Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, National recreation area along the Pacific coast in Oregon, United States

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is a nature reserve and dunes formation along the Pacific coast in the state of Oregon.The sand formations stretch along the coastline and create a landscape where open beaches meet forested hills.

The federal government placed this area under protection in 1972 and assigned management to the US Forest Service.Before that, the coastline had been inhabited and used by indigenous communities for centuries.

The name Siuslaw comes from the Siuslaw people, whose language and territory centred on the Siuslaw River at the dunes' southern end. The area also inspired Frank Herbert's novel Dune after his research on the sands. Visitors can watch western snowy plovers, which numbered only 68 birds in Oregon when listed as threatened in 1993.

Access is available from several parking areas along the coastal highway, with some sections reserved for vehicles and others for hikers.Visitors should watch for sand that can cover paths during windy conditions and bring appropriate clothing for changing weather.

The region holds small freshwater lakes between the dunes, formed from rainwater and surrounded by vegetation.These bodies of water provide habitat for amphibians and insects rarely found elsewhere near the coast.