About the Area

From forest floor to ocean shore, the Siuslaw National Forest stretches from the lush forests of the coastal mountains to the unique Oregon Dunes and the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Extending from Tillamook to Coos Bay along the Oregon coast, the Forest encompasses over 630,000 acres of varying ecosystems.  Come, play, explore a stunning choice of things to do and see!

Spanning the Oregon Coast Range, a mountain range that runs north to south from the Columbia River to north central California, the Siuslaw National Forest is bordered on the east by the Willamette Valley and the west by the Pacific Ocean. It is one of only two national forests in the lower 48 states to claim oceanfront property. Marys Peak, the highest peak in the Coast Range at elevation 4,097, is a prominent view west of Corvallis. 

Pacific Coast Scenic Byway Highway 101 runs parallel along the west side of the Forest and the Pacific Ocean, while Highways 26, 6, 18, 22, 20, 34, 126 and 38 provide access from the Portland metro area and central and southern Willamette Valley.

The Cascade Head National Scenic-Research Area and the towering trees and jagged, rocky flanks of Cape Perpetua Scenic Area are two spectacular and culturally rich coastal headlands distinguished by the native prairie grasses and rare wildflowers. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, on the southern end of the forest, constitutes one of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world. The large oblique dunes found here occur nowhere else in the world.

Rivers

Four major rivers flow out of the Siuslaw National Forest into the Pacific Ocean: the Nestucca, Alsea, Siuslaw, and Umpqua providing excellent habitat for anadromous fish. Many other smaller streams and tributaries add to the annual route salmon and steelhead take to their ancestral spawning ground.

Climate

The climate of the Siuslaw is best described as a Pacific maritime with recorded rainfall of up to 100 inches per year in some parts of the Forest. Temperatures are moderate, averaging in the '30s to '40s during the winter with a very occasional snowfall at higher elevations. Summers are warm and dry, with cooler temperatures along the coast, warming up as you travel inland. A typical summer day at the Oregon Coast ranges in the '60s with fog as a common occurrence. People who live on the Oregon coast often say September and October are their favorite months of the year due to dry days and warm temperatures.

Vegetation 

Abundant rainfall and mild winters provide growing conditions for a variety of vegetation species. The Siuslaw’s temperate rain forest, coastal influence, ocean-forest interface, relatively young Douglas-fir forest, and cultural history make it unique among all other national forests.

The Siuslaw has two distinct vegetation zones, Sitka spruce and western hemlock. The hardy Sitka spruce zone grows where the coast influence of mild temperatures, winds, and dense fog discourage other types of vegetation. Western hemlock grows well in shade beneath the dense Douglas-fire canopy. As Douglas fir matures, western hemlock moves in. Both zones contain freshwater, upland, offshore, and estuarine habitats that support a wide variety of vegetation, fish, and wildlife.