Mack Arch Rock at sunrise on the southern Oregon coast

© Dennis Frates/Alam

Stacking up with the best of them. Mack Arch Rock

Much of the Oregon coast is characterized by colossal rock formations, known as sea stacks, jutting dramatically out of the Pacific. The sea stacks you see here run next to a grassy promontory in the southern part of the state that overlooks a mostly inaccessible stretch of coastline.

In the background of this image is Mack Arch, one of the largest naturally formed arches on the Pacific Coast and part of the Mack Reef archipelago. These sea stacks and beaches are home to a large concentration of seabirds like cormorants, black oystercatchers, gulls, and murres, as well as harbor seals, sea lions, and other marine wildlife. To help preserve this pristine sanctuary, the US Fish & Wildlife Service has designated it part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and closed this part of the refuge to the public.