmas lighting display using thousands of lights.
From the gardens, a short trail leads to Simpson Beach, once the Simpson’s private beach, similar to but smaller and less used than the one at Sunset Bay.
The shoreline at Shore Acres consists of eroded sandstone cliffs and ledges. Storm watchers come from all over to view the huge waves crashing into the rocks during winter storms. Even in summer, the shoreline is fascinating and people clammer over the rocks to sightsee and birdwatch. In December and again in late spring Shore Acres is a prime spot for whale watching.
Cape Arago State Park
Like Shore Acres, what is now Cape Arago State Park was once part of Louis Simpson’s estate. He donated the land to the State of Oregon in 1932. Located at the end of the Cape Arago Highway, the park has a covered picnic shelter, picnic tables, and restrooms, although the restrooms are currently (as of the summer of 2025) closed. There are also trails to South Cove, where there is a sandy beach, and to North Cove with its rocky shoreline.
Other local attractions
The town of Charleston is located on Coos Bay about a mile east of Bastendorff Beach. It’s home to a large commercial fishing fleet and has a number of sport fishing charter operations. It’s also the gateway to South Slough, one of the best kayaking and canoeing spots on the Oregon coast. And it’s a good place to stop for a bite to eat or get a cold beer after your Cape Arago adventures. Try Miller’s at the Cove Sports Bar and Grill for surprisingly good food and a good selection of cold beers on tap.
The Cape Arago area is remote enough that it’s not really a day trip destination from any population center, so it’s best to make a weekend of it or stay longer. Fortunately, the Coos Bay-North Bend area is large enough to have many hotels, motels, BNBs, and restaurants. Take a day (or more) to explore Cape Arago, but leave some time to also explore the two cities. There’s a casino if you enjoy gambling. There’s also a good art gallery or two, interesting antique shops, nice parks and museums, and a trail along the bayfront. I’ll cover Coos Bay and North Bend in more detail in a future post.
About twenty-five miles east of Coos Bay, Golden and Silver Falls State Natural Area (not to be confused with Silver Falls State Park near Salem) boasts two large and scenic waterfalls, both more than 200 feet high, and three hiking trails that take you to the base of each falls and to the top of Golden Falls.
The town of Bandon, about 15 miles south of Coos Bay, is located at the mouth of the Coquille River. The Old Town section offers a variety of interesting shops, an art gallery well worth visiting (Second Street Gallery), several popular seafood spots (try Tony’s Crab Shack), and numerous restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, and a good bakery (Bandon Baking Company and Deli). A little east of Old Town on Hwy 101, Face Rock Creamery offers a wide variety of cheeses and has an extensive (and free) tasting area where you can sample most of them.
Across the bay from Old Town, the historic Coquille River Lighthouse in Bullards Beach State Park is open to the public and worth a visit.
South of Old Town you’ll find one of the most scenic shorelines anywhere on the Pacific Coast, with many offshore islands and sea stacks, and miles of sandy beach.
And Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, just north of the town of Bandon, offers five world class eighteen hole courses, a 13-hole par three course, a large driving range and practice facility, and lodging and restaurants. This is truly one of the greatest golf destinations in the world. And there are other golf courses in the area. Bandon Crossings, south of Bandon, is a scenic and challenging eighteen hole layout that is significantly less expensive than Bandon Dunes. And Sunset Bay Golf Course, located next to Sunset Bay State Park, is an interesting 12 hole, par 47 course.
Beyond Bandon, the southern Oregon coast, from Bandon to the California border, is spectacularly beautiful and ranks, along with the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, the northern California coast, and Big Sur, as one of the must see sections of the entire Pacific coast.
Conclusion
Cape Arago and the surrounding area has so much to offer visitors that almost everyone will find something there that will make them want to come back. My wife and I visit the area often. Almost every year we spend at least a weekend revisiting our favorite spots. And I’m sure we will continue to do so in the future.
Posted August 2, 2025
All photos © Alan K. Lee
The Beaver Creek visitor center, 1.2 miles east of Hwy 101 on North Beaver Creek Road, would normally be a good first stop to acquaint yourself with the area. If it’s open, you can pick up an informational brochure and map of the trail system there. The map and brochure can also be downloaded from the Beaver Creek State Natural Area website (linked above). There is also a small parking area a few hundred yards east of the visitor center that may have the map and brochure if the visitor center is closed. You can also find a checklist of the birds found at Beaver Creek on the website.
