GPS Coordinates: 43.7035447, -124.108142

EXPERIENCE > LANDMARK PLACES
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Created through erosion by wind and water over hundreds of thousands of years, Oregon's coastal dunes are some of the most expansive in the world. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (abbreviated as NRA) was established in 1972 to help protect and interpret them for the public. The NRA is part of the larger Siuslaw National Forest and is administered by the U.S. Forest Service. 

The NRA cuts a vast, sandy swath along the coast beginning near the town of Florence and sweeping south to Charleston. The visitors center for the dunes is located in Reedsport and should be your first stop when exploring and investigating the dune areas. At the visitors center, you can learn about the dunes natural history and pick up maps and other guides to the areas numerous trails, lakes, riparian areas, beaches, campsites and waysides. Over a million visitors trek to the dunes every year. 

The area is also home to thousands of species of plants and animals, many of which are threatened or endangered, so the visitors center is a great place to learn about the NRA's ongoing conservation projects. 

Related Features: Ecosystems: Dunes | Formation and Destruction of a Dune Sea | Western Snowy Plover: An Oregon Success Story | 

Must See Areas of the Oregon Dunes NRA: 

South Jetty Dune and Beach Access Road
GPS Coordinates: 43.9565544, -124.1198674

Oregon Dunes Day Use Area 
GPS Coordinates: 43.8336064, -124.1536398

John Dellenback Dunes Trail
GPS Coordinates: 43.5838476, -124.1845852

Science in Seconds: The Global Positioning System: Finding these Landmark Places will be easier if you understand the Global Positioning System or GPS. This sophisticated system can allow a user to find any spot on earth within a few feet. Here's how it works...

Representative Species of the Oregon Dunes NRA:

Suggested Activities for the Oregon Dunes NRA: