Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint

Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint is a coastal park near Bandon featuring distinctive rock formations that rise from the ocean, with one resembling a human face looking seaward. The site provides multiple vantage points along the shoreline to view these natural formations and the surrounding Pacific landscape.

The park began in 1934 when Oregon received a 15-acre parcel as a gift, with additional land purchases expanding it over the following decades. The rock formations themselves were shaped by millions of years of wave action and coastal erosion.

A Klamath Indian legend describes a young woman whose face transformed into stone as she resisted an evil spirit's gaze, and this story remains central to how locals and visitors understand the place today.

Access to the beach and rock formations is via maintained stairs and trail systems winding through the park with multiple viewpoints to stop at. The site has restrooms, picnic areas, and informational signs explaining the landscape and local geology.

The rocky intertidal zones here form part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, hosting approximately 300 bird species year-round. This abundant bird life offers visitors unexpected opportunities to observe coastal wildlife while exploring the rock formations.

Location: Oregon

Inception: 1934

Website: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=47

GPS coordinates: 43.10677,-124.43484

Latest update: December 10, 2025 20:00