The Umpqua River Lighthouse is my favorite lighthouse due to its beautiful signature ruby and white beams that put on a beautiful show at night. Though not required, I highly recommend a night visit to experience the powerful lights moving through the trees and illuminating the dunes and the sea.
The posted coordinates take you to a green space where you can see the Umpqua River Lighthouse, the historic U.S. Coast Guard station, and the Umpqua River emptying into the Pacific Ocean at Winchester Bay. Please obey all signs regarding proper access to the lighthouse and no trespassing on Coast Guard housing around the lighthouse.
Photo courtesy of Steven Michael Photography
The Umpqua River Lighthouse at Winchester Bay towers 100 feet over the beach where the Umpqua River empties into the Pacific Ocean. The 65-foot lighthouse was constructed in 1890 after the first lighthouse, built in 1857, next to the river mouth, collapsed in a storm. The Umpqua River Lighthouse features a two-ton First Order Fresnel lens constructed from 616 glass prisms handcrafted in France. It became automated in 1966, and the light is visible for 21 nautical miles (24 land miles) into the sea. It was the first lighthouse on the Oregon Coast, and remains one of the few lighthouses that you can climb to the top. Today, Douglas County leases the lighthouse from the Coast Guard, and it has been on the National Registry of Historic Places since 1977.
One of the principal rivers of the Oregon Coast, the Umpqua River is known for salmon, sturgeon, bass and shad. From its source high up in the Cascade Mountains, the Umpqua River forges through an expansive network of ridges and canyons, where numerous waterfalls can be seen. Continuing on down into Roseburg and the Umpqua Valley, the river then cuts through Oregon’s Coast Range and empties into the Pacific Ocean at Winchester Bay. Overlooking the Umpqua River bar, the red and white beams of the Umpqua River Lighthouse still guide mariners safely into port today.
When you visit the lighthouse during the day you have the option of visiting the Umpqua River Lighthouse Museum and taking a lighthouse tour to get up close with the Fresnel lens. Tours are offered year-round for a small fee. Museum docents talk about the construction of the lighthouse, how the original keepers worked and lived, and how the light was converted from oil to electricity. At the very top of the lighthouse, visitors are invited to look inside the working light. Seeing the red and white prism spin and how the light reflects off the hundreds of panels gives you an appreciation not just for the job the lighthouse has, but the craftsmanship that went into the design. Tours include the Umpqua River Lighthouse Museum located inside the historic U.S. Coast Guard station. Here you can see various exhibits and learn about the history of the lighthouse, U.S. Coast Guard history on the Umpqua River as well as the general history of the area.
Across from the lighthouse, facing the Pacific Ocean and the expansive dunes is the Umpqua River Whale Watching Station complete with maps, charts, and information about migrating and resident Gray whales. Oregon State Parks celebrate the migration twice per year during Whale Watch Weeks in late December and late March. The program places volunteers at this whale watching site to help visitors see and learn about the whales.
Looking out to the ocean you’ll also see the unique triangle jetty. It’s really two jetties in one – two massive rip-rap structures jutting out into the ocean and then connecting to form the entire south jetty of the river mouth. The water in the middle of the triangle is almost always calm even when the ocean is violently rough creating a protected growing area for a commercial shellfish operation. The jetty is also a popular area for recreational diving both inside and outside the triangle.
No matter when you come to visit you will be surrounded by the beauty and history of the Oregon Coast!
To claim this virtual cache:
- Post a photo of yourself or your group with or in the lighthouse to prove that you have visited. The picture doesn't have to include your face.
or
- Post a photo of a personal item with or in the lighthouse that proves that you, a geocacher, have visited such as a trackable or a piece of paper with your geocacher username.
References and Additional Information:
Official Umpqua River Lighthouse Museum website
An extensive history of the lighthouse
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.
