SW Oregon trip advice?

[syncrodoka]

I have done some searching and decided to take the kids camping in Brookings OR (they wanted to get out of the state) in a few weeks. Do any of the locals or those in the know have any advise on must see things or must do items while I am in the area. I have been to Bend, Medford and have driven through the state on 5 but I have never been to the OR coast before.
The jet boat rides at gold beach sounds good to me but the motion sickness prone daughter probably won't let that happen.

[r.e.wing_fc3s]

i really like the clam chowder/breadbowl and local oysters at MO's. i have to eat there every time im at the coast. they have one in most of the large towns. i really like bandon. was just down there again. check out kronenberg state park.

[Zeitgeist 13]

Wow, it's hard to imagine spending time in OR and not driving along 101 and experiencing that beautiful coast. Stunning, but then again, the coast is stunning all the way from the Bay area up along 1 and 101, as well. Lots of dubs in the Coos Bay area.
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[syncrodoka]

I live a short walk from the ocean. I often camp in Big Sur and along the north coast in CA. I grew up a son of a competitive skin diver and have always been by the ocean from Baja to Nor-Cal since birth.
The beautiful coast is something that I somewhat know, but OR is different so I am looking for some pointers.

[carterzest]

[MichaelRpdx]

Take the "old 101" from Brookings to Gold Beach. Spectacular views up there.

Gold Beach has a vintage car museum / malt shop. It's a hoot.

Drive up the coast as far a Bandon and you've (in my highly prejudiced opinion) seen the best.

Indian Creek Cafe in Gold Beach, actually up the Rogue River about two miles on the south jetty road, has the best breakfasts. (see above opinion comment)

Jet boat trips up the Rogue if you like that sort of thing.

Drive up the south side of the Rogue and check the public campgrounds - you may find a stunning one you'll love. If you get as far as the bridge to the north side take it, follow the first right and then you can hunt petrogylphs.

Whales Head Cove, just a few miles north of Brookings, has incredible tide pools

If you're a church going type, the Luthern Church in Gold Beach will welcome you and give you a quart jar of church volunteer assembled dried beans / soup mix. If you're really lucky you'll get one my Mom put together.

That's it from the top of my head. I'll repost after giving it some thought.

Background: my parents moved to the area after I was in college. So while I've never lived there, I have visited reasonably often.
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Michael in PDX
Sauntering around with Frances, a red 89 Westy

[jkidd152]

That is great info there, Michael! Well done. Now I want to go!
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'85 Syncro Westy

[dubsnfun]

If you're looking for a great return trip road with lots of camping places pretty much anywhere along the way and prolly some of sw oregon's most beautiful scenery, I would suggest the bear camp coastal route that starts in gold beach, and ends up in galice. you can roll down to grants pass and get back to the 101 from there. It's pretty hairy, but it is perfect for slower vehicles.

If you take it though, be prepared......

[j_dirge]

[dubsnfun]

a few more shots of that route

sometimes the road goes down to one lane

you roll through oregon's largest wildfire in 2002; biscuit fire, trees are healthy 50 yards either way right here

a jetta that I had just converted to diesel and this was its first test...

Just bought a sweet diesel vanagon yesterday, and thinking of going back for some nice respite. Enjoy

[climberjohn]

Agreed, the coast south of Bandon is the best.
Anywhere on the map where 101 is next to the ocean is where you want to be.
Any place where the road runs inland, like from Bandon to Coos bay, is to be avoided, nothing much to see.

Lots of cool little pocket beaches just north of Brookings, anything run by OR state parks is worthy of a stop.

Stop at any lighthouse you see on the map.

Pistol River is fun for watching the afternoon sailboarders, just north of Brookings.

Yes, explore the Rogue River south bank road. The Bear Camp road is very cool, and camping along the Rogue near Galice is nice and low key. Take a short hike downriver from the Graves Creek raft put in to Rainy Falls, the biggest drop on river.

Galice is a a rafting town. Rent beginner friendly inflatable kayaks there and take a day trip on the mellow flatwater sections near town.

The Chetco River that flow through Brookings is pretty and warm in the summer for swimming. Inquire locally to get camping info.

