U.S facts for kids

Quick facts for kids U.S. Route 101
Route information
Maintained by ODOT
Length	363.11 mi (584.37 km)
Existed	November 11, 1926 (1926-11-11)–present
Tourist routes	Pacific Coast Scenic Byway
Major junctions
South end	US 101 at California state line
	US 20 in Newport US 26 near Cannon Beach US 30 in Astoria
North end	US 101 at Washington state line
Highway system
United States Numbered Highways List • Bannered • Divided • Replaced Oregon highways Routes • Highways ← OR 99W OR 103 →

US 101 along the Oregon coast

The Oregon Coast Highway crossing the Rogue River

U.S. Route 101 (often called US 101) is a major highway in Oregon. It runs from north to south along the state's beautiful coastline, right next to the Pacific Ocean. This highway starts at the California border, near Brookings, and goes all the way to the Washington state line on the Columbia River, between Astoria, Oregon, and Megler, Washington.

US 101 is also known as the Oregon Coast Highway No. 9. It's super important for connecting towns along the Oregon Coast. A lot of the highway runs between the ocean and the Oregon Coast Range mountains, so it often goes up and down hills. For most of its length, it's a two-lane road. Sometimes, parts of the highway have to close because of landslides, which happen after a lot of rain. In many coastal areas, US 101 is the only road that connects communities. If it closes, people might have to drive far inland over the Coast Mountains to find another route, then come back to the coast.

US 101 is often the main street in Oregon's coastal towns. This can cause traffic jams, especially in Lincoln City. That city is a popular place for tourists, and its shape (long and narrow) makes traffic worse.

Exploring US 101 in Oregon

Southern Oregon Coast: Brookings to Coos Bay

The journey on US 101 in Oregon begins at the border with California. This is just south of the towns of Brookings and Harbor. This part of the highway is mostly a two-lane road that follows the southern Oregon coastline. You can also reach this area using U.S. Route 199 or Oregon Route 42. Another way is National Forest Route 23 (NF-23), but this road isn't kept clear during winter.

Other towns you'll see on this part of US 101 include Pistol River, Gold Beach, Wedderburn, and Port Orford. North of Port Orford is Cape Blanco, which is the westernmost point in the entire U.S. Highway system! After passing through Sixes, Denmark, and Langlois, US 101 enters the fun resort town of Bandon. Bandon is located at the mouth of the Coquille River. Just north of Bandon, the highway crosses this river on the Bullards Bridge.

Between Brookings and Gold Beach, you'll find the tallest bridge in Oregon: the Thomas Creek Bridge. Its road is about 345 feet (105 meters) above Thomas Creek, making it the 15th highest bridge in the U.S.

North of Bandon, US 101 goes a bit inland. A side road leads to the Charleston Peninsula. As you get closer to Coos Bay, US 101 becomes a faster road (an expressway) after connecting with Oregon Route 42. It then enters the downtown area of Coos Bay. The highway continues through Coos Bay (the city) along the edge of Coos Bay (the water body). Soon, it enters the city of North Bend. North of North Bend, it crosses the bay on the Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge, and then another bridge over Haynes Inlet.

Central Coast Adventure: Coos Bay to Lincoln City

View from Cape Perpetua lookout of Highway 101 winding along the Oregon coast south of Cape Perpetua.

North of Coos Bay, the highway runs along the eastern side of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. You'll pass through communities like Hauser, Lakeside, and Winchester Bay. Then, you'll arrive in Reedsport, which is at the mouth of the Umpqua River. The highway continues north through the dunes and towns such as Gardiner, Westlake, Dunes City, and Glenada. The next big town is Florence, located on the Siuslaw River.

The next part of US 101, between Florence and Newport, stays very close to the coastline. This gives you amazing views of the ocean! Towns along this stretch include Yachats, Waldport, and Seal Rock. Eventually, the highway crosses the Yaquina Bay Bridge into Newport. Just before the bridge, you'll see the Oregon Coast Aquarium. On the other side of the bridge is Newport's famous waterfront.

The section of US 101 between Newport and Lincoln City is quite hilly. This is because the Coast Range mountains stick out into the ocean here. Towns on this route include Depoe Bay, Otter Rock (which you can reach by a side road), and the Gleneden Beach/Salishan area, known for its resorts. Near Siletz Bay is the abandoned community of Kernville, followed by Lincoln City.

Northern Coast Journey: Lincoln City to Astoria

US 101 through downtown Seaside

US 101 at the Astoria-Megler Bridge, heading north.

US 101 & Business 101 Sign

Driving through Lincoln City on US 101 can be tricky because of heavy traffic. The city is over seven miles (11 km) long but only a few blocks wide in some places. It's squeezed between the ocean to the west and Devils Lake and mountains to the east. In many parts of town, the highway is just two lanes. A casino in the northern part of town also adds to the traffic. Much of the traffic leaves US 101 north of Lincoln City at an exit for Oregon Route 18.

North of Lincoln City, you'll find the town of Neskowin and the Nestucca Bay area. A special side road, called the Three Capes Scenic Route, lets you visit coastal towns like Pacific City and Sandlake. It then goes over Cape Lookout and continues to Netarts, Oceanside, and Cape Meares before rejoining US 101 near Tillamook. US 101 itself goes inland, passing through towns such as Cloverdale, Hebo, Beaver, and Hemlock. The next major town is Tillamook.

