Features
Our Ancient, Massive Spruce
The old-growth forest of Cape Meares NWR is home to two superlative spruces: Oregon's largest Sitka Spruce and the "Octopus" tree.
Learn more about these mammoth trees
Uncommonly Marvelous
Dashing and dapper, the Common Murre lives into its thirties and "flies" underwater, sometimes to 300 feet or more.
Though not penguins, they're just as cool
Images from a Timeless Cape
Browse our wildlife gallery to catch a glimpse of the multitudes contained within an old-growth coastal headland.
Go to the gallery
A Predator Nonpareil
Speed. Power. Fearlessness. The Peregrine Falcon has it all. Perched atop rugged sea stacks, these hunters rule the coast with impunity.
Meet the world's fastest animal
As Oregon's Bald Eagles prosper, nesting Common Murres take a beating. How does a resurgent raptor spell reproductive disaster for a colonial seabird? It's not as cut-and-dried as you might think.
Get the grisly detailsAbout the Complex
The Oregon Coastal Refuge Complex comprises six refuges along the Oregon coast, representing marine, estuarine, and old-growth forest ecosystems.
Cape Meares is managed as part of the Oregon Coastal Refuge Complex.
Learn more about the complex About the NWRS
The National Wildlife Refuge System, within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manages a national network of lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife, and plants.
Learn more about the NWRS
Browse this collection of writings and photographs by Refuge volunteer Peter Pearsall.
Get a fresh perspective on our Refuges
Meet U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteers at Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint every weekend in summer and get close-up views of nesting seabirds.
Check out our seabirds
The old-growth forest of Cape Meares NWR is home to two superlative spruces: Oregon's largest Sitka Spruce and the "Octopus" tree. This species is one of only a handful worldwide that reach 300 feet in height.
Learn more about these mammoth trees
Steller Sea Lions exemplify the leonine aspect of their name. Roaring rather than barking, possessing a thick golden pelage reminiscent of a mane, these pinnipeds spend the lion's share of their time offshore, or hauled out on remote, unpopulated beaches.
Get acquainted with the world's largest eared seal
Fastest member of the Animal Kingdom, Peregrine Falcons hunt other birds with deadly aplomb.
Learn more
Page Photo Credits — Common Murre - ©Ram Papish, Douglas Squirrel - ©Ram Papish, Peregrine Falcon - USFWS, Oregon's champion Sitka Spruce - Roy Lowe/USFWS, Steller Sea Lion - ©Ram Papish, Bald Eagle with Murre chick - Roy Lowe/USFWS, Double-crested Cormorant - ©Ram Papish
Last Updated: Feb 18, 2016