The Other, Lesser-Known Viewpoints of Cape Perpetua on Central Oregon Coast

Published 01/18/21 at 5:46 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Yachats, Oregon) - The most well known of viewpoints in the Yachats area – indeed much of the entire Oregon coast - is of course the top of Cape Perpetua. There’s little doubt it has among the most expansive glimpses on the whole of this shoreline, standing well above the 1,000-foot mark. You’re elevated here in more ways than one: it’s an emotional high to be atop this wonder, to be sure.

Yet even so some of the best views in all of the Yachats area are just a little more down to Earth – or down towards the sea, that is.

Don’t forget the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center, a few hundred feet below the massive mountaintop. Aside from being a tad more sheltered from the wind than any other place along Perpetua or Cook’s Chasm, your views of what’s going in those waves are much clearer.

And there’s a lot going on in those waves.

This is a prime whale watching spot, given extra vibrancy by the fact it’s rather elevated yet not too far from the ocean. The top of Perpetua is great for views in general, but whales become a bit tiny up so high.

The viewing platforms that encircle the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center are a comfortable spot as well. To top it all off, whale can really be plentiful in this section of Highway 101 between Yachats and Florence. This stretch from just south of Yachats to about Lincoln City is where more of them linger than most areas because of easy feeding grounds.

Another inviting aspect of the visitor center area is the trailhead to some stunning trails, which wind up and down the mountain, bringing you down towards Cape Cove, Devil’s Churn or the mighty spouting horn at Cook’s Chasm and its many tidepools, as well as ending up at the top of Perpetua.

One of the more significant trails of this spot as well as the entire Oregon coast is the Amanda Trail, which pays homage to a blind native woman who suffered much here at the hands of the U.S. government over 150 years ago.

Down the hillside of Perpetua even more, the viewpoints just below Highway 101 are chock full of ease and the wow factor. The comfort of wooden walkways is part of the attraction, especially since there’s a handicap accessible stretch around the trail to Cape Cove.

From here, you can gaze down on the southern face of the Devil’s Churn area and the secret beach known as Cape Cove with the striking clarity of being just a bit a closer than that mountaintop can provide. The layout of this intriguing landmark becomes a lot clearer – as if previewing all the cool stuff you could be reveling in if you ventured down there. Hotels in Yachats - Where to eat - Lane County Maps and Virtual Tours

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