Viewing Wildlife

The steep and dense terrain of the Coast Range can make wildlife viewing a challenge for visitors.

Meadows, rocky headlands and ocean beaches offer the visitor a chance encounter with butterflies, Roosevelt elk, black bear, sea lions, pelicans, and American bald eagle.

Viewing Wildlife Areas

Florence to Coos Bay
The landscape changes south of Florence, although the most dramatic change, the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, is often hidden from view.

The 47-mile long and one-mile wide sandbox has areas designated for bird watching and dune riding. Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, more than 31,000 acres, offers a place for everyone. You can camp, arrange a tour, take an exhilarating off-highway vehicle ride, walk along tranquil lakes, forest trails and beaches, and much more.

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is a destination site, drawing people from around the Northwest and across the country. Highway 38 offers connections to the southern Willamette Valley and the city of Eugene, or on to Roseburg via Highway 138.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
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. Learn more about the geology of the dunes here.

Adventure and solitude await! Among the tree islands, open dunes, wetlands, and beaches you will find Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) riding (experience it with Google Trekker), hiking, paddling, wildlife viewing, birding, camping, picnicking, sand play - the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area has it all.

Be a Friend to Snowy Plovers! Share the Beach March 15 – September 15

During snowy plover nesting season (March 15 - September 15) we coordinate with Oregon State parks and beachgoers to protect these threatened birds during a very sensitive time. By following nesting season restrictions and sharing the beach, you can help ensure plover chicks survive to adulthood.

Dunes areas from north to south
- South Jetty: South Jetty provides day use access to beach and dunes, with separate areas for OHV and non motorized use.
- 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.
- Oregon Dunes Day Use: Miles from OHV recreation, this area provides exceptional opportunities to explore the dunes on foot.
- Tahkenitch: With easy access off Hwy 101, traditional campgrounds provide lake access for boaters and dune access for hikers only.
Oregon Dunes Overlook and Day Use

The Oregon Dunes Day Use Area is a great place to experience the ever-changing sand dunes. Take in great views of the dunes and Pacific Ocean from wheel-chair accessible viewing platforms or hike through the dunes and coastal forest to the ocean. As one of the several areas of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area that is closed to Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs), dune explorers will find exceptional hiking from the dunes transition forest to the beach and sand.

The Oregon Dunes Loop Trail is paved for the first half-mile to a viewing area. From there the trail takes visitors down into the dunes. There are two main hiking options. The popular 2-mile round-trip out to the beach and back follows a fairly-level and hard-packed trail through the sand to the beach. Those who want a longer hike and more solitude can follow the trail to the beach then walk south along the beach for about 1.5 miles to the exit point back through the dunes. The trail follows large post markers through deep sand.

During the summer months, ranger-led talks are available most days at the Oregon Dunes Day Use Area and guided hikes are available most weekends. Jr. Ranger evening programs are also held at different locations throughout the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Be sure to check our news and events page frequently and like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for notifications of programs and events throughout the year or contact the Visitor Center for details at 541-271-3611.
Oregon Dunes Loop Trail #1334
Siltcoos Area

Along the Siltcoos River are two traditional campgrounds.

Stagecoach Trailhead provides access to several trails, including the accessible Lagoon trail and the longer Waxmyrtle trail, which meanders through the coastal shore pine forests and along the river to the beach.

OHV users will find a direct sand access campground as well as dispersed OHV Sand Camping available by permit. Please see OHV Rules for Riding before heading out.

For information about accessible recreation opportunities in Pacific Northwest National Forests, visithttp://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/r6/accessiblerecreation
Carter Dunes Trail #1384
Carter Lake Campground
Carter Lake Campground is a family favorite in the Oregon Dunes Recreation Area. Part of the campground is located on the dunes where children love to play in the sand, and the other half is located on Carter Lake, perfect for fishing and boating. Campsites are nestled among shore pine, sitka spruce, Douglas fir and native rhododendron. Drinking water and flush toilets are available and each site has a campfire pit and picnic table. Parking aprons are paved.

