Oregon Sand Dunes

Sand Dunes Florence Oregon

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is a special place. One of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world, the stark, mist-shrouded views of dunes, forests, and ocean in such close proximity to one another are rare and hauntingly beautiful. Many plants and animals, including some found in few other places, call this area home. In 1972, Congress designated this 31,500-acre portion of the Siuslaw National Forest as a National Recreation Area in recognition of its unique values.  

Dunes areas from north to south

1.       South Jetty: South Jetty provides day use access to beach and dunes, with separate areas for OHV and non motorized use.

2.      Siltcoos: Along the Siltcoos River are traditional campgrounds and easy trails along the river and to the beach. OHV users will find developed and dispersed camping opportunities.

3.      Oregon Dunes Day Use: Miles from OHV recreation, this area provides exceptional opportunities to explore the dunes on foot.

4.      Tahkenitch: With easy access off Hwy 101, traditional campgrounds provide lake access for boaters and dune access for hikers only. 

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (or NRA) is located on the Oregon Coast, stretching approximately 40 miles (60 km) north from the Coos River in North Bend, to the Siuslaw River, in Florence. The NRA is part of Siuslaw National Forest and is administered by the United States Forest Service. The dunes adjoin Honeyman State Park. 

The Oregon Dunes are a unique area of windswept sand that is the result of millions of years of wind and rain erosion on the Oregon Coast. These are the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America. Some dunes tower up to 500 feet (150 m) above sea level, providing numerous recreational opportunities including off-road vehicle use, hiking, photography, fishing, canoeing, horseback riding, and camping. The Carter Dunes Trail and Oregon Dunes Day Use provide disabled access for forest visitors. 

Sand : The sand in the Oregon Dunes is from the Coast Mountain Range, which is sedimentary rock that was uplifted 12 million years ago. As rock was moved downstream by rivers, it tumbled and abraded itself into sand. The present shoreline stabilized 6,000 years ago. Tides, wave action and strong coastal winds moved sand up to 2.5 miles inland for thousands of years. This area of dune development rests on a gently sloping terrace of solid marine sandstone called the Coos Bay Dune Sheet. This low rock surface stretches 56 miles from Heceta Head to Cape Arago and contrasts with steep headlands found on most of the Oregon coastline, which prevent inland movement of sand.

Bridge Creek Falls Tillamook

Bridge Creek Falls Tillamook Oregon

Bridge Creek Falls is located on the south side of Highway 6, just under 20 miles east of Tillamook. A large pullout on the south side of the highway affords plenty of parking space. Across the street is a footbridge spanning the Wilson River, providing access to the Wilson River trail (this is a good landmark to watch for as indication of where the falls are) and views of Lower Bridge Creek Falls spitting into the river.

Bridge Creek Falls splashes down 35 feet in three tiers just off of Highway 6 near the Footbridge Trail head. It can be visited as a part of a hike along the Wilson River Trail, or as a brief stopover on the way to or from the coast. There is a large parking pullout on the south side of the highway and an attractive path of stone steps leads up towards the falls. A small cistern at the base of the falls and remnants of piping suggest that the creek used to provide water for highway travelers.

Walking over the high footbridge on the Wilson River, you will get a good view of Lower Bridge Creek Falls, which spouts out of a culvert directly into the river at one of its narrowest points. Although these falls have been contained by highway engineers, they have always existed in this spot. Look for steelhead languishing in the clear river waters.

The Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests are 45 minutes outside of Portland’s backdoor and one of the state’s best keep secrets. But these forests also have a fraught history with logging, fires and more logging.  They are now 50 to 70 years into the recovery process and offer prime habitat for vibrant communities of fish and wildlife, as well as an immense array of recreational opportunities. The Wilson and Kilchis rivers host globally important runs of Chinook, chum, coho and steelhead. Both forests provide camping, biking, fishing, hunting and hiking grounds for thousands of Oregonians, and they also provide over 400,000 people with clean drinking water.

How to reach: From Tillamook, take Highway 6 approximately 18 miles.

Park alongside the road on the right directly across from the Footbridge trail-head. There is plenty of space to park safely.

Sea Lion Caves Oregon Coast

Sea Lion Caves America's largest Sea Lion cave

Florence Sea Lion Caves are a connected system of sea caves and caverns open to the Pacific Ocean in the U.S. state of Oregon. They are located 11 miles (18 km) north of Florence on U.S. Highway 101, about midpoint on the 400 miles (640 km) Oregon Coast. In this area Highway 101 follows a steep and undeveloped seascape 300 feet (91 m) above sea level. 

