Oregon’s visitors and sightseers can’t help being enchanted with the state's 365 miles of picturesque shoreline. Among these coastal attractions nine historic lighthouses are spaced out along the seacoast. Most of these lighthouse settings also double as excellent wildlife overlooks. A few of these Pacific shore guardians are listed among the state’s premier wildlife sites. The Oregon Wildlife Guide, published by the National Watchable Wildlife Program, features the Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge.
   Found just 10 miles west of Tillamook and the Pacific Coast Byway, Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint offers visitors this close-up view of the Oregon coast and the Cape Meares Lighthouse. Although the lighthouse is the shortest on the Oregon Coast, it still stands 217 feet above the water. This little beauty, first lit in 1890, is found at the end of a U-shaped path. The paved walkway leads down to the lighthouse and passes scenic viewpoints along the way. Here, scattered about the headland, a handful of offshore islets create cozy homes for seabirds and marine mammals.
   Designated as a Research Natural Area in 1987, the Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge protects one of the few remaining stands of original Sitka spruce and western hemlock. Here you’ll find the rare spotted owl, bald eagles, and marbled murrelets in an old growth forest habitat. Offshore, thousands of seabirds, sea lions, harbor seals and gray whales can be seen from this viewpoint. From this overlook Cape Meares’ visitors are able to take in three National Wildlife Refuges and two Wilderness Areas from a single location.

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