On Wednesday we left Bend Oregon and moved on to Coastal Oregon. We traveled highway 97 to highway 58, also known as the Willamette Highway. This scenic roadway took us over the Cascade range, past beautiful lakes and reservoirs, and through two national forests. It was Smokey throughout our drive and we saw signs along the road alerting for fire crews in the area.
As we drove along the highway, we continued to be in awe of the tall pine trees!
Along the way we came upon the Dean Creek Elk Viewing area. As we buzzed by, we could see a herd of elk..but we couldn’t stop! This is the only photo I could get!
We were caught off guard when I read the sign alerting us that we were entering a Tsunami Area! Ken asked me if I was making it up! It quickly reminded us of our time in Homer, AK when the Tsunami Siren sounded! Not fun!
WELCOME TO COOS BAY
CONDE B. MCCULLOUGH MEMORIAL BRIDGE -This iconic Oregon coast bridge, established in 1936, stretches over 1,700 feet across Coos Bay. It was quite a dramatic entrance to the city.
Coos Bay straddles scenic 101 and is one of the word’s largest ports for forest products, especially wood chips. We saw several logging trucks on our way to Coos Bay.
Our destination was North Bend, OR… not a suburb of Bend, OR. We drove 238 miles today to reach The Mill Casino and RV Park. We stopped at the registration office for directions to our site. We left the office with directions and suggestions on activities in North Bend. We settled in to our front row pullthrough site facing the bayside. Good views of the bay and some large boats!
North Bend is situated on a pennisula jutting out into the Coos Bay. It has mild oceanic climate and is surrounded by breathtaking scenery. The town thrives on timber, manufacturing, retail, and oyster farms. As we drove around town, we saw lots of timber (logs and wood chips) and oyster shells! The waters of Coos Bay are the largest Pacific oyster-producing estuary. Crabbing and Clamming are popular recreational activities.
We drove a few miles to Charleston, a town with a harbor and a marina. Deep Sea Fishing is popular in Charleston; Halibut, Snapper, Tuna. We heard that it had a restarurant that served Halibut Fish and Chips. Miller’s Cove was recommended to us by the RV Park host. She said they had the best fish and chips… she was right…they were delicious! Almost as good as our favorite in Whitehorse, Yukon!
Searching for Coastal Sand Dunes
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
Located about half an hour north of Coos Bay, the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in the United States. The dunefield is a 47-mile stretch of wind-sculpted sand dunes towering up to 500 feet above sea level.
We stopped and purchased our $5 park pass and continued on toward the beach. We climbed up and over the dunes and then walked toward the ocean. Of course, we didn’t have our flip flops/sandals! The sand was very deep which made for unsteady walking and shoes full of sand!! The air was chilly and windy, so, we didn’t stay long…but, long enough to enjoy the beauty!
We only booked a two day stay in Coos Bay. This morning, our RV park had lots of open spaces. When we returned from our outing, the park was nearly full. It’s time to get on the road again!
Tomorrow- Crater Lake
Note: click on first photo is each grouping to start a slideshow with larger images.
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