Sea Lion Caves is a privately-owned wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary (since 1932) centrally located just 11 miles north of Florence on the beautiful and rugged Oregon Coast. It is proud to be part of the Oregon/Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve helping to protect the local marine animals and marine environment.

Sea Lion Caves is America's largest sea cave and the year-round home of the Steller sea lion, but sea lions are not always in the Cave. Winter months will usually find hundreds of sea lions in the Cave and when spring arrives, breeding and birthing time, the sea lions will move from the Cave to the rookery areas (the rock ledges out in front of the Cave) and will remain there through the summer. 

The cave system is at sea level and the ocean continually washes into the main cavern which has a floor area of about 2 acres (0.81 ha) and a vaulted rock dome about 125 feet (38 m) high. Southward from the main chamber, a low passage runs 1,000 feet (300 m) to a sea level opening. This corridor is flooded at high tide and free of water at low tide. The western entrance is a short, high passage through which the ocean washes at all tide levels. At the north, a third entrance is about 50 feet (15 m) above the ocean which serves as an elevated observation area where the entire cave system and its wildlife are visible.

The sea level portion of this cave and the sea cliff rocks just outside the cave have become, over the centuries, the only known mainland rookery and hauling area (wintering home) of the Steller's sea lion and—to a lesser extent—the California sea lion.  

The high vault is a natural resting place for sea birds. Many birds make their home at or near the Sea Lion Caves such as the pigeon guillemot, Brandt's cormorant, western, herring, and California gulls, tufted puffins, and the occasional hawk or bald eagle.

The whale watching deck, located below the gift shop, permits a seaward view of approximately 20 miles (32 km). The deck is at an elevation of 300 feet (91 m), making it a popular whale watching post. Typically, orcas are seen migrating once a year past the Sea Lion Caves, whereas the grey whale is seen anywhere from a few months to all year long.

Stonefield Beach Oregon

Stone field Beach in Oregon Coast Hwy US 101 

Stonefield Beach State Recreation Site is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Tenmile Creek flows through the park and into the Pacific Ocean.

Stonefield Beach State Recreation Site features a tiny beachside pull-off with gravel parking for a few cars south of Tenmile Creek near milepost 171 on US 101, south of Cape Perpetua in Lane County, Oregon.  A larger gravel pull-off north of the Tenmile Creek Bridge may also be considered part of the recreation site.  There are no rest rooms or cell phone service.

Looking for easy beach access in US 101?

·        Stonefield has easy beach access. A great place to sit in the sun and watch for whales.

·        Stonefield Beach State Recreation site is just off Highway 101 along the Oregon Coast. Tenmile Creek is just to the north.  

·        The shore at Stonefield Beach is a sandy beach along with persistent beds of 4-inch rocks.  It's reached by a short sandy trail from the parking.

·        There is no fee to use this park.

How To Reach: Stone field Beach Relative Location is in US 101, 7 miles South of Yachats, Oregon.

Saddle Mountain Hike Oregon

Saddle Mountain Trail - Oregon Seaside

Saddle Mountain is a solid hike with spectacular views, off highway 26 on the way from Portland to the Oregon Coast. It is one of the highest peaks in the northern half of Oregon's Coast Range and the highest northwest of Portland. It is a very distinct landmark as you come over the pass on Highway 26 heading towards the coast with its "Y"-shaped peaks of lumpy, pillow-shaped basalt. This apparently is typical of lava cooled quickly by water. This mountain was actually formed from lava erupted near Idaho that flowed into the ocean and was later pushed up when the Coast Range rose.  

Saddle Mountain is the tallest mountain (Elevation 3,288 ft ) in Clatsop County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the Oregon Coast Range, Saddle Mountain is in Saddle Mountain State Natural Area in the northwest corner of Oregon. The peak is listed on Oregon’s Register of Natural Heritage Resources.

Hike Description

Mountaintop views that reach from the Pacific Ocean to Mt. Hood await you on this steep climb to the top of a double-peaked summit of basalt. The upper part of the mountain is decorated with vast steep wildflower meadows in summer.

