Text Size:   A+ A- A   •   Text Only
Whale Watching Sites
Trained volunteers at 24 "Whale Watching Spoken Here" sites help visitors spot  gray whales during the winter and spring annual migrations. The volunteers are on duty 10 a.m.-1 p.m. to help visitors see the marine animals and offer information about their migration.
 
Whale Watching sitesListed from north to south, these are the 24 sites (see views of all the sites):
  1. Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Ilwaco, Washington 
  2. Ecola State Park  
  3. Neahkahnie Mountain Historic Marker Turnout on Highway 101 
  4. Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint  
  5. Cape Lookout State Park - 2.5 mile hike to site at tip of Cape
  6. Cape Kiwanda 
  7. Inn at Spanish Head  Lobby on 10th floor 
  8. Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint 
  9. The Whale Watching Center/Depoe Bay Sea Wall
  10. Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint 
  11. Cape Foulweather 
  12. Devil's Punchbowl State Natural Area 
  13. Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area
  14. Don Davis City Park 
  15. Cape Perpetua Interpretive Center  
  16. Cook's Chasm Turnout
  17. Sea Lion Caves Turnout - large Highway 101 turnout south of tunnel 
  18. Umpqua Lighthouse, near Umpqua Lighthouse State Park 
  19. Shore Acres State Park  
  20. Face Rock Wayside State Scenic Viewpoint  
  21. Battle Rock Wayfinding Point, Port Orford 
  22. Cape Ferrelo 
  23. Harris Beach State Park, Brookings, Oregon  
  24. 9th Street Beach, Crescent City, California 
There are about 400 gray whales that do not go as far north as Alaska to feed in the summer. They feed along coasts of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. We generally have whales on the central coast from July through mid November. These whales are seen very close to shore while feeding and can often be seen from many of the same locations indicated on the map. The Whale Watching Center is the central location for viewing and is staffed daily through out the summer.

Page updated: November 30, 2011