South Jetty Preserve
Go to
South Jetty Preserve
for Dune Buggy Fun!
By Meredith Walker

South Jetty is the perfect place to go for access to the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area which extends 40 miles down the coast from Florence, OR, to Coos Bay.  These giant dunes, sculpted by wind, water and time, can tower as high as 500 feet and are the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America. You can hike, use an off-road vehicle, take pictures, stroll along the beach, fish or whatever you’d like to do. There are several designated trails for hiking or off road vehicles. Bring a picnic lunch, lots of water, sunscreen and spend the whole day out of doors. It can get very windy on the dunes so wear protective clothing.

You can bring your own all terrain vehicles(ATV) or rent one, as well as, sandboards, kayaks, surf boards, snorkeling gear, paddle boats, boogie boards, and skim boards in nearby Florence just a mile up the road.  If you bring your own ATV, remember that out of respect to other members, you must trailer your vehicle to the dunes and not drive it in the campground.

A favorite way to enjoy the dunes is to arrange a tour with Sandland Adventures.  You can bring the whole family and all your friends and enjoy an exhilarating dune ride on Sand Rails or a relaxing tour on Giant Dune Buggies.  Professional drivers will tell you all about the dunes and show you a fun time.  Rates are from $12-$45 per person depending on the tour chosen and they are located just outside the Preserve.   For more information go to http://www.sandland.com/

Once you’re out on the dunes, keep a look out for wildlife, such as, rabbits, raccoons, deer, elk, beaver, coyote, bear, snakes, bald eagles, osprey plus numerous shorebirds.  You’ll also come across several tree islands which are small isolated remnants of older coastal forests that were almost completely buried by sand. The islands prove that moving sand can bury whatever is in its way.

Another great family activity is flying kites.  You can bring your own or purchase one at local shops.  If you time your stay just right at South Jetty, you can participate in a demonstration on how to build a kite. Check the Recreation Schedule for dates and times.

In case you wanted to know.  The term jetty, comes from the French word jetée, and means “something that is thrown out”.  Jetties are built in pairs. The North and South jetties on the Siusaw (See YOU saw) River were authorized in 1890 to enclose a 10 foot channel, 600 feet wide that would continue the river channel out into the ocean while protecting it from the sea. For the South Jetty, 196,896 tons of stone were used to create a structure 5600 feet long with high tide rubble mounted walls.

South Jetty Preserve is open year round; however, most activities occur from Memorial to Labor Days.

For more information visit the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area web page.

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