Cape Arago may be the end of the road (the road out of Coos Bay goes no further), but it's really only the beginning if you want to explore the southern Oregon coast.

Use our extra-large, private, sheltered campsites as your base of operations while you enjoy the lighthouse and historic Hughes House tours.

Cape Kiwanda is part of the Three Capes Scenic Route (along with Cape Meares and Cape Lookout). Kiwanda is the smallest of the three, but it's one of the best places to experience spectacular wave action. Pacific City is the home of the Pacific Dory Fleet. South of Cape Kiwanda is the dory boat launching area. North of Cape Kiwanda to Tierra Del Mar is a stretch of beach popular with picnickers. Kiwanda provides great hang gliding and kite flying opportunities.

Cape Lookout State Park can be reached by traveling an hour and a half west of Portland through the scenic Wilson River pass. Along the way, stop and enjoy waterfalls, scenic views and some great fishing.

A must-see when driving the Three Capes Scenic route, Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint is situated on a headland 200 feet above the ocean. Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda are the other two capes on this route. Cape Meares provides an excellent view of the largest colony of nesting common murres (the site is one of the most populous colonies of nesting sea birds on the continent). Bald eagles and a peregrine falcon have also been known to nest near here.

Cape Sebastian ... the very name invokes images of early Spanish explorers and long journeys. The cape was named in honor of Saint Sebastian in 1603 by the Spanish navigator Sebastian Vizcaino. The most striking features of this park are its two parking vistas.

Washburne is located on the east side of Highway 101 with a buffer of native plants between you and the highway. The campsites are spacious. There are several trails of varying difficulty leading from the campsites to the beach, wildlife viewing areas, and second-growth forests.

The first thing that strikes you when you arrive at Cascadia is the tranquility. While the park is quite large, there are barely two dozen campsites, making this a great spot for an intimate getaway. The campground and east picnic area are open May 1-September 30. The west picnic area is open year-round.

Picture yourself reeling in a salmon, steelhead or trout at Casey State Park. Cradled in the arms of the wild and scenic Rogue River, bring your family and have a picnic on the lush, tree-ringed lawns or raft the river. A relaxing and fun spot.

Tranquil, crystal-clear waters and towering ponderosa pines frame the landscape at Catherine Creek State Park. Cradled in a canyon created by the creek, the park provides visitors a cool, quiet and peaceful setting for outdoor activities. Camp in the campground next to Catherine Creek and enjoy the thrill of landing a rainbow trout or simply cool your heels in its icy waters.

Champoeg features a unique combination of history, nature, and recreation. This is the site where Oregon's first provisional government was formed by a historical vote in 1843.

Take a break from the open road and pull into this uncharacteristically wooded area. Have a spot of lunch alongside a cool stream or rest in the shade of large ponderosa pine. The park has picnic tables, drinking water, flush toilets, and access to Crooked Creek, home to rainbow trout and crayfish.

The Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island is a remarkable place. A virtually untouched coastal estaurine ecosystem, it is bounded by the Sand Creek estuary. This is critically valuable habitat for adult salmon moving upstream to spawn and for smolt leaving the inland fresh waters for their marine journey. The area is a ecological potpourri, including mixed woodlands, grasslands, fresh and saltwater wetlands (the Lillian Parker Craft Wetland) and a rare native dune sedgeland. Species run the gamut from salmon and steelhead to shorebirds to deer, otter, and even bear and cougar.

On the banks of the Deschutes River lies a quaint rest area that provides plenty of shade for picnickers. An ideal place to stop for a break, lunch or simply to relax in the warm sun. The park provides fishing access to the river.

Think of Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site as an oasis. Its tall, willowy cottonwood trees provide shade and serenity. Each campsite is clothed with a variety of trees and other plants to give you that private, secluded feeling. The park borders the beautiful John Day River and is surrounded on all sides by some of Oregon's most pristine wilderness areas. You're as likely to have wildlife neighbors as human ones: the majestic Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer are frequent visitors. You can experience the thrill of seeing steelhead rush upriver to spawn. The park lies in the shadow of the Strawberry Mountain Range just a short drive away.

Collier Memorial State Park features a campground; outdoor museum of historic logging equipment; relocated pioneer village; and a new four-corral, primitive horse camp and trailhead. At the state's finest logging museum, you'll see rare and antique logging equipment dating to the 1880s, as well as more recent pieces

Coquille Myrtle Grove will bring out the Huckleberry Finn in you. Located along the Powers Highway, this secluded swimming hole has a shaded myrtlewood grove near the parking area and a sandy beach along the Coquille River just a short way down the hill. Bring your innertube and float along with the river's gentle current. No drinking water at site.

Stroll along the edge of the Winchuck River estuary until it joins the Pacific Ocean. Birds abound. Harbor seals and California sea lions surf and feed in this rich mix of fresh and salt water. Follow the trail through ancient driftwood logs into a fragile dune system filled with unique native plant species, miniature wetlands, and old-growth Sitka spruce trees.

Millions of visitors driving from Portland through the Columbia River Gorge don't realize the full impact of its beauty until they come around the bend near Corbett at exit 22 and see the famous building on the top of the cliff to the right. This is Crown Point and the building is the Vista House.

The classic summer place, Dabney has been a popular cooling-off swimming and picnic spot for over 50 years. It's easy to see why when you visit. The lower, older part of the park at the west end features an asphalt trail leading down to a classic swimming hole. Large picnic tables and briquette grills and a reservable shelter with electricity fill up quickly on hot days. The newer parts of the park feature a covered, reservable picnic shelter and trails winding through tall bamboo, horsetail, cottonwoods and alders.

Darlingtonia State Natural Site is the only Oregon state park property dedicated to the protection of a single plant species. Concurrently, the plants it protects are the only carnivorous flora in the system.

The ocean is a just a short walk from Del Rey's quiet, secluded parking area. If ever there was a place to play, fly a kite, build a sandcastle or picnic, this is it. The sunsets can be spectacular, too.

The Deschutes River State Recreation Area is a tree-shaded, overnight oasis for campers. The sparkle-laden, swift, green rush of the Deschutes converges with the Columbia here, and there's no better place for family outing activities like hiking, mountain biking, camping, rafting, world-class steelhead and trout fishing, and equestrian trail riding.

Located in the Cascade Mountains, Detroit Lake State Park is the gateway to beautiful Detroit Lake. The 400-foot-deep lake was created in 1953 when the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers completed the Detroit Dam project. The lake is over nine miles long with more than 32 miles of shore line. This is the spot for all types of water sports: fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing, and personal watercraft.

Surfers and surf watchers energize this area! During winter storms, water from the restless ocean slams with a thundering roar into a hollow rock formation shaped like a huge punch bowl. The surf churns, foams, and swirls as it mixes a violent brew. The punch bowl was probably created by the collapse of the roof over two sea caves, then shaped by wave action. The park is a popular whale watching site and displays an intriguing geology. This is a scenic picnic spot atop the undulating rocky shoreline. Don't forget to explore the tidepools.