The field guide
Everything between the Siuslaw and the Umpqua — trails, lakes, landings, landmarks, and tables.
Places in the guide
169 entries
Hobbit Trail
A tunnel of salal and spruce that drops from the highway to a hidden beach.
Highway 101, north of Florence
Siuslaw Estuary Trail
A flat gravel path along the river, running east from the bridge past the tide flats where herons work the shallows.
Spruce Street at Highway 126, Florence
Woahink Lake Trail
A soft path through shore pine and rhododendron along the east shore, quiet enough that the lake stays glass until midday.
East Woahink Day Use, Canary Road
Darlingtonia Boardwalk
A short boardwalk over an eighteen-acre bog of cobra lilies.
Highway 101, north of Florence
Cleawox Lake Trail
A flat walk around the lake, past the old bathhouse and the sand slide.
Honeyman State Park
Siltcoos Lake Trail
A wooded loop of about four and a half miles that climbs to look down on the lake.
Siltcoos Lake Trailhead, Highway 101
John Dellenback Dunes Trail
A broad unmarked route across open sand out to the beach; bring a compass and water.
Highway 101, south of Reedsport
Umpqua Dunes Trail
A loop of about two and a half miles through the largest open sheet of sand on the coast.
Umpqua Dunes Day Use, off Highway 101
Heceta Head Lighthouse Trail
Half a mile uphill to the light station, then a trail on around the headland to the keeper’s house.
Heceta Head State Scenic Viewpoint
Sweet Creek Falls Trail
Eleven waterfalls in a Coast Range canyon, much of it seen from boardwalk and catwalk above the creek.
Access advisory
Sweet Creek Road, Siuslaw National Forest
Kentucky Falls Trail
Upper and Lower Kentucky Falls on one wooded walk in the Coast Range, best after rain.
Siuslaw National Forest, near Mapleton
Amanda's Trail #1386
A steep historic descent from the top of the cape to a grotto and a concrete statue.
Cape Perpetua
Whispering Spruce Trail
A quarter-mile loop to the stone West Shelter, with a hundred miles of coastline in view.
Cape Perpetua summit, Whispering Spruce Trailhead
Cummins Creek Loop
Old-growth spruce and a ridge above the sea, south of Yachats.
Cummins Creek Wilderness
Rock Creek Wilderness
Roadless spruce and alder. No maintained trails; the walking is bushwhacking.
Highway 101 between Yachats and Florence
Drift Creek Wilderness
Valley-bottom old growth along Drift Creek, reached by steep and faint routes.
Horse Creek North Trailhead, east of Waldport
Honeyman Dunes
Climb the sand from the campground for the long view south over Cleawox.
Honeyman State Park
Sutton Creek Trail
A loop through the Heceta Dunes and along a slow creek, with the beach as a spur.
Sutton Beach Trailhead, Sutton Recreation Area
Eel Lake Trail
Three and a half miles around Eel Lake, most of it under big spruce and hemlock.
William M. Tugman State Park
Lake Marie Trail
A flat loop around Lake Marie, with the light and the dunes a few steps away.
Umpqua Lighthouse State Park
Cook's Ridge Trail #1370
Runs the ridge through old growth that survived the fires of the 1800s.
Cape Perpetua Trailhead, visitor center parking
Drift Creek Falls Trail
A mile and a half down to a waterfall and a suspension bridge above the gorge.
Siuslaw National Forest, near Lincoln City
Valley of the Giants
An ancient grove of Douglas fir along the river, reached by a short walk from the road.
Coast Range, near Falls City
Cleawox Lake
A dune-blocked lake with a sand slide on the west shore and a swim beach in summer.
Honeyman State Park
Woahink Lake
Clear, deep water with a boat ramp and a seaplane base at the north end.
South of Florence, off Highway 101
Siltcoos Lake
The largest lake on the Oregon coast, ten miles of shoreline behind the dunes.
Dunes City
Tahkenitch Lake
A drowned river valley full of standing snags, quiet arms, and bass cover.
Highway 101 between Florence and Gardiner
Sutton Lake
Fresh water a dune away from the surf, with campground loops on both shores.
Sutton Recreation Area
Perkins Lake
A small lake in the pines behind the light, with a footpath around it.
