This 15-acre refuge and Wilderness supports breeding seabird colonies and boasts the only pupping site of Steller Sea Lions on the north Oregon coast.

Visit Us

A group of young children on an observation deck view a group of grassy coastal islands in the distance
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Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge is a series of islands just offshore from the town of Oceanside.  It is closed year round to the public due to the sensitive nesting habitat it protects for seabirds and marine mammals.  View it from the beach in Oceanside or from Cape Meares.  

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      A historic image of common murres and cormorants on Three Arch Rocks taken in the early 1900s
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      In October of 1907, Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge was established as the first National Wildlife Refuge west of the Mississippi River largely due to the efforts of two young conservationists: William L. Finley and Herman Bohlman. Today it sustains the largest and most diverse seabird colony in Oregon and is an important breeding site for Steller sea lions.

      What We Do

      Men in helmets and reflective vests stand near a piece of heavy equipment and look at plans.
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      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conserves and monitors plants and wildlife, manages and restores habitat, and provides outdoor recreation for the public at the nation’s more than 550 National Wildlife Refuges. 

      Our Species

      Two face-to-face roaring golden-brown sea lions
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      Three Arch Rocks NWR historically was home to one of the largest seabird colonies on the Oregon Coast, with more than 200,000 Common murres breeding on the islands. In addition to seabirds, Steller Sea Lions also breed on Three Arch Rocks.

      Get Involved

      From its start in 1903, the National Wildlife Refuge System has owed its very existence to concerned citizens eager to protect America's natural resources. 

      Projects and Research

      A person in an orange flight suit, holding a camera, sits inside a helicopter far above the Pacific Ocean, with a rolling forested headland in the background
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      To help plants and wildlife, Oregon Coastal Refuge staff uses a variety of habitat management techniques to maintain, recover or enhance plant and wildlife values.