Dunes and outdoors in Coos Bay
Some of the best-known outdoor places on the coast are within a short drive of Coos Bay and North Bend.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
The U.S. Forest Service manages the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area as part of the Siuslaw National Forest. Congress designated about 31,500 acres as a National Recreation Area in 1972, and the Forest Service describes it as one of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world. The south unit runs between Winchester Bay and Coos Bay. Wikipedia gives the full length as about 40 miles of coast, from North Bend in the south to Florence in the north.
The Forest Service lists off-highway vehicle riding, hiking, paddling, wildlife viewing, birding, camping, picnicking and sand play. Trail and campground status changes, so use the Forest Service page for current closures, fees and passes.
State parks on the Cape Arago Highway
Southwest of Coos Bay, three Oregon state parks sit along the Cape Arago Highway: Sunset Bay, Shore Acres and Cape Arago. Shore Acres State Park, about 13 miles south of Coos Bay, is a 745-acre park on the former estate of timber businessman Louis J. Simpson. The estate was built in 1910, and Simpson sold the land to the State of Oregon in 1942. The state park has formal gardens and sandstone cliffs. Hours, fees and any holiday programs are listed by Oregon State Parks.