4A ❚ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018 ❚ APPEAL TRIBUNE
Life in the Valley
Coastal yurt
getaway
The view inside a deluxe yurt at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park. PHOTOS BY ZACH URNESS/STATESMAN JOURNAL
Deluxe yurts located at Umpqua
Lighthouse State Park ideal for
winter camping on Oregon Coast
Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
It’s hard to say when it hap-
pened, but at some point, the stan-
dard-sized yurts at Oregon’s state
parks became just a little too cozy.
Ideal for winter on the Oregon
Coast, the heated and framed tents
have been a staple of our beach ad-
ventures for almost a decade.
But with two young and mobile
children now milling around, we
decided this December to upgrade
from the normal-sized yurt to the
“deluxe” options only found at
Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, al-
most a three-hour drive from Sa-
lem between Florence and Coos
Bay.
Still a great deal at $82 per
night, deluxe yurts offer more
space, sleeping options and a pri-
vate bathroom and shower. And
there’s still that unique experience
of spending the night in what’s ba-
sically an oversized knit hat.
The six deluxe yurts are often
booked on weekends, even during
winter, so I’d recommend making
plans at least a week or two in ad-
vance. You’ll have an easier time
scoring them midweek.
It takes more than a cool dwell-
ing to make a great family trip, of
course. And in that sense, Umpqua
Lighthouse worked out well.
Great location
Umpqua Lighthouse is just
south of Reedsport in the heart of
Oregon Dunes country, barely a
stone’s throw from Winchester Bay
and the Umpqua River.
It makes a good base camp. Two
other great state parks, Heceta
Head and Sunset Bay, are within a
reasonable drive.
But there are plenty of close-by
options as well, including right out
the front door of the yurt.
Lake Marie
One of the fun things about
staying in the deluxe yurts at Ump-
qua Lighthouse is that you can step
out the door and be on a pretty nice
hiking trail.
Both mornings of our stay, I
hiked the 1-mile loop around Lake
Marie, a lovely forested pool with a
swimming area for summer that’s
also quite pleasant in winter. It’s
also stocked with trout three times
per year.
The trail is almost entirely flat,
with picnic areas surrounding it,
and it is a great one for smaller chil-
dren. My 1-year-old daughter did
the first “serious” hiking of her life
on that trail, so I’ll always remem-
ber it for that.
But it’s also cool because of
signs that detail the name and in-
teresting facts about the flora.
Here’s a sign that says, “salal: Indi-
ans dried the blueberry-like fruit
into 10-pound cakes.” Another
reads, “western red cedar: Indians
stripped and pounded the soft,
stringy bark to make clothing.”
Oregon Dunes exploring
The deluxe yurts at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park offer a
camping-style experience with a bit more comfort.
The Umpqua Dunes are the larg-
est in Oregon, and they are a sight
to behold. One of the best ways to
really experience them is by rent-
ing a dune buggy. There are a num-
ber of places both around the state
park and in Reedsport where you
can rent a buggy or even go on a
guided tour.
The closest staging area is Win-
chester Bay.
Fantastic beach and dunes
Located near the mouth of the
Umpqua River, a wonderful beach
can be found at “South Umpqua
Jetty” day use area, not far from
the state park.
The beach is really nice in itself,
but a short walk away, there’s steep
rolling dunes ideal for “sand sled-
ding.”
I kept my 3-year-old thrilled for
hours by climbing up the dunes
and sliding down. It was better
than snow. Almost.
To find it, drive down from the
state park toward the ocean, past
the Umpqua Lighthouse, and turn
left onto Salmon Harbor Drive —
where you can see the mouth of the
Umpqua River — for a short dis-
tance. Park in a nondescript park-
ing area that requires a $5 day-use
fee. It’s less than 5 minutes from
the state park.
Six deluxe yurts are available for guests to rent at Umpqua Lighthouse
State Park.
Umpqua Lighthouse
The actual lighthouse the state
park is named for is just a short
drive outside the park. You can
drive up and look at it but can only
go on a tour by scheduling one at
the museum down the road.
For more info, call (541) 271-
4631.
Pro tip: You’ll get a discount on
the cost of the tour if you mention
it took 240,000 bricks to construct
the lighthouse tower.
The South Umpqua Jetty day-use area includes dunes, a great beach
and sand sledding.
Fishing
The fishing in Salmon Harbor
can be great, especially for crab
and fall Chinook salmon. Prime
time is typically July to September.
Go with a local guide based out
of Winchester Bay, and fill your
freezer.
The deluxe yurts are usually booked on weekends, so plan in advance.