Tip for Oregon travel in general: I have had great luck getting the local scoop on camping, fishing, and pretty much anything at small town gas stations.

Tip them a buck or two after the fill up and then ask about what you want to know. OR has no self serve gas. The locals who work at gas stations are pretty bored, really appreciate a modest tip, and almost always provide solid info.


-CJ
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'86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often.

[Bman]

Syncro Doka:

Come see why we like it here. SW Oregon Coast is a charmer; I'll work from the South ~ North:

Obviously there are the big trees of NORCAL Redwood Country, depending on how you are coming North; if from I5 I would take the 199 from Grants pass and follow it through the Illonios Valley to Cave Junction, here you can follow the signs to visit the Oregon Caves National Monument, or continue South to Takilma and visit the Treehouse Treesort a Bed and Breakfast in a truly rural and special area.

Otherwise keep following 199 south along the Smith River towards Crescent City. Here you can turn North and drive into Oregon and visit Brookings. Hungry? Stop at the Wild River Brewing & Pizza Company for excellents pints and tasty pizza. Love all things German? Order the Octoberfest pizza with sauerkraut, go ahead you're on vacation try it; you'll love it!

Into Brookings flows one of Oregon's most beautiful rivers, the Wild & Scenic Chetco River. This river originates in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness area and is home to chinook, coho, steelhead, and sea-run cutthroat. The river offers a wide assortment of recreation opportunities, is not as populated as the Rogue, and offers more access. All along the river there are pull outs where you can drive onto the gravel beds and camp, swim, and picnic. Check out:
http://www.rivers.gov/wsr-chetco.html for more info. As a fisheries biologist I have surveyed far and wide on this river and it is with out a doubt my favorite in Oregon.

After Brookings, the southern Oregon Coast along 101 has numerous spots to camp and hang on the beach, see amazing sea stacks, hike along the coastal trails at any of the local pull outs; just be prepared for the wind and cool nights. Check out Sandy Grumman's tide pool page for more info:
http://tidepooling.typepad.com/tidepooling_on_the_southe/2008/11/what_are_tidepo.html

North of Gold Beach you have more opportunities to play on the beach and chill, again the coast is still rocky here which makes for dramatic landscapes, but use caution and watch the tides. Just North of Port Orford is Cape Blanco, the most westernly point of the lower 48. You can camp in the State Park CG here and explore the mouth of the Sixes River (coho, chinook, steelhead and cutthroat fishing) or head up to the small Grassy Knob Wilderness Area inland, trails are a bit rugged but the former lookout site does offer unobstructed views of the Pacific.

Further North is Bandon, a great little town with a trendy little downtown waterfront scene. Get yourself some fish and chips, treat your kids to some ice cream and then go check out the Bandon Marsh Refuge, one of the largest remaining tidal salt water marsh in the Coquille River Estuary. The largest tidal marsh restoration is also underway here, including the rerouting of powerlines, the removal of century old dikes and the reclaiming of over 400 acres of riverine and esturaine habitat. On the North side of the river are old Coquille Indian Tribe village sites.

Now everyone will tell you to leave the coast now, your done, you've seen the best; and perhaps they have a bit of the truth; however have you ever been to Oregon's Bay Area? Yes, I live in the Coos and I'm partial to our scene, our town is not much to look at (we're working on that), but we still do have a lot to offer: again fishing on the Coos River, chinook and coho, crabbing in the Bay (dungeness, and rock), sturgen fishing upriver, and clamming. There is also the State Parks out on Cape Arago, again more beaches and excellent tidepooling. Look up my friend's Stephanie and Kristina, state park employees and tidepool guides. Still want some pizza? Check out Roger's Zoo in North Bend, it looks a bit seedy on the outside but he carries great beer and makes the best pizza and food in town, tell him Viking Bryan says HI!

If you're all tuckered out of beach camping now, look me up in Coos Bay (send a PM) and I'll throw together a barbque for you and your's. We'll have local oysters and clams, smoked lamb, and all the home grown veggies and salad you can eat from my garden. It's summer time and the bounty is for all to share.

