Cape Arago is the dramatic terminus of the Cape Arago Highway, a rocky headland jutting into the Pacific where the views are wide and the wildlife is extraordinary. The south cove trail leads down to a sandy beach with some of the best tide pools in Oregon — anemones, sea stars, hermit crabs, and occasional octopus in the rock pools at low tide. The north cove overlook provides a prime vantage point over Shell Island, home to large colonies of harbor seals, Steller sea lions, elephant seals, and California sea lions that haul out on the rocks year-round.
Birdwatching is excellent here, particularly during migration. On a clear day the lighthouse on the offshore island is clearly visible, and the coastal trail south connects to Shore Acres and Sunset Bay. The park marks the southern end of the Oregon Dunes system and the northern limit of the Coos Bay dune sheet — the geology shifts noticeably as you round the cape.