Hiking the Carter Dune Trail, fishing for rainbow trout, canoeing and kayaking, and off-road vehicle riding are all nearby activities.
Driftwood II Campground
Surrounded by shore pine, waxmyrtle, huckleberry and salal, Driftwood is a designated off-road vehicle riding campground that offers direct sand access to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The layout of the campground is a large parking lot with designated camping sites. Most sites come with a picnic table and campfire pit, but RV pull-through sites 49-58 do not have these amenities. The campground has flush toilets, drinking water and hot showers.

Off-road vehicle riding is the ultimate attraction here and the Driftwood II OHV Trail is a great place to start. For added variety, beach goers can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, and watching sea birds at the nearby beach. If in season, whales may be spotted in the ocean as well.

During snowy plover nesting season (March 15 - September 15), hiking access to the beach is only from the Siltcoos Beach Day Use parking lot.

The original Driftwood I Campground was located south of the Siltcoos Beach Road near the river in an area now covered with conifers and other native vegetation. This campground was decommissioned in the mid-late 1980s. The site is also within the boundaries of the seasonally restricted snowy plover nesting area.
Lagoon Campground
Lagoon Loop Trail #1330
Taylor Dunes Trail #1335
Tyee Campground
Tyee Campground, located 5 miles south of Florence, OR is part of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The small 14-site campground sits on the northern banks of the Siltcoos River beside the Siltcoos Lake outlet. A few sites are secluded by local coastal shrubbery and other sites are located on an open meadow alongside the water. Drinking water, vault toilets and a boat ramp are among the campground amenities. Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire ring with grill. Parking aprons are paved and a dump station is within 4 miles at Honeyman State Park.

Many campers bring kayaks and boat up and down the outlet. This is also a great campground for kids to play and anglers to try their luck from the riverbank. In the area, hikers can enjoy miles of open beach and explore dune formations above the Siltcoos River.
Waxmyrtle Campground
Waxmyrtle Trail #1337
South Jetty Area

South Jetty area provides day use access to the beach and dunes, with separate areas for off-highway vehicle (OHV) use and non-motorized use.

Walkers and hikers can enjoy miles of open beach and explore dune formations above the Siltcoos River.

OHV enthusiasts will find two developed staging areas and access to a dozen dispersed sand campsites available by permit. Please see OHV Rules for Riding before heading out.
South Jetty Beach Day Use
This popular day use area offers lots to do. These twelve parking areas start out with two sand access lots for off highway vehicles; South Jetty Staging and Goose Pasture Staging.

There are also six lots providing excellent access to the beach. Two other parking areas are open viewpoints of wetlands for great wildlife observation.

Visitors will also find the crab dock parking area that provides opportunities to enjoy a day of crabbing or fishing.

Near the jetty our final two lots mark the location of the 1979 beaching of 41 sperm whales. Adventure, education, solitude or relaxation, all this and more can be found at the South Jetty.
South Jetty Dog Ponds
South Jetty Watchable Wildlife Site
Spinreel to Horsfall Area

Predominantly used by off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts, this is the Oregon Dunes' largest and most diverse riding area. South of Horsfall Beach Road, areas are open only to horse back riding and hiking. Horsfall Beach Road leads to both motorized and non-motorized opportunities. At the road’s end, beach viewing and access are available.

Horsfall Beach Campground provides OHV camping, day use and parking for beach access. Bull Run OHV Staging Area and Old Bark Road OHV Staging Area provide direct sand access, as well. Spinreel, located at the northernmost end of the Horsfall OHV riding area, has direct sand access and designated OHV Sand Camping sites as well as an OHV campground and day use staging area.

Designated OHV routes lead riders through coastal forests and open dunes to the beach. OHV beach riding areas are located south of the Tenmile OHV Trail beach access point.

Wild Mare Campground, day use and trail, Bluebill Campground and trail and Sandtracks Day Use are all located within non-motorized areas. Wild Mare Campground, day use and trail are managed for equestrian use.

A wheelchair-accessible viewing platform at Horsfall Beach Day Use provides a 360 degree view of the dunes, beach and ocean.
Bluebill Trail #1331
Sutton Campground
Sutton Campground is located just off the Pacific Coast in Oregon, 1.5 miles from Sutton Beach and 2 miles from Sutton Lake. The 80-site campground is set among scenic coastal pine, Douglas-fir, spruce, wax myrtle and huckleberry. Some sites offer electric hookups. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are flush toilets and drinking water.

