Oregon Sand Dunes

Like many people, I don't think of sand dunes when I think of Oregon. I have visions of majestic mountain ranges, dense forests and rugged coast lines. That is why I was surprised to hear that Oregon has the largest area of sand dunes in the country. We're not just talking a nice little beach, here. These are huge dunes, 50 ft high in some parts with small lakes trapped inside some sand bowls and trees sprouting up sporadically.


After doing a little research, I discovered that you can rent sand rails (dune buggies) and either drive on the dunes or have a driver take you on an adventure tour. I was up to doing the driving myself, after all how often have you dreamed of driving on the dunes, but my family and I agreed it would be safer to let a trained driver take us out. We rented an eight passenger rail for a half hour and had the time of our lives.


You may be thinking thirty minutes isn't long enough, but you'd be wrong. First of all we made quick friends with the driver. At first he was a little stand offish. We softened him up and made him laugh and feel like he was part of our group. This is important because he is the decision maker of the ride. We told him we wanted the most adventurous ride he could give us. He did not disappoint.


We came out of a wooded area and the whole sand dune national park was out before us. It was amazing. Then he hit the gas and we were practically flying. He came up to the edge of a huge dune and we looked down to see a 30 ft drop. I thought, "Thank God we didn't go over the side". Then he drove us straight over the edge. We all screamed like we were little kids. He continued to rip through the sand going over the tops of the dunes, spitting sand in every direction and dropping over edges that did not seem safe at all. We loved it.


I have decided that every trip I take, I will search for a sand dune recreation area. If they offer sand rail rentals, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be there. I always knew it would be a blast, I just never imagined it could be that much fun.


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