Oregon Coast Highway - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 91

8. Umpqua Lighthouse State Park
The dunes that are visible from this park are as much as 500 feet tall—the highest of any
coastal dunes in the United States. Bordering Winchester Bay, the park occupies 450 acres
dominated bySitka spruce, shore pine, and western hemlock. Lake Marie, framed bytrees,
is a good spot for swimming and rowboating.
The nearby Umpqua River Lighthouse, on a bluff overlooking the bay, was built in
1892 to replace the first lighthouse in the Oregon Territory (the original was destroyed by
a storm some 30 years earlier). At the whale-watching station across the road, visitors can
get a panoramic view of the shore and dunes. Just a few miles north of the lighthouse, the
Oregon Dunes Overlook provides equally impressive views.
9. Jessie Honeyman State Park
Seeing dunes from a car window is nice, but for a real thrill, try crisscrossing them in
a motorized dune buggy. Rides of varying lengths are available both north and south of
Jessie Honeyman State Park, which also features dense evergreen forests, a splendid array
of wildflowers, two freshwater lakes, and 241 campsites (all equipped with fireplaces and
picnic tables).
10. Florence
As the drive continues north on Rte. 101, acres of sand give way to lush greenery. At
the northern boundary of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, you'll come to
Florence, billed as the City of Rhododendrons. In late May the whole town is festooned
with blossoms in purple, pink, and white. Located at the mouth of the Siuslaw River,
Florence has a recently restored historic district, a small artists colony, a park overlooking
the waterfront, and 17 lakes filled with bass, crappies, perch, and bluegills.