Hiking the Sutton Trails and the Darlingtonia Trail are popular activities, but visitors also enjoy swimming in Sutton Creek, and fishing and boating on Sutton Lake. The Holman Vista Day Use Area and Holman Vista Trail are one mile west of the campground, providing an accessible viewing platform.
Tahkenitch Area

Within easy access of Highway 101 Tahkenitch area, which is closed to OHV use, offers two traditional campgrounds, two boat launches and two trailheads are directly adjacent to Highway 101 and Tahkenitch Lake. The lake provides opportunities for bass fishing.

Tahkenitch Creek and Tahkenitch Dune trail provide opportunities to hike through the coastal forest, as well as access to the dunes and beach.
Tahkenitch Creek Trail #1336
Tahkenitch Dunes National Recreation Trail #1353
Tahkenitch Landing Campground
On the shores of Tahkenitch Lake sits Tahkenitch Landing Campground, 9 miles north of Reedsport, Oregon. Sites that fit tents or small campers sit on the rim of the lake, while larger sites that accommodate RVs are up the hill overlooking the lake. The grassy campground is hugged by coastal trees and shrubbery, including mixed pine and cedar. Each campsite comes with a picnic table and a fire ring with grill. Vault toilets are onsite and families can enjoy picnicking in the day-use picnic area. Sites 1 - 8 have no turnarounds and are limited to tent camping or small campers. No drinking water is available, so campers should bring a sufficient amount.

The 2,118 acre lake welcomes boating, swimming and fishing for bass and trout. Tahkenitch Dunes Trail is nearby. Wildlife watching is a popular pastime for campers. Portions of the nearby estuary are protected nesting areas for the snowy plover, a small shorebird with a tan tail and snowy white underside.
Umpqua Dunes Area

The Umpqua Dunes area provides something for everyone!

Hikers will find areas to explore the dunes, walk the beach, and view the ocean. An easy walk from the Umpqua #2 and #3 OHV staging areas brings you to a stretch of beach closed to off-highway vehicle (OHV) use. You can also explore the area's largest and most expansive dunes at nearby John Dellenback Trail and Eel Creek Campground.

OHV enthusiasts will find two large day use staging areas, reservable sand camping sites, and nearby OHV facilities managed by Douglas County Parks. Please see OHV Rules for Riding before heading out.
Eel Creek Campground
Newport to Florence
The central section of the Siuslaw National Forest finds the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway (Highway 101) moving closer to the Pacific Ocean providing outstanding views of the Pacific Ocean and plenty of publicly owned beaches to explore.

Cape Perpetua Scenic Area, located between Newport and Florence, offers the Forest visitor a chance to wander through old-growth Sitka Spruce, experience crashing surf, investigate tide pools, whale watch or take a guided hike.

Check out a haunted lighthouse keeper’s home at Heceta Head. Try boating, fishing, hiking to waterfalls, berry picking and more.

Inland are more recreational opportunities, including Marys Peak, in the Coast Range. Highways 20, 34 and 126 offer connections to the mid and southern Willamette Valley and the cities of Corvallis and Eugene.
Alder Dune Campground
Alsea River Corridor
The Alsea River Corridor meanders along the Alsea River on Highway 34 east of Waldport, a destination for fishing and hunting.

Blackberry Campground and Day Use, Riveredge Group Campground and Boat Ramp, Ermie Walters and Mike Bauer Boat Ramps along the Lower Alsea River provide camping, summer water play, fishing, and fall - winter drift boating.

Another group campsite lies just 4 miles south of Highway 34 at Canal Creek Campground, nestled in a small meadow and grove of Douglas Fir.

Just off Forest Road 3446 to the north of the corridor hikers can find solitude and experience Old Growth Forests within the Horse Creek Trails (area is unavailable).
Blackberry Campground
Cape Perpetua Scenic Area

Towering 800 feet over the Pacific Ocean, the Cape Perpetua headland is the highest viewpoint accessible by car on the Oregon Coast. From this high point, enjoy views of the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve and the rugged and rocky shore where visitors can witness the power of the ocean as it meets the coastal temperate rainforest.

