Two miles north of Bandon, bordering the Coquille River estuary and more than four miles of beachfront, Bullards Beach State Park (541/347-2209 or 800/551-6949 information, $3 day-use fee) is a great place to fish, crab, bike, fly a kite, windsurf, picnic, or overnight in the large sheltered campground. The beach and lighthouse are reached via a scenic three-mile drive paralleling the Coquille River. Look for jasper and agates amid the heaps of driftwood on the shore.

Bullards Beach Campground (800/452-5687 reservations) has 190 campsites ($16–20), 13 yurts ($27), eight horse-camping sites, and hiker-biker spaces. Equestrian trails and the horse-camping facilities make this a popular destination for riders. The boat ramp gives anglers, kayakers, and canoeists access to the lower Coquille River and Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge.

The riverside road going out to the Coquille’s north jetty takes you through the dunes to the picturesque Coquille River Lighthouse, a squat tower with adjacent octagonal quarters. The last lighthouse built on the Oregon coast, it was completed in 1896 then abandoned in 1939 when the Coast Guard installed an automated light across the river.

After years of neglect, the structure was restored in the late 1970s and is now open for free tours (10 a.m.–4 p.m. Wed.–Sun. mid-Apr.–May, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Mon.–Tues., 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Wed.–Sun. June–Sept., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. daily Oct.). Etchings of ships that made it across Bandon’s treacherous bar—and some that didn’t—greet you as you enter.

Getting to Bullards Beach State Park

To get to Bullards Beach State Park, drive north of Bandon on U.S. 101 for about one mile; just past the bridge on the west side of the highway is the park entrance. The beach is reached via a scenic two-mile drive paralleling the Coquille River. Electricity, picnic tables, and fire grills are provided. You’ll also find a store, a café, a laundry room, horse-riding/camping facilities, an inviting sandy beach, summer evening campfire talks Tuesday–Saturday, and hiking trails.