The Oregon Coast is the regional name for all coastal areas for the State of Oregon. The Oregon Coast forms the western border of the state, and stretches approximately 362 miles (583 km) from the Columbia River in the north to the Oregon–California state border in the south. The Oregon Coast is not a specific geological, environmental, or political entity, but instead includes all coastline for the state of Oregon, including the Columbia River Estuary. As of 1967, the Oregon Beach Bill was passed, which prohibited the private ownership of all state beaches. As such, all coastal beaches in the state of Oregon are public property.
Traditionally, the Oregon Coast is divided into three distinct sub-regions, each with its own local features and regional history. There are no universal distinctions where each sub-region meet.
The three regions are as follows:
The North Coast, which stretches from the Columbia River to approximately Lincoln City.
The Central Coast, which stretches from about Lincoln City to approximately Coos Bay.
The South Coast, which stretches from about Coos Bay to the Oregon–California border.
There are no large cities along the Oregon Coast, mainly due to lack of usable harbors and restrictions of level space on which to build large buildings, with the largest city being that of Coos Bay in Coos County on the Central Coast. U.S. Route 101 serves as the primary transportation route from Astoria to Brookings, and is known for its scenic overlooks of the Pacific Ocean. There are over 80 state parks and recreation areas along the Oregon Coast. However, there are only a few highways that cross the coast mountains from the interior to the coast. This has led to several of these highways being considered some of the worst in terms of traffic, and several of these coast–valley routes are locally considered the most dangerous roads in the state. The Oregon Coast includes Clatsop County, Tillamook County, Lincoln County, western Lane County, western Douglas County, Coos County, and Curry County.
(read less)The Oregon Coast is the regional name for all coastal areas for the State of Oregon. The Oregon Coast forms the western border of the state, and stretches approximately 362 miles (583 km) from the Columbia River in the north to the Oregon–California state border in the south. The Oregon Coast is not a specific geological, environmental, or political entity, but instead includes all coastline for the state of Oregon, including the Columbia River Estuary. As of 1967, the Oregon Beach Bill was...
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