Umpqua Lighthouse State Park
Siuslaw River
Fall chinook and winter steelhead; the tidewater stretch is the local water.
Mapleton to Tidewater
Siltcoos Lake coho
A late-fall coho run, fished mostly by trolling near the river mouths.
Siltcoos Lake and river
Sea Lion Caves
The largest sea cave in the country, with an elevator down to the Steller sea lions.
Highway 101, north of Florence
Cape Perpetua Scenic Area
The highest drive-up viewpoint on the Oregon coast, with tidepools below at Cook’s Chasm.
Highway 101 south of Yachats
Devil's Churn
A narrow inlet that throws spray over the rocks when the swell runs high.
Cape Perpetua · Pin pending review
Heceta Head viewpoint
The postcard angle on the lighthouse, from the beach at the mouth of Cape Creek.
Highway 101 at Cape Creek
Muriel O. Ponsler Viewpoint
A quiet pullout with a trail down to a pocket beach.
Highway 101, north of Florence
Stonefield Beach
A gravel beach where Tenmile Creek meets the surf.
Highway 101 south of Yachats
Tokatee Klootchman
A small natural site with a short path to a rocky shore.
Highway 101 south of Yachats
Smelt Sands
A paved mile along the rocks, and where the town dips for smelt in summer.
Yachats, west end of Fourth Street
Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint
Three coves, the mouth of Cummins Creek, and a low-tide beach walk.
Highway 101 south of Yachats
Yachats Ocean Road
A short loop above the surge channel at the mouth of the Yachats River.
Yachats
Carl G. Washburne State Park
Spruce forest, a campground, and a trail out to the beach through the dunes.
Highway 101, north of Heceta Head
North Spit
The long sand spit across the river, reached by the jetty road.
North Jetty Road, across from Florence
Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Offshore rocks closed to landing, crowded with murres, guillemots, and sea lions.
Sea stacks along Highway 101
Old Town Florence
The riverfront blocks of galleries, chowder houses, and the boardwalk on the Siuslaw.
Bay Street, Florence
Cleft of the Rock Light
A private light on a rock below the highway, visible from the pullouts.
Cape Perpetua, seen from Highway 101
Heceta Head Light
First lit in 1894. The fifty-six foot tower is the brightest light on the Oregon coast.
Heceta Head
Siuslaw River Bridge
Conde McCullough’s 1936 bascule bridge, with Art Deco pylons and a lift span.
Florence, Highway 101
Cape Creek Bridge
A 1932 McCullough bridge built to look like a Roman aqueduct.
Highway 101 at Cape Creek
Big Creek Bridge
A 1931 concrete deck arch with Art Deco rails.
Highway 101, north of Heceta Head
Ten Mile Creek Bridge
A 1931 spandrel-braced arch from McCullough’s bridge crew.
Highway 101, south of Yachats
Umpqua River Light
An 1894 light on the south side of the Umpqua mouth.
Winchester Bay, near Reedsport
Umpqua Discovery Center
The river’s natural and human history, told in murals and tidewater exhibits.
Reedsport
Ada Grange
A working grange hall on the old road up the valley.
Ada, south of the Siuslaw
Heceta Head Lightkeeper's House
The 1893 Queen Anne keeper's quarters, the last of its kind on the coast, now a bed and breakfast.
Heceta Head, below the light · Pin pending review
Little Log Church
A cross-shaped log chapel raised in 1930 from trees hauled down the Yachats River, now a museum.
Third and Pontiac streets, Yachats
Deadwood Covered Bridge
A 105-foot Howe truss raised in 1932 over Deadwood Creek, still carrying the loop road.
Deadwood Loop Road, off Highway 36
Umpqua River Bridge
A steel through-arch from 1936 at the mouth of the Umpqua, with Art Deco rails.
Highway 101 at Reedsport
Cape Perpetua West Shelter
A stone shelter raised by the CCC in 1933 at the highest drive-up viewpoint on the coast.
Cape Perpetua summit
Lovejoy's Restaurant & Tea Room
A full-service tea room and restaurant in Old Town Florence since 1990.
195 Nopal Street, Old Town Florence
Waterfront Depot
Coastal dining in a restored train station on the Siuslaw River.
