Just You and the Sand
Person Standing on Sandy Beach image by Dan Jesperson from
Fotolia.com
Between Waldport and Yachats to the south there is an eight-mile expanse of sandy beach. In Oregon, the beaches cannot be privately owned and access is guaranteed. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the beach, making them ideal for long walks, jogging and beach combing. Seal Rocks State Park is four miles to the north of Waldport and offers tidepools to explore and birds and seals to watch.
The Oregon State Parks system maintains the Beachside Campground a few miles south of Waldport on Highway 101. Tent sites, some with electricity, yurts and hiker/biker sites are available. All have easy access to the beach. The Siuslaw National Forest operates the Tillicum Beach Campground, with nearly 60 spaces available for tent, auto or RV camping. Many of the sites offer ocean views, perfect for watching sunsets after a day walking the beach.
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
State Parks
725 Summer St. NE, Suite C
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-0707
oregon.gov/oprd/parks/
Siuslaw National Forest
4077 S.W. Research Way
P.O. Box 1148
Corvallis, OR 97339
541-750-7000
fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/tripplanning/newpflor/index.shtml
Water, Water Everywhere
Alsea Bay is great for kayaking, canoeing and boating. The Port of Alsea operates The Dock of the Bay where aluminum boats with outboard motors can be rented. Personal watercraft can be launched there or up river at private marinas. Waldport High School students operate the Kayak Shack mid-June to Labor Day, renting kayaks and offering tours.
Whichever watercraft you choose, go with the flow of the tide and stay west of the Alsea Bay bridge to avoid dangerous currents. Seals beach themselves on sandbars in the bay at low tide and nap until the incoming tide floats them away. Seals are protected sea mammals and should not be disturbed. River otters, great blue herons and bald eagles are commonly sighted.
Private campgrounds and marinas up the Alsea River, east of Waldport, offer riverfront camping and access. Blackberry Campground, 17 miles east of Waldport up Highway 34 allows tent camping along the river and is part of the Siuslaw National Forest.
The Dock of the Bay
1245 Mill St.
P.O.Box 2511
Waldport, OR 97394-2511
541-563-2003
Kayak Shack
PO Box 370
Waldport, OR 97394
541-563-4445
whskayakshack.com
Siuslaw National Forest
4077 S.W. Research Way
P.O. Box 1148
Corvallis, Oregon 97339
541-750-7000
fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/tripplanning/newpflor/index.shtml
Wilderness Hiking
The Drift Creek Wilderness is nine square miles of old growth forest. Sitka spruce and hemlock, hundreds of years old, some 7 feet in diameter, tower in the Oregon Coast Range's largest remaining stand of undisturbed rainforest. Elk, black bear, deer and northern spotted owl thrive in the area.
The Harris Ranch Trail accesses the southern portion of the wilderness. Horse Creek Trail accesses the northern portion. Both trails descend 2.5 to 3.5 miles to Drift Creek where chinook, coho and trout spawn. Clearings along the creek allow camping. Stay 100 feet from the creek, use a camp stove and leave no trace.
No fee is required.
Siuslaw National Forest
4077 S.W. Research Way
P.O. Box 1148
Corvallis, Oregon 97339
541-750-7000
fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/tripplanning/newpflor/index.shtml