North of Tillamook, the highway runs along the eastern shore of Tillamook Bay. You'll pass through towns like Bay City and Garibaldi before the highway meets the ocean again. It then continues north along the Pacific through towns like Rockaway Beach and Manhattan Beach. The next big towns are Nehalem and Manzanita, both on Nehalem Bay. The highway then keeps going north along the coastline through rough terrain until it reaches Cannon Beach. Unlike most coastal cities in Oregon, a bypass road was built around Cannon Beach, and US 101 uses this bypass. A few miles north of Cannon Beach is an exit for U.S. Route 26, followed by the city of Seaside.

North of Seaside, US 101 follows the flat coastal area through cities like Gearhart. A side road (Oregon Route 104) gives access to Fort Stevens State Park. US 101 soon enters the city of Warrenton, Oregon. Here, Business 101 (which is more of a scenic route) provides access to the Astoria-Warrenton Airport, Fort Clatsop, and Miles Crossing. Then, US 101 crosses Youngs Bay into Astoria, Oregon. US 101 goes through the northwestern edge of Astoria until it reaches an intersection with U.S. Route 30. At this intersection, US 101 climbs a circular access road onto the Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River, and crosses into the state of Washington.

Key Highway Connections

This section lists the main roads that connect with US 101 in Oregon. The mileposts here might not be exact because of changes made to the highway over time.

County	Location	Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
Curry	​	363.11	584.37	US 101 south – Crescent City, San Francisco	California state line
	Brookings	354.83	571.04	Carpenterville Highway (OR 255 north)
	​	339.71	546.71	Pistol River, Carpenterville	South end of OR 255 overlap
	​	337.97	543.91	Pistol River Road (OR 255 north)	North end of OR 255 overlap
	​	334.87	538.92	Myers Creek Road (OR 255 south)
	Port Orford	300.99	484.40	9th Street (OR 251) – Port Orford Heads State Park
	​	296.48	477.14	Cape Blanco State Park (OR 250)
Coos	Bandon	261.57	420.96	OR 42S east – Coquille, Myrtle Point, Roseburg
	​	244.31	393.18	OR 42 – Coquille, Roseburg	Interchange
	Bunker Hill	239.51	385.45	Coos River, Allegany (OR 241)
	Coos Bay	238.32	383.54	Coos Bay City Center, Charleston, Sunset Bay State Park, Shore Acres State Park, Cape Arago State Park	Former Empire-Coos Bay Highway
	North Bend	235.42	378.87	North Bend City Center, Southwest Oregon Regional Airport, Charleston, Sunset Bay State Park, Shore Acres State Park, Cape Arago State Park (OR 540)
Douglas	Reedsport	211.58	340.51	OR 38 east – Reedsport, Drain, Eugene, Roseburg
Lane	Florence	190.23	306.15	OR 126 east – Mapleton, Eugene
Lincoln	Waldport	155.90	250.90	OR 34 – Alsea, Corvallis
	Newport	140.36	225.89	US 20 east – Toledo, Corvallis
	​	132.45	213.16	Otter Rock, Devils Punch Bowl State Park (OR 182)
	​	120.02	193.15	OR 229 south – Kernville, Siletz River
	Otis Junction	105.09	169.13	OR 18 east – McMinnville, Salem, Portland	Interchange
Tillamook	​	91.37	147.05	Little Nestucca River (OR 130)
	Hebo	84.94	136.70	OR 22 east – Valley Junction, McMinnville
	Tillamook	65.77	105.85	OR 131 / OR 6 east – Netarts, Oceanside, Cape Lookout State Park, Forest Grove, Portland
	Nehalem Junction	46.50	74.83	OR 53 – Mohler, Portland
Clatsop	Cannon Beach	30.62	49.28	Tolovana Park	Interchange
		29.53	47.52	Sunset Boulevard – Cannon Beach City Center, Ecola State Park	Interchange
		28.37	45.66	Cannon Beach City Center, Ecola State Park	Interchange; no northbound exit
	Cannon Beach Junction	25.27	40.67	US 26 – Portland	Interchange
	​	9.48	15.26	Columbia Beach Road (OR 104) – Warrenton, Hammond, Fort Stevens State Park
	Warrenton	7.53	12.12	US 101 Bus. north – Lewis & Clark National Park Fort Clatsop Visitor Center	Northbound entrance and exit
		7.53	12.12	Alternate Highway 101 (OR 104S)
		7.07	11.38	Marlin Avenue (Warrenton-Astoria Highway) – Warrenton, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, Lewis & Clark National Park
		6.57	10.57	Harbor Drive (Warrenton-Astoria Highway) – Warrenton, Hammond, Fort Stevens State Park
	Youngs Bay	4.91	7.90	Youngs Bay Bridge
	Astoria	4.32	6.95	US 101 Bus. south / OR 202 east – Clatsop County Fairgrounds, Jewell
		3.80	6.12	US 30 east – Astoria City Center
Columbia River		0.00	0.00	Astoria–Megler Bridge US 101 continues into Washington
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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