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DRIVE ON —
LEARN ALL ABOUT CLATSOP COUNTY’S
DRIVABLE STRETCHES OF BEACH
By MARILYN GILBAUGH
Morning, noon or night, a
10-mile stretch of Clatsop County
beach — from Gearhart north — can
be accessed by passenger cars and
trucks or what our lawmakers label
“motorized vehicles.” Whether it’s a
summertime day trip, an early morn-
ing clam tide or a glorious sunset
in a secluded spot, with a car and a
legally drivable stretch of beach, the
good times roll in.
In Clatsop County, driving
is permitted on the beach from
Gearhart’s 10th Street beach access
north for about 10 miles to the Peter
Iredale Road exit at Fort Stevens
State Park. It’s open all year, 24/7.
From mid-September through April,
another four miles up to the jetty at
the south side of the Columbia River
is open to drivers all day, too.
Thanks to the 1967 Beach Bill,
the public has free use of Oregon
beaches, which are designated as a
state recreation area. The Oregon
Parks and Recreation Department
regulates vehicle use on the beach
through its ocean shore rules, and the
state agency has established zones
where cars are restricted or prohib-
ited, taking into account concerts
for safety, public access, scenic and
recreation values, conservation and
beach management.
Specifi c day-use permits to drive
in restricted areas can be applied
for at Oregon Parks and Recreation
offi ces. In Warrenton, drivers can
apply for the permits at Fort Stevens
State Park and at the Oregon State
Police offi ce at 2320 S.E. Dolphin
Ave., south of Costco. In Cannon
Beach, drivers can apply for permits
M
at the Cannon Beach Police Depart-
ment (though, you don’t need one in
June during Cannon Beach’s annual
Sandcastle Contest; it’s the only day
of the year when driving and parking
on the beach in Cannon Beach is
allowed).
Permits must be applied for in
advance of a function for one-time
daytime-only use, such as a wed-
ding or getting your handicapped
great aunt to a family reunion photo
location. Some permits may require
a certifi cate of insurance. Informa-
tion as to where and when you can
drive is available online; there’s even
an offi cial Oregon state map too at
www.oregon.gov/ODOT
“The main problem with people
driving on the beach is that, often,
they don’t know how to,” said Jason
Gardner who spends many summer
weekends driving the beach in his
bright yellow Jeep Wrangler, often
lending a helping tow to a car in
distress.
“You never know what you’ll
fi nd on the beach,” said Astoria res-
ident and frequent clammer Shelby
Mogenson.
Such was the case early one
morning when Mogenson and her
husband, Gary, were digging for
razor clams at Sunset Beach. “I hear
my Gary calling my name. I look in
his direction and — whoa! — there’s
a car in the water. A man had driven
his car straight into the surf,” Mo-
genson recalled. “Honestly, my fi rst
disoriented thought was that the car
had somehow popped up out of the
ocean; one moment it wasn’t there,
and then it was. There’s a guy alone
in the car, and he can’t get his door
PHOTO BY HUGH MCKENNA
This motorist driving south on the beach near the Sunset Beach approach in August 2013 hit deep water, which
turned his vehicle perpendicular to the ocean. Rescuers from Warrenton Fire Department, Oregon State Police and
Clatsop County Sheriff ís Offi ce responded to the scene. No one was injured, and Classic Towing pulled the car from
the water and towed it off the beach.
open because the water is halfway
up to his window. Gary throws his
clamming stuff up on the beach and
runs out to get the car door open. He
gets the guy out of the car.”
Luckily, a police offi cer patrolling
the beach for clam limits drove by.
He called in for additional help.
“When we left, an ambulance
and fi re truck were on their way,”
Mogenson said. “We don’t know
what happened or why, but there was
no sign of the car when we checked
the next day. Hopefully the man was
fi ne and his car was towed.”
So, what are guidelines you can
follow so you don’t end up like that
guy?
Stay out of the ocean! Salt water
and the undercarriage of a car don’t
get along. Even rinsing with fresh
water can bring on rust. And, time
and time again, seasoned beach
drivers agree, four-wheel drive is by
far the best choice for beach driving.
Rear-wheel drive is OK, but a front-
wheel drive car? Park and walk.
Next tip: Defl ate all four tires
somewhere around 10 pounds. Tire
pressure varies and can be found
in your car owner’s manual or on a
sticker on a car’s door. Decreasing
the pressure allows the car to “fl oat”
on the sand more easily. Don’t forget
to reinfl ate for pavement driving.
There’s lot’s of information regard-
ing defl ating tires available on the
web.
If you get stuck in the sand, don’t
spin your tires. Continuing to hit the
gas and spin just digs the car in fur-
ther. It doesn’t matter whether you’re
trying to go forward or backward;
the real trouble starts as you dig
into the soft sand. Whether you’re
coming on or exiting off the beach,
keep a low speed and keep moving
forward — don’t stop. You never
want to stop in dry sand. Choose the
path most used by other cars; it’s
usually the most packed down and
easiest to drive.
“Carrying a small shovel is
always a good idea when driving on
the beach, particularly in soft sand,”
said Oregon State Police Sgt. Tim
Schwartz. “Where you enter and exit
is important too. Gearhart, Del Rey
Beach Road and Sunset Beach are
usually good. Fort Steven’s can be
iffy due to high use.”
The speed limit is 25 mph on the
beach. Turn your car lights on, and
pay attention to pedestrians — kids
and dogs are on the beach to play
and that usually means running
around. All rules that apply on Ore-
gon’s highways apply to the beach;
pedestrians have the right of way.
Overnight camping is not allowed,
but beach fi res are allowed west of
the dunes and any vegetation.
The beach is patrolled and traffi c
tickets are steep particularly for driv-
ing in restricted areas. All Terrain
Vehicles (ATVs) are not permitted.
Remember, it’s always more diffi cult
to drive onto and off the beach than
it is to drive on it. Know what you’re
doing, observe the rules and enjoy
the ride!