The park, originally called Short Sand Beach State Park, was created in 1931 through the efforts of Oregon’s first State Parks Superintendent, Samuel H. Boardman. Boardman was a fervent believer that of as much of the coast should be preserved in public ownership as possible. Many of the state parks along the coast were created under his stewardship. Short Sand Beach State Park was renamed in 1958 to honor former Oregon Governor 
Devils Cauldron is a spectacularly beautiful little cove on the north side of Neahkahnie Mountain. It can be reached by either a one mile hike from Short Sand Beach or a much shorter hike from where the Coast Trail crosses Hwy 101. To access the shorter route, drive south on Hwy 101 from the Short Sand Beach parking lots and look for a gravel parking area on the ocean side of the highway. Follow the Coast Trail north a short ways to a signed junction. The Devils Cauldron viewpoint is just a quarter mile walk from the parking area.
On your way back to the trailhead look for another trail branching off to the south. The junction here is unsigned and the trail is sometimes overgrown and impassable. But if it’s open, the trail leads to a narrow shelf of rock that falls away on three sides to the ocean below, and the cliffs of Neahkahnie Mountain tower over the viewpoint to both the north and south. It may not be a place for people with a fear of heights, but it’s one of the most awesome places on the entire coast.
Oswald West State Park is about a two hour drive from Portland, so it’s easily doable as a day trip if you’re from the Portland area or are visiting Portland. But if you want to make a weekend of it, there are plenty of other attractions on the north Oregon coast beyond Oswald West. 
I’ve been lucky enough to experience Lincoln City’s kite festivals when the weather was perfect for kite flying. And my wife and I even got the last available parking spot at the D River Wayside, where the festivals are held, one year. Luck really was with us. There was a brisk, but not cold, breeze on the beach that time – perfect kite flying weather and a pretty near perfect day for just hanging out on the beach.
The festivals typically feature a lot of very big kites, and quite a few performance kite fliers demonstrating their talents. One of the all time highlights for me was a flier named Spence Watson flying two quad strings kites. Normally it takes two hands to fly a single quad string. Flying one one-handed is a feat in itself, but he was flying one right-handed and one left-handed, and controlling each one perfectly. Pretty amazing.
Watching the kite flyers is often as entertaining as watching the kites. It’s really a very physical dance that they’re doing. Their movements are perfectly coordinated with the music, but everyone’s moves are a little bit different. If you watch long enough you begin to see the different styles of the flyers. It’s really quite interesting.
There’s plenty to do at the festivals for the whole family. Kids can take part in kite making classes, get their faces painted, learn about ocean conservation, fly their own kites, and, of course, just play in the sand.
I lived in Lincoln city for most of the 1980s, so I sometimes take a walking tour of the downtown area when I visit Lincoln City. The whole town has changed a great deal since I lived there, including the house that I lived in for a time. It’s been extensively remodeled and added on to, so it’s nothing like it was when I lived there. And that’s a fitting description of the whole city.
There are numerous other kite fests up and down the Oregon and Washington coasts in addition to the Lincoln City festivals, including the Southern Oregon Kite Festival in Brookings in July, and the 
I love the eroded sandstone rock formations found at Hug Point. The layered sandstone of the point has been warped and folded by tectonic processes and eroded by wind and water into fantastic formations. The tidewater rocks are covered in green algae and seaweed, barnacles, and mussels. The rocks, sand, colorful vegetation, waves, and ever changing light make for great photo opportunities.
Hug Point State Park is located about five miles south of Cannon Beach. The point can also be reached from Arcadia Beach State Park, about a mile to the north. It’s an easy day trip from the Portland area, but there many other attractions in the area, so many visitors spend a weekend or longer in the area.
The nearby towns of Cannon Beach, Seaside, and Manzanita all have numerous motels, BNBs, and other accommodations, as well as many restaurants and cafes serving fresh seafood and other locally sourced foods. 
One note of caution, though. If you go, pay attention to the tides. The waterfall and caves that draw most of the visitors to Hug Point State Park are nestled between Adair Point, immediately north of the beach access, and Hug Point itself. At high tide it can be difficult or impossible to get around these two points, so it is possible to get trapped between them.
Overview: 
The God’s Thumb hike remained closed to the public until about a decade ago. Although people occasionally trespassed across private property to get to it, God’s Thumb remained largely unknown. But in 2013 Lincoln City purchased about 500 acres of property that was the site of a failed subdivision and negotiated an easement with the owner of the neighboring property, making God’s Thumb legally accessible to the public for the first time.
