Access:                                                                    From Reedsport, drive 10.5 miles north on  US 101 to the Oregon Dunes Overlook, located on the west side of  US 101.  The trail head is located at the  overlook viewing area and is accessed at the upper viewing deck or north  of the covered viewing structure.

Setting and Attractions:                                  Facilities include flush toilets, water picnic  tables, and viewing platform.  Picnic tables and restrooms are wheelchair accessible.  Nature enthusiasts and  photographers appreciate the contrasts of the coastal evergreen forest,  open dunes, wetlands, and ocean beach areas accessible from these  trails.  Note that the beach  is open to vehicle use from September 16 to March  14.

Overlook  Beach Trail:                                             This trail can be seen almost entirely from the  upper viewing deck.  After  crossing a quarter mile of wind polished sand, hikers travel through  shrubs in the deflation plain wetland before crossing the foredune to the  beach.

Tahkenitch Creek Loop:                                         The loop trail begins at the junction with the  Overlook Beach Trail near the west end of the open sand, between the  Overlook facility and the deflation plain.  This trail provides beautiful  elevation vistas along the creek.

Loop:                                                                                If you choose to hike this loop from the beach, travel south from the  Overlook Trail beach marker for one mile until you locate a trail marker  on the foredune, to return via the Tahkenitch loop.  During the summer, the wind on the  beach blows from the north.  The wind comes from a southerly direction in the winter.

For  more information, trail conditions and maps contact: Oregon  Dunes National Recreation Area (ODNRA) at (541)271-3611 or visit the ODNRA  web site at www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/oregondunes