The Oregon DunesThe Oregon Dunes stretch for over 40 miles from Coos Bay to Florence. The stretch of sand between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountain Range is the largest area of coastal sand dunes in North America. The area was designated The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area in 1972 and is administered by the United States Forest Service.
The individual dunes reach a height of 500 feet and three miles wide in some areas and are popular for ORV driving particularly with dune buggies, sand surfing, hiking, horse back riding, and even dog sledding. The dunes are popular with nature lovers and the winter months are particularly good for bird watching. There are 30 lakes where you can fish and swim and 14 hiking trails. You can camp, take a tour, or go for a guided dune buggy ride. The dune buggys and ATV's are limited to certain areas so if you don't want to be bothered by their noise you can keep away from them.
Dave Welton, Creative Commons
When you arrive at any of the towns along the Oregon Dunes you will probably wonder, "So where's the sand?" You arrive expecting to see these giant sand dunes like from the Sahara Desert and you see nothing. You can't even see the ocean. So what's the big deal?
If you would like to see the dunes but don't want to take the time to ride or walk through them, you can get a good view from the Oregon Dunes Overlook halfway between Reedsport and Florence on Highway 101. There are platforms with railings and wooden walkways. You can walk the trail down to the sand and the beach is about a mile away if you do want to walk that far.
If you don't have your own ATV, ORV, or dune buggy there are lots of places where you can rent one. If you don't want to drive a dune buggy yourself, there are tours you can take. There are plenty of campsites as well.
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