On the tip of three-mile-long Yaquina Head, sits the big one, standing at 93 feet tall. This one - Oregon's oldest and tallest - first lit up in 1873, sometime after the name of the headland was finally switched from Cape Foulweather (and the cape ten miles up the road received that name).

From Cape Foulweather - or from any Newport beach - it's always an engaging pleasure to sit and watch the light come around with its signature flashes and spaces between the flashes.

There are no keeper's quarters for this one. They were built in 1873, but demolished in 1984.

There are 114 steps up to the very top, which guides let you briefly peek into. The view from here is astounding as well - even if it's only for a second.

Like Heceta Head, there have been tales of hauntings for Yaquina Head's lighthouse. Purportedly, a lighthouse keeper assistant named Higgins died on a fall on the winding, twisting stairway. Thereafter, other lighthouse keepers were afraid to wander up the steps alone, should they encounter the presence of their otherworldly predecessor.

In recent years, the Bureau of Land Management - which oversees the lighthouse - received a letter from a descendant of Higgins which debunked this myth. It turns out Higgins moved to Portland and eventually became a dockworker - never dying in the lighthouse at all.

It is open for tours - often daily. Check for hours and schedule for the lighthouse and for Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. 541-574-3100.

DVD Delves Deep Into Oregon Coast Lighthouses ... DVD Delves Deep Into Oregon Coast Lighthouses - It's a perfect year-round gift for those in love with the coast.

Freaky Facts About Oregon Coast Lighthouses Where was the Yaquina Head Lighthouse supposed to go in the first place? How high is it? More about this one and other Oregon coast lighthouses

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