1252 Bay Street, Old Town Florence
Mo's Restaurant
The coast’s chowder house, on the banks of the Siuslaw.
Bay Street, Old Town Florence
ICM Restaurant
Relaxed waterfront seafood on Bay Street in Historic Old Town.
Bay Street, Florence
Homegrown Public House
A neighborhood public house with local ingredients and craft beer.
Laurel Street, Old Town Florence
Novelli's Crab & Seafood
A crab shack and fish market where the boats come in.
Dockside on the Siuslaw
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
The largest expanse of coastal sand in North America, a recreation area since 1972.
Forty miles from Florence to Coos Bay
Umpqua Dunes
The biggest open sand on the coast, and the steepest climb back up.
Umpqua Dunes Day Use, off Highway 101
South Jetty riding area
The closest open sand to town, with drag strips and a run out to the jetty.
South Jetty Road, Florence
Cleawox sand slide
The dune above Cleawox, and the trails that run behind the campground.
Honeyman State Park
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park
Sites and yurts in the shore pines between Cleawox and Woahink.
Three miles south of Florence
Carl G. Washburne campground
A small camp in old spruce, a short walk from the beach.
Highway 101, north of Heceta Head
Alder Dune Campground
Thirty-nine forested sites between Alder and Dune lakes.
Alder Dune, off Highway 101
Waxmyrtle Campground
A small forest camp a short walk from the Siltcoos estuary.
Siltcoos River, off Highway 101
Baker Beach Campground
Horse-friendly sites behind the foredune.
Baker Beach, off Highway 101
Driftwood II Campground
The closest camping to the open dunes and the riding area.
South Jetty Road, Florence
Eel Creek Campground
Sites in the shore pine at the edge of the open sand.
John Dellenback Dunes
Umpqua Lighthouse State Park
Yurts and tent sites in the pines beside Lake Marie, with the light and the dunes a short walk away.
Winchester Bay
Tillicum Beach Campground
Sites on the bluff directly above the surf.
Highway 101, north of Yachats
Port of Siuslaw Campground & Marina
Full-hookup sites and a floating dock on the river, a few steps from Bay Street and the bridge.
100 Harbor Street, Old Town Florence
Harbor Vista County Park
Lane County sites on the bluff above the river mouth, with the jetty and the sea beyond.
North Jetty Road, Florence
Sutton Campground
Sites in old shore pine above Sutton Creek, with the dunes and the beach a short walk off.
Sutton Recreation Area, off Highway 101
Lagoon Campground
A small camp behind the dunes, with a boardwalk through the wetland and the beach over the ridge.
Lagoon Loop, Siltcoos
Tahkenitch Landing Campground
Sites on the north shore of the lake, with the creek trail leaving straight from camp.
Tahkenitch Lake, off Highway 101
Carter Lake Campground
A small forest camp behind the foredune, with the blue-striped trail out to the surf.
Carter Lake, Oregon Dunes
Spinreel Campground
The rider’s camp: open sand off the sites and a run out to the beach.
Spinreel Road, Oregon Dunes
Horsfall Beach Campground
Camping and staging on the sand at the south end of the dunes, with beach access through the pines.
Horsfall Road, North Bend
William M. Tugman State Park
Sites in the spruce above Eel Lake, with a boat ramp and a trail around the water.
Eel Lake, off Highway 101
Beachside State Recreation Site
A strip of campsites and day-use picnic tables on the sand itself, the surf a few steps away.
Highway 101, north of Yachats
Cape Perpetua Campground
Forest Service sites under old spruce along the creek, ten minutes below the viewpoint.
Cape Creek, Siuslaw National Forest
Archie Knowles Campground
A riverside Forest Service camp on the Siuslaw, with steelhead water at the door.
Highway 126, east of Mapleton
Whittaker Creek Campground
Creekside sites among big timber, the usual base for the upper Siuslaw.
Siuslaw River Road, east of Mapleton
Woahink Lake paddle
Clear water and a shoreline of summer houses; the seaplane base marks the ramp.
Woahink Lake, off Highway 101
Cleawox Lake paddle
A small lake for a short evening float, with the dune on one side.
Honeyman State Park
Siltcoos River canoe route
A slow, tide-influenced run from the lake down to the surf at Waxmyrtle.
