Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area stretches for 40 miles along the Oregon Coast between Florence in the north and Coos Bay in the south, administered by the Siuslaw National Forest and encompassing the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America. The dunes formed over thousands of years as wind-blown sand from the beach accumulated inland, in some places reaching heights of 500 feet and extending up to 3 miles from the ocean. The formation process has created a complex landscape of backdune lodgepole pine forest, interdunal wetlands with resident wildlife, and open sandy expanses used for off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation and hiking. The area is divided into OHV zones and non-motorized zones; the non-motorized sections between Umpqua Lighthouse and Tahkenitch Creek offer some of the most dramatic open-dune hiking in the United States, with routes requiring navigation by landmarks rather than marked trails because wind constantly reshapes the surface. Sandboarding — riding a board down steep sand faces — is available through rental operators in Florence and the North Bend area. Horsfall Beach near North Bend, Siltcoos Lake, and Carter Dunes are popular for swimming, fishing, and camping. The Umpqua Lighthouse, a 65-foot white-painted structure at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park within the recreation area, is one of Oregon's oldest active lighthouses and anchors the central section of the dunes with coastal heritage context. Wildlife including Roosevelt elk, black-tailed deer, and numerous shorebirds inhabits the wetland corridors between dune systems. The Reedsport Visitor Center on Highway 101 provides maps, OHV permit information, and current trail conditions.