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Lookout · Pacific Coast

Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use

U.S. Forest Service
Looking west from Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use. Terrain and imagery at true elevation.
Overview · Assembled from verified data

Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use sits at mile 162 of 347 along the Pacific Coast byway, at an elevation of 735 feet. The site faces 270 degrees, a direction aligned with the setting sun, and the land drops 768 feet within 600 meters of the overlook. Sunset times shift through the year, from 16:41 at the December solstice to 21

Position
Mile ~162 of 347
Access
On the byway
Elevation
735 ft
View
West · 270°
Light
Best at sunset
Relief
768 ft drop
Photos · Real imagery only
Devils Churn from Devils Churn Viewpoint near Yachats, Oregon .
Little Mountain 5 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
View of CCC's Cape Creek looking north 1936, Siuslaw National Forest
U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region · Public domain · source
Historical Cape Perpetua Overlook Views, 1933, Siuslaw National Forest
U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region · Public domain · source
Cape Perpetua to be the views from the stone shelter atop the headland above the park proper. The Pacific Ocean, headland upon headland, a winding highway, misty mountains, whale sightings. Head down the trail a short distance to a viewing area. This gives the best view down on the rest of the park
Kirt Edblom from Corvallis, Oregon, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
From a recent week at the Oregon Coast.
Sheila Sund from Salem, United States · CC BY 2.0 · source
After I left, some other crazy person arrived. It didn't feel dangerous, but Thor did exact a price: lost lens cap and end cap off a tripod leg. If you go, bring a cloth to wipe the spray and water off your lens. And plan to get wet!
John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA · CC BY 2.0 · source
When to look · Sun at this latitude

Light

This overlook faces sunset — 0° off square to it.

DateSunriseSunsetGolden hour
March equinox07:2019:2918:51
June solstice05:3321:0520:20
September equinox07:0419:1618:37
December solstice07:5016:4115:53

Local time (America/Los_Angeles). Computed for this exact position.

Getting there · Position and access

Where it is

Mile 162 of 347 along Pacific Coast.

  • Florence21.2 mi south
  • Newport24.3 mi north
  • Philomath40.6 mi east-northeast
← Before it: Whale Cove Viewing PlatformAfter it: Meyers Creek Beach Viewpoint →
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From the source · Verbatim

Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use · U.S. Forest Service

Towering 800 feet over the protected Marine Garden shoreline, the Cape Perpetua Day Use area is the highest viewpoint accessible by car on the Oregon Coast.

Take the winding, wooded drive to the top of the Cape Perpetua Headland, and you'll be rewarded with an awe-inspiring overlook just steps from the parking area. On clear days, views extend nearly 40 miles out to sea, and along 70 miles of coastline.

This site serves as a trailhead for:

Whispering Spruce Trail #1306 (wheel-chair accessible)Amanda's Trail #1386Saint Perpetua Trail #1306

Read it at U.S. Forest Service →
Common questions

How high is Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use?

Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use sits at about 735 feet (224 m).

Is Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use better at sunrise or sunset?

Sunset. The land falls away from Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use toward the sunset, so at sunrise the light is behind you. Exact times shift through the year; the page shows the current window.

What is the nearest town to Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use?

Florence, 21 miles S of Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use.

What is the next lookout after Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use?

Meyers Creek Beach Viewpoint is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use.

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Locals make it Verified.

Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use — confirmed, rated, and photographed by people who actually pulled over. A local confirmation is what upgrades a lookout from Discovered to Verified. Zero hallucinations.

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