Visit 3 Stunning Parks on the Cape Arago Scenic Highway (+ bonus stops)
Just south of Coos Bay, Oregon, the coastline changes from sandy dunes to incredible slanted sandstone cliffs where waves crash and harbor seals lounge. The Cape Arago Scenic Highway is a 14-mile road connecting three unforgettable state parks plus a few impressive viewpoints along this stretch of the coast. See tidepool life in the protected cove of Sunset Bay, stroll through the rose garden at Shore Acres, and watch sea lions barking at Cape Arago. If you’re in the mood for hiking, options abound and the parks are connected by the Oregon Coast Trail. Here is everything you need to know to plan your drive down the Cape Arago Scenic Highway.
Sunset Bay State Park
Sunset Bay
Know before you go
Day-use parking is free at Sunset Bay State Park. You don’t need a pass or permit.
Leashed dogs are welcome at Sunset Bay State Park and its hiking trails.
The restroom building and picnic area are next to the parking lot.
There is a boat launch ramp at the north end of the beach.
Sunset Bay State Park has a large campground with a variety of camping options like RV sites with hook-ups, tent sites, and yurts. The campground has restrooms and showers for campers. Find out more and make reservations here.
Sunset Bay State Park is the closest of the state parks to the Cape Arago Lighthouse. The lighthouse is on an island and is not accessible to the public. There are a few different ways you can see it from shore (discussed below).
The beach at Sunset Bay
About Sunset Bay State Park
According to local legend, the protected cove at Sunset Bay State Park may once have been a hideout for pirate ships. It has, at the very least, provided safety for fishing boats looking to escape storms on the Pacific. Besides potentially sheltering pirates, the sandstone cliffs at Sunset Bay shield it from strong ocean winds and make it a great place to have a picnic, build sandcastles, and explore the tidepools. At low tide, look for excellent intertidal life on the sandstone wave-cut platform at the north end of the beach. On a warm day, Sunset Bay is one of the few places on the Oregon Coast that is calm enough to go swimming, kayaking, or paddleboarding.
Cliffs protect Sunset Bay from strong ocean winds
Hiking at Sunset Bay State Park
At the north end of the beach, a trailhead begins the 1.2-mile Lighthouse View Loop. This trail leads up the headland to reach great views of Sunset Bay, the twisted sandstone coastline to the south, and offshore islands, including Chief’s Island where the Cape Arago Lighthouse stands. The trail is unmaintained and a bit rough. Expect large tree roots on the path and salal so dense that it brushes your arms on both sides as you walk.
At the south end of the beach, look for the trailhead that begins the 4.7-mile Shore Acres Loop hike. This trail starts up the southern headland, then passes the secluded cove of Norton’s Gulch before reaching Shore Acres State Park. You can also see Cape Arago Lighthouse looking north across the bay from the trail.
Instead of driving to the end of the Cape Arago Scenic Highway, you can make the 8.5-mile out-and-back hike from Sunset Bay to Cape Arago State Park. Make sure to bring a good offline map if you decide to tackle this one. The trail is not always well marked.
Shore Acres State Park
Sandstone cliffs at Shore Acres State Park
Know before you go
Parking at Shore Acres requires an Oregon State Park pass. You can purchase a day pass on-site for $5 or use an annual Oregon State Park pass or Oregon Coast Passport. You don’t need to pay the day-use fee if you are camping at Sunset Bay State Park that day.
Dogs are not allowed outside the car at Shore Acres State Park.
There are restrooms near the entrance to Shore Acres Garden.
Look for park information and a gift shop in the Interpretive Center next to Shore Acres Garden.
There are a few wheelchairs available to borrow at the Interpretive Center.
Red hot pokers grow near the Shore Acres Observatory
About Shore Acres State Park
The dramatic coastline at Shore Acres State Park was once the sprawling estate of lumber baron Louis J. Simpson, who built a summer home here as a gift to his wife. After Simpson suffered a reversal of fortune in the 1930s, Shore Acres became a state park. Where Simpson’s mansion once stood is now an enclosed observatory perfect for watching waves crash against the cliffs and looking for whales out in the ocean. A trail along the coast provides incredible views of the diagonally-slanted sandstone that makes up the cliffs here. Although the Simpson house is gone, the lush botanical gardens remain and offer a delicate counterpoint to the rugged beauty of the coastline.
The botanical garden at Shore Acres
Shore Acres Botanical Garden
Shore Acres Garden is a legacy of the Simpson estate and has been lovingly maintained by skilled gardeners throughout the years. Elegant paths lead you through the English garden and Japanese garden areas, complete with gazebos, rose pergolas, a bubbling fountain, and a reflecting pool containing a couple of copper egrets. Expect to see flowers blooming from around February - October, beginning with daffodils in February. Look for tulips in March and April, rhododendrons and azaleas in April and May, roses from June to September, and dahlias from August to October.
Lily pond at the Japanese Garden
Shore Acres hosts an annual holiday light festival from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve, a tradition that began in 1987. During the festival, over 325,000 lights, about a dozen Christmas trees, and a variety of lighted sculptures decorate the garden. Parking during the holiday light festival requires a timed-entry reservation. Find out more about reservations here.
Hiking
Shore Acres Garden has about 0.5 miles of trails exploring the different areas in the botanical garden. The trails here are flat, even, and wide.
An easy 0.6-mile out-and-back trail leads from the parking area at Shore Acres to the beautiful beach at Simpson Cove. Look for the trailhead near the restroom building.
The 1.2-mile Shores Acres loop trail takes you along the coastline at Shore Acres and returns through the forest. Start at the observatory and head north to begin the trail, which is the best place along the Cape Arago Scenic Highway to admire the unique geology of this region of the coast.
Views from the Shore Acres Loop Trail
Cape Arago
Sea lions relax at Cape Arago’s North Cove
Know before you go
It is free to park at Cape Arago State Park. You don’t need a pass or permit.
Leashed dogs are allowed in the park.
Cape Arago State Park has restrooms and a picnic area.
A short, paved trail near the parking lot leads out to a viewpoint. This trail is flat and even. Other trails in the park are unpaved, irregular, and sometimes have steep grades.
Viewpoint at Cape Arago State Park
About Cape Arago State Park
The Cape Arago Scenic Highway ends at Cape Arago State Park where a viewpoint on top of the cape’s 125-foot cliffs overlooks an ocean panorama. Look for the sandy and picturesque Middle and South Coves to the south and the small islands of Simpson Reef to the north. The rocky haulouts around North Cove are great places to see seals and sea lions. There is a good chance that you’ll hear barking as soon as you leave the car. After admiring the views from above, look for a short trail down to South Cove and its fantastic tidepools.
Wildlife at Cape Arago
Cape Arago State Park is one of the best places on the Oregon Coast to see wildlife, particularly seals and sea lions that love the rocky haulouts here. Look for harbor seals, often easily recognizable by their spotted coats, in the water and lounging on the rocky coast and sea stacks. You may see mother seals nursing their pups in late spring and early summer. Mother seals may leave their pups on shore while they hunt, so don’t worry if you see a pup alone and don’t approach it.
A harbor seal nurses her pup at Cape Arago
Both of Oregon’s types of sea lions, Steller and California sea lions, visit Cape Arago. From a distance, it is easy to recognize California sea lions by their distinctive, near-constant barking. They also tend to be smaller (relatively) and darker in color than Steller sea lions. Steller sea lions live on the Oregon Coast year-round and include both males and females. Only male California sea lions come to Oregon and they return to California each year to mate.
California sea lions swim near Cape Arago (note that both are barking, inevitably)
Cape Arago State Park is the only place on the Oregon Coast where elephant seals haul out year-round. They are a much less common sight than seals or sea lions, but your best bet for seeing them is Shell Island. If you see them, there is a good chance they will be molting so their coats may look odd. Elephant seals are larger than sea lions and males are easy to recognize by their huge proboscis noses.
Male elephant seals have very distinctive faces (I saw these guys in California but you get the idea about the proboscis)
Wildlife on Shell Island: To the northwest of Cape Arago is Simpson Reef. You’ll see many sea stacks and islands that make up the reef, the largest of which is Shell Island. Seals, sea lions, and elephant seals love Shell Island. Since it’s about a quarter mile offshore, good binoculars are very helpful for viewing wildlife. If you are a photographer, you’ll want a telephoto lens for satisfying results. The Simpson Reef Overlook just off the Cape Arago Scenic Highway is a great viewpoint to scope out Simpson Reef and Shell Island.
Both Shore Acres and Cape Arago State Parks are excellent places for whale watching because of their high cliffs. The easiest way to spot a whale is by watching for the spray from its blowhole, although you may also see a tail, fin, or back. Most whales that swim near the Oregon Coast are grey whales. Your best chance of spotting them is during their winter and spring migrations. Expect the winter migration from around late December to late January and the spring migration from March until June.
An accessible viewpoint overlooks Middle Cove and makes a great whale-watching spot
All the parks on the Cape Arago Scenic Highway have great birdwatching potential. Keep an eye out for gulls, cormorants, grebes, pigeon guillemots, black oystercatchers, and perhaps even marbled murrelets around the cape. You may also see songbirds like chickadees, juncos, and cedar waxwings on the wooded trails.
For more about wildlife on the Oregon Coast, check out my detailed guide here.
South Cove
Hiking at Cape Arago
The 0.2-mile out-and-back North Cove Trail leads to excellent views, including a good chance of seeing seals and sea lions. This trail closes March 1 - June 30 to protect seal pups. You can still get to a viewpoint overlooking the North Cove from above if the trail is closed.