Cape Perpetua Scenic Area encompasses 2,700 acres of coastal habitat and was set aside for its exceptional ecological characteristics. A 26-mile trail system offers many opportunities to experience this lush and diverse temperate rainforest.

People have been part of this landscape for at least 6,000 years and Cape Perpetua bears evidence of this rich history. Archaeological sites provide hints into village life of the Native American Alsea people, who called this area Halaqaik. When British explorer James Cook saw the headland in 1778, he named it for Saint Perpetua. Many of the trails we find here today were first constructed by a unit of the Civilian Conservation Corps as President Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to provide work for young men during the Great Depression. Their camp occupied the area where the visitor center is today.

Cape Perpetua Visitor Center is open seven days a week most of the year, with reduced hours in the winter. Visitor Center staff and exhibits will guide you to the cultural and natural history of the area. Friendly and knowledgeable staff are available to answer questions and help plan your visit.

The area offers lots of great activities and adventures for families, including a mobile app to help explore the coastal forest, junior ranger programs, and more. Ranger-led programs and guided walks are available throughout the year, including winter and spring whale watch events. Be sure to check our news and events page frequently and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for event information and updates, or contact the Visitor Center for details at 541-547-3289.

Download a trail guide here.

Área Esenica de Cape Perpetua folleto en español aquí

Come explore

Tidepools, churns and spouting horns

Coastal forests and ocean views

Historical richness

Visitor Center

Would you like to share the wonders of Cape Perpetua with visitors? Volunteer at the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center! Find out more from our volunteer page.
Captain Cook Trail #1364.2
Cummins Creek Wilderness
The Cummins Creek Wilderness features the only old-growth Sitka Spruce forest in the Oregon Wilderness system. Overhung with alder and maple, Cummins and Bob Creeks drain west through this dense rainforest Wilderness, where Sitka spruce sometimes reach nine feet in diameter. Both creeks spill into the Pacific Ocean, whose salty water almost reaches the western Wilderness boundary.

Salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout spawn in the cool creek waters. Spruce-covered Cummins Ridge, which peaks at almost 2,000 feet, splits the rain forest in two. Yellow monkey flower, purple aster, white candy flower, and red foxglove brighten summer days, which otherwise tend toward the wet and foggy. Winters rarely see snow.

The Cummins Ridge Trail (approximately 5.8 miles) cuts through the center of the Wilderness area and ascends more than 1,000 feet through towering stands of Sitka spruce, Western hemlock and Douglas-fir. Watch for wildlife along the way. It is the only trail within the wilderness area.

View larger map
Drift Creek Wilderness

Drift Creek Wilderness is located in the Oregon Coast Range, 7 miles north of Waldport and south of Newport, Oregon. Towering Sitka spruce and western hemlock that sometimes reach seven feet in diameter shade the Coast Range's largest rainforest stand of old growth. The steep canyons of rock-splattered Drift Creek may give you the impression of mountainous country, but the forested hills rise only slightly above 2,000 feet. Soaked by as much as 120 inches of annual rainfall, moss and ferns as thick as six inches cushion the ground along numerous streams shadowed by overhanging bigleaf maples.

Roosevelt elk and black bears share this lush territory along with northern spotted owl, woodpeckers, bald eagles, banana slugs, salamanders and many others. In fall, Drift Creek comes alive with spawning chinook and coho salmon as well as steelhead and cutthroat trout.

The Drift Creek Wilderness (5,798 acres) is one of three wilderness areas established on the Siuslaw National Forest and the largest on the Coast Range. There are two main trails, the Horse Creek Trail and the Harris Ranch Trail. Stock use prohibited due to fragile soil conditions.
Enchanted Valley Trail #1321
Marys Peak

Marys Peak, at 4,097 feet, is the highest point in Oregon’s Coast Range and the most prominent peak to the west of Corvallis. On a clear day, from Marys Peak Day Use at the top of the peak, you can see both the Pacific Ocean to the west and many of the Cascade peaks to the east across the Willamette Valley.

Hiking options include Meadowedge Trail, East Ridge Trail, North Ridge Trail, Summit Trail, and Tie Trail. When there's snow, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and other non-motorized winter recreation are available, although the road to the day use area is not maintained for winter travel and caution is advised. Download a trail guide here. Área Marys Peak folleto en español aquí.

