If you’re craving an adventure that blends breathtaking natural beauty with heart-pumping excitement, set your sights on Florence, Oregon—Oregon’s Coastal Playground and home to the iconic Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
Nestled along the central coast, Florence offers a perfect entry point for West Coast travelers looking to immerse themselves in a dynamic landscape of ever-shifting sands, lush forests, and diverse wildlife. And for sci-fi fans, here is where “Dune” author Frank Herbert found his inspiration; but we’ll save that topic for a future blog so come back often.
“About 45% of the Oregon Coast is dunes,” said Dina Pavlis, a dedicated local dunes advocate and member of the Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative.
The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area spans roughly 45 miles (31,000 acres) of sand between Heceta Beach in Florence and Cape Arago near North Bend. This vast expanse is punctuated by the Siuslaw River, the Siltcoos River—a prime spot for canoeing and kayaking—the Umpqua River, and other small streams. The dunes vary in width from less than one mile to nearly three miles, mostly stretching between the ocean and Highway 101.
So…it’s huge! And so is the fun!
Recreation and the Dunes Today
The Oregon Dunes are a major recreation destination, attracting thousands of visitors each year. Off-road vehicle riding in designated areas is a popular activity, with dune buggies, ATVs, dirt bikes, and even properly equipped pickup trucks carving through the sand. People travel from all over the country to experience this unique terrain.
For those seeking a quieter experience, the dunes also offers protected areas for hiking, fat-tire biking, sandboarding, and horseback riding. Each summer, campgrounds fill with visitors eager to explore this extraordinary landscape.
Sandboarding Adventures
Move over, snowboarding—sandboarding is here to steal the show! Florence is home to Sand Master Park, the world's first sandboard park. Here, you can rent boards and take lessons (sometimes from resident world champions) before hitting the dunes. Whether you’re a seasoned boarder or a newbie, the soft sands make for a safe and exhilarating experience.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Thrills
For adrenaline junkies, the Oregon Dunes are a dream come true. Spanning more than 40 miles, this unique coastal playground is one of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world. Designated OHV areas allow you to ride dune buggies, ATVs, and dirt bikes across towering dunes that can reach up to 500 feet high—higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza! Rental shops in and around Florence provide everything from beginner-friendly vehicles to high-performance machines, and guided tours are available for those new to dune riding. Thrill-a-minute sand rail (a souped-up 7-passenger dune buggy) rides from professional drivers race you up, over, and around acres of scenic terrain. They’ll even add eco-tourism factoids along the way.
Scenic Hiking Trails
For those who prefer to explore on foot, the Oregon Dunes offer a variety of hiking trails showcasing the area’s diverse ecosystems. Trails like the John Dellenback Dunes Trail and the Carter Dunes Trail wind through coastal forests, open sand expanses, and serene wetlands. These hikes provide stunning vistas of the dunes meeting the Pacific Ocean, perfect for photographers and nature lovers alike. (Watch for our upcoming hiking blog!) Jesse M. Honeyman State Park also offers dune access to hikers and sandboarders.
Bird and Wildlife Watching
The dunes aren’t just a playground for humans—they’re also a haven for wildlife. Bird watchers can spot species like snowy plovers, great blue herons, and bald eagles, while the wetlands and forests are home to deer, elk, and even the occasional marten, coyote, cougar, or black bear. Bring your binoculars and a sense of wonder as you discover the rich biodiversity of this unique environment.
Florence is easily accessible from major West Coast cities and offers a range of accommodations, from cozy bed-and-breakfasts to oceanside or riverside hotels, to family-friendly campgrounds. Whether you’re seeking high-octane adventure or peaceful nature exploration, the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area promises an unforgettable experience. Pack your bags, gather your friends and family, and come discover the magic of the dunes in Florence—Oregon’s Coastal Playground!
MORE INFORMATION: SIDEBAR
What Makes a Dune?
To understand how a sand dune forms, we must travel back through geological time. Shifting tectonic plates caused earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and massive floods that helped shape Oregon's mountains and rivers. Over eons, weather events washed rocks and sediment from the mountains into rivers, eventually depositing them along the coast. These deposits, ground smooth by waves, were blown inland to form the dunes we see today.
The dunes have always been in motion, shaping the landscape and sustaining diverse wildlife. Western snowy plovers scratch out nests in the open sand. Pink sand verbena adds splashes of color. Mammals hunt in the brush of transient wetlands. And people come to play in nature’s vast sandbox.
Today, however, much of that natural motion has stopped due to the spread of invasive plants, dramatically altering the landscape. More on that in a moment.
Preserving the Dunes
While the dunes offer endless fun, they also face environmental challenges. Non-native beach grasses, such as European beach grass, were introduced in the early 20th century to stabilize the shifting sands and protect infrastructure. While effective, these grasses have significantly altered the natural dune dynamics, leading to the loss of open sand habitats crucial for native species.
Efforts are underway to restore the dunes to their natural state. Conservation groups and volunteers work tirelessly to remove invasive grasses and reestablish native vegetation. Visitors can contribute by staying on designated trails, respecting wildlife, and participating in local restoration projects.
How Dune Preservation Happens
The loss of the dunes isn’t just an ecological issue; it also impacts the local economy. The dunes attract thousands of tourists each year, supporting local restaurants, hotels, shops, and galleries.
Dune riders have noticed dramatic changes in the landscape within their lifetimes. Open sand areas, the main attraction for riding, shrink each year as invasive plants spread. Recognizing the urgency of restoration, nature lovers and ATV enthusiasts have come together to work with the Siuslaw National Forest on preservation efforts.
The Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative (ODRC) is at the forefront of these efforts. Since 2014, they have partnered with local governments, conservation groups, and volunteers to remove invasive species and restore open sand. Their work includes field trips, workshops, and community engagement efforts to spread awareness about dune restoration.
The ODRC has helped secure grant funding that has allowed for large-scale restoration projects managed by the Siuslaw National Forest. In a recent interview, Bill Blackwell of the ODRC shared: “We started removing Scotch broom at Heceta Dunes in 2014. From 2016 to 2024, we have cleared 90 acres of Scotch broom and some gorse, contributing 3,847 volunteer hours. We did this through 105 volunteer events across 22 different locations.”
More About the Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative
The Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative was born out of the realization that, without prompt action, the dunes as we know them would disappear. Their mission is to restore and preserve open sand, unique habitats, and the natural dune processes that benefit plants, animals, and people.
Their goals include:
Preserving the Best – Maintaining areas in their natural condition.
Restoring Site-Specific Conditions – Improving small areas critical to wildlife.
Restoring Landscape-Scale Natural Processes – Encouraging natural sand movement and ecosystem regeneration.
Restoring the dunes is a decades-long effort, but the ODRC is committed for the long haul. Anyone passionate about the dunes can get involved—volunteers are always welcome!
Special thanks to Dina Pavlis and Andy Vobora of the Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative, and SaveOregonDunes.com for contributing to this article!
