In Oregon?
If you are looking for a place that will make you say, I did not think Oregon would look like this, this is one of those hikes. At some turns, you may feel like you are in the Sahara, dune upon dune, far from the Pacific Northwest. But if you follow the trail to the end, you are transported back to forested Oregon and then a beautiful abandoned beach.
The Beach
The John Dellenback Dune hike appears to be a short hike, only 2.5 miles one way, but 1.5 to 2 miles is on sand. Hiking on sand can be 1.6 to 2.5 times as hard as hiking on a normal trail, so that means that this hike can be a lot more tiring than you expect.
It is also easy to get lost. Though you may think that you can just follow your footsteps back, most of ours were gone by the time that we came back. Fortunately, there are wooden posts, about six feet tall, planted along the path to help guide the hiker. Make sure to keep two in sight at all times, both the one in front of you and the one behind you. If you cannot find one ahead, try to get to a high point and scan the sky for a post. Usually, they will be planted on another high point.
A post
No real trail cuts across the dunes, so, if you follow the posts, you will head to the right of a large island of pine trees up on a hill that you should be able to see from a long way off. Continue to the right of this “tree island” and you will hike towards a low, thick wall of trees. Be careful here. When we hiked, we had to slug our way through knee deep water at some points. Once we got into the wall of trees, we were able to walk on the small wooden walkways that were provided.
After a quarter mile walk through this thick forest, comes the payoff. There is a completely abandoned beach that stretches on for miles and miles. Beach activities are limited because it is a protected nesting area, but still, it is very beautiful. To get back, just follow those posts…you’re footprints might not be there anymore.
The Wall of Trees
Getting there: The trailhead is in between Reedsport and Coos Bay, right in a parking lot along the 101. There is a tiny town right next to it, Lakeside, Oregon that may have some facilities, but you should stock up elsewhere. If traveling south from Reedsport, you should pass the Eel Creek Campground and the John Dellenback Trailhead will be on the right shortly thereafter.
Fee: $5 parking fee, or if you have a Parks Pass that will also work.
The Take Away: Cool hike to the beach across these massive Oregon dunes
