Find Oregon Coast Solitude at Florence’s South Jetty Beach

Given the popularity of the Oregon Coast, it can be hard to escape the crowds, especially on beautiful summer weekends. Florence’s South Jetty Beach has miles of sandy coastline and many public access points that make for a good chance of solitude during your visit. Explore grassy dunes, see the estuary where the Siuslaw River meets the Pacific Ocean, and watch for wildlife at this stunning park. Here is everything you need to know about visiting South Jetty Beach.

*Short trails over a dune lead to the beach*

Know before you go

It costs $5/day to visit Florence’s South Jetty Beach. It’s a good idea to purchase a day pass online ahead of time in case you don’t have reception when you get there. You can also use an annual America the Beautiful pass, Oregon Coast Passport, or NW Forest Pass.
There are restrooms in multiple places throughout the park. The ones closest to the entrance are at the two ORV staging areas. There are also vault toilets at several of the beach access points.
Dogs are welcome at South Jetty Beach.
South Jetty Beach is usually very windy. Bring layers.
Vehicles are not allowed to drive on South Jetty Beach from May 1st - September 30 or on weekends and holidays. Street legal vehicles are allowed on all other days.
The beach to the south of the South Jetty and Goose Pasture Staging Areas is open to ORV traffic. The beach north of the staging areas is not. Find a helpful map here.
There are some limited sand camping options at South Jetty Beach. A standard site is $10/night and requires a digital reservation. Find out more about camping here.
Florence’s South Jetty Beach sometimes gets confused with the South Jetty Beach in Newport, which is about 50 miles north.

Beach Day Use #6 Florence South Jetty — *The trail to the beach from Day Use #6*

Navigating the park

South Jetty Beach goes on for miles. Once you turn into the park from Highway 101, you’ll pass the two ORV staging areas, then turn right to head north on Sand Dunes Road. This road runs parallel to the beach and ends at the South Jetty where the Siuslaw River meets the Pacific. To the east of this road, you’ll see the wetlands that surround the Siuslaw River. To the west is a tall grassy dune that separates the beach from the road. Along the way, there are six different access points for South Jetty Beach. Each access point has a small parking lot and some have vault toilets. If you want the beach to yourself, it’s usually easy to spot a parking lot without cars in it.

South Jetty Beach Florence — *A large dune separates the road from the beach*

No matter which access point you choose, you will climb a short but steep trail up and over the dune to reach the ocean on the other side. Although there’s a good chance that your calves will be burning at the top, the views from the dunes are some of the best in the park.

Things to do at South Jetty Beach

South Siuslaw Jetty Florence — *The South Jetty*

Drive to the end of Sand Dunes Road and find the South Siuslaw Jetty. A row of boulders blocks cars from driving onto the jetty, but you can walk along it and fish from it. Be sure to watch out for waves while you’re there. The jetty is a good place to look for seals and sea lions hunting in the water where the river meets the ocean.
Visit the fishing and crabbing dock in the estuary. Look for the dock near the Day Use #6 parking lot.

Florence South Jetty Beach — *South Jetty Beach*

Walk along the beach. There are about 4 miles of sandy beach to explore between the ORV areas and the South Jetty.
Watch for whales. Standing at the top of the dune can make it easier to scan the water for them.
Watch for seabirds. Many types of birds visit South Jetty Beach including some unusual species. You might see gulls, pelicans, sandpipers, plovers, terns, and horned puffins among others.
Look for shorebirds from the wildlife viewing area. You’ll see a parking area with room for a few cars on the east side of Sand Dunes Road that overlooks the wetlands. The viewpoint is between Beach Day Use #2 and #3. You might see birds like common loons, surf scoters, and grebes. Raptors like northern harriers and kites also visit the park. Look for them circling overhead.

About the dunes

South Jetty Beach is part of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, a stretch of the Oregon Coast over 40 miles long between Florence and Coos Bay known for its prolific dunes. The coastline of the dune field follows a general pattern. Closest to the water, there is a stretch of sandy beach, then a foredune covered with European beach grass. People planted this beach grass in the early 1900s to stabilize the dunes, which it does tenaciously.

On the other side of the foredune is what’s called a deflation plain, a low-lying area where wind erodes the sand. Since beach grass holds the sand in place on the foredune, it doesn’t blow down into the deflation plain. Wetlands often thrive in these areas. Inland of the deflation plain is where you can find Oregon’s giant dunes, the largest of which are outside of South Jetty Beach. Look for them in the Umpqua Dunes near Winchester Bay where they can be several hundred feet high.

Beach strawberry Florence South Jetty — *Beach strawberries bloom on the dunes*

Getting there

From Highway 101, look for the turn onto S Jetty Road just south of the town of Florence. If you’re coming from the north, look for the turn just after you cross the Siuslaw River Bridge. From the south, it will be shortly after Jessie Honeyman State Park. The drive from Portland takes about 3 hours.