Siltcoos Lake to the ocean
Tahkenitch Lake arms
Sheltered water in the drowned timber, best on a calm morning.
Tahkenitch Lake
Yachats River estuary
A short flatwater paddle up the estuary on a high tide.
Yachats
Cape Perpetua whale watching
Gray whales feed off the cape through the summer; the shelter is the lookout.
Cape Perpetua West Shelter
Three Rivers Casino and Resort
Casino, hotel, and shows on the road to Eugene.
Highway 126, east of Florence
Mapleton
The upriver town where the river turns, with the old ferry crossing.
Highway 126 at the Siuslaw
Dunes City
A small lakeside town south of Florence, all lanes and docks.
Siltcoos Lake, Highway 101
Yachats
The village at the river mouth, with a short main street of books and beer.
Highway 101 at the Yachats River
Alder Dune Trail #1322
A one-mile loop through shore pine between Alder and Dune lakes, with a spur onto the sand.
Alder Dune Day Use, off Highway 101
Baker Beach Trail #1368
Half a mile one way to the beach; the trailhead also serves the Lily Lake and Berry Creek loops.
Baker Beach Campground
Lily Lake Trail #1397
Short loops through the deflation plain behind the foredune, where the wind keeps the trees low.
Baker Beach Trailhead
Battle Lake Trail #1302
Six tenths of a mile uphill to the lake; all of the climb is on the way in.
Nestucca River basin, near Beaver
Holman Vista Trail
A short path from the campground to a platform over the dunes and the surf.
Sutton Recreation Area
Waxmyrtle Trail
Follow the river out to the surf on the north side of the Siltcoos estuary.
Siltcoos River mouth
Tahkenitch Dunes Loop
A five-mile loop from the lake over open sand to the ocean and back through the pines.
Tahkenitch Lake Trailhead
Stagecoach Trail
A short forested route on the old stage road, open to hikers and horses.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
Munsel Creek Trail
A paved path along the creek through town, the easy walk when the weather turns.
Quince Street to West Park Drive, Florence
Oregon Dunes Loop Trail #1334
Paved for the first half mile to an overlook, then down into open sand and out to the beach.
Oregon Dunes Day Use, near mile marker 201
Tahkenitch Creek Trail #1336
Follows the creek through shore pine to the beach, opening onto the dunes near the mouth.
Tahkenitch Landing Campground
Three Mile Lake North Trail #1338
Sand and forest to a landlocked lake behind the foredune.
Tahkenitch area, off Highway 101
Three Mile Lake South Trail #1356
The southern approach to Three Mile Lake, quieter and softer underfoot.
Tahkenitch area, off Highway 101
Chief Tsiltcoos Trail #1359
Winds up and down through coastal evergreen forest, with a bench over the lagoon.
Siltcoos, off Highway 101
Carter Dunes Trail #1384
Blue-striped posts lead from the trees over the deflation plain to the surf.
Carter Lake Campground, off Highway 101
Lagoon Loop Trail
A boardwalk loop through the wetland behind the dunes, good for birds and kids.
Lagoon Campground, Siltcoos
Hall Lake Loop
A short forest and sand loop to a small lake hidden in the dunes.
Eel Creek, off Highway 101
Giant Spruce Trail
Two miles round trip up Cape Creek to a spruce more than five hundred years old.
Cape Perpetua Visitor Center
Discovery Loop
A paved, wheelchair-accessible loop through the spruce with wayside panels.
Cape Perpetua Visitor Center
Gwynn Creek Trail #1371
Up along the creek through alder and spruce; the classic loop pairs it with Cook’s Ridge.
Cape Perpetua, Oregon Coast–Gwynn Creek trail junction
St. Perpetua Trail #1372
Switchbacks up the open south face to the highest viewpoint on the coast.
Cape Perpetua, from the visitor center
Cape Cove Trail
A short walk along the cove and under the highway, linking the churn to the center.
Cape Perpetua, Devil's Churn to the visitor center
804 Trail
Three quarters of a mile along the rock shore, paved and level, spray on a high sea.
Yachats, from the Adobe to Smelt Sands
Oregon Coast Trail: Yachats to Heceta Head
The long route through the cape, linking Yachats, Cook’s Chasm, and the dunes north.
