Notable stops along Highway 101
between Strawberry Hill and Oregon Dunes Overlook (north to south)

MP 169.4 - Strawberry Hill:
Heading south from Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint, you can pull off at Strawberry Hill to view sea lions and a colony of harbor seals on rocks 100 feet across the channel. All year at low tide there are seals, gulls and cormorants.
Also look for gray whales, which spend much of the year off of the Central Coast.

MP 170 - Bob Creek Beach Access:
Absolute mussel heaven for those who love shellfish. You need to cross the creek to reach the rocks. Check with the Mapleton Ranger District near Florence for fishing regulations.

MP 171.5 - Stonefield Beach State Recreation Site:
Day use only, no restrooms, but has beach access. Named after a pioneer family, this is a great place for flying kites.

MP 176 - Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park:
This 1,100 acre park is used for day use and overnight camping. The hills are sand dunes that have been stabilized and covered by shore pine, Sitka spruce, small fir, cedar, hemlock and other species. Understory includes evergreen huckleberry, rhododendron, salal, manzanita, and more.

Day use fee. The park was named in honor of an Oregon highway commissioner in the 1930's. A good portion of the park was donated to the state by his widow.

Hiking trails include:
Valley Trail that leads 1 ½ (or ¾) mile to Highway 101. From there, the Old Indian Trail (also the Hobbit Trail) leads down to the beach. From the beach, hikers can return to the park.
From the trailhead to the Hobbit Trail, a trail takes hikers on a challenging ¾ mile hike to the Heceta Head Lighthouse.

MP 178 - Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint:
Rated the strongest light on the Oregon coast and visible 21 miles from land, this lighthouse was built in 1892 and is still in use today. It was named after Bruno de Heceta, a Portuguese sailing for the Royal Spanish Navy in 1775. The last lighthouse keeper left in 1963 when it became automated.

The State Park is the entrance to visit the Heceta Head Lighthouse and Heceta House. The original home that housed the lighthouse keeper was demolished in 1940. The remaining building was the assistant lighthouse keepers' house. It is now a bed and breakfast, and is said to be haunted!

MP 179 - Viewpoint Heceta Head and Sea Lion Caves:
From this pull-off at the crest of a hill you can see a stunning view of Heceta Head Lighthouse to the north and the outer edge of the Sea Lion Caves to the south.

MP 179.3 - Sea Lion Caves:
Formation of this cave began some 25 million years ago. It is as tall as a 12-story building and as long as a football field. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest sea cave in the world. Stellar sea lions gather inside during fall and winter, breed and produce young on rock ledges in the spring and summer. The stairs at the back of the cavern lead to a fabulous view of Heceta Head Lighthouse.

Open all year long, there is parking on both sides of the highway and an outdoor observation platform for whale watching. Tours begin at the main building (admission fee at the gift shop). An elevator carries you down 208 feet into the cave.

MP 183.6 - Alder Dune Campground:
Day use and camping fee. Siuslaw National Forest campground with 22 campsites, large group camping, water, flush toilets, swimming and fishing in Alder Lake, canoeing and picnicking. There is also an ampitheater with weekend talks in the summer. This campground was built in the late 1960s by the Angell Job Corps. The corpsmen came from the East Coast to gain skills and live in a different environment.

MP 184.7 - Sutton Boat Launch:
Day use fee. Parking area with Forest Service ramp for launching small boats into Sutton Lake. The lake was named for Orrin W. Sutton, a pioneer homesteader who settled on its banks in early days.

MP 185.2 - Darlingtonia Botanical Gardens:
This easy ½ mile nature walk leads to bog clusters of Darlingtonia Californica (a.k.a. cobra-lily or cobra-orchid). The Darlingtonia Californica is a carnivorous, fly-catching pitcher plant.

MP 185.4 - Sutton Recreation Area:
Forest Service operated with 83 campsites, day use fee, restroom facilities, good hiking trails, excellent view of Sutton Creek estuary, and wheelchair accessible from Holman Vista. Take the Sutton Trail (6-mile loop) to Darlingtonia Botanical Gardens.

MP 187.3 - Heceta Beach Junction (Heceta Beach Drive):
This junction leads to the entrance of Driftwood Shores and Rhododendron Drive (particularly beautiful in April and May because of the rhododendrons). Heceta Beach stretches to the North Jetty.

