Riding UTVs in the Dunes at Coos Bay, Oregon

| October 18, 2009 | 0 Comments
Kawasaki Teryx and Polaris RZR at Coos Bay

Kawasaki Teryx and Polaris RZR at Coos Bay

By Jon Crowley, DuneGuide.com

In 1972, 32,186 acres of dunes, forest, streams, and lakes were set aside as the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The Oregon Dunes are found south of Florence and north of Coos Bay. The Siuslaw River marks the northern boundary of the dunes, at Florence. The Umpqua River flows into Winchester Bay and the ocean, at the town of Reedsport, halfway along the stretch of dunes.

Three main off-highway vehicle riding areas have been set aside to provide riders with a variety of experiences. There are sand roads and designated rides between South Jetty to the Siltcoos River (Florence Area), small areas with the highest and most dramatic dunes in Umpqua Riding area (Winchester Bay), and large areas with varied riding opportunities between Spinreel and Horsfall (Coos Bay/North Bend).

Oregon Dunes KOA Campground

Oregon Dunes KOA Campground

Our headquarters for this trip was the Oregon Dunes KOA near North Bend, OR. This section of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is the southern-most of the three dune areas.

The KOA is situated just off of US Highway 101 north of Hauser and south of Spinreel.  The KOA is a pretty nice site with full hook-ups, but it is a bit of a drive on a dirt/gravel road to get to the dunes.  For us this wasn’t an issue because we didn’t have paddle tires. But if you are running a new set of paddle tires on your UTV, you are going to cringe each time you head out to the dunes.

In tow behind our motorhome was our  Kawasaki Teryx & Polaris RZR. This was our first trip with two, 2-seat UTVs.  In the past we had a 4-seat Yamaha Rhino.  This wasn’t nearly as comfortable for the kids in the back and I was always a little nervous exploring out on our own without another vehicle to run for help if needed. Although my wife has driven ATVs in the dunes for years, this was her first trip behind the wheel of a UTV.  She did a great job following me around in our Polaris RZR.  I think she liked the extra level of control.

Kawasaki Teryx Buildup Project

Kawasaki Teryx Buildup Project

Even though we had some rain, the dunes here are just beautiful.  Being more used to sand dunes that are found in the desert, it is quite a treat to have fresh water ponds and pine trees in amongst all the sand.

The riding area is a little confusing until you get the lay of the land.  We made our way out to the beach which was pretty neat, but the 10,000 whoops you ride on to get there and back are a killer.

This was also my first trip in the newly built Kawasaki Teryx project. Other than the wet seats from the rain, the Teryx ran great with the Funco long travel suspsension, SDR roll cage, Maier plastic and PRP seats.

The Oregon Dunes are quite a treat during the summer for those of that live in areas that are 100+ degrees. Each location offers something different for terrain, camping amenities and local eating establishments. I’d like to get back up there and try either Florence or Winchester Bay the next time.

Tags: , ,

Category: Kawasaki, Polaris, Trail Rides

About the Author ()

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.