Yurt camping near Coos Bay, Oregon provides coastal accommodations in a temperate marine climate where summer fog often creates morning mist across the region. Most Oregon coast state parks maintain year-round operations despite winter temperatures rarely dropping below freezing. Sites near the dunes typically experience afternoon winds during summer months.
What to do
**Beach exploration: Access tide pools at Sunset Bay State Park Campground where visitors can observe marine life. "Absolutely amazing! This campground has everything and more! There is a botanical garden, tide pools, swimming beaches, and very importantly, clean showers and bathrooms!" reports Elly A.
Lighthouse visits: The Umpqua Lighthouse State Park Campground offers historical exploration with ranger-led tours. "Beautiful southern coast campsite. The Umpqua Lighthouse is lovely. Museum and tours are great. Souvenir shop is unique and staff all over the park are informative and friendly," notes Laura H.
Lake activities: William M. Tugman State Park Campground provides freshwater alternatives just a short drive from ocean beaches. "We had a great stay and time. Camp site and Yurts were clean with nice privacy between sites. The park rangers and camp hosts were all friendly. Eel lake was a lot of fun!! Good fishing from the dock as well as from our kayaks and SUP boