The Oregon Coast is home to 11 lighthouses. They are beautiful, historic and were once very important for seafarers. And, believe it or not, many of them are reported to be haunted. Paranormal activity has been witnessed at several lighthouses, and the mysterious legends surrounding these structures are downright spine-chilling. Read on if you’re in the mood for some good ghost stories; these haunted lighthouses in Oregon are sure to satisfy your appetite for all things creepy and spine-tingling!

  1. Heceta Head Lighthouse (Florence)

Wikimedia/HISE Studios/public domain Legend has it that this notorious lighthouse is haunted by the ghost of an elderly woman, known as The Lady in Gray. Of all the ghost stories on the Oregon Coast, this one is supported by the most eyewitness testimonies. People consistently claim seeing a smoke-like figure of a woman appearing, and then dissipating quickly. The owners of the lighthouse, which is now a bed and breakfast, say that the Gray Lady is like a member of the family. Heceta Head Lighthouse, 725 Summer St, Florence, OR 97439, USA

  1. Yaquina Head Lighthouse (Newport)

Flickr/David K This picturesque lighthouse is shrouded in rumors. Chief among them is the tale of lighthouse keeper Herbert Higgens. One night, the assistant light keeper, Frank Story, reportedly drank too much and passed out. In the process, he forgot to perform his most important duty: light the lantern. When Higgens noticed this, he rushed to light the lantern himself. However, before he could light it, he collapsed and died. His ghost is said to haunt the place to this day, seeking revenge.Fun fact: One story that is definitely true is that this lighthouse made an appearance in “The Hardy Boys” TV show. A Hollywood crew came to Yaquina Head in the ’70’s to film a Halloween episode for the series. Yaquina Head Lighthouse, 750 NW Lighthouse Dr, Newport, OR 97365, USA

  1. Cape Meares Lighthouse (Tillamook)

Flickr/Jeff Gunn While there have not been any ghost sightings at this lighthouse, its eerie location earns it a place on this list. Cape Meares is located near the Octopus Tree, a mysteriously shaped tree with tentacle-like branches. It is said that the tree is shaped strangely because it was used as a burial place by local native tribes who would place their dead in the tree in their canoes. Cape Meares Lighthouse Drive, Cape Meares Lighthouse Dr, Cape Meares, OR 97141, USA

The sinister Octopus Tree is a few hundred feet from Cape Meares.

Flickr/Alicia Mueller What is this mollusk-shaped marvel? It’s a Sitka spruce tree that’s thought to be 250 to 300 years old, with sprawling limbs and branches which extend 100 feet into the air. In addition to the moniker “Octopus Tree,” this natural wonder is known by almost as many names as the tentacles of its namesake: Candelabra Tree, Monstrosity Tree, and Council Tree… just to name a few. No one is completely sure how the tree grew in such a strange shape: it has a 50-foot base, but no single trunk. Many historians believe that the tree was shaped by Tillamook tribes as a ceremonial tree: while the tree was very young, its branches were forced downward until they grew horizontally, then the branches were allowed to resume their upward growth. In fact, the tree may have been a sacred spot for rituals and ceremonies. This explanation is considered the most likely for the tree’s unusual shape. Octopus Tree, Cape Meares Lighthouse Dr, Tillamook, OR 97141, USA

  1. Tillamook Rock Lighthouse (Tillamook Head)

Anita Ritenour/Flickr It’s not surprising that the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse has a reputation for being haunted. This notorious lighthouse is built on top of a jagged rock, about a mile off the shore. From the beginning, “Terrible Tilly” was surrounded by death and disaster. The first man to step on the rock during the initial construction phase drowned. Then, a week before construction was supposed to be finished, a wicked storm wrecked two ships. One witness reported seeing a phantom ship floating through the wreckage, almost as if it was picking up lost souls. Tillamook Rock Lighthouse Viewpoints, Cannon Beach Trail, Seaside, OR 97138, USA

  1. Yaquina Bay Lighthouse (Newport)

Flickr/Brian Holsclaw Even though this lighthouse was only in operation for three years, it still managed to become part of local lore. One ghost story became particularly popular with residents. In it, a teenaged girl named Muriel lost her life while being chased by pirates. She continued to haunt Yaquina Bay after her death, and was said to wander the beaches. However, it later turned out that this was only a fictional story written by a local. Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, Newport, OR 97365, USA

Haunted or not, these lighthouses are definitely worth a visit. Check out our dreamy Oregon Coast lighthouse road trip here.

Wikimedia/HISE Studios/public domain

Legend has it that this notorious lighthouse is haunted by the ghost of an elderly woman, known as The Lady in Gray. Of all the ghost stories on the Oregon Coast, this one is supported by the most eyewitness testimonies. People consistently claim seeing a smoke-like figure of a woman appearing, and then dissipating quickly. The owners of the lighthouse, which is now a bed and breakfast, say that the Gray Lady is like a member of the family.

