Oregon Dunes
National Recreation Area

How can I get there?

ODNRA trails and observation areas are clearly marked along US 101, between Florence and Coos Bay/North Bend.

For more information

ODNRA Office of the Siuslaw National Forest is on the north side of Reedsport, 855 Hwy. Ave. off US 101.

541-271-3911 | www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw

For eons, coastal rivers carried mineral sand grains from the mountains to the sea. As sea levels rose over the last 20,000 years, the rising surf pushed beach sand ahead of it. Today, the wind continues to shape and sculpt these old beach sands.

Our seasonal winds and rains give this region along the Oregon Coast remarkably diverse habitats-from expansive, barren, blowing sand dunes to wetlands and forests between them.

What's special about the Oregon Dunes? The jewel of a system of dunes that stretches across much of the Pacific Northwest, the Oregon Dunes develop some of the highest sand dunes on the west coast. These massive dunes shift seasonally across the landscape, transforming the natural communities as they move. Humans have drastically altered these changes by introducing European Beach Grass to control sand movement. Resource managers predict the European Beach Grass will eventually stabilize all the open sand, covering the dunes completely.

Hike a trail through the dunes. Encounter wetlands and life adapted to dunes. Observe today's dunes to compare with the future. Many trails are open daily. Day-use parking passes are required for most locations. ODNRA offers many trails, campgrounds, restrooms, and interpretive signs, materials, and programs. Some are handicap accessible. The ODNRA interpretive center, on US 101 in Reedsport, also offers staff, exhibits, and a bookstore. Stop in to plan a day of leisure on some of the most beautiful natural sand structures in the world, or to map out a tour of the entire coastal dune area.

A boardwalk near Bluebill Campground leads over shallow lakes and into forests and dunes.