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CoastWatch Mile 160
CountyLane
DescriptionOregon Dunes NRA just south of Siltcoos River
Boundaries N 43° 52.455', W 124° 9.275' to N 43° 51.713', W 124° 9.529'
Google MapsNearby Roads, Directions to/from, Google photos, Satellite image, Terrain overlay
OPRD MapSiuslaw R to Siltcoos R (3), to Tahkenitch Cr (1)
Vehicles• Motor vehicle travel is prohibited from approximately 1,500 feet north of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Siltcoos River, parking lot (43° 53.2410', Mile 161), southerly to the Lane County-Douglas County line(43° 51.8604', Mile 160).
• Motor vehicle travel is prohibited from the Lane County-Douglas County line (43° 51.8604', Mile 160), southerly to approximately one mile south of the mouth of Tahkenitch Creek (43° 47.4330', Mile 155).
WeatherCurrent Weather Conditions at nearby stations (may take a minute or two on a dialup connection)
TidesThe NOAA Tide Predictions site may be found here. Click on the station nearest to your location to see predicted tides in graphical and tabular formats.

Photo

[No photos have been uploaded with reports for this Mile]


25 REPORTS FOR MILE 160:
JNorth1
Oct 18, 2012 11:30 AM
 
It seemed the vegetation line was closer to the water at the northern 1/4 of my mile than I remember, with both American beachgrass and some type of succulent. There didn't seem to be as many washed up logs as usual. Noted 2 harbor seals sticking close to a flock of gulls on the river at the estuary.   MORE 
dragonfly
Jul 23, 2012 11:00 AM
 
Harbor seals hauled out near estuary. Moderate amount of broken shells and crab shells in the driftline, otherwise the beach was very clean and practically deserted. On the walk back we did see 5 or 6 kayaks pulled up on the south side of the Siltcoos right before the beach.   MORE 
Treehugger1
Jun 1, 2012 12:30 PM
 
Today's walk notable for the absence of shorebirds other than the Snowy Plovers and the presence of the 2 CA Sea Lions basking in the sun during a break in the ground fog up the estuary about 50 yards. I removed 15# of manmade trash, primarily glass and plastic bottles. Couldn't figure out how the small oil spill occurred other than maybe from an OHV earlier in the day.   MORE 
dragonfly
Jan 28, 2012 12:30 PM
 
Many more dead crabs and driftwood after the recent storms, but thankfully not much plastic debris. Less wildlife than usual. Evidence that the surf may have gone over the tops of the dune in some places during the recent king tides/hurricane-force wind event   MORE 
Treehugger1
Jan 13, 2012 11:00 AM
 
Sunny, calm, quiet day, with few birds other than the sandpipers, and no human visitors. There was little in the way of debris, which I found unusual but for the absence of humans today. The shoreline was flat up to the foredunes. This observation was made the day before the heavy rains began, so it was truly the calm before the storm.   MORE 
JNorth1
Sep 29, 2011 11:00 AM
 
Noticed foredune erosion in protected snowy plover nesting area back to vegetated foredune at the mouth of the Siltcoos River to the south. Beach flat up to vegetated foredune. Very little debris of any kind and very few animal casings or kelp. Beautiful, calm day; quiet with only 3 people noted and no ATVs.   MORE 
dragonfly
Aug 8, 2011 9:30 AM
 
A very quiet day on the beach. Very little wildlife. Very little litter.   MORE 
dragonfly
May 1, 2011 10:30 AM
 
The beach was unusually quiet and clean. The only relatively unusual thing was a washed-up mermaid's purse.   MORE 
dragonfly
Feb 6, 2011 10:30 AM
 
My companion (a veteran birder and wildlife observer) and I both felt there was an eerie absence of wildlife and birds. Are other Coastwatchers noticing the same thing?   MORE 
dragonfly
Dec 7, 2010 9:00 AM
 
Surprisingly little litter on beach despite recent storms. Abundant seal and bird presence. Dead juvenile sea lion.   MORE 
JNorth1
Sep 4, 2010 11:00 AM
 
Beautiful weather conditions; calm to mild wind. One makeshift driftwood shelter complete with interior decorating. River outlet shifted notably to the south in oxbow fashion.   MORE 
dragonfly
Aug 2, 2010 10:00 AM
 
