Sand Lake OR
Sand Lake Recreation Area is 1,076 acres of open sand dunes, surrounded by forests and adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. The area is located 6 miles north of Pacific City between the Sand Lake Estuary on the south and Cape Lookout on the north. The area is popular with OHV enthusiasts and several facilities and campgrounds are available.
The dunes at Sand Lake are an example of an extensive parabola dune system. The parabola dunes are a roughly “U” shaped dune developed from breaks or “blowout” occurring as the result of wind attack on an unstable vegetated point at the edge of a coastal forest. The dunes and deflation plain are actively moving in the northeast direction. Vegetation, consisting primarily of European beach grass and shore pine, is constantly changing.
The climate at Sand Lake has strong marine influences. Summers are cool and winters are moderate. Westerly winds predominate -- from the northwest during the summer and from the southwest in the winter. These winds from the ocean bring heavy rainfall in the winter and fog in the summer.
Due to the popular user demand on Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day weekends at Sand Lake, 1,200 holiday permits are available and required for each street legal, licensed vehicle
Rules for Riding
DECIBEL LIMIT for Oregon Dunes National Recreation
Area is 93decibels.
Increased OHV use and the popularity of aftermarket mufflers means more noise.
Noise buffers are located between residential and recreational riding areas, and
are closed to motorized travel. As defined by state and federal law, vehicle
sound is measured by a decibel meter positioned 20 inches and 45 degrees from
the exhaust outlet. Have your vehicle checked! Forest personnel are equipped to
provide sound checks. Vehicles operating over 93db are subject to citation.
RED or ORANGE FLAGS (8”x 12”) must be displayed 9 feet above the ground on all vehicles when riding at the Oregon Dunes NRA.
