Tahkenitch Dunes, Reedsport OR


• 4-star hike
• 6.9 mile loop
• Moderate | Gain 560 feet
• Reedsport, OR | Oregon
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A person wearing an orange shirt, gray shorts, and a hat walks up a sandy dune dotted with small grasses and shrubs. Dense green forest borders the dunes, and a distant body of water is visible beyond the trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Hiking across one of two soft sand sections.

This seven-mile hike in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is a showcase for the wild shoreline landscapes of the central Oregon coast. Set out on a counter-clockwise route along the Tahkenitch Dunes Trail through dense, shady woodland, and you will soon find yourself among moderate dunes that lead toward an expansive sandy beach.

To protect the nesting areas of the diminutive snowy plover, dry sand beach areas are off-limits to recreation during spring and summer. However, there is still plenty of room for hikers along the firm, wetter sand closer to the ocean's edge. An alternative inland route that shortcuts the beach excursion is also available.
⬤ 4★ Tahkenitch Dunes Trail   6.9 mi loop, moderate, gain 560 ft
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions GPX?
 $  National Forest parking fee

Pick up the Three Mile Lake North Trail for the second half of the hike. An initial climb up some soft sand dunes leads onto firmer terrain, back into the shade of increasingly dense vegetation, and eventually, tall evergreen trees. We recommend a brief side trip early on this trail to the scenic overlook that looks down the length of Three Mile Lake, which, curiously, we measured at less than two miles in length. Apparently, the lake's name is something of a historical relic — it originally referred to its distance from the mouth of the Umpqua River, which has since shifted, leaving the lake with a name that is three miles in length only.

a hiker wearing a wide-brimmed hat and an orange shirt walks away from the camera along a sun-dappled dirt trail through a lush, dense forest. The path is flanked by moss-covered earth and abundant greenery, including large rhododendron-like bushes that form a natural archway over the trail. Shafts of sunlight filter through the tall trees, highlighting the textures of the forest floor and creating a vibrant, tranquil outdoor scen
Half of the loop is under cover of vegetation.

This loop of the Tahkenitch Dunes is mostly along firm ground, with only a couple of moderately brief sections of soft sand, plus an oceanside walk along wet sand. Around half of the trail is shaded.

The start of the hike is located at the Tahkenitch Campground and Day Use trailhead. Parking at this National Forest site requires a day-use permit that should be purchased in advance using the Recreation.gov app or website (link below). Accepted annual passes include the Northwest Forest Pass, the Oregon Pacific Coast Passport, and the National Interagency Annual Pass (also known as the America the Beautiful Pass).

a hiker wearing a wide-brimmed hat and an orange shirt walks along a vast, expansive sandy beach. The person is moving away from the camera toward the distant shoreline, where gentle waves meet the wet sand under a bright blue sky filled with scattered, puffy clouds.
A mile long beach section along the ocean's edge.

a wide panoramic shot captures a tranquil lake surrounded by a dense, dark green pine forest. In the foreground, a steep, sandy dune covered with sparse grasses leads down to a small, sandy beach area where a lone figure in an orange shirt is visible. The scene is set under a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds
A short spur leads to the Three Mile Lake overlook.

a large, weathered piece of driftwood with bare, skeletal branches rests on a wide expanse of sandy beach. In the background, a narrow channel of water runs parallel to the shoreline, separating the sandy foreground from the distant ocean waves under a soft, overcast sky
Beach driftwood within the protected snowy plover habitat.

Tangents:
• Official: Tahkenitch Dunes Trail
• Recreation.gov: Advance Day Pass
• AllTrails Public: Tahkenitch Dunes Trail

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Content provided without warranty of accuracy. Copyright © 2026 Stuart Green all rights reserved.

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