Explore Bullards Beach State Park in Oregon
The Oregon Coast is riddled with spots to camp, hike and explore. My wife and I enjoyed a night at Bullards Beach State Park. After setting up camp and eating dinner, we went down to the beach for a sunset walk. Bullards Beach State Park is more than a campsite and beach. I’ve outlined a few activities you can enjoy at the park.
Reserve a Campsite at Bullards Beach
Bullards Beach allows camping reservations made up to 30 days in advance. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), there are no spots for first-come, first-served. We booked our site about two weeks before our trip. But it was also during a global pandemic (COVID-19) so fewer people were traveling.
The campsite reservation website is pretty easy to use. We put in our dates and found the sites that were available. We were only tent camping, so we didn’t need much. But they had spots for RVs. When we arrived, there was a spot to plug in things, so I was able to easily charge my phone while we set up camp.
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When you arrive, check in at the front desk, then head to your spot and get setup. There are flush toilets and hot showers. However, we were there during the COVID-19 pandemic and the showers were closed. So be mindful of potential changes before you book.
Walk or Drive to Bullards Beach
The campground is a little bit of a walk from the beach. But the roughly one-mile trail makes for a nice stroll. It’s paved most of the way, and winds through some grassy areas. If you’re not up for walking (or carrying your kids and beach toys), then you can drive to a parking area at the beach.
The beach stretches for 4.5 miles, so there’s a lot of room to explore. At the main beach access point, there are restrooms. Look for shells, do some bird watching or see what the tide brought in as you stroll along the beach.
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We enjoyed a nice sunset walk on the beach. It was a good thing we turned around when we did, because as we got back to the car, the ranger was there letting us know the beach was closing. That meant the access road was going to be blocked off up by camp and we didn’t want to be stuck down here. We chatted with the ranger for a few minutes, then drove back to the campsite to get some sleep.
Coquille Lighthouse Trail
If you’ve only driven or hiked as far as the beach, don’t stop there. A little further down the paved access road (or hiking trail) is Coquille Lighthouse. It’s at the far south end of the beach, where the Coquille River empties into the ocean.
During the summer months, the lighthouse signal room is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are volunteers there who can help you learn more about the area and the history of the lighthouse. You can’t go up inside the tower because of safety concerns. But it’s a neat lighthouse, nonetheless.
SIDE NOTE: It took me a while to realize this, but Coquille is a french word for “shell”. So now you know. 😉
If you want to explore the Coquille River, there is a boat ramp along the access road you can use to try your hand at fishing and crabbing.
The Details
Address: Near Coos Bay, Oregon, United States (2 miles north of Bandon).
Parking: There is parking at the entrance to the campsite area, as well as at the beach access point and Coquille Lighthouse.
Cost: There is no cost to park at the Coquille Lighthouse or beach access parking area. Camp sites range from $29-$40 per night, plus an online reservation transaction fee.
Website: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=50
Phone: (541)347-2209
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