Trailhead:
The hike:
You don’t want to skip this because the view here is spectacular. The Pacific Ocean is spread out before you in all its glory. The Road’s End section of Lincoln City is directly below you. Lincoln City stretches out before you, with Devil’s Lake to the east and Siletz Bay to the south. The view extends south to Cape Foulweather. You might want to park yourself on the grassy summit and just sit for a while. Apparently, the local herd of elk also like the view because they often bed down here at night.
When you’re done taking in the view from The Knoll, return to the main trail and continue north. This portion of the trail is on the easement granted to the city by the property owner. The trail takes you through a spruce and hemlock forest and across a small meadow. Parts of the trail are steep, but the elevation gain is modest, and most people won’t have any difficulty. You’ll soon come to a trail junction. Stay left to continue on to God’s Thumb. You’ll pass through more spruce, hemlock and alder forest, and across several grassy meadows before the trail swings to the west and comes to another trail junction. The trail to the right comes up from the private Camp Westwind on the Salmon River Estuary. Stay left at the junction and you’ll soon see God’s Thumb in front of you. Stop here and admire the view of The Thumb and the surrounding cliffs, the two coves and beaches on either side of The Thumb, and Cascade Head to the north.
The trail then drops steeply down the slope and across along a narrow ridge before climbing very steeply up the slope to the summit of God’s Thumb. This section can be tricky to navigate and can also be slippery if the trail is wet. Some people choose not to venture down and then up to the summit. But if you do, you’ll be rewarded with magnificent views in all directions. Even if you don’t, the views you do get make the hike well worthwhile.
When you’re done taking in the views, return the way you came. When you reach the second trail junction, before you get to The Knoll, you have the option of taking the trail to the left for an alternate, slightly longer route back to the end of Devil’s Lake Boulevard where you left your car. Check the Oregon Hikers 
A few notes on parking:
Other area hikes and other attractions:
The peninsula is now an undeveloped county park. There has never been a campground, but in the past backcountry camping was permitted. That has changed, however, and overnight camping is no longer allowed.
Getting there: 
The hike:
Or, continue along the beach until you reach the south jetty at the mouth of Tillamook Bay. You’ll be rewarded with one of the least crowded beaches on the entire coast. You might have the beach to yourself even on summer weekends.
From the jetty you can return the way you came for 7.2 mile out and back beach walk or complete the 7.7-mile loop hike by following the jetty inland to the old jetty haul road and following it back to the trailhead. The road is rock and gravel with some sandy stretches. It runs along the bayshore, with good views of the shore and bay, with a couple of stretches in the pine and spruce forest of the peninsula interior.
Look for ducks and geese on the water and shorebirds along the water’s edge. This is one of the best birding areas for waterfowl on the coast.
Near the end of the hike look for a sign labeled Bayocean Townsite. Here a trail leads toward the beach to the old townsite. The trail loops south through what was then the bayfront (the whole peninsula has shifted a couple of hundred yards to the east and much of the old townsite is now under the waves), then returns to the haul road, where there is an interpretive display that tells the tale of the town and its demise. From there, return to the parking area. (If you started at the town of Cape Meares, hike from the Dike Road parking area through the dunes and return to Cape Meares on the beach.)
Farther south, 
Trailhead: Cape Lookout State Park
From there, the trail crosses to the north side of the cape and comes to a viewpoint at the 1.2-mile mark. Here you can see north to Cape Meares and Three Arch Rocks. Just west of the viewpoint, the original trail slid into the ocean about 30 years ago. The present trail detours away from the cliff through a boggy area on a boardwalk.
The trail returns to the south side of the cape and continues for another 1.2 miles, climbing and descending several times, to a viewpoint at the end of the cape, 400 feet above the ocean. Views there stretch from Cape Foulweather, 40 miles to the south, to Neahkannie Mountain, 40 miles to the north.
You’ll probably linger for a while at the end of the trail, but when you’ve had your fill of sightseeing and whale watching, return to the parking area the way you came.
I’ll cover four of my favorite northern Oregon coastal towns in this post: Cannon Beach, Gearhart, Manzanita, and Oceanside. They all have their own unique personality, but they all share a few things in common. They’re all small (none have more than 3,000 year-round residents), they’re all beachfront towns and the Pacific Ocean plays a big role in their culture and community, all but tiny Oceanside have an active arts scene, and you can find outstanding places to eat and drink in each of them.
