PLACES TO RIDE - OREGON
FLORENCE -
A great place to go for the whole family, there are 2 great parking lots, restrooms, the ocean, trails, hills, bowls, flat areas, you name it… it’s there. There are big Dunes to try and capture the bragging rights of all the way down to just flat terrain, and of course the ocean. You’ll see a wide variety of off-road vehicles having fun, just remember to pop in your flag and watch out for the decibel police :) . Oregon is known for being pretty tight when it comes to the awesome sound your machine is belting out.
After moving from the Pacific Northwest we haven't been back to Oregon very often. Photo's below are from 2011 and 2007
We finally made it back to Florence (Sept '07) thanks to a family reunion in Washington. It's not as easy of a drive from AZ as it is from WA. We had a great time and it was very relaxing. The only negative for all of you out there who have a big set-up (rv & trailer) is there's not really any parking for the combo. We're just under 65ft long and ended up taking two spots in the upper lot... and we were there at the end of Labor Day weekend. Not sure how busy it is on a regular weekend, but now that we have a longer drive to get there, we'll be showing up on weekdays to make things easier. There was also a $5 day use fee (per family, not individual), incredibly affordable! Below are pictures from our recent trip in 2007, we took more video shots than pictures. Once the morning marine layer burned off, it was a beautiful day for riding. We were there shortly after the park opened and were the last ones to leave. Florence, Winchester Bay, and Coos Bay are day-use only areas with no overnight camping. We had more fun than we expected and are looking forward to making another trip north. On our way out we cruised south on Highway 101 to check out Winchester Bay again. We did find a new parking area that allowed overnight camping on the street that leads you to Winchester. Reedsport is the name of the town and just follow the sign that says ORV area or something like that. It came upon us too quickly in the dark for us to get a picture of the sign. This parking area had probably about 20-30 pull-thru stalls and it was long enough for us. Since it was dark we couldn't tell where the dune access was, but we know it was close. We continued down the main road to the Winchester parking area and cruised thru it. It was as we remembered it, a little on the small side and the few pull-thru spots that they have are only 60' long.
Directions are easy; from the north, take I-5 south to Eugene exit number 195, Beltline Rd. Follow Beltline Road west until it hooks up to highway 126. Follow HWY 126 west and it takes you right into Florence (about 1 hour from Eugene). Once you get to HWY 101, head south and follow the South Jetty signs (this is the Florence riding area). Over all this is about a 7 hour drive from Everett, WA and from Pasco, WA. It’s 3.5 hours from Portland, OR.
After riding, you’re just a couple of miles from town for food and lodging. Also, the Sea Lion Caves are only about 15 miles north on Highway 101. Well worth the time to check it out.
After moving from the Pacific Northwest we haven't been back to Oregon very often. Photo's below are from 2011 and 2007
We finally made it back to Florence (Sept '07) thanks to a family reunion in Washington. It's not as easy of a drive from AZ as it is from WA. We had a great time and it was very relaxing. The only negative for all of you out there who have a big set-up (rv & trailer) is there's not really any parking for the combo. We're just under 65ft long and ended up taking two spots in the upper lot... and we were there at the end of Labor Day weekend. Not sure how busy it is on a regular weekend, but now that we have a longer drive to get there, we'll be showing up on weekdays to make things easier. There was also a $5 day use fee (per family, not individual), incredibly affordable! Below are pictures from our recent trip in 2007, we took more video shots than pictures. Once the morning marine layer burned off, it was a beautiful day for riding. We were there shortly after the park opened and were the last ones to leave. Florence, Winchester Bay, and Coos Bay are day-use only areas with no overnight camping. We had more fun than we expected and are looking forward to making another trip north. On our way out we cruised south on Highway 101 to check out Winchester Bay again. We did find a new parking area that allowed overnight camping on the street that leads you to Winchester. Reedsport is the name of the town and just follow the sign that says ORV area or something like that. It came upon us too quickly in the dark for us to get a picture of the sign. This parking area had probably about 20-30 pull-thru stalls and it was long enough for us. Since it was dark we couldn't tell where the dune access was, but we know it was close. We continued down the main road to the Winchester parking area and cruised thru it. It was as we remembered it, a little on the small side and the few pull-thru spots that they have are only 60' long.
Directions are easy; from the north, take I-5 south to Eugene exit number 195, Beltline Rd. Follow Beltline Road west until it hooks up to highway 126. Follow HWY 126 west and it takes you right into Florence (about 1 hour from Eugene). Once you get to HWY 101, head south and follow the South Jetty signs (this is the Florence riding area). Over all this is about a 7 hour drive from Everett, WA and from Pasco, WA. It’s 3.5 hours from Portland, OR.
After riding, you’re just a couple of miles from town for food and lodging. Also, the Sea Lion Caves are only about 15 miles north on Highway 101. Well worth the time to check it out.
WINCHESTER BAY / REEDSPORT -
Another great spot to ride about 20 miles south of Florence and home of Sand Fest every August. The hills are much bigger here than in Florence, and there are a lot more of them. There are places to camp right there in the sand as well as reserved sights and mobile homes to rent. You can start your ride right from your front door. Like Florence, there are stores, restaurants, and gas stations right there in town to take care of those little things that you may have left at home. Directions; from Florence head south on HWY 101 about 25 miles and all the signs point to the West. On a recent trip to Florence in 2007 we cruised by Winchester before heading home. Please see the Florence section above for new info regarding Winchester.
COOS BAY -
Just a little farther South, and a lot of great terrain. It’s also where the oil tanker ran a ground and littered the beach with junk, a couple years ago. There is a lot of beachfront riding here, as well as some hills to climb. All 3 places are great, and you can ride right on the beach. Directions; from Florence head south on HWY 101 about 45 miles and all the signs point to the West.
VIRTUE FLAT - BAKER CITY, OR
We headed out to check out Virtue Flat in Baker City, Oregon (Aug 29, 2020). There are a lot of wide open trails, wide enough for the 1000 SxS's. We didn't cover the entire 5,000 acres of riding but had fun exploring the trails we did. The trails are marked fairly well, a little guess work in places, but not bad. It will be fun to get back to with a little bigger crew riding.
From I-84 take exit 302 on the west end of Baker City and head north on highway 86. Just after you pass the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center watch for Ruckles Creek Loop gravel road on your right, just past mile marker 7. Follow the gravel road for 3 miles to the staging area, on your left. Be sure to stay to the left as you had down the gravel road as you will come to one 'Y' in the road. The large Virtue Flat OHV area sits between Ruckles Creek Loop and Highway 86 so it's pretty easy to find landmarks and know where you're at.
From I-84 take exit 302 on the west end of Baker City and head north on highway 86. Just after you pass the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center watch for Ruckles Creek Loop gravel road on your right, just past mile marker 7. Follow the gravel road for 3 miles to the staging area, on your left. Be sure to stay to the left as you had down the gravel road as you will come to one 'Y' in the road. The large Virtue Flat OHV area sits between Ruckles Creek Loop and Highway 86 so it's pretty easy to find landmarks and know where you're at.
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