Nine miles north of Port Orford, off US 101, this rugged promontory is the second-most-westerly point of the continental US and host to a fine state park with hiking trails spreading out over the headland. Sighted in 1603 by Spanish explorer Martin d'Aguilar, Cape Blanco juts far out into the Pacific, withstanding lashing winds that can pass 100mph. Visitors can tour the Cape Blanco Lighthouse , built in 1870, the oldest and highest operational lighthouse in Oregon. A mile east is Hughes House , a restored Victorian home built in 1898 by Patrick Hughes, an Irish dairy rancher and gold miner.