Heceta Head Lighthouse, 725 Summer St, Florence, OR 97439, USA

Flickr/David K

This picturesque lighthouse is shrouded in rumors. Chief among them is the tale of lighthouse keeper Herbert Higgens. One night, the assistant light keeper, Frank Story, reportedly drank too much and passed out. In the process, he forgot to perform his most important duty: light the lantern. When Higgens noticed this, he rushed to light the lantern himself. However, before he could light it, he collapsed and died. His ghost is said to haunt the place to this day, seeking revenge.Fun fact: One story that is definitely true is that this lighthouse made an appearance in “The Hardy Boys” TV show. A Hollywood crew came to Yaquina Head in the ’70’s to film a Halloween episode for the series.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse, 750 NW Lighthouse Dr, Newport, OR 97365, USA

Flickr/Jeff Gunn

While there have not been any ghost sightings at this lighthouse, its eerie location earns it a place on this list. Cape Meares is located near the Octopus Tree, a mysteriously shaped tree with tentacle-like branches. It is said that the tree is shaped strangely because it was used as a burial place by local native tribes who would place their dead in the tree in their canoes.

Cape Meares Lighthouse Drive, Cape Meares Lighthouse Dr, Cape Meares, OR 97141, USA

Flickr/Alicia Mueller

What is this mollusk-shaped marvel? It’s a Sitka spruce tree that’s thought to be 250 to 300 years old, with sprawling limbs and branches which extend 100 feet into the air. In addition to the moniker “Octopus Tree,” this natural wonder is known by almost as many names as the tentacles of its namesake: Candelabra Tree, Monstrosity Tree, and Council Tree… just to name a few. No one is completely sure how the tree grew in such a strange shape: it has a 50-foot base, but no single trunk. Many historians believe that the tree was shaped by Tillamook tribes as a ceremonial tree: while the tree was very young, its branches were forced downward until they grew horizontally, then the branches were allowed to resume their upward growth. In fact, the tree may have been a sacred spot for rituals and ceremonies. This explanation is considered the most likely for the tree’s unusual shape.

Octopus Tree, Cape Meares Lighthouse Dr, Tillamook, OR 97141, USA

Anita Ritenour/Flickr

It’s not surprising that the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse has a reputation for being haunted. This notorious lighthouse is built on top of a jagged rock, about a mile off the shore. From the beginning, “Terrible Tilly” was surrounded by death and disaster. The first man to step on the rock during the initial construction phase drowned. Then, a week before construction was supposed to be finished, a wicked storm wrecked two ships. One witness reported seeing a phantom ship floating through the wreckage, almost as if it was picking up lost souls.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse Viewpoints, Cannon Beach Trail, Seaside, OR 97138, USA

Flickr/Brian Holsclaw

Even though this lighthouse was only in operation for three years, it still managed to become part of local lore. One ghost story became particularly popular with residents. In it, a teenaged girl named Muriel lost her life while being chased by pirates. She continued to haunt Yaquina Bay after her death, and was said to wander the beaches. However, it later turned out that this was only a fictional story written by a local.

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, Newport, OR 97365, USA

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The OIYS Visitor Center

Haunted Lighthouses in Oregon August 21, 2022 Sarah M. What are some other ghost stories or haunted tales about Oregon? Newport is a small town nestled in Oregon’s Central Coast. Its main attraction is the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, a gorgeous historical lighthouse that’s the tallest in the state. But there’s another attraction in this sleepy coastal town, and it’s equal parts strange and sensational, with a story that will send shivers down your spine. Located in Newport’s Aquarium Village, you’ll come face-to-face with the Yaquina Bay Monster. Tucked away between the Coastal Mountains, Pacific Ocean, and Yaquina Bay, Newport is a coastal Oregon town that dates back to the late 1800s. It’s known as the home to one of the most haunted lighthouses in Oregon, and beneath the calm, placid waters of Yaquina Bay, rumors have been swirling for decades about something nefarious and nasty, alien and otherworldly, too!

The OIYS Visitor Center

Haunted Lighthouses in Oregon

August 21, 2022

Sarah M.

What are some other ghost stories or haunted tales about Oregon? Newport is a small town nestled in Oregon’s Central Coast. Its main attraction is the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, a gorgeous historical lighthouse that’s the tallest in the state. But there’s another attraction in this sleepy coastal town, and it’s equal parts strange and sensational, with a story that will send shivers down your spine. Located in Newport’s Aquarium Village, you’ll come face-to-face with the Yaquina Bay Monster. Tucked away between the Coastal Mountains, Pacific Ocean, and Yaquina Bay, Newport is a coastal Oregon town that dates back to the late 1800s. It’s known as the home to one of the most haunted lighthouses in Oregon, and beneath the calm, placid waters of Yaquina Bay, rumors have been swirling for decades about something nefarious and nasty, alien and otherworldly, too!

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Newport is a small town nestled in Oregon’s Central Coast. Its main attraction is the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, a gorgeous historical lighthouse that’s the tallest in the state. But there’s another attraction in this sleepy coastal town, and it’s equal parts strange and sensational, with a story that will send shivers down your spine. Located in Newport’s Aquarium Village, you’ll come face-to-face with the Yaquina Bay Monster. Tucked away between the Coastal Mountains, Pacific Ocean, and Yaquina Bay, Newport is a coastal Oregon town that dates back to the late 1800s. It’s known as the home to one of the most haunted lighthouses in Oregon, and beneath the calm, placid waters of Yaquina Bay, rumors have been swirling for decades about something nefarious and nasty, alien and otherworldly, too!