Cape Perpetua section
Cape Mountain Trails
A small network of horse and foot loops through coastal forest, seldom crowded.
Cape Mountain, off Highway 101 near Sea Lion Caves
China Creek Falls Trail
A rough forest road and a short path to a falls on China Creek.
Siuslaw National Forest, east of Mapleton · Pin pending review
Alder and Dune Lakes
Two small forest lakes set between Florence and Sutton Creek.
Alder Dune Campground
Munsel Lake
A quiet lake with a county park and a boat ramp at the south end.
North of Florence
Mercer Lake
Sheltered water in the trees, popular with paddlers and stocked with trout.
North of Florence
Tahkenitch Lake fishing
Largemouth bass, perch, and a fall coho run up the creeks at the south end.
Tahkenitch Lake
Woahink Lake fishing
Trout and bass in clear water, with a boat ramp at the north end of the lake.
Woahink Lake
Dune Lake
Stocked trout in a small forest lake, an easy first pond for kids.
Alder Dune Day Use
North Fork Siuslaw River
Winter steelhead water above the tide line, fished from the gravel bars.
North Fork Road, east of Florence
Tenmile Creek
Small coastal creek with steelhead and cutthroat. Check the regulations first.
Highway 101 south of Yachats
Crabbing and clamming
Dungeness off the Florence docks, razor clams on the beach at a low tide.
Old Town docks and the ocean beaches
Umpqua River
Salmon and sturgeon at the mouth of the Umpqua, below Reedsport.
Reedsport and Winchester Bay
Oregon Dunes Overlook
A paved viewpoint over the open sand, with a trail down into it.
Highway 101, south of Florence
Siuslaw Pioneer Museum
River, logging, and homestead history from the Siuslaw valley.
Florence
Exploding Whale Memorial Park
A riverfront park named for the whale that was blown up on a beach south of town in 1970.
612 Rhododendron Drive, Florence
Yachats River North Fork Covered Bridge
A single-lane covered span nine miles upriver from Yachats, on the old river road.
North Fork Yachats River Road
Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center
A museum on the 1936 McCullough bridge, with its photographs and a salvaged piece of railing.
Waldport, south end of the Alsea Bay bridge
Little Brown Hen Cafe
Breakfast and lunch, and the local wait on a Saturday morning.
Highway 101, Florence
The Dunes Cafe
A hometown diner at the junction of 101 and 126, serving breakfast through dinner.
1780 Highway 126, Florence
Traveler’s Cove Restaurant
A Bay Street restaurant with a margarita deck above the Siuslaw, open from breakfast.
1362 Bay Street, Old Town Florence
Jerry’s Place Bar & Grill
A neighborhood bar and grill with pool tables, burgers, and a late happy hour.
88274 Rhododendron Drive, Florence
Blue Bills Sports Bar & Tap Room
Pub fare and local beers on tap at the casino, with weekend music.
5647 Highway 126, Three Rivers Casino Resort
Beachside Bistro
The resort’s casual bistro, open from noon into the evening.
5647 Highway 126, Three Rivers Casino Resort
Bonfire
The casino steakhouse, open Thursday through Sunday from four.
5647 Highway 126, Three Rivers Casino Resort
Surfside Bistro at Driftwood Shores
Oceanfront dining at Driftwood Shores, with the surf just past the windows.
88416 1st Avenue, Florence
Ichiban Restaurant
Japanese and Chinese cooking with a sushi bar, in a converted hot rod grill north of town.
1179 Highway 101, Florence
Chen's Family Dish
Cantonese and Hong Kong-style plates, and the local answer for a family Chinese dinner.
3620 Highway 101, Florence
The Pono Hukilau
A family-run tiki room with Maui roots, serving sushi rolls and island plates.
185 Highway 101, Florence
Rosa’s Mexican Restaurant
A mom-and-pop room on the north end of town, known for fresh chips and salsa.
2825 Highway 101, Florence
Los Compadres Taqueria
Family-run taqueria cooking fish tacos, burritos, and plates to order.
1161 Highway 101, Florence
1285 Restobar
Wood-fired pizza, pasta, and seafood in an old-town room with a long cocktail list.
