Hiking in & Around Bandon

One does not need to travel far to find quality hikes in and around Bandon.  Whether you’re looking for a short stroll, a multi-day backpack trip or something in between, you’re bound to find what you’re looking for.  Hiking in the area is a wonderful way to see the many beautiful sites as well as get fresh air and exercise.

Many of the nearby trails are listed here, but for a more complete list and guide, you may want to get a copy of the book 100 Hikes/Travel Guide Oregon Coast & Coast Range by the prolific Oregon hiking writer William L. Sullivan. For an abbreviated version, you can click here for his website with a brief description of many hikes in the South Coast area.

Local author Tom Baake’s book Out Our Back Door, Oregon South Coast Driving Tours and Day-Hikes is another great resource for hikes in the South Coast area.  Click here to read articles written by Tom Baake.

Interested in hiking with a group?  The South Coast Striders, based in Coos Bay, organizes regular hikes to many of the interesting places in the South Coast area.  Click here for their schedule and more information.

The following hikes are organized from north to south.

Shore Acres

This .6 or 4.4 mile hike begins at Shore Acres State Park 26 miles north of Bandon near Coos Bay.  Features include ocean cliffs, sea lions and formal gardens.  Wheelchair accessible.  Camping is available at the park.

Click here to map it from Bandon.

South Slough Estuary

A total of about 5 miles of hiking trails starts at the South Slough Estuarian Reserve, approximately 21 miles north of Bandon.  Here, several acres of pastureland are being reclaimed by natural wetlands.  Features include wetlands, edible berries, and young trees.  Wheelchair accessible.

Click here to map it from Bandon.

Fivemile Point and Whiskey Run Beach

A 1.6 or 3.5 mile loop begin at Whiskey Run Beach, about 10 miles north of Bandon.  From the parking area at Whiskey Run Beach, head north up the beach .8 miles to Fivemile Point and return, or continue .7 miles to the beginning of a forest where you will walk on a path through the forest leading to a dirt road, then back to the parking area.  Features include sea birds, tide pools (at low tide), and sea lions.  The forested part includes Sitka spruce trees, native salal plants, and viewpoints.

Click here to map it from Bandon.  

The Bandon Dunes 

The Bandon Dunes Resort is a world-famous collection of golf courses that draw golfers from all over the planet.  A lesser-known feature of the resort is its vast network of trails that range from sand dunes to ocean views to quiet forest, and there’s even a labyrinth to walk!  

Click here to map it from Bandon.

Bullards Beach

Just 3 miles north of Bandon is Bullards Beach with several walking paths and beach access for as much hiking as you want.  Features include dunes, sea birds, and a lighthouse to explore when open.  Wheelchair accessible.  Camping is available at Bullards Beach State Park.

Click here to map it from Bandon.

The Bandon Beaches/Bandon Islands

Some of the best hiking in the area is right in Bandon itself on its beautiful beaches.  Accessed from several places along Beach Loop Drive or from Old Town, the wide beach allows for several miles of walking to the north, the south, or both.  At high tide, hikers may have to climb the stairs near the Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint, but the tide does not affect the vast majority of the walking.  Features include sea birds, photography, beachcombing, huge rocks, Face Rock, picnicking, starfish, sea anemones, a jetty, the Coquille River, and shallow fresh water streams.

Click here to map it from Bandon.

New River

12 miles south of Bandon is the New River of Critical Environmental Concern, which, according to local legend, was named when someone observed this new river formed after a flood in the late 1800s and pointed it out by saying, “Hey!  A new river!”  It is a protective habitat for hundreds of birds, reptiles, and other animals and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.  An easy 2.3 mile loop with several spur and other loop options take hikers from the Learning Center past a few views of the river as well as some interesting natural and man-made sites.  Features include sea birds, photography, river bank, forested dunes, Muddy Lake, an old cranberry bog and viewpoints.

Click here to map it from Bandon.

Blacklock Point and Floras Lake

One of the lesser known hikes in the area is Blacklock Point, starting about 23 miles south of Bandon near the community of Langlois.  A few loop options of the moderate and difficult levels and ranging from 4 to 9 miles are available, one of which takes hikers to nearby Floras Lake, popular among birders and windsurfers.  Depending on the chosen loop, features include rhododendrons, flowers, edible berries, tidepools, forest, the lake and a waterfall.  Possible backpacking.

Click here to map it from Bandon.

Cape Blanco

Cape Blanco, a 28 mile drive south from Bandon, is the westernmost point in Oregon.  Several loops are possible here from an easy 1 mile walk to a difficult 7 mile hike.  Features include a lighthouse, wildlife, beachcombing, viewpoints, picnicking, and wildflowers.  Camping is available at Cape Blanco State Park.

Click here to map it from Bandon.

Port Orford Heads

A quick drive up the hill from Port Orford, approximately 28 miles south of Bandon, is the former Coast Guard lifeboat station and Port Orford Heads State Park.  There is an excellent system of trails there, including an easy 1.2 mile loop, and they allows hikers to enjoy both the natural surroundings and the station’s interesting history.  Features include windswept hillside, crashing waves, viewpoints, forest, historical sites.  When you’re done hiking, check out the Coast Guard Museum.

Click here to map it from Bandon.

Humbug Mountain

Humbug Mountain, a 33 mile drive south of Bandon, is one of the area’s most strenuous hikes, but the scenery and the view from the top make it well worth the effort.  A 5.5 mile loop trail takes hikers to the top and back.  Features include maple, Douglas fir and the famous myrtlewood trees, ferns, and views.  Some of the trail is wheelchair accessible.  Camping is available at Humbug Mountain State Park.

Oregon Coast Trail

For those interested in a backpacking excursion, the Oregon Coast Trail is something to look into.  Divided into 10 sections, the trail extends for 382 miles, beginning at the northernmost point of the Oregon Coast at the Columbia River and ending in the Crissey Field State Recreation Site at the California border.  The majority of the trail is on Oregon’s beaches, and the remainder is along city streets, county roads and the shoulder of Highway 101.  For more information, visit the website of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department or the Wikipedia article on the Oregon Coast Trail.