The Umpqua River Light is a lighthouse on the Oregon Coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Umpqua River on Winchester Bay, in Douglas County, Oregon.
The Umpqua River Lighthouse at Winchester Bay towers over the beach where the Umpqua River empties into the Pacific Ocean. The 65-foot lighthouse was constructed in 1890 after the first Umpqua River 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.
Tours of the lighthouse are given daily year-round, 9 am to 6 pm by friendly docents from the Umpqua River Lighthouse Museum. Inside the museum you’ll find hundreds of documents, photographs, and artifacts that illustrate the story of the Umpqua River Lighthouse from its early existence as a Lifesaving Station to the U.S. Coast Guard station that sits on the same site today.
Umpqua Lighthouse State Park is immediately next to the Lighthouse and located less than a mile from the famous Salmon Harbor on Winchester Bay. The campground and developed day use areas are centered around beautiful Lake Marie. Access to this small freshwater lake is provided for angling and non-motorized boating. There is also a small sandy beach set aside for swimming or relaxing. Extensive camping areas and rental yurts are also available.
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 today still guide mariners safely into port. Across from the lighthouse, facing the Pacific Ocean is a Gray Whale ‘spy hopper’ station, compete with maps, charts and binoculars to spot migrating whales.
Accessibility
While you’re in the area, be sure to take a short drive over to the Umpqua River Lighthouse. Built in 1857, this 65-foot tall tower sits at the entrance to Winchester Bay. There’s accessible parking near the lighthouse, with level access over to the adjacent museum. Even though the museum is accessible, admission is only offered as part of the lighthouse tour, which is not accessible. Still it’s worth a stop just to get a look at the outside of this historic building. And if you have a picnic lunch, there’s also a few accessible picnic tables in front of the museum.
Save some time to stroll across the street, where you’ll find an accessible overlook which offers a nice view of the Umpqua River and the Pacific Ocean. And although the scenery by itself is splendid, during the winter months it’s also possible to spot migrating gray whales in the distance. Be on the lookout for these massive giants from late November to early January, when the pregnant females head south from Alaska, to give birth in the warm waters off of Baja California. Of course whale watching is a matter of luck and timing, but to increase your odds, visit during the peak migration in early January. And don’t forget to bring along your binoculars.
