Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint - Outstanding Coastline with a Legend of its Own

Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint is a picturesque location sitting on the top of a headland called Gravel Point, a mile away from Old Town Bandon. Its parking area has picnic tables and overlooks the mighty Pacific Ocean with a collection of rock formations sitting offshore, including a massive Face Rock and smaller sea stacks named Cat and Kitten Rocks on the right. In addition, visitors can access the enormous Cathedral Rock and Wizards Hat Rocks within the surf zone during low tides. There is a well-maintained trail along the edge of the headland with interpretive boards and benches.

You can take a steep stairway trail from the parking lot down to the beach and explore shore intertidal areas there.

This viewpoint can also be an excellent spot for nature viewing. During the summer months, you can find volunteers setting up spotting scopes to watch tufted puffins and other sea birds.

The Face Rock is featured in multiple Native American legends. One of them tells of a maiden's voice one can hear in the wind. Moreover, if you look at the right angle, you will see a human face embedded in the massive rock formation.

Bandon Beaches are interconnected with each other, so Face Rock Beach can be a part of a larger beach hike along the coast. You can hike to Coquille Point Beach on the north or China Creek Beach on the south.

Attention Fellow Beachgoers

Unfortunately, our beautiful Pacific Northwest beaches are stained with trash, especially plastic. We at Oregon Discovery, as well as other unaffiliated groups of nature lovers, made a commitment to do our part in keeping our beaches clean, but we need your help too!

Whenever you go out to enjoy nature at your favorite spot, please bring a trash bag or two and help us pick up garbage. Even picking up a little bit here and there will make a huge long-term difference.

Please, help us save our beautiful nature for generations to come!