Explore the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area from Reedsport/Winchester Bay. Reedsport is located on Highway 101 in the heart of the Dunes recreation area, near the mouth of the Umpqua River, famous for its fishing. Winchester Bay, a tiny town built beside Salmon Harbor, is the home of the coast's largest sport fishing fleet. Salmon Harbor is at the mouth of the Umpqua River, one of the largest rivers between the Columbia River and San Francisco Bay. Small and rustic, Winchester Bay is a good, inexpensive place to go for charter deep sea fishing for salmon or bottom fish.

The neighboring towns of Reedsport, Gardiner and Winchester Bay are located on the Umpqua River, in the Heart of the Oregon Dunes. These coastal Communities are the gateway to 40 miles of undisturbed beaches and the tallest dunes in Oregon. They also claim: the only Lighthouse on the west coast featuring a red lens, spectacular sunsets, a world-class Skate Board Park, magnificent Roosevelt Elk herds, the best fishing on the Oregon Coast, and other abundant wildlife and aviary viewing opportunities.

The rich and diverse natural beauty affords a number of outdoor recreational opportunities including body surfing at the beach, scuba diving, hiking through miles of tall timber, camping, skateboarding, biking, ATVing, boating, fishing, walking the beach, sun bathing at Loon Lake, kayaking on the Umpqua River, play in the clear waters of Lake Marie, Whale Watching at the Umpqua River Lighthouse, roasting hot dogs over a beach bonfire, or sitting on one of the beach dunes watching the sun set into the ocean.

The vast dunes of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (ODNRA) stretch for 40 miles from the mouth of the Siuslaw River south to Coos Bay. There are 30 freshwater lakes, 40 miles of hiking trails and over 40 percent of the area is open to off-road vehicles, making it a favorite tourist destination. Reedsport is the information hub for the ODNRA, and tips about hiking, dune buggy rental, and local flora and fauna can be obtained at the ODNRA Visitor Center. They can also direct you to the best places to enter the dunes area. If you're looking for fishing, waterskiing or boating, Siltcoos, Tahkenitch or Ten Mile Lakes are good recreation choices.

The Oregon Dunes at Winchester Bay boasts one of eight race tracks sanctioned by the American Sand Drag Association. The rolling dunes stretch along the majority of the Oregon coastline, displaying beautiful scenery and a unique landscape.
Just south of Reedsport on Highway 101 is Winchester Bay, at the mouth of the Umpqua River. This community is a coastal playground in the heart of the Oregon Dunes. It attracts photographers, artists, crabbers, clam diggers, fishermen, wildlife watchers, beachcombers and dune buggies! It is also known for Salmon Harbor, the boat marina.
The Winchester Bay area is located in the heart of the Oregon Dunes NRA (National Recreation Area - 47 miles stretching from Florence to North Bend).

The NRA is home to many miles of undisturbed beaches, abundant wildlife, 30 lakes, 14 developed hiking trails, 13 campgrounds, 11 beach parking areas, and over 10,000 acres of off-highway riding areas. For ATVers, our dunes offer some of the best riding locations on the coast.

Fishermen will enjoy going after salmon, bottom fish, sturgeon, bass, trout and many other varieties of fish. There are many lakes for those who prefer freshwater fishing: bluegill, steelhead, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, catfish, crappie and hybrid bass are all available. There's also clamming and crabbing - and in August and September we have the $10,000 Crab Bounty Hunt.

Lakes, Rivers and Ocean: An outdoor lover's dream. In the Reedsport-Winchester Bay area there are three beautiful and scenic bodies of water, the Smith River, Scholfield Creek and the Umpqua River. There are over 17 fresh water lakes within a 20-mile radius. The ocean and rivers offer a variety of seafood, such as Chinook and Coho salmon, bottom fish, striped and small mouth bass, steelhead. sturgeon, shad, pink fin perch, Dungeness crab, clams and oysters.

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area: Some of the highest sand dunes in the United States are located in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, which stretches forty miles from Florence to North Bend, with Reedsport- Winchester Bay located right in the middle. ODNRA headquarters is located at 855 Highway 101 in Reedsport. (541)271-3611

Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area: Located three miles east of Reedsport on Highway 38, this 1,000-acre preserve provides an opportunity to view 100's of Roosevelt Elk in their natural habitat.

Whale Watching Station and Umpqua Lighthouse: Located one mile south of Winchester Bay is the Umpqua River Lighthouse. It is one of the few working lighthouses on the Oregon Coast and the only one featuring a red lens. Tours inside the lighthouse are available during the summer months. Across from the lighthouse is an observation deck for whale watching with interpretive panels and spotting scopes.

Bird Watching: The Lower Umpqua Area is a bird watcher's paradise. In the forests and marshes watch for the bald eagle, osprey, snowy plover, great blue heron, and great egret. Along the beach you will find plovers, sander lings, terns, gulls, killdeer and sandpipers.

To experience mountains of shifting sand, buried forests, view rare plants and insects, or just to do some great hiking, fishing and boating, come and visit the Reedsport/Winchester Bay area!

Reedsport / Winchester Bay Directory

Reedsport / Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 11 * Hwy 101 & 13th * Reedsport, OR 97467
Phone: 541-271-3495 * (800) 247-2155
web site: http://www.reedsportcc.org/ 

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