Standing prominently atop a 150-foot windswept bluff over the Pacific, the Heceta Head Lighthouse is said to be the most-photographed lighthouse on the coast. Its red-roofed white tower stands out from a lush evergreen forest backdrop and at night the strongest light on the coast can be seen for 21 miles out to sea.

The Heceta (pronounced heh-see-ta) Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint is about halfway between Yachats and Florence, near milepost 178. The Heceta Lighthouse Viewpoint is about a mile farther south and is a favorite place for photographing the lighthouse and keeper's house.

The lighthouse was illuminated in 1894. The natural beauty of Heceta Head makes a special trip worthwhile. The light keeper's house is now a bed and breakfast offering six guest rooms and a seven-course breakfast. There is an information office on the ground floor of the house.

Regular tours of the lighthouse are available from March through October, and from November to February special tours may be accommodated. From the parking lot, it's about a half-mile hike to the lighthouse, and there is also a path to the beach. There is a $5 day use fee charged. A seven-mile network of trails offers viewpoints for watching seabirds, sea lions and spotting whales. A recently completed trail provides a spectacular view of the coast north to Cape Perpetua.