Beyond the Snaggy Point Trail junction, the loop trail continues through the forest along the edge of the marsh to a junction with the Antler Overlook Trail, which connects to the Cooper Ridge Trail and provides another overcrossing of the upland area. The main loop trail then continues through the forest to the agricultural buildings mentioned in the winter trailhead description. Beyond the buildings walk up the service road for a couple hundred yards and look for the loop trail branching off to the left. The trail follows the edge of an open field.
The towns of Brookings and Gold Beach that bookend this stretch of the coast aren’t the main attractions here, but they’re both worth spending a little time to explore at the end of the day. Brookings is the bigger town, with more to see and do. Gold Beach is smaller and quieter, with more of a lost-in-time vibe. Both have decent dining options. If you’re ending your day in Brookings, try Black Trumpet Bistro, Superfly, or Oxenfre Public House for dinner. Chetco Brewing Company has a good selection of beers and there’s a vegan food truck there. In Gold Beach, try Barnacle Bistro, Port Hole Cafe or The Crow’s Nest.
History
One of the things Lord Bennett brought to Bandon from Ireland was gorse, a thorny, thick growing plant with bright yellow flowers. In Ireland it was used for privacy hedges and property boundaries because it is almost impenetrable. In Oregon it went wild and was one of the state’s first invasive plants. Besides being thick and thorny, it is also a very oily plant and burns readily. In 1936 a small forest fire started from a slash burn that got out of hand, spread to the gorse near the town, and then to the town itself, destroying all but 16 of the 500 structures in the town. The fire decimated the community and all but ended shipping to and from the harbor.
The Beaches
Access can be had from the south jetty area, from the wayside at the end of 11th Street, and from Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint on the Beach Loop Road. Farther south on the Beach Loop Road are other beach access points at Devils Kitchen and Bandon State Natural Area.
In 1939 the Coast Guard took over the lighthouse and deemed it unnecessary. The lighthouse was replaced by an automated light on the south jetty. The lighthouse sat abandoned for 24 years until it became part of the new Bullards Beach State Park in 1963. It was another 13 years before renovation of the lighthouse began, but it finally opened to the public in 1979. In 1991, during Bandon’s centennial celebration, a solar powered light was installed, ending the Coquille River Lighthouse’s 52 years of darkness. Further renovation of the lighthouse was done in 2007. The bottom floor of the lighthouse is staffed by volunteers and open to the public, but the tower and the light are not.
Circles in the Sand
The 
All of the Bandon Dunes courses are consistently rated in the top 100 courses in the United States, and the 13 hole par three course, Bandon Preserve, is a challenge in itself. A few miles south of town, 
Good eats abound in Old Town. Start your day at Bandon Coffee Cafe or Bandon Baking Company. Stop at 
Accommodations
There is a campground at 
Getting There
Consider combining a visit to Bandon with a drive south along the spectacular 
The Circles in the Sand labyrinths are created on the beach below the Face Rock Wayside in 
Together with the rock formations at Coquille Point, a short distance north of the Face Rock Wayside, this stretch of beach is truly spectacular, well worth a visit at any time of the year. Combining a visit with the opportunity to experience Circles in the Sand makes for a unique and memorable experience.
Originally posted July 24, 2019. Updated and re-posted June 18, 2022.
The Connie Hansen Garden in Lincoln City, Oregon is one of the smallest botanical gardens in the Northwest, at just 1¼ acres, but don’t let the size fool you, it’s also one of the best.
Connie Hansen grew up in Oregon, but moved to California to attend the University of California at Berkeley, where she earned a degree in botany. She moved back to Oregon late in her life, after her husband’s death and her retirement from the faculty of UC Berkeley.
She began creating her garden in 1973 and she tended and continually expanded it for the next 20 years. After her death in 1993 a group of neighbors and local gardeners formed the 
The garden is located at 1931 NW 33rd Street in Lincoln City. It is open daily from dawn to dusk. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed. The Garden House, Hansen’s former home, now houses a small gift shop where you can find gardening supplies, books, and souvenirs. There is also a small art gallery. It is open from 10:00 to 2:00 Tuesday and Friday through Sunday from March to mid-December.
The Conservancy conducts spring, summer, and fall plant sales, and there are usually plants for sale at other times as well. Garden memberships are available through the conservancy website for those that want to support the garden.
Originally posted June 17, 2021. Updated and re-posted April 27, 2022.