Untamed Dunes & ATV Adventures

Rippled sand dunes at golden hour with wind-bent pine trees along the ridge at Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

There's no landscape on the Oregon coast quite like this one. Towering walls of sand rising 500 feet into the sky. Dunes rolling inland for two and a half miles. The Pacific Ocean glinting just beyond the next ridge. Welcome to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

This is one of those places that genuinely surprises people. You come to the Oregon coast expecting rugged cliffs and crashing waves — and you get those too — but nothing quite prepares you for the scale of the dunes. At 32,186 acres of sand, forest, streams, and lakes, the Oregon Dunes are the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America, and every single visit is different. The wind reshapes them constantly, so the dune you crested last summer won't look the same this summer.

Four riders on ATVs with safety flags pause on a dune overlooking Coos Bay and the McCullough Memorial Bridge.

Three orange and blue RZR side-by-sides lined up on a dune, with a helmeted rider jumping joyfully beside them.

A dune buggy catches air while carving down a sandy slope, kicking up a large spray of sand.

Two riders in helmets and goggles smile from inside a dune buggy, with a third rider visible behind them.

Hit the Dunes on an ATV

For sheer, adrenaline-pumping fun, nothing beats riding the dunes on an ATV or dune buggy. The largest riding area stretches between Spinreel Campground and Horsfall Road, just a few miles north of North Bend and Coos Bay. Three distinct off-highway vehicle areas give riders a range of experiences — from wide-open sand flats to dramatic ridges with ocean views. Hauser Depot Road connects the Horsfall dunes to the beach, so you can ride from inland dunes all the way to the waterline.

Year-round beach access means there's never a bad time to ride. But if you've never done it before, trust us: The first time you crest a 400-foot dune and see the Pacific laid out below you, you'll understand why people come back to this place year after year.

Not Sure Where to Start? Local ATV Rental Outfitters

Renting is easy. There are several great local outfitters ready to get you set up:

A man on an ATV high-fives passengers in an off-road buggy on a sand dune overlooking a bay, all wearing helmets.

Dune Bug ATV Rentals

Myrtlewood Factory at Hauser & Hwy 101, North Bend, OR
541-660-5300

Rent ATVs, sandboards, and sleds by the hour or day at the Oregon Dunes. ATVs seat one to four riders, with kids' quads available. All safety gear provided, plus expert advice on where to ride.

Two off-road buggies with tall safety flags kick up sand while driving through a dune area near a tree line.

Spinreel Dune Buggy & ATV Rentals, Inc

67045 Spinreel Road, North Bend, OR, 97459
541-759-3313

Experience Oregon's largest dune-riding area at Spinreel. Rent quads, 2-seat, or 4-seat vehicles, or book a guided tour. Family-friendly fun the whole crew will remember for years. Check our deals section for current specials.

An off-road buggy with two goggled passengers drives across a foggy beach with ocean waves in the background.

Steve's ATV Rental

68512 US Hwy 101, North Bend, OR, 97459
844-278-3837

Rent ATVs, UTVs, Side by Sides, and dune buggies at the Oregon Dunes. Steve's covers the whole Oregon coast from Coos Bay to Florence and beyond, with daily discounts and specials. Call or visit our website.

Where to Camp Near the Dunes

Campgrounds with direct sand access to the riding areas include Spinreel, Riley Ranch, Horsfall, and Horsfall Beach — all Forest Service campgrounds where you can set up base camp and ride from your doorstep.

A boy in a red shirt carves down a steep sand dune on a sandboard, arm extended for balance.

Two smiling women in sun gear hold sandboards overhead, standing on a dune above the ocean.

A sandboarder sits atop a board, poised to ride down a large dune surrounded by rolling sand hills.

A young man on a sandboard kicks up a spray of sand after going off a jumping, arms out for balance.

Try Sandboarding

Not into motorized adventures? Sandboarding is the perfect alternative — and one of the most underrated activities on the entire Oregon coast. Grab a board, find a slope, and send it. It's accessible for all ages, and beginners can start on the gentler hills before working up to steeper terrain. All you need to bring is long pants, an extra pair of socks, and a willingness to laugh at yourself on the way down.

Sandboards are available to rent locally at Waxers Surf Shop and Bahama Boards in Coos Bay, or Dune Bugs ATV Rentals in North Bend.

Three hikers with backpacks and trekking poles cross a rippled sand dune at Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, casting long shadows in late-day light.

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A man with a backpack walks up a large sand dune, leaving a trail of footprints behind him, with evergreen trees in the distance at Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

A calm pond at the base of a sand dune reflects a stand of evergreen trees and a sky filled with rippled clouds at Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

More Ways to Explore

The dunes aren't just for thrill-seekers. If you'd rather take things at a slower pace, hiking in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is an experience all its own. Trails wind through open sand, coastal forest, and wetlands, giving you a real sense of the ecosystem's variety. You can even reach the ocean on foot from several access points.

And with lakes, ponds, and streams woven throughout the area, the dunes are surprisingly aquatic. Paddle the waterways, fish for trout and bass, or just sit at the edge of a dune lake and take it all in. The juxtaposition of all that open sand with still, reflective water is genuinely stunning.

Whether you're chasing the rush of cresting a massive dune at full speed, mastering a sandboard on a bunny slope, or just hiking until you find a quiet stretch of coast to call your own — the Oregon Dunes deliver something you won't find anywhere else. Come get a little sand in your shoes.

Tour the Dunes with PNW Backstories, Rick Dancer

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Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America, and it is like no place on earth. The majestic dunes are one of our favorite attractions on the Southern Oregon Coast. Read more about Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.