Yaquina Head Outstanding Scenic Area (Blog Hike #864)

Trails: Quarry Cove, Lighthouse, and Salal Trails

Hike Location: Yaquina Head Outstanding Scenic Area
Geographic Location: north of Newport, OR (44.67434, -124.06872)
Length: 2.4 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: An exploration of the hills and coastlines around Yaquina Head Lighthouse.
Area Information: https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/yaquina
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=880454
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 101 and US 20 in downtown Newport, drive US 101 north 2.8 miles to the signed entrance for Yaquina Head Outstanding Scenic Area on the left.  Turn left to enter the area.  Pay the entrance fee, then turn left at the first intersection to reach the Quarry Cove parking area, where this hike begins.

The hike: Located on a headland that juts a full mile out into the Pacific Ocean and towers over the nearby town of Newport, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse has been guiding ships along the Oregon coast since August 20, 1873.  The lighthouse stands 93 feet tall, and visitors willing to climb the 114 steep steps that wind up the inside of the lighthouse get close-up views of the light and far-flung views of the surrounding coast.  The lighthouse is only accessible by tours, and there were no lighthouse tours being offered on the Thursday that I came here in mid-July.  Nevertheless, I still had a fantastic time hiking around the Area and admiring the lighthouse from the outside.

            The lighthouse is part of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Scenic Area, which is owned and maintained by the federal Bureau of Land Management.  While you can drive to a parking lot that sits just feet from the lighthouse, there are other interesting things to see in the Area, plus it is just more fun to hike to the lighthouse than to drive to it.  The hike described here explores the lighthouse, the hilltops, and the seaside areas, thus sampling all Yaquina Head Outstanding Scenic Area has to offer.

Steps at start of Quarry Cove Trail

            From the Quarry Cove parking area, pick up the Quarry Cove Trail as it climbs some concrete steps to quickly gain elevation.  Soon a nice southward view over Agate Beach and the City of Newport appears over the pine tree tops.  After only a few hundred feet, you come alongside the main park road and reach the highest point on the Quarry Cove Trail.  If you look across the park road to the right, you will notice the start of the Communications Hill Trail, which follows a gated gravel road.  The Communications Hill Trail climbs a hill that is topped with communication towers, but there are better views elsewhere in the Scenic Area.  Thus, I recommend continuing straight to remain on the Quarry Cove Trail.

Agate Beach

            A quick descent brings you to a trail intersection where the Quarry Cove Trail ends.  The trail to the Interpretive Center goes under the park road to the right, and the Interpretive Center is worth a quick detour if it is open, which it was not when I came here.  Therefore, I continued straight to begin the Lighthouse Trail.

First view of Yaquina Head Lighthouse

            The Lighthouse Trail descends on a gradual grade with the park road close on the right.  More nice views of Agate Beach open up behind you to the left, and soon your first views of Yaquina Head Lighthouse appear in front of you.  At 0.5 miles, a spur trail exits left to descend to Cobble Beach via many wooden steps.  If the tide is out as it was on my visit, then Cobble Beach is a worthy diversion: its tidepools may contain sea stars, anemones, urchins, and more.  While I did not see anything unusual at the tidepools, I saw many sea lions and birds sunning on rocks in this area.

Tidepools at Cobble Beach

Seals on the rocks

            0.7 miles into the hike, you reach Yaquina Head Lighthouse.  A short concrete loop takes you around the lighthouse, allowing you to see the lighthouse from every angle as well as the rocks and ocean that surround Yaquina Head.  After circling the lighthouse, walk around the left side of the parking lot and find the signed trailhead for the Salal Hill Trail, which takes you up to Yaquina Head's best view.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Climbing Salal Hill

            The Salal Hill Trail switchbacks up its namesake hill, the summit of which is 262 feet above the nearby ocean.  As you climb the hill, the view of the lighthouse gets better, and views of the desolate-looking Oregon coast to the north start to open up.  Some benches and interpretive signs greet you at the top of the hill.  The interpretive signs tell you that Yaquina Head's basalt cliffs were quarried for gravel during the construction of US 101: basalt is solid rock that is easy to crush, hence perfect for road-building.  Yaquina Head's seaside location makes Salal Hill an exposed windy summit most of the time, but the scenery encourages you to extend your visit here.

Old quarry basalt cliffs

View north from Salal Hill

            There is only one trail up Salal Hill, so next you need to retrace your steps first down the Salal Hill Trail and then back along the Lighthouse and Quarry Cove Trails to the Quarry Cove parking area.  Before you hop in your car and leave, one additional place is worth seeing: walk around the vehicle gate and descend the blacktop road that leads down to Quarry Cove.  As its name suggests, Quarry Cove is another old gravel quarry, and the stark black basalt cliffs that remain are an excellent site that rounds out your visit to Yaquina Head.