Bandon State Natural Area

Bandon State Natural Area is a collection of attractions along Beach Loop Road in Bandon, Oregon, in southern Coos County.  (Map)  The Web site linked doesn't elucidate the constituent attractions, so I'll do that here as I discover them.

Devil's Kitchen is a wayside beach access and vista point along south Beach Loop Road.  It provides parking, flush rest rooms, and access to a stretch of beach studded with cool rock formations, with some giant sea stack islands just offshore.  It seems to mark the northern border of Bandon State Natural Area.

China Creek is the southernmost beach access point along Beach Loop Road just before it turns east to terminate near milepost 277 on US 101.  China Creek features paved parking, a porta-potty, and a longer sand trail with a creek crossing to reach the beach.  The beach here is south of the plentiful sea stacks for which Bandon is famous, but it's still a lovely stretch of sand and ocean!

Note that during nesting season for the endangered snowy plover (mid-March to mid-September), dogs are prohibited on the beach to the south of China Creek, and the mouth of China Creek is just to the north of the beach access, so for a long beach walk with a dog you'll need to ford the creek or drive to Devils Kitchen instead.

This beach is long, stretching from Bandon South Jetty Park at the mouth of the Coquille River south to the mouth of the New River and beyond past Floras Lake towards Blacklock Point.  But creeks abound, so wear soakable beach shoes and be prepared to ford creeks if you want to hike for miles.  On the other hand, beach access points are plentiful along Beach Loop Road as well, so you can explore in chunks.

It appears on a map that approaches to Bandon State Natural Area include Devil's Kitchen, China Creek, Boak Lane, and Lower Fourmile Lane (from the south) -- but I have no idea about property ownership, access, and so on.

View images at Google Image Search.


Begun 2019; updated 2021.