Marys Peak has been designated a Scenic Botanical Area because of its rich, unique scenery and plants. The open meadows offer a range of wildflowers throughout the spring and summer. Wildflower displays in the meadow and rock gardens change throughout the late spring and summer months. The rich rolling meadows of Marys Peak are fringed by a unique Noble fir forest. Learn more about the vegetation and plant communities found on Marys Peak from the Oregon Native Plant Society here.

In 2015, the Siuslaw National Forest began a meadow restoration project on Marys Peak. Through carefully planned tree removal, native planting, and other management activities, we are working to restore scenic views and historic meadows. We are also coordinating with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) as they develop a proposal to upgrade their communications equipment on Marys Peak. To learn more about the BPA project click here.
Marys Peak Day Use
Rock Creek Wilderness
Tillicum Beach Campground
Tillicum Beach Campground is popular for many reasons, but the number one is that most of the 61 campsites have beachfront views. The campground offers several single-family campsites, a few of which have both electric and water hookups. Sites with hookups are not on the waterfront. Due to the campground's popularity, it's a good idea to make reservations in advance. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Flush toilets and drinking water are provided but there are no showers.

Surfing, swimming and playing in the sand are the campground's most popular activities. The campground offers an ideal location for whale watching. Cape Perpetua is 6 miles south, where visitors can wander through old-growth Sitka spruce, experience the crashing surf, investigate tide pools, whale watch or take a guided hike.
Tillicum Beach Day Use
Tillamook to Newport
A visitor to the Siuslaw National Forest traveling from Tillamook to Newport will find farmland, rolling hills, sand dunes at Sand Lake Recreation Area, and by choosing the Three Cape Scenic Loop, gorgeous headlands with fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean.

Moving inland, the Forest is lush, wet and green. Visitors can hike, camp, picnic or ride their off-highway vehicle. Highway 101, the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, transports travelers from Tillamook to Newport with connecting routes of Highways 22 and 18 to Portland and Salem.
Cascade Head Scenic Research Area

Two closure orders exist in the Cascade Head area: (1) Forest Road 1861 due to 2021 landslides until further notice and (2) a natural resource-related seasonal closure Jan. 1-July 15. See current conditions below and map for more information.

The 9,670 acre Cascade Head Scenic-Research Area was established by President Ford on December 22, 1974 “to provide present and future generations with the use and enjoyment of certain ocean headlands, rivers, streams, estuaries, and forested areas, to insure the protection and encourage the study of significant areas for research and scientific purposes, and to promote a more sensitive relationship between man and his adjacent environment."

The first non-wilderness land in the United States to be designated by Congress to ensure protection of its scenic, ecological, and scientific values, Cascade Head laid the groundwork for future Congressionally designated scenic areas, such as Mono Basin and the Columbia River Gorge.

The area encompasses a variety of public and private land uses, including undeveloped meadows and estuaries, agricultural fields, and rural development. The Forest Service works with landowners within Cascade Head to ensure land uses remain unchanged and the qualities that inspired its designation are retained for future generations. Following its designation, the combined area of the Cascade Head Experimental Forest and Scenic-Research Area was recognized as a United Nations Biosphere Reserve.

This spectacular coastal headland provides critical habitat for native prairie grasses, rare wildflowers and the Oregon silverspot butterfly. Researchers have studied fast growing Sitka spruce and western hemlock forests here for many years. The Salmon River estuary is an integral part of the Cascade Head Scenic-Research Area. This estuary provides recreational, research, educational, scenic and estuarine resources, which have national significance. The designation established a long-term goal of restoring the Salmon River estuary and its associated wetlands to a natural estuarine system.

Watch "Grant’s Getaways" featuring Cascade Head and Hebo Lake Campground
Hart's Cove Trail #1303
Mt. Hebo Area
The Mt. Hebo Area provides visitors with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and coastal valleys, interpretive information, camping, hiking, horse back riding and fishing.

The Mt. Hebo Area is host to the Oregon silverspot butterfly, a sensitive species that lives in the meadows of Mt. Hebo.
South Lake Dispersed Area