Hiking

Year ’round hiking opportunities through forests and dunes abound in our area. Some trails even date back to the 1930s when the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) created them in Honeyman Park along with connector trails so you can access Woahink Lake. Honeyman Park also offers hiking / biking camping. At Siltcoos Lake, grab your favorite hiking boots and day pack to venture out on the Chief Siltcoos Trail, Siltcoos Lagoon Trail, and trek to the Pacific Ocean along the Waxmyrtle Trail.

Stagecoach Trailhead, Siltcoos Beach: Easy, interesting trails
Siltcoos Lake Trail: Monster cedar snags and valley floor marshes
Carter and Taylor Dunes Trails: Old spruces and rhododendrons, lots of wildlife
Oregon Dunes Overlook: Surprise! Good views of the dunes.
Tahkenitch Creek Trail: Quiet and you might actually spot some tracks
Tahkenitch Dunes Area: Longish – forest to beach
Umpqua and Eel Dunes Trails: Best dunes trails but slow going from all that sand
Bluebill Trail: Western hemlock and huckleberries, plus extensive boardwalk

Siltcoos Campgrounds and Beach Access: Trailhead for several trails is one mile west of U.S. Highway 101 on Siltcoos Beach Road.
From Florence: 7 miles south.
From Reedsport: 13.5 miles north.

Setting and Attractions: The Stagecoach Trailhead commemorates the 19th Century Beach Stagecoach Route between Coos Bay and Florence. Three short and relatively easy hiking trails are accessible from the Stagecoach Trailhead, which has parking for several vehicles. Coastal forest, a saltwater estuary and a freshwater lagoon make this area outstanding for wildlife viewing. The area north of the Siltcoos River is open to off-road vehicles, and you may hear noise from the ORVs as you hike.

Waxmyrtle Trail: Trail is 1.5 miles long.
The trail leads across a bridge and then turns south, bordering the picturesque Siltcoos River Estuary and ending at the beach. Outstanding views of the lower estuary and ocean highlight this trail. Posted signs caution that portions of the estuary are protected snowy plover nesting areas. Please respect the birds’ habitat. This is a great trail for beachcombers to reach the beach.

Chief Tsiltcoos Trail: Trail is 1.25 miles long.
The trail is located across the road from Stagecoach Trailhead. This may be hiked as a loop or as a destination trail to Driftwood II Campground, a popular off-road vehicle campground. The trail winds up and down through a coastal evergreen forest of huckleberry and rhododendron. The trail encircles a second, short loop around the hillside’s peak.

Lagoon Trail: Trail is 1 mile long.
It is located 0.25 miles east of Stagecoach Trailhead or hikers can access it from the Lagoon Campground. The trail meanders across wooden boardwalks and paths alongside the Siltcoos River Lagoon for close-up viewing of plants and wildlife including beavers, nutrias, ducks, herons, and bitterns. It was once known as “The River of No Return” nature trail because it follows an old arm of the Siltcoos River that was cut off when the Siltcoos Beach Road was built.

Siltcoos Lake Trail Access: Located on the east side of U.S. Highway 101, opposite Siltcoos Beach Access Road.
From Florence: 7 miles south.
From Reedsport: 13.5 miles north.
Trail length: 2.25 miles to the lake.

Setting and Attractions: From the trailhead parking area, Siltcoos Lake Trail gradually climbs and descends through a 50- to 60-year-old forest of Sitka spruce, Douglas-fir, western red cedar and western hemlock, ending on the west shore of the lake.

Siltcoos Lake Trail: Trees dating back to the 1930’s provide a dense canopy overhead, and hikers can explore the monster cedar snags and stumps and valley floor marshes. You can still see on some stumps evidence of the 1930s’ logging practice of cutting springboard notches to hold planks for tree fallers.

Halfway to the lake, the trail divides to form a loop and leads to two campsite areas equipped with primitive toilets, tables and campfire rings. Both campsites are accessible by boat or allow you to put-in a raft if you hiked in with one. The south loop leads to one lakeside campsite and the north loop leads to a group of five lakeside campsites.

The lake offers year-round fishing although bank fishing is sparse. Stocked with rainbow trout, the lake also is home to yellow perch, bullhead catfish, crappie, Largemouth bass and bluegill.

For more information, go to www.oregonstateparks.org and www.fs.usda.gov/siulsaw