Honeyman State Park

Imagine the speed and momentum you could bring to your ocean plunge after running down a massive sand dune.  Although it is one of the most popular state parks in the Florence area, and thus subject to crowding, Honeyman State Park is one of the better non-motorized access points for the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.  Comprising 31,566 acres, these dunes are the largest in North America, and though much of the area is open to motorized recreation, a good walk is arguably the more enjoyable way to appreciate the scale and size of this formation. 

The dunes start almost literally from where the asphalt ends in the day-use parking area, and climbing to the top quickly gives you glimpse of the ocean and of just some of the terrain that you can explore.  The day-use parking area also provides access to Cleawox Lake, a popular destination for swimming in the summer.  Honeyman has the state’s second largest campground, with over 300 available campsites, and there is a boat ramp and fishing on Woahink Lake.  For better or for worse, the park has the potential to become its own little outdoor metropolis.  However, keep in mind that most of the visitors to this area remain within a few hundred feet of the lakes and campgrounds or stick to the motorized sections of the recreation area.  If you are looking for a little solitude, you can easily find it just over that first hill.