Heceta Head Lighthouse at sunset in winter, on the Oregon coast.. Heceta Head Lighthouse may be the most photographed beacon in the United States. Built in 1893, it was named for the Spanish mariner who is credited with being the first European to set foot in the region. The light at top of 56-foot tower was first illuminated in 1894. Perched 205 feet above the ocean, its fresnel lens beams the brightest light on the Oregon coast, visible up to 21 miles out to sea.  Location: Halfway between Cape Perpetua and Florence, a turnoff just south of Carl Washburne State Park (which has a great campground) takes you to the parking lot on a beach, where you can walk a half mile to the lighthouse. Heceta Head State Park includes Devils Elbow State Park and is located in a scenic cove at the mouth of Cape Creek.