Oregon Highway 101: Cape Arago Scenic Loop

Our drive on Cape Arago Scenic Loop (Oregon highway 540) began in downtown North Bend.  This loop highway leads to Charleston, a quaint fishing village, and ends at Cape Arago State Park.  We stopped along the loop to see Shore Acres and Simpson Reef.

Shore Acres was the home of timber baron Louis Simpson; a huge mansion and beautiful botanical gardens florished, until fires destroyed the mansion.  The gardens remain, along with a caretaker's cottage (now gift shop).  More amazing are the unusual rock formations found along the shore. Formed by sediment, underground upheaval, and action of the waves over time the rocks themselves looked like a garden.




 Simpson Reef, part of Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, is home to a large number of sea lions and seals.  The "barking" could be heard even before seeing the reef.

The loop dead-ends shortly after the reef.  We returned to highway 101 via Seven Devils Road, an equally scenic drive.