1285 Bay Street, Old Town Florence
Mari’s Kitchen
A small Bay Street kitchen open from breakfast through dinner.
1277 Bay Street, Old Town Florence
Himalayan Grill House
Nepali and Indian cooking on Bay Street, from momo to butter chicken.
1341 Bay Street, Old Town Florence
Sand Master Park
A sandboard park on a private dune, with rentals and lessons.
Highway 101, Florence
Sand Dunes Frontier
Dune buggy tours and rentals on the south dunes.
Highway 101, Florence
Siuslaw tidewater
Slack tide on the lower river, past the docks and the old ferry landings.
Florence to Mapleton
Strawberry Hill tidepools
Tidepools in the north and south coves; the best low-tide walk in the area.
Highway 101, north of Yachats
Darlingtonia bog
Cobra lilies, the coast’s carnivorous pitcher plant, in a protected bog.
Highway 101, north of Florence
Siltcoos estuary birding
Osprey, herons, and winter waterfowl in the backwater behind the dunes.
Siltcoos River and Waxmyrtle
Roosevelt elk
Elk in the valley bottoms at dawn; the herds winter low and move up in summer.
Coast Range, Siuslaw National Forest
Ocean Dunes Golf Links
Eighteen holes in the shore pines behind the dunes.
Heceta Beach Road, Florence
Florence Events Center
The town auditorium for concerts, plays, and the rhododendron court.
Quince Street, Florence
Florence Saturday Market
Farm and craft stalls on the waterfront, May through October.
Old Town, Bay Street
Rhododendron Festival
The town’s festival, with a parade and the rhododendron court.
Florence, third weekend in May
Longer entries
In-depth notes from the same ground.
Opinion: Why I Ran for Governor of Oregon
I wanted to sit across the kitchen table from Mom today and watch her find my name on the ballot for governor of Oregon. I left the race last December, but I still think about the parent who needs an extra shift and can’t afford the childcare it would take to work it.
Cascadia 2.0: Are You Prepared for What’s Coming?
A major Cascadia earthquake could leave Florence facing more than shaking and a tsunami: damaged roads, interrupted medical care and days or weeks without essential services. Understanding that risk means looking at the connections our community depends on—and what happens when they break.
Top 5 Places to Look for Bigfoot in Siuslaw Country
A branch snaps beyond the trail, and suddenly you’re listening a little harder. From old-growth groves to shadowy coastal forests, these are five places around Siuslaw Country to look for Bigfoot—and see what else catches your eye.
The Haunted Siuslaw: Something in the Woods
Before Bigfoot became a roadside attraction, before the Gray Lady haunted the halls of Heceta Head, and long before Halloween reached the Oregon Coast, people were telling stories about the things they could not explain. Some were warnings. Some were memories. And some still leave us wondering what waits beyond the trees.
Opinion: Why I Can No Longer Support Dan Lofy for Mayor
I supported Dan Lofy for mayor until a racist Facebook comment—and his initial response to my questions—changed my mind. He has since acknowledged the remark and apologized, but I believe Florence deserves a different choice.
“Scary Tales” Turns the Florence Events Center Into a Halloween Storybook Gone Wrong
C.R.O.W.’s haunted maze runs October 28–31, pairing four nights of theatrical frights with a fundraiser for local youth arts—and offering earlier sessions for visitors who prefer a gentler experience.
Quince Street’s New Microtel Moves Toward a 2027 Opening
The 86-room hotel across from the Florence Events Center is taking shape after years of planning.
Two Candidates, Two Visions for House District 9
Florence’s future is shaped in Salem, too—in decisions about roads, schools, hospitals, jobs, and the cost of living. Claire Lynn and John Ezra Scheirman are offering two sharply different answers to what the House District 9 needs next.
Four Council Seats and Competing Visions for Florence
The Florence we live in five years from now is taking shape on this ballot. Eight council candidates have different ideas about where we build, how we spend, and how much authority City Hall should have—and four will help turn those ideas into decisions we all live with.
Florence Campaign Mailer Draws Criticism; Eichelberger Denies Responsibility
A political mailer has stirred controversy in Florence—and Ryan Eichelberger says he is being wrongly blamed for it. Who commissioned, approved, and paid for the material remains unresolved.
