Yaquina Head

Yaquina Head is a coastal soaring site on the central Oregon coast, north of Newport — a rocky promontory topped by a lighthouse, with launches to the north and south along the ridge east of the lighthouse (plus a further south launch after a short hike to the top of the headland). When the wind speed is right, it makes for nice coastal soaring. It can also blow out easily — summer afternoons especially get quite strong. Hang gliders may find summit launches difficult due to brush and tree growth. Nesting seabirds and a nearby non-towered airport with an ILS approach make site rules and awareness essential.

Launch & conditions

Launches possible to the north and south along the ridge east of the lighthouse, or to the south after a short hike to the top of the headland. Hang gliders may find the summit tough because of brush/tree growth. Beware of strong shear layers — light winds on the surface can hide blow-back conditions only a few dozen feet up. If the weather-station sensors are spinning madly, don't assume the light winds you feel are real.

Getting there & local rules

West on Highway 20 from Corvallis (10 miles west of I-5, exit 228) to Newport, then north on Highway 101 to Yaquina Head Scenic Area. Pay the daily use fee ($5) or buy a season pass. Park at the turnout by the yellow gate. Landings: a grassy area across from the visitor centre works well in south conditions (grass can develop rotor — land upslope out of the hole); or fly slightly east and land on the beach (open and fairly wide).

Local rules & hazards

Read the directions on the sign by the yellow gate about approved flight areas. Flight out near the lighthouse is NOT allowed — nesting seabirds. Flying to the beach is allowed only when departing for landing — no out-and-back. Coastal winds change abruptly, and laminar shear layers can produce surprisingly high backwards-flying velocities. Low clouds and fog can obscure visibility; the nearby non-towered airport has an ILS approach — do not operate with ceiling below 1,000 ft. Check current NOTAMs and contact the local club before flying.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Yaquina Head, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Yaquina Head with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.