72 VISITTHEOREGONCOAST.COM REEDSPORT Reedsport is the central gateway to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, a rare landscape of windblown sand dunes, some reaching up to 500 feet (152.4 m) high and 1 mile (1.6 km) long. The 40-mile (64.4-km) stretch of beachfront includes campgrounds, lakes, hiking trails and designated areas for off-road vehicles. Stop at the dunes headquarters for helpful advice on how to make the most of your time here. Learn more about restoring the dunes and protecting the western snowy plover — a threatened shorebird that nests in the soft sand on some of Oregon’s beaches. While the dunes are awe-inspiring, trekking them can be strenuous work. The challenging John Dellenback Dunes Trail (accessed at Eel Creek Campground in Lakeside, 12 miles/ 19.3 km south of Reedsport) is a 5.4-mile (8.7-km) out-and-back hike through a conifer forest and over the dunes to the beach. The self-guided interpretive loop is a less taxing alternative. Tahkenitch Creek Trail passes through a variety of terrain — dunes, temperate rainforest, the beach and even a lake — and offers glimpses of wildlife, from frogs and newts to otters and beavers. There is a peaceful wind-protected beach at Half Moon Bay and a shallow area suitable for swimming. A pulse-quickening way to see the dunes is on an ATV. Umpqua Dunes offers vehicle rentals, dune access and overnight accommodation. In late July, the annual DuneFest features five days of ATV, motocross and drag racing across the dunes. Umpqua Discovery Center has interactive natural-history exhibits, as well as displays on Lower Umpqua tribes and 19th-century Chinese immigrants who worked the canneries. The adjacent boardwalk and observation tower offer views of the Umpqua River; during the summer, the free Riverfront Rhythms concert series is held on the lawn. Next to SOUTHERN OREGON COAST ITINERARY PREVIOUS PAGE: COURTESY OF BANDON DUNES GOLF RESORT. THIS PAGE: MANUELA DURSON Windswept shores and soaring cliffs define the quiet Southern Coast, where adventurers paddle rushing rivers and explore the nation’s largest stretch of coastal dunes. Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor Go to VisitTheOregonCoast.com/ Regions/South-Coast for more info on the Southern Coast.
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