Length: 1  mile (Loop)/ 3 miles (one way)

Access: From North Bend drive on  US 101 10.5 miles north to the Umpqua Dunes trailhead located on the west  side of US 101, about 2.5 miles south of Eel Creek Campground.

Setting  and Attractions: The  trail offers beach access and a self-guided interpretive loop.   Both traverse a forest rich  with madrone and manzanita, as well as lush wetlands before emerging into  the dramatic active dunes.  This scenic area boasts the tallest dunes in the Oregon Dunes  NRA.

·Interpretive  Loop: The  1-mile loop is self-guided, a trail brochure is available at the  trailhead.  The interpretive  walk starts with a forest of covered dunes and coastal rain forest with  information on the brochure corresponding to the numbered posts along the  trail.  Notice the varieties  of lichens, flowers, berries, mosses, and shrubs.

Beach  Access: After  a 0.5 mile hike through coastal shrubbery, the trail encounters open sand,  offering a spectacular view of dune landscape and dune lakes.  Follow the blue-banded posts  toward the northern edge of the forested tree island to the west and  beyond that to the beach.  Hikers are advised to climb the highest dune to get their  bearings.  This is an  unforgettable journey!   

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