From the parking area, the trail begins in the campsite area. Get on the paved trail, and for left, passing several walk-in campsites. The pavement soon ends, and you will enter a lush forest of red alder, with salmonberry lining the path. At a quarter mile, the trail flattens amidst a carpet of oxalis. You have an option to take a short spur trail to the right for the Humbug Mountain viewpoint, but it is not necessary, you will see it from the summit as well.

·        Start point: Saddle Mountain Trail head

·        End point: Saddle Mountain Summit

·        Distance: 5 miles round trip

·        Elevation gain: 1900 feet

·        Difficulty: Moderate

·        Seasons: April–November

Soon the alders will be replaced with Douglas-firs and spruces as you switchback up the hillside. The trail skirts around sedum-covered house sized boulders, a preview for the upper portion of the hike. Nearing the one mile mark the woods are periodically opened for steep meadows-which are in bloom from May through July. The top 500 feet of the mountain is made up of huge basalt dikes. There is very little topsoil. The trail is loose gravel, and recently the tread has been completely covered with a chain link fence material to aid in traction. By a mile and half, you will be traveling mostly through the steep rocky meadows that make this hike famous. Admire the flora and the expansive views, but please watch your step. After a short descent through the saddle area, you will make the final steep climb up to the summit—a triangular cement pad that is the former site of a lookout tower.

On a clear day you can see the sweep of the Columbia River as it enters the sea, miles of Pacific shoreline- and on the eastern horizon, the Cascade Mountains in Oregon and Washington, and five major mountain peaks - Mt Rainier, Mt St Helen’s, Mt Adams, Mt Hood, and Mt Jefferson.

How To Reach: Saddle Mountain is 7 miles (11 km) off U.S. Route 26 about 65 miles (105 km) west of Portland. The access road to the mountain and state park is paved. The area contains dense forests of spruce and hemlock, and some ancient lava flows.

Latourell Falls Oregon

Latourell Falls Columbia River Gorge

Latourell Falls is a waterfall along the Columbia River Gorge in the U.S. state of Oregon, within Guy W. Talbot State Park. Latourell Falls was a gorgeous waterfall that had the distinction of being the closest major waterfall of the Columbia River Gorge to the City of Portland. It possessed remarkable overhanging columnar basalt cliffs that allowed Latourell Creek to do a 249ft free-falling plunge with no contact with most of the underlying cliff, making it in one of the more unique such waterfalls in the gorge.

The Historic Columbia River Highway passes nearby, and at certain locations the Lower falls are visible from the road. Near the base of the falls, a parking lot and path were erected to assist visitors to the site. Visitors must hike along the 2.1-mile (3.4 km) loop trail to see the upper falls.

Latourell is unique among the best-known Columbia Gorge waterfalls, in the way that it drops straight down from an overhanging basalt cliff. Most of those falls (even the famous Multnomah Falls) tumble to some degree. Latourell Falls is an excellent example of columnar basalt formations.

Begin the loop by parking at Guy Talbot State Park. From the park follow the paved path to the left to view the lower falls. This approximately 0.25-mile path that takes you under the HCRH (Historic Columbia River Highway), is a beautiful short hike. After viewing the waterfall, return the way you came to the park.

To hike to the upper falls, follow the old set of stairs taking you to the HCRH. Cross the highway (very carefully!) to find the trail on the opposite side of the road. Wind your way uphill following the trail for 1.2 miles with Henderson Creek to your left to the upper falls. Return the way you came.

·         Pacific Northwest Latourell Falls

·         Length: 2.1 miles round trip

·         Trail Uses: Hiking

·         Falls Drop Height: 249 feet

·         Location: Columbia River Gorge

·         Season of Use: Year Round

·         Difficulty Level: Easy

·         Elevation: 650 feet

·         Facilities available: Parking

·         Parking Fees: No

Nearby Falls: There are a lot of waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge. A 10-mile drive east will take you past Bridal Veil Falls, Wahkeena Falls, Multnomah Falls, Oneonta Falls, Horsetail Falls, and many others.

Latourell Falls Trailhead: Traveling east on I-84, take Exit #28/Bridal Veil. Turn right on the Historic Columbia River Highway and travel west for approximately 3 miles to the parking lot on your left/south. Traveling west on I-84, take Exit #35/Ainsworth. Drive 11 miles west on the Historic Columbia River Highway to the parking lot on the left/south side of the road.