About

Yaquina Head is a Marine Garden

Marine Gardens are shoreline and intertidal areas with the goal of protecting rocky habitat and ecological integrity while promoting education and viewing.

The entire Yaquina Head area is part of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area(YHONA), which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management for its outstanding natural resources, scenic values and public enjoyment.  An approximately 1.8 mile section of this coastline is one of Oregon’s seven marine gardens. The Yaquina Head marine garden encompasses “ all rocky areas, tide pools, and sand beaches situated between extreme high tide and extreme low tide lying between the sand beach on the north, and the sand beach on the south of Yaquina Head. Includes rocky areas abutting the sand beaches on the north and south sides of the headland.”

Features

Key Resources

High use intertidal habitat, seabird colony sites including: common murres, pelagic and Brandt’s cormorant, pigeon guillemots, western gulls, tufted puffins, rhinoceros auklets, and black oystercatchers.  Endangered brown pelicans and threatened peregrine falcons and bald eagles also use the area, as do harbor seals for pupping and haulout.  Yaquina Head is one of Oregon’s largest seabird nesting areas and has been designated as a Globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy.

Site Uses

This site is especially popular for tidepooling, whalewatching, and birdwatching enthusiasts including large numbers of schoolgroups on fieldtrips.  The status of the northern end as a marine garden means that collection of intertidal shellfish and marine invertebrates is prohibited.  BLM staff is on-site during most of the year’s low tides to monitor intertidal visitor use.

Access

There are several paved access trails down to the rocky shore, including one (near the lighthouse parking area) which in combination with a steep staircase, leads down into the marine garden and another on the south end of YHONA which leads down to a handicap accessible tidepool area (Quarry Cove).  Visual access to the many offshore rocks is outstanding from this entire section, but to get up the closest (those just offshore of the tip of the Head), visit the overlook closest to the lighthouse.  Please note that there is a $5/vehicle entry fee, which is good for 3 days and includes access to the visitor’s center.

Management

Site Management

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) manages the intertidal area as a marine garden, BLM manages the upland as an Outstanding Natural Area, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages offshore rocks above MHW as part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.  BLM enforces several types of restrictions including: no dogs past the parking lots, restrictions on cliff access to protect bird and mammal reproduction, and seasonal closures of sensitive intertidal and animal haulout and nesting areas.  There is a reservation system for schoolgroups, who need to contact BLM prior to visiting and will be allotted a two hour time slot.  BLM tries to keep less than 100 people at a time down in the tidepools.

Regulations

No take of shellfish and other invertebrates with the exception of single mussels (for bait).

Ownership

• Submerged and submersible (intertidal) lands: Department of State Lands;
• Offshore rocks above Mean High Water: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
• Upland above MHW: Bureau of Land Management;
• Dry sands beach areas: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department