Weekender: Bandon, Ore.
Sunset Bay Yurt Camping
By Amy Whitley
A light summer rain fell as we navigated the final stomach-turning Highway 101 curve beyond Bandon, Oregon. Normally, dismal weather would elicit moans and groans on a tent camping venture, but not this time: our destination was the ring of yurts nestled under the canopy of Sunset Bay State Park’s old growth forest. When we spotted them through the gathering dusk, their white-canvased roofs reminded us of so many prairie schooners waiting out a storm.
It didn’t take long to unpack: all we needed were sleeping bags and pillows (beds and mattresses to sleep five are provided), food and our camping kitchen supplies (to set up on the protected porch…no cooking in the yurts), and a small collection of go-to board games to wile away the evening. We switched on the heater and the desk lamp (each Sunset Bay yurt boasts electricity, a wall-mounted heater, and a small table with two chairs in addition to the beds), bought some firewood from the camp hosts to use in the outside fire ring once the weather cleared, and put the kids in pajamas (clean communal bathrooms are located in D Loop).We fell asleep to the sound of rain pattering softly on canvas.
Neighboring parks:
The next morning, we awoke to sun and cooked our breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and hot chocolate on the porch while the kids set out to explore the campground with children (and instantly made friends) from a neighboring yurt. We packed a lunch and set out along thecoastal trail connecting breathtaking Sunset Bay beach with nearby Shore Acres, a neighboring state park where visitors can tour the coastal cliff-side gardens of pioneer timber baron Louis Simpson’s estate. Along the way, we stopped at several hidden inlets, navigating down to the sand where we uncovered crabs, spied abalone shells, and even came face-to-face with a seal (he blinked first). More ambitious hikers can continue past Shore Acres to Cape Arago State Park, and even farther along the coast to the seal and whale viewing overlook at Simpson Reef (accessible by car, too). We saved both for another day, opting to turn back to soak up the sun on Sunset Bay beach.
We were back at our yurt in time for the kids to ride their bikes around the campground loop before cooking a dinner of baked potatoes with all the fixings over a crackling fire. S’mores were mandatory before finishing out our day spotting the first stars emerging through the expanse of trees.
If you go:
Making reservations: Yurts can be reserved for only $36/night in all seasons. Reservations are easy to make through Reserve America (www.reserveamerica.com) but can be hard to come by during the peak season (mid-May through mid-September). The system will allow reservations up to nine months in advance, which is recommended. As an alternative: this popular park all but empties in the off-season, allowing campers to enjoy spontaneous weekend getaways and midweek escapes. Beachcombing is always best when you have the shoreline to yourself, and if you’re camping with kids, an abandoned park is a huge plus: with entire campsite loops often closed for maintenance during spring and winter, children have plenty of space to play without disturbing other campers.
Getting there: Sunset Bay State Park is located directly off the Cape Arago Highway off Highway 101. From Bandon, take Highway 101 north to Charleston, then turn left onto the Cape Arago Highway. From Portland, take I-5 to OR-38, then head south on Highway 101 to Cape Arago Highway.
Where to eat: If you tire of camping food (or simply forgot something), Charleston, Oregon is only 15 minutes away by car, and offers several grocery stores in addition to the usual pickings of small coastal towns: a pizza place, a few diners, and fast food joints. For the best fish and chips, head the opposite direction to Bandon (25 minutes) and eat at the Bandon Fish Market on the pier.
What to do:
Amy Whitley is a freelance travel writer and editor of the family travel site Pit Stops for Kids. She and her family are based in Southern Oregon.
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2 Comments
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So THAT’S what a yurt is! Sounds like my kind of camping!
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[...] beds. Bring your own camp kitchens, however, to cook and eat outdoors. While not exploring your Oregon coast yurt, check out seaside towns such as Bandon, OR, for excellent crabbing, beachcombing, and a selection [...]
[...] beds. Bring your own camp kitchens, however, to cook and eat outdoors. While not exploring your Oregon coast yurt, check out seaside towns such as Bandon, OR, for excellent crabbing, beachcombing, and a selection [...]