Newport

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area

Yaquina Head�s rocky beaches and tidepools, amongst the most pristine in the northwest, offer modern day travelers a rare glimpse of the wildlife that Captain James Cook may have seen when he anchored his ship off the headland in 1778. Gray whales can be sighted year-round with peak viewing on calm mornings. Sea stars, harbor seals, eagles, and the largest colony of common murres on the west coast can be seen on the headland from April through July. Thousands of seabirds flock to the near-shore islands to breed and raise their young