Coos Bay Beach Campgrounds

[IR Harry]

For those who are taking the time to tour the South Oregon Coast, getting off the main highway is just about a necessity if you are looking for anything but trees and asphalt. The Coos Bay area has several campgrounds adjoining the ocean, a wealth of things to see and places to visit. If you leave Coos Bay following the signs to the beach, you will pass thru a little fishing village of Charleston. That dinky town has some really good restaurants for those that want to eat out, has charter boats in season (salmon, tuna, bottomfish, halibut, or whale watching), and if you are a do-it-yourself fan, just rent a crab ring and get your dinner of Dungeness Crab off the pier or dock. I could have picked a better day - This was gale force winds.

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But head out further, towards the Pacific.

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There are several campgrounds - Bastendorff is a Coos County campground, Sunset Bay is State, Charleston and Bastendorff Beach are private. There as several day use parks - Shore Acres with its rugged trails and large formal garden, Simpson Reef with its view of the seals, sea lions and other sea life, Cape Arago with a view south for 50 miles and trails down the bluffs to the ocean, Coos Head with a road along the ocean and by the south jetty under the Coast Guard lookout tower, and the hiking trails along the whole area. There is even a golf course next to the Sunset Bay day use area.

Very seldom do the campgrounds overfill, and all are well maintained. Costs vary from $5 for primitive campsites to $30 for a yurt or cabin.

This is inside the County Bastendorf park, which has several cabins, showers, a playground, view of the jetties and bluff, covered eating area, and just out of the prevailing winds.

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This is a children's play area - an old Navy whaleboat and Fort Arago playground.

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This is the view from the day use parking lot.

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Sunset Bay State Park is a couple of miles further down the road, and campground is on the east side of the road, day use area on the west.

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There are about a hundred campsites and RV hookups, and a dozen yurts with heat and lights.

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They are pretty cozy inside, even in a storm. Sleep about six.

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The showers and rest rooms are very clean and well maintained.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/hspencer942/Oregon%20Coast/SunsetShower.jpg

A day spent in the area on a motorcycle touring would just scratch the surface. If you do that, run the Seven Devils road (all paved, ridge top) thru the Coos County forest, and stop at Merchants Beach for a little beach-combing, Whiskey Run and watch the wind surfers, maybe do a quick 18 holes at the Bandon Dunes golf course, and visit the Bandon lighthouse. Or, if you want to get way off course, give me a call and we will hit the REAL outback - where two cars in ten miles is a traffic jam.

During the summer, the prevailing winds are out of the Northwest, increasing in the afternoon. A mile or so inland or a trail into the forest will usually get you out of those. And after a few hot days, a fog bank will move in and cool the area off. Temps are seldom above 75 and are seldom below 50. During the winter, storm come out of the south, travel thru fast, and only gets below freezing several days a year.

[Alan]

Enjoyed your write up, lots of good detail. The pictures were well done and gave me a nice feel for the area. The Pacific sure wasn't living up to it's name while you were there! I've been on US-101, the coastal road, up around Astoria and Cannon Beach, and the traffic was terrible. How is US-101 down south in Coos Bay?

[Trailace]

IR Harry Great review!!!!

[Mellow]

VERY nice review... thanks!... love that area of the country.

[msscull]

Pictures are not showing up here and those are always the best part.

[IR Harry]

I've been on US-101, the coastal road, up around Astoria and Cannon Beach, and the traffic was terrible. How is US-101 down south in Coos Bay?

Should have been here last week.:eek: US 101 had 6 feet of water over it at Tillamook, slides took out OR 38 and US 20 to the Valley:( , I-5 was flooded:boots1: for 20 miles at Chehallis WA for a week:mad: , and half the coast was without power:eek: .

But you were asking about summer traffic on the Pacific Coast, and it just flat sucks :ph1: north of Newport during tourist season:mad: . Below Florence, traffic thins way out and it just becomes normal highway speed driving:o . Stays that way until you get into the Eureka area of California:rolleyes: .

[Alan]

Next summer when visiting my kids and grandkids in Arizona and Washington, I was thinking of heading north on US-101 from somewhere north of San Francisco and up to at least Coos Bay before heading east over to US-97 and then north to Prosser, WA. Since I was aware of how bad the traffic was on the northern end of 101, I plan on staying away from there. Next summer's trip is still in my mental planning stage, I have a full map of the whole USA in my office and I map out different routes in my mind as I daydream looking at the map.

[Blues Traveler]

My trip last summer took me through Coo's Bay. Was to early in the day to stop and get a campsite. I made my way south to Brooking's and got a spot at Harris Beach. The Oregon Coast really is a must see. I saw some of the best state run camprounds i'd ever seen running down the coast of Oregon. Yurts, so thats what there called. Were many at Harris state beach, bery cool, must be an Oregon thing because i've never seen them anywhere else i've stayed.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d59/ownst1100/DSCN7855.jpg

Thanks for the nice write up, now I've got to go back.

[IR Harry]

Next summer when visiting my kids and grandkids in Arizona and Washington, I was thinking of heading north on US-101 from somewhere north of San Francisco and up to at least Coos Bay before heading east over to US-97 and then north to Prosser, WA. Since I was aware of how bad the traffic was on the northern end of 101, I plan on staying away from there. Next summer's trip is still in my mental planning stage, I have a full map of the whole USA in my office and I map out different routes in my mind as I daydream looking at the map.

Alan, for what its worth, I will recommend you ride US 101 from California to north of Coos Bay at Waldport before heading inland. You will miss some really pretty coastal riding up to Newport and Tillamook, but you will miss the traffic also. The road across the coast range at Waldport is a real biker road - meaning straight and level is not there. Good road, well paved, but a little twisted and mostly overlooked.

[Alan]

Alan, for what its worth, I will recommend you ride US 101 from California to north of Coos Bay at Waldport before heading inland. You will miss some really pretty coastal riding up to Newport and Tillamook, but you will miss the traffic also. The road across the coast range at Waldport is a real biker road - meaning straight and level is not there. Good road, well paved, but a little twisted and mostly overlooked.


I just looked at Waldport with a Mapquest aerial image and that road looks great. Looks like you have set part of my trip, thanks.

[Jeff in Ferndale WA]

Harry,Just dug up this old post while looking around....

I've heard there's some pretty good camping right there in your drivewayP^

[Flashdog]

Not only i s the Southern Oregon Coast beautiful the roads are amazing. Right in that same area is Seven Devils Rd. Great curves, clean pavement, and some nice Pasific views.

[Dusty Boots]

Nice review of the area. Too bad I didn't have more time to explore the area. :(
I stopped in the area this past September 2nd, on my cross country tour and made camp at Sunset Bay State Park.

Heading south along US 101, coming into the Coos Bay area

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campsite at Sunset Bay SP ...

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...... across from a Yurt ...

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being an old backpacker, it's not too often I get a chance to have a campfire! P^

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I was up early the next morn, bound for Crater Lake NP, but thought I'd amble down to check out Cape Arago, 1st

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4226323764_0136100aa1_o.jpg

Simpson Reef ...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/4225554661_efd67a983b_o.jpg

..... I heard them, and then I saw them ....


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Then I spotted the lighthouse .....

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..... on the way back to the day use area of Sunset Bay SP .....

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2728/4226323932_9faa43b188_o.jpg

Like I said, too bad I was not able to stick around for another day or two, But I had a freind that I was to hook up with on Sept 10, in Southern Utah.
I found out from the 'Yurt Host', that there is free WiFi at the Burger King, by the Walmart, back in Coos Bay.
Beautiful area, for sure.

Dusty