Now you are in a Syncro, so it might be time to lock the diffs and head on out to the Oregon Dunes Rec Area just North of Coos Bay/North Bend, where there are miles of 4X4 trails to explore. The camping is unlimited here and the potential for seclusion is awesome. Or perhaps you want to see the worlds largest Douglas Fir tree? I can give you the detailed forest road instructions to get out to the awesome old growth patch up Brummit Creek, or send you along the old Coos Bay Wagon Road for more awesome scenery.

So, there is my take on the Southern Oregon Coast from a local. Of course there are a ton of other little details and tidbits I can fill you in on, depending on what you like; are you still headed North? there is another Smith River with awesome fishing and camping just 1/2 hour outside of Coos Bay, also the Elliot State Forest just east of us. Come check us out; we'll treat you right!
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1990 Burgandy Tintop (Wife's Daily Driver)
1989 Tiico Westfalia "Taj"




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[Greystar]

Well I can't give you local-in-the-know info but we did just do this trip 2 weeks ago. Rented a camper in SF, drove to Bend then over to the coast down to Gold beach. Then down to the Redwoods. Did the Jet boat trip up the Rogue with 2 family members that do get motion sickness and they didn't have any problems. We did a stop for lunch trip and it started to get a little long by then. And hot! But it was one of the highlights of our vacation. We saw otter, seals, bald eagles, deer, elk and osprey's fighting eagles.
We only stayed in Nat or St parks since we didn't know any thing else. Can't go wrong along the coast!
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'87 syncro gl

[Bruce Wayne]

I agree with Bman,Coos is great place. we go every year,except this year of course. we stay at Sunset Bay State Park. it's a few miles off 101,but a good base camp for us. good tidepools,hiking and such within walking distance. surfing,boogie boarding at Bastendorf Beach just a couple miles away. watch out for the guys in the gray and white wetsuits,they can get bitey! flower gardens at Shore Acres just up the road,nice walk or short drive. lots of seals,osprey,deer,squirrels,aardvarks etc in the area too.
golf course right by the campground.
2 frisbee golf parks in town one at Mingus Park,and the other just as you cross McCullogh Bridge (south) into town,Winsor Park is the name I think.plenty of fresh seafood in Charelston just 6 miles away. 24 miles to Bandon. lots to see and do here!!

[randywebb]

besides the pm I sent you, you might want to concentrate on what is different than Calif.

that would be sand dunes & sea stacks mostly

some dune areas are open to vehicles & dogs, others are not (as another biologist, I'll mention the endangered Snowy Plover as a reason to avoid certain areas - they will be posted)

you can follow some streams down to their outlets easily or hike the "Lost Coast" which is the most isolated area

I've always been fascinated the Coos Bay estuary area - it is severely degraded from logging, but offers a glimpse of its potential even now - you might want to boat it or at least drive around in the back bay some if that sort of thing interests you

not much more to add to all the info you got above
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1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans.

[syncrodoka]

Thanks for all the hints.
I definitely want to check out as much as possible in the area and all of your tips will be looked at as possibilities. Bringing along the disks for a round of disk golf is a good idea.
I will be in the area for 4 days and I am sure that we will have time to explore and see a little of what the area has to offer. The rest of my 2 week kid vacation will be spent in Humboldt, Klamath, and Fort Bragg.

[climberjohn]

I nominate this thread for a sticky . . .
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'86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often.

[tomkay]

I've hiked around some at the South Slough Reserve just outside of Charleston and it's really a neat place. I've thought it would be real fun
to paddle up into from Charleston and then take the tide back.

Get some Shrimp Cocktail at Chucks Seafood as a nice bonus.

"On the Docks" in Port Orford has some good food as well. You can get a bite to eat and watch the boats get lifted from the water for the night. The maritime "museum" at the back of the restaurant is worth a look see as well.
It's a curious collection of artifacts that makes me smile just thinking about it.
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'87 Westy

[SlowLane]

Just came through that area a couple of weeks ago.

We stayed one night at Harris Beach State park, just north of Brookings. Very nice campsites, and an incredible beach with powder-soft sand.
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[jbart]

Mo's sucks and is way overrated
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