Maria C. Jackson

Maria C. Jackson State Park is a coastal park on the southern Oregon coast in Curry County, protecting a natural area near the coastline. Named for a local historical figure, the park preserves coastal habitat and provides access to the scenic southern Oregon coastline, one of the most dramatic and least developed stretches of the Pacific coast.

The coastal habitat supports marine mammals including harbor seals and sea lions on offshore rocks. Gray whales pass close to shore. Seabirds nest on nearby sea stacks. The adjacent forest provides habitat for black-tailed deer and various songbirds. Tide pools in the rocky intertidal zone contain diverse marine invertebrates.

The vegetation includes coastal Sitka spruce forest with an understory of salal, evergreen huckleberry, and sword fern. Coastal scrub on exposed areas features coyote brush and beach strawberry. The botanical richness of the southern Oregon coast, where Pacific Northwest and California flora overlap, is represented in the park's plant community.

The southern Oregon coast exposes some of the oldest rocks in Oregon, including Jurassic-age formations of the Klamath Mountains terrane. These metamorphic and sedimentary rocks were originally formed on the ocean floor and accreted to North America over 150 million years ago. The resistant rock creates the dramatic sea stacks and headlands of the southern coast.

The southern Oregon coast has a mild maritime climate with relatively warm temperatures for the Oregon coast. Annual precipitation averages 70-80 inches. The area receives more sunshine than the northern coast.

The Chetco and Tututni peoples inhabited the southern coast for thousands of years. Euro-American settlement in the 1850s was driven by gold mining and later by logging and fishing.

Maria C. Jackson State Park was named in honor of a respected local community member and established to preserve coastal habitat and public access.

The park provides coastal access and wildlife viewing opportunities. The scenic southern coast offers tide pool exploration, whale watching, and dramatic ocean views. Nearby attractions include the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor.

The park is located in Curry County along U.S. Route 101. Facilities are basic. Brookings and Gold Beach provide full visitor services.

Conservation focuses on protecting coastal habitats and the unique biodiversity of the southern Oregon coast. Marine reserves offshore help sustain nearshore ecosystems.