The largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America, where wind-sculpted mountains of sand meet the Pacific shore.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is a striking stretch of wind-swept coastal sand along the central Oregon Coast, running roughly forty miles between the Coos River near North Bend and the Siuslaw River near Florence. It is part of Siuslaw National Forest and is administered by the United States Forest Service. The area preserves the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America and one of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes anywhere in the world, with some dunes rising several hundred feet above sea level.
Beyond the dramatic open dunes, the recreation area protects a mosaic of beach, marsh, interdunal wetlands, coastal forest, and freshwater lakes, creating habitats for an unusually wide range of plants and animals. It is also a major outdoor recreation destination, offering off-highway vehicle riding, hiking, camping, horseback riding, fishing, and canoeing against one of the most visually unusual landscapes on the U.S. Pacific Coast. The strongly individual character of the dunes, both ecologically and geologically, gives the area a place of national significance well beyond its regional setting.
