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Aerial view of the 9 islands that make up Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge
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Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge, located a half-mile off the Oregon coast, can be viewed from the mainland at Cape Meares and from Oceanside Beach, in the community of Oceanside. The steep cliffs and grassy rocks are home to wary seabirds and marine mammals, intolerant of human attentions. To prevent disturbance to these sensitive wildlife, Three Arch Rocks is closed to public entry year-round, and waters within 500 feet of the refuge are closed to all watercraft from May 1st through September 15th, during the breeding season.

Although Three Arch Rocks NWR is closed to public entry to protect wildlife, the thronging seabirds and marine mammals found there can be enjoyed with scopes and binoculars from nearby lands. No matter what time of year one visits the Oregon coast, wildlife are plentiful and often easy to see.

A word of warning: Coastal areas, with their steep cliffs, strong currents and heavy surf, can be extremely dangerous. Exercise caution during your visit. Stay away from cliff edges and observe posted warnings.
 

Activities

Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge from Oceanside beach
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Although Three Arch Rocks NWR is closed to public entry to protect wildlife, the thronging seabirds and marine mammals found there can be enjoyed with scopes and binoculars from nearby public areas. View the refuge from Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge or from the beach near Oceanside. 

Wildlife watching
Photography

Trails

A group of young children on an observation deck view a group of grassy coastal islands in the distance
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Though Three Arch Rocks is closed to the public, hikes at Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge feature views of Three Arch Rocks. 

Other Facilities in the Complex

Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge is managed as one of six refuges in the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex. See below for the other five refuges and experience them all.

Refuge Headquarters:

Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex
2127 SE Marine Science Drive
Newport, OR 97365
541-867-4550
oregoncoast@fws.gov

What is a Refuge Complex?

A National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a group of two or more refuges, wildlife management areas or other refuge conservation areas that are managed from one central office. Refuges are grouped into a complex because they occur in a similar ecological region, such as a watershed or specific habitat type, and have a related purpose and management needs. 

The Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex is managed from our headquarters in Newport, Oregon. The office located at Bandon Marsh NWR serves as a south-coast field office. 

A sleek black seabird with a white breast holds a fish in it's bill.
Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge
Old-growth forest surrounded by a tumultuous ocean set the primeval scene at Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge. Its cliffs support thousands of nesting seabirds, a pair of Peregrine Falcons, spectacular views of the roiling Pacific and its inhabitants.
National Wildlife Refuge
Tillamook,OR
Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri) at the water line
Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
Where the sinuous Coquille River meets the Pacific Ocean, the nutrient-rich waters slowly ebb and flow over the mudflats, salt marshes, and forested wetlands at Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge.
National Wildlife Refuge
Bandon,OR
Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge
The mosaic of pastures, woodlands, coastal prairie, tidal marsh and mudflats at Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge support ducks, geese, salmon, songbirds and the threatened Oregon Silverspot Butterfly.
National Wildlife Refuge
Oretown,OR
A great blue heron eats a small fish
Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Representing some of the most photogenic estuarine habitat along the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge's habitats include salt marsh, mudflats, sloughs and conifer-hardwood forests, all of which are essential to shorebirds, ducks, wading birds, and Coho and Chinook...
National Wildlife Refuge
Lincoln City,OR
Crook Point
Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Spanning the entire length of the Oregon coast, the wilderness islands and windswept headlands of Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge are celebrated for their abundant wildlife, spectacular views, and rugged grandeur. Rocky islands and sheer cliffs provide isolated breeding and resting habitat...
National Wildlife Refuge
Newport,OR

Rules and Policies

A crow perches atop a blue and white regulatory sign which says "No Climbing - disturbing seabird colonies is illegal"
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Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge is closed to public entry year-round. Waters within 500 feet of the refuge are closed to all watercraft from May 1st through September 15th to protect wildlife rearing young. Three Arch Rocks NWR is best viewed from the mainland at Cape Meares and from the beach in Oceanside. 

Locations

Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge
(541) 867-4550
Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex2127 SE Marine Science DriveNewport,OR97365-5258
Driving Directions

Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge is closed to the public but it can be viewed safely from shore at Cape Meares and the town of Oceanside. The easiest way to reach the beach and view the refuge is to take Highway 131 out of Tillamook and follow signs to Oceanside and/or Cape Meares.  Do not take BayOcean Road as a section of it is permanently closed due to landslides.