Siltcoos Beach recreation area is a strip of dune country between milepost 198 on US 101 and the ocean, containing the Siltcoos River, a beach access road, three campgrounds, OHV access to the dunes, several hiking trails, and a beach access 110 with lots of parking. Attractions:
Small paved parking and a few picnic tables in a meadow tucked among big coastal trees.
Camping loop for RVs and tents on wooded land within a semicircular former oxbow of the Siltcoos River, now severed and called a lagoon but evolving into a meadow.
About a mile of hiking trail and boardwalk around the lagoon loop, between the campground sites and the water. Interpretive signage about the landform, flora, and fauna.
Camping loops for RVs and tents on wooded ancient dune land, across a bridge over the Siltcoos River from the beach access road. Two flush rest rooms with running water and electrical outlets. Camp sites have picnic tables and shared fresh water, but no electricity. Cell phone service is uneven but workable in spots.
The Wax Myrtle Trail leads about a mile southwest from the Waxmyrtle Campground along the south bank of the Siltcoos River and through dunes to the beach 111 . The mouth of the Siltcoos River is a few hundred yards to the north. The broad sandy beach stretches for miles to the south, past several other Oregon Dunes beach access points. Dry feet until Tahkenitch Creek, about 4 miles south. I'm fond of this stretch of beach, because the population density is often low -- one must ford the Siltcoos River, walk a mile on the Wax Myrtle Trail, or walk up from similar mile-long approaches to the south to enjoy this. During the nesting season of the endangered snowy plover, March 15-September 15, this area is closed to dogs and all vehicles, and hikers are asked to stay on wet sand and avoid the river mouth. For Wax Myrtle Trail, best to park at Stagecoach Trailhead.
Stagecoach Trailhead offers paved parking for 10-12 cars, and is the best place to park for access to walking the trails here. There is a short unsigned trail spur leading onto the lovely estuary of the Siltcoos River. Across the Siltcoos beach access road is the trailhead for the Chief Tsiltcoos Trail, a charming mile-ish walk up and down ancient dunes now covered by coastal rain forest. A hundred yards inland along the beach access road is the boardwalk start of the Lagoon Trail. Finally, a trail eastward along the south side of the beach access road leads to the bridge to Waxmyrtle Campground, and immediately across the bridge is the trailhead for the Wax Myrtle Trail.
Driftwood II Campground is oriented at OHV riders, with a broad gravel parking lot for RVs and toy-haulers, and access to the OHV sand road network through the dunes. OHV engines can be heard throughout the recreation area from shortly after light until shortly after sunset.
The Siltcoos beach access road ends at a large parking lot with vault toilets and Siltcoos Beach Access 110 . Many toy-haulers park here to access the OHV sand road network. Hikers and beachcombers also park here to walk a steep sandy trail over the foredune to a broad beach. The mouth of the Siltcoos River is a few hundred yards to the south, and beach access restrictions apply during the nesting season of the endangered snowy plover, March 15-September 15. To the north, dogs are allowed during nesting season, though hikers should stay on wet sand nearer the ocean. Shortly north of the beach access, the OHV-legal stretch of beach begins, and runs a few miles northward. One can walk northward on the beach from 110 (actually from the mouth of the Siltcoos River) through the OHV area and along the sand spit of the South Jetty Dunes & Beach to 98 at the south jetty of the Siuslaw River. This is likely five or six miles.
The Siltcoos recreation area is administered by the US Forest Service as part of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Camping reservations through Recreation.gov. Pictures at Google Image Search.