MP 188 - Mapleton Ranger District:
Recreational information on the Siuslaw National Forest. The State Police office is located just inland from the district office.

MP 188.7 - Road to Sandpines Golf Course:
Golf is a year-round activity in Florence, but especially good September to mid-November. Sandpines Golf Course, rated by Golf Digest - "Best New Golf Course" in 1993, is a must!

MP 190 - Florence:
A variety of activities are available in Florence: Golf at two courses; beach access at nine different areas; horse back riding on the Coast Horse Trails; biking; 18 hiking trails in the Siuslaw National Forest, including one leading to the magnificent Kentucky Falls, which descends 780 feet; fishing in lakes, streams or ocean; crabbing and clamming; camping in 16 private, state and county campgrounds; access to 12 National Recreation Areas; wildlife viewing; whale watching and sightseeing.
The Rhododendron Festival is the third week of May, with an amusement carnival, live music, 5 & 10K runs and other events. The Fourth of July Celebration festivities include live outdoor music and fireworks. Florence Fall Festival "Chowder Blues and Brews" is in late September, offering a chowder cook-off, booths, microbrew tasting, kite flying, and the Florence Tour of Homes.

The town is said to have been named for A.B. Florence, who was a member of the state senate at the sessions of 1858, 1859 and 1860, as a representative of Lane County. According to another story the town was named for a French vessel, wrecked about 1873, at the mouth of Siuslaw River. The actual date was February 17, 1875. In "Marine History of the Pacific Northwest" they comment that the ship was a "veritable floating coffin."

MP 190.6 - Old Town Florence:
Housed in a collection of old restored buildings are now over 60 specialty shops, galleries and restaurants. Several of the restaurants offer seating on the picturesque Siuslaw River.

There is plenty of parking available and a Gazebo Park for sitting and watching the river.

MP 191 - Florence Bridge:
The bridge opened to traffic March 31, 1936. It was constructed as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal Program.

MP 191.7 - Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area:
South Jetty Recreation Area
Entrance to ATV, hiking, camping and other recreation in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

MP 192 - Siuslaw Pioneer Museum:
The museum displays relics and historical artifacts.

MP 193.4 - Jesse M. Honeyman State Park:
This state park is one of the state's most popular and best-equipped parks. Camping (including the famous yurts!), sand dunes, 3 freshwater lakes, a sandy beach, walking trails, fishing, and water activities.

Yurts are described as a "Circular domed tent with a plywood floor, structural wall support, electricity and a clear, plexiglass skylight." Designed to withstand high winds and efficiently retain heat in the winter, they offer a framed-in, lockable wooden door; window screens and flaps; waterproof canvas; reflective insulation; and a smoke detector and fire extinguisher!
The rustic lodge was built in 1938 by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The lodge now houses a store, restaurant and boat rental. Over 35 boats to rent - paddle boats, canoes, row boats and kayaks.

Woahink Lake is part of Honeyman State Park. It is 820 acres, 74 feet deep, and 36 feet below sea level.

MP 194.6 - Sand Dunes Frontier Theme Park:
Great family fun with rides on king sized dune buggies, a sandrail or ORV rentals, shooting gallery, gift shop, nature trail, and miniature golf.

MP 196.5 - Tyee Campground and Westlake:
The road leads east to Siltcoos Lake. The campground is a 16-site facility operated by the Oregon Dunes NRA.

MP 198 - Siltcoos Lake:
Siltcoos is the largest lake on the Oregon Coast. The surface area is 3,164 acres. 82% of the lake is less than 15 feet deep. It is one of the top warm water fishing lakes in the Pacific Northwest and one of the premier crecreation lakes on the coast. Fish include bass (some over 9 pounds), salmon, steelhead, cutthroat trout, perch, crappies, bluegill and catfish. Birds include ospreys and bald eagles.

Siltcoos Recreation Area offers primitive camping to the east, on the shores of Siltcoos Lake, and on the west there are three campgrounds with ORV trail access. It's only a short walk to the beach.

You can receive additional information about visiting Lane County by contacting the Convention & Visitors Association of Lane County at (800) 547-5445.