The beach was extremely clean. No trash or plastic bottles as in recent visits. Large deposits of broken shells. Very little wildlife, which is unusual for Mile 160.   MORE 
dragonfly
Apr 14, 2010 11:00 AM
 
Many floats from boats and lots of bottles, both plastic and glass, on beach. A great time for watching birds.   MORE 
JNorth1
Mar 9, 2010 11:00 AM
 
Access to Mile 160 via the Wax Myrtle trail was almost impossible due to 1-1/2 feet of water in two large areas, with no way to avoid wading through it. Evidence of recent storms bringing in large numbers of large logs and much debris and garbage. Only 6 people walking on small area of the shore north of the river outlet to the ocean. Government truck drove short distance and parked for 15-20 min. Conspicuous absence of dead invertebrate and bird remains. Large flocks of sanderlings and only a few gulls noted. Most exciting was the bald eagle soaring above the beach.   MORE 
dragonfly
Feb 7, 2010 11:00 AM
 
Lots of new driftwood deposited against dune. Many plastic bottles, especially water bottles. High tides had significantly cut away the dune at the southern part of Mile 160.   MORE 
JNorth1
Nov 15, 2009 10:00 AM
 
Due to scattered showers still occurring, few people on the beach. Recent storms have brought in several large trees and numerous pieces of large driftwood. More trash than usual, filling (over-filling) large trash sack, mostly picnic-related. Storm-related erosion has created large promontory in the vegetated foredune toward south end of mile.   MORE 
dragonfly
Oct 22, 2009 11:00 AM
 
Beach was unusually clean. As the tide approached high tide, we observed many huge salmon jumping clear out of the water on their journey up the Siltcoos. Spectacular!   MORE 
JNorth
Aug 19, 2009 10:00 AM
 
This is my first report for this mile so have nothing to compare with what was seen today. Saw group of 7 pelicans standing on shore at river outlet, large number of western sandpipers feeding on shore, 3 fairly recently dead gulls in various states of decay and predator activity. Only saw 2 people at this time. Fairly foggy with sun breaks easing visibility. I was under close scrutiny by one harbor seal not far off shore.   MORE 
julianne
Jul 18, 2009 12:00 PM
 
My son spotted a weasel run into the dune which was in the Snowy Plover nesting area. He then heard a lot of bird moises followed by silence.   MORE 
julianne
Nov 22, 2008 2:00 PM
 
The beach was exceptionally clean, except for two heavy deposits of shells in a small area at the south end of mile 160. The seal looked recently washed up seemed smallish and thin and had been eviscerated. The Siltcoos had moved around a lot in its estuary, rearranging large driftwood stumps and creating a fairly large ox-bow pond. Unusual lack of wild life except for an enormous congregation of gulls at the mouth of the river.    MORE 
julianne
Aug 14, 2008 11:00 AM
 
The stream has obviously moved around and changed course. A still wet channel to the extreme south of the estuary has been abandoned for a channel to the extreme north. The dune adjacent to the south side of the estuary had been flattened and the beach grass disturbed prior to Snowy Plover nesting season. The beach grass is re-growing. There was a family of five or six osprey fishing in the Siltcoos and vocalizing frequently to each other. There was also an adult and juvenile Bald Eagle at the estuary. Once again, no harbor seals at all.   MORE 
julianne
Jun 15, 2008 11:00 AM
 
There were more broken shells on the wet sand than usual, but otherwise it was a fairly typical day.   MORE 
julianne
Mar 8, 2008 12:30 PM
 
On a visit in early January, we discovered that the fore dune to the south of Siltcoos estuary had been full-dozed, so there is an extensive area of flat dry sand that wasn't there before. This visit was unusual because of the relative absence of wildlife. We always see harbor seals swimming or hauled out; today there were none. There are always a lot of birds; today we saw three gulls, one turkey vulture, one bald eagle a second in the stream.    MORE 
zbstotz
Sep 19, 2007 9:30 AM
 
Nice day, beach clean, two people enjoying the day.   MORE 
zbstotz
Mar 16, 2007 10:00 AM
 
The weather was nice, there was nothing unusual to note. Due to the winter storms the foredune has eroded almost perpendicular for about a forth mile.   MORE