Cape Perpetua Scenic Area

Cape Perpetua Scenic Area encompasses 2,700 acres of coastal habitat set aside for its exceptional ecological characteristics. A 26-mile trail system offers many opportunities to experience this lush and diverse temperate rainforest.

History

People have been part of this landscape for at least 6,000 years. Archaeological sites provide hints into village life of the Native American Alsea people, who called this area Halaqaik. When British explorer James Cook saw the headland in 1778, he named it for Saint Perpetua. Many of the trails found here today were first constructed by a unit of the Civilian Conservation Corps as President Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to provide work for young men during the Great Depression. Their camp occupied the area where the visitor center is today.