Uploaded April 2024 | Updated September 2026, 5 minutes ago
Perched atop a windswept bluff overlooking the rugged coastline of Bandon, Oregon, the Coquille River Lighthouse stands as a beacon of maritime history and architectural charm. With its distinctive red-and-white facade and panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, this iconic landmark has captured the imagination of visitors for generations. In this blog post, we embark on a journey to uncover the rich history and enduring beauty of the Coquille River Lighthouse, exploring its fascinating past, architectural significance, and the allure it holds for modern-day adventurers.
To truly appreciate the significance of the Coquille River Lighthouse, one must first understand its historical context. Built in 1896, the lighthouse served as a vital navigational aid for ships navigating the treacherous waters of the Oregon coast. Its strategic location at the entrance to the Coquille River estuary helped guide vessels safely to port, preventing countless shipwrecks and maritime disasters.
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Perched atop a windswept bluff overlooking the rugged coastline of Bandon, Oregon, the Coquille River Lighthouse stands as a beacon of maritime history and architectural charm. With its distinctive red-and-white facade and panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, this iconic landmark has captured the imagination of visitors for generations. In this blog post, we embark on a journey to uncover the rich history and enduring beauty of the Coquille River Lighthouse, exploring its fascinating past, architectural significance, and the allure it holds for modern-day adventurers.
To truly appreciate the significance of the Coquille River Lighthouse, one must first understand its historical context. Built in 1896, the lighthouse served as a vital navigational aid for ships navigating the treacherous waters of the Oregon coast. Its strategic location at the entrance to the Coquille River estuary helped guide vessels safely to port, preventing countless shipwrecks and maritime disasters.
nmosg.com







![Pecos River Red Bluff Reservoir
Red Bluff Reservoir is a reservoir on the Pecos River 40 miles north of Pecos, Texas. The reservoir extends into Loving and Reeves Counties in Texas, and Eddy County in New Mexico. The northern shoreline of the reservoir is the lowest point in the state of New Mexico. The reservoir was formed in 1936 by the construction of a dam by the Red Bluff Water Control District to provide water for irrigation and hydroelectric power. The reservoir is also used for recreational activities. With an elevation of 2,842 feet above sea level, it is the lowest point in New Mexico.
Red Bluff Reservoir has been stocked with species of fish intended to improve the utility of the reservoir for recreational fishing and swimming. Fish present in Red Bluff Reservoir include white bass and hybrid striped bass. Vegetation in the lake includes sago pondweed.
The Pecos River (Spanish: Río Pecos) originates in north-central New Mexico near Santa Fe and flows into Texas, emptying into the Rio Grande. Its headwaters are on the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County north of Pecos, NM, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet. The river flows for 926 miles before reaching the Rio Grande near Del Rio.
The name “Pecos” derives from the Keresan (Native American language) term for the Pecos Pueblo, [p’æyok’ona]. The river was also historically referred to as the Río Natagés for the Mescalero people.
The river played a large role in the exploration of Texas by the Spanish.
On June 6, 1990, 20.5 miles of the Pecos River from its headwaters to the townsite of Tererro received National Wild and Scenic River designation.
nmosg.com Pecos River Red Bluff Reservoir](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oczjNj9Zp2E/mqdefault.jpg)
![Rio Grande River at Pilar, New Mexico August 2022
Pilar is a major whitewater rafting destination in northern New Mexico. Located right on the Rio Grande where the river exits the Orilla Verde Valley, many rafters are pulling out of the water here and many others are putting in. For those who are just starting here, downstream is a great set of Class 4 & 5 rapids before you come to Velarde, which is the next logical stopping point.
An old Hispanic community that has attracted quite a few artists: there are several galleries scattered around town. Across State Highway 68 to the east is the Rio Grande Gorge Visitors Center with exhibits and explanations of what the Gorge is really all about.
Originally named Cieneguilla, for the swampy ground that exists in a small flood plain here in a bend of the Rio Grande. Because of that flat land next to a good supply of year-round water, this was long a favorite camping spot of the Jicarilla Apaches. In 1694, during his re-conquest of New Mexico after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, Don Diego de Vargas attacked and burned a Jicarilla village here.
In February, 1793, 20 Hispanic settlers took possession of the property as given to them in the Cieneguilla Grant, a grant from Charles IV, King of Spain, through Don Fernando Chacon, the Spanish military governer of Nuevo Mexico.
At the time this video was shot the Rios normal emrald green water turned chocolate from heavy monsoon rain runoff.
The Rio Grande Gorge is a geological feature in northern New Mexico where the watercourse of the Rio Grande follows a tectonic chasm. Beginning near the Colorado border, the approximately 50-mile gorge runs from northwest to southwest of Taos, New Mexico, through the basalt flows of the Taos Plateau volcanic field.
In 1968, the Rio Grande was among the first eight rivers the US Congress designated into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to protect outstanding resources values. The Wild and Scenic River flows through the Rio Grande Gorge Recreation Area. The recreation areas include the Wild Rivers area in the north and the Orialla Verde area in the south,[8] which provide hiking, boating, fishing and camping facilities.
nmosg.com Rio Grande River at Pilar, New Mexico August 2022](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/opZPJNh1Q4Y/mqdefault.jpg)

