Road Trip Part 4

[WickedLady]

From Crater Lake I went thru Roseburg and over to Bandon on the coast (known as the Cranberry Capital of Oregon with an annual festival in September). Spent the night at Bullard's Beach State Park and the next day went thru the park to the beach (1289 acre year-round park with campgrounds, sand dunes, forests, and 4 miles of beach.

and access to the Coquille River Lighthouse. It was built at the mouth of the river in 1896.

On to Cape Arago State Park just south of Coos Bay, by way of Seven Devil's road where I found Simpson Reef and a community of California and Stellar Sea Lions.

A closer look thanks to my telephoto lens.

Just north of Coos Bay is the beginning of the Oregon Dunes Nat. Recreation Area where you can ride the miles of towering dunes on your own or rented ATVs. The dunes stretch all the way to Florence. All sites on the NRA require a recreation pass (I think the Golden Age/Eagle is accepted).



Eleven miles north of Florence you will find the Sea Lion Caves where you can take an elevator 208 feet down into the world's largest sea cave which was formed about 25 million years ago and is home to about 200 (smelly) Stellar Sea Lions. Or...you can stop just up the road at the Heceta Lighthouse Viewpoint and see lots of sea lions on the rocks below along with the classic sight of the Heceta Lighthouse. I saw at least two whales from this viewpoint as they came up to blow.

A closer look.

If you have seen a calendar with a photo of Heceta Lighthouse it was most likely taken from this viewpoint.

Just after crossing the bridge at Newport is Yaquina(pronounced YahQueena) Bay State Park and lighthouse.

Traveled on up to Lincoln City to spend the night. To be continued......

[Pooker]

Terrific pictures! Thanks for sharing. Looks like you're having great weather, too. Keep posting more!

Pooker

[snowball]

really good pictures thanks a bunch you just make me want to go to the coast
sheila

[SeeyaGal]

Oh I just that area so much! I can't get enough of the Oregon coast. Been up and down there all my life and still love it!!

[mitch5252]

Wonderful photos!

[VickieP]

I'm curious, I read about those sand dunes shifting with the wind, etc. and taking over the trees and land and stuff, so my question is what happens when it comes on your private property. Are you forced to just let it take over? Does the state or whoever actually owns this property purchase your property, what if you don't want to sell? If they remove the sand it's obviously going to come back, it's not like you can stand out there with leaf blowers and keep it at bay, so what happens? Curious minds wants to know,,,, well at lease one does!

[WickedLady]

Oregon Dunes is a National Recreation Area and the entire 350 mile Oregon coastline is public property...no private beaches.

[Nasoosie]

I never realized that fact about the Oregon coast----that's really neat.

Your pictures are wonderful! It seems as if you are seeing a lot of really pretty places and that the weather is being nice for you!

Thanks for sharing your journey.

[Cedar518]

I have no idea why I thought sand dunes were only on the Atlantic coast,.. those are amazing,.. they look so large. Thanks for the trip report and teaching me something.