Florence Mayoral Candidates: What Could They Do for the City and Its Residents?
Three candidates want your vote. What will Florence—and the people who keep it running—actually get in return?
Historic Newport Bayfront Fire Forces Evacuations
A fire at a Pacific Seafood plant disrupted Newport’s working waterfront Sunday, bringing a regional emergency response and uncertainty for residents and businesses.
Haunted Nights on the Central Oregon Coast
From CROW’s twisted fairy tales and Lovejoy’s Halloween celebrations to a lighthouse keeper’s house with a lingering legend, Florence and its coastal neighbors know how to make October memorable.
When the Salmon Come Home
Each autumn, salmon return from the Pacific to the Siuslaw watershed, carrying the ocean’s nutrients inland. Their journey reveals how closely the region’s streams, forests, wetlands, and communities depend on one another.
The Day Florence Blew Up a Whale—and Never Lived It Down
An attempt to clear a beach in 1970 sent blubber flying, crushed a car, and gave Florence one of the most unforgettable stories on the Oregon Coast.
Wild Neighbors of Siuslaw Country
The animals that call Siuslaw Country home, and the pleasure of learning to notice them.
On Foot in Siuslaw Country
From the familiar paths at Heceta Head to forest trails above Florence and waterfall country inland, eight places to discover the region at walking speed.
The Art Around the Corner
Painted sea lions, outdoor sculpture, and artist-run galleries offer a different way to explore Siuslaw Country—one that rewards a closer look.
Exploring the Siuslaw Estuary Trail: Nature, History, and a Different View of Florence
There’s more to Florence’s waterfront than the view from Bay Street. Discover the Siuslaw Estuary Trail, where forest and wetlands invite you to slow down and see another side of our coastal town.
Upriver A Slow Day in Mapleton and the Siuslaw Valley
Follow the river inland from Florence for a day of small communities, public river stops, and a covered bridge worth taking the side road to see.
The Meaning of Belonging: Community in Siuslaw Country
Community grows through everyday acts of care, shared experiences, and the feeling that there is a place for you here.
Where the Rivers Run: Fishing in Siuslaw Country
From salmon fishing near Old Town Florence to winter mornings along forested tributaries, the waters of Siuslaw Country offer a close connection to the Oregon coast—and plenty of reasons to follow the river inland.
Has Florence Outgrown the “Retirement Town” Label?
Florence has long been called a retirement town, but that label overlooks much of the community it is today. Discover how families, workers, entrepreneurs, and older residents are shaping a future that belongs to every generation.
Where the Forest Meets the Sand: Exploring the Oregon Dunes of Siuslaw Country
Just south of Florence, forests give way to sweeping dunes, freshwater lakes hide behind sandy ridges, and the Pacific wind keeps reshaping the view.
Florence in the Rain: A Local Guide to a Really Good Gray Day
Coffee, books, local art, a little history, and an unhurried pot of tea make a wet day in Florence worth looking forward to.
Stay a Little Longer: Camping in Siuslaw Country
From forest campsites and freshwater lakes to nights among the dunes, camping offers time to discover the Siuslaw area beyond its roadside viewpoints.
Antique Shopping in Florence Oregon
From Highway 101 to the side streets of Old Town, Florence offers a browsing trip built around older objects, unexpected discoveries, and the pleasure of finding something you want to keep.
Take the Scenic Route: Sightseeing in Siuslaw Country
Historic waterfronts, a lighthouse above the Pacific, towering dunes, and carnivorous plants tucked into a coastal wetland—around Florence, an ordinary drive can become a day of discovery.
Between Forest and Dune: Exploring the Lakes of Siuslaw Country
From the broad waters of Siltcoos to the wooded shores of Mercer and the trails leading to Threemile, the lakes around Florence offer countless reasons to spend a little longer here. Bring a paddle, a fishing pole, a picnic—or simply enough time to watch the water.
10 of the Best Historical Sights in the Siuslaw Region
A lighthouse above the Pacific, a train depot that changed towns, and covered bridges tucked into forested valleys: the Siuslaw region rewards anyone willing to look a little closer. These ten stops reveal the stories behind some of our most familiar scenery.