Cape Meares Lighthouse

Shortest ighthouse ever.
Cape Meares is a good half hour from the Tillamook Cheese Factory but the drive to and from Cape Meares is great!
There are plenty of FREE parking spaces at the trailhead that will lead you to the lighthouse. The parking lot has a nicely decorated sign board for your photo op.
There is a very easy, very short hike (more like a walk, really) from the park to the lighthouse. On the way, you will go through «the woods» with vista points that open up to the edge of the cliff and allow you to get a very good panoramic vista of the Oregon coast. Very beautiful.
There was a park ranger, I don’t know if that is the official title of the park workers here, that was pointing out the whale that was migrating at this time. This is very good and very helpful especially for people like me who don’t know what to look for.
The trail loops around the perimeter of the cape cliff and will land you right back at the parking lot.
Cross the parking lot and go inland a bit more (by foot) and you will find the public restroom.
Continue on that trail that landed you by the restroom and you will see Octopus Tree. Apparently held sacred by the local Native American tribe that used to inhabit the area. Very large, very cool, and very photogenic.
Picnic areas are available. Great if you want to burn some calories and run, hike or just walk around for a while.

Great stop along the scenic drive. Ok so being from Texas we don’t get to see too many lighthouses. Also our drive along the coast is very different scenery. This place is beautiful. It has a few trails leading off in different directions to go exploring. I went on the one to go up to the «octopus tree.» This tree is something to see, it’s a Sitka tree if I remember right.
There are no words to describe all the beauty in nature but at this point by this tree and then lookout and see the ocean and coast… well speechless is probably the best description for how this spot leaves you.
–It’s worth taking the time to stop and smell the roses if you’re the outside type, or a great picture opp for the rest.

Meh. A pretty boring, small lighthouse. We were expecting something grand (our fault) so we were totally let down. We did enjoy the view by the lighthouse and were hoping to see some whales but no luck. The views were nice but not as nice as Ecola.
The octopus tree was really neat. I was surprised it didn’t have a trunk base and it all just kind of came out of nowhere!
If you have a long list of places to see on your way along the Coast, this doesn’t have to be on the bucket list. You’ll be totally fine missing it and won’t kick yourself for skipping it.