| General Coos Bay is the name of the estuary of the Coos River. Coos Bay and North Bend are nearby towns. This is the largest section of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (ODNRA) that is open to vehicles. It is about eight air miles from Horsfall Campground to Spinreel Campground. There are numerous lakes in the area, notably Horsfall (private), Beale , Sandpoint, Maude, Saunders and Butterfield along with many smaller and unnamed lakes. There are more pine trees, roads, and ATV trails in this section than the other sections. The dunes are divided into three runs. The eastern, inland section has the tallest dunes and it is separated by what the locals call "the bumpy road". This sand road connects the north and south halves and passes through some private property. It is a favorite place for the law to set up a checkpoint on busy weekends to look for noise and alcohol violations. Bull Run is the name for the dunes that run closest to the ocean. In between are some sand "fingers". ATVs have made the numerous roads terribly bumpy. Here is a map of the area. There is a curfew, the dunes are open for riding from 6 am to Midnight. |
| Beach This is one of a few remaining areas along the western U.S. where vehicles are allowed to drive on the beach. Surely some area out of all those thousands of miles can be kept open! Watch out for debris, birds, dogs, people on foot, waves and drop-offs. There is also a 25 MPH speed limit that is often radar enforced. It's amazing how fast the salt spray here will cause things to rust. |
| Getting there If you are southbound on Interstate 5, take the highway 38 exit. Travel west through the towns of Drain, Elkton and Scottsburg to Reedsport, where highways 38 and U.S. 101 meet. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area offices are right across the intersection if you need maps, permits or a RV dump station. From Reedsport, it is about 12 miles south to Spinreel, where you can access the north end of the Coos Bay dunes. If you are northbound on Interstate 5, take the highway
42 exit.
Travel west through Winston, Remote (yes), Myrtle Point, Coquille, Coos
Bay, and North Bend. After passing through North Bend and
crossing
the bay, take the road called "Horsfall Dune and Beach access".
Follow
the signs, turn right at the paper mill and enter the ODNRA. |
Campgrounds and access - Forest Service Horsfall campground is the first that you encounter after entering the ODNRA from the south. There is also a "OHV staging area" here for day-use visitors. The campground has 69 campsites, some picnic tables, pay showers, flush toilets, water faucets and direct access to the dunes. There is usually a volunteer camp host. It is paved, however there are places back in the trees to set up a tent. You will mostly be parking on paved sites that are right alongside each other. They really pack them in here on holiday weekends. Many of the sites are really too short (45') for motor homes with trailers. They take reservations for some of the sites, start calling in January or February for summertime dates. Try this number: 1-877-444-6777. Horsfall Beach campground is really a paved
parking lot at the end of the road past the Horsfall
campground.
They have marked lines on the pavement for 34 overnight
users.
This is about the only area where you can find room for large motor
homes
with long covered trailers. Although rated for 50', it's possible
to get nearly 70' combined length in here with some luck. There
is
direct access to the sand and the beach. The campground features
flush toilets, some picnic tables and drinking water. You can set
up a tent off the side of the paved lot in the beachgrass. There
are some campfire pits around the sides of the paved area. Being
right on the beach, it is noticeably cooler, foggier and windier
here than inland. No reservations for here. You may need to wait
at another campground until spaces open. During the day, you can
wait in a day-use space until an overnight space becomes available. Spinreel campground is at the north end of this section of dunes. In contrast to Horsfall and Horsfall Beach, Spinreel is nestled in among good size trees. It's inland near Wildwood drive and Highway 101. The trees, dunes and inland location can often result in a more pleasant climate compared to the beach. Most campsites are separated from each other by shrubbery and grassy areas. The 36 spaces are about 40' long but many have extra width if you want to unhook your trailer and move it alongside. This is probably not the place to take a large motor home with a long covered trailer - it might not fit. Other features include water, flush toilets, a campground host and fishing in Tenmile creek. There is a OHV staging area nearby for day use visitors. |
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