The steep, 0.3-mile out-and-back South Cove trail will lead you down to the beach at Cape Arago’s South Cove. Be sure to check out the excellent tidepools here if you visit near low tide. Look for the trailhead at the south end of the park.
The 4-mile Cape Arago Loop Hike brings you to the viewpoints of Cape Arago and then along the coast to Simpson Reef Viewpoint (also accessible by car). The rest of the loop heads through the forest and passes an old WWII radar station.
Drake Point separates Middle and South Cove
Geology on the Cape Arago Scenic Highway
Head back about 50 million years or so and the Oregon Coast would have been unrecognizable to us today. The area that is now sandstone cliffs along the Cape Arago Scenic Highway was a delta where sediments drained into the ocean, including debris from inland volcanic activity. When these sediments hardened into stone, they did so unevenly, with some layers being more resistant to erosion than others. This rock, which is mostly sandstone, is called the Coaledo Formation in honor of the coal found near Coos Bay in areas outside of the parks. You can find fossils on the coast preserved in the Coaledo Formation, but please do not remove any. They are protected in Oregon State Parks.
Sandstone layers tilt diagonally at Shore Acres State Park
When the Coaledo Formation hardened, it would have become a marine platform close to sea level. For a beautiful example of a marine platform today, head to the north end of Sunset Bay. Over millions of years, the movement of tectonic plates near the coast has compressed the crust and uplifted the former marine platforms into raised marine terraces. Generally, the higher the terrace, the older it is. Faults along the coast contribute to the distinctive diagonal slanting of the sandstone cliffs and the formation of recessed coves.
Knob-like concretions in the sandstone of Shore Acres
Perhaps the most striking geologic features near the Cape Arago Scenic Highway are the bizarre, knob-like concretions present in the Coaledo Formation. Concretions are particularly noticeable at Shore Acres, where they look almost like stone bubbles rising out of the rocky coastline. Geologists attribute the presence of concretions to the irregular mineral content of the Coaledo Formation. Sandstone with higher calcite content is harder and more resistant to erosion. When calcite forms around an object like a shell, bone, or pebble, it creates a round area of hardness that endures after salt, wind, and waves have eroded the surrounding stone.
Other stops on the Cape Arago Scenic Highway
Simpson Reef Overlook
Although I would put the three state parks at the top of your list of things to do on the Cape Arago Scenic Highway, there are other great places to visit along the way if you have time. Here are some stops to consider:
Bastendorff Beach is a beautiful, mile-long sandy beach between Coos Bay’s South Jetty and the headland of Yoakam Point. It is the first beach along the Cape Arago Scenic Highway.
Simpson Reef Overlook is a viewpoint just off the highway between Shore Acres and Cape Arago State Parks. It has great views of Shell Island and Simpson Reef. Bring binoculars to look for seals and sea lions on the rocky haulouts offshore here, especially on Shell Island.
Cape Arago Lighthouse Viewpoint is the easiest place to see the Cape Arago Lighthouse. Look for a pullout on the right side of the highway about 0.25 miles south of the Sunset Bay campground entrance.
Look for incredible islands and sea stacks around Simpson Reef
Getting there
Coming from the north, watch for signs around the town of North Bend directing you west toward Charleston using OR-540 rather than continuing on Highway 101 to Coos Bay. The first state park, Sunset Bay, will be about 3 miles west of Charleston.
From Bandon, take Highway 101 North until W Beaver Hill Rd. Take a left onto W Beaver Hill Rd and continue for about 6 miles. Take a slight right onto Seven Devils Rd and keep going until you reach Charleston, then turn left onto OR-540.
For GPS directions, put in this address:
89814 Cape Arago Highway, Coos Bay, OR 97420
The drive from Portland takes about 4-5 hours depending on whether you take I-5 most of the way or opt for the more scenic but slower Highway 101.
Explore nearby
If you’re not having a picnic at the beach, consider heading to Coos Bay for food and drinks near the water at 7 Devils Waterfront Alehouse. The Coos History Museum is just across the parking lot.
Enjoy your drive on the Cape Arago Scenic Highway!
With love,
Emma
The views are great at Heceta Head Lighthouse
Looking for more to do at the coast? From north to south, here are trip suggestions and travel tips for:
References
Ehlen, Judi, and Shore Acres Boy. "Geology of State Parks near Cape Arago, Coos County, Oregon." The Ore Bin 29 (1967): 61-82.
Miller, Marli Bryant. Roadside Geology of Oregon. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company, 2014.
Mustoe, George. "Sunset Bay-Shore Acres-Cape Arago: The Geologic Story." Friends of Shore Acres. 2008. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/George-Mustoe/publication/282914593_Sunset_Bay-Shore_Acres-Cape_Arago_The_Geologic_Story/links/5622ac8c08aea35f2681e617/Sunset-Bay-Shore-Acres-Cape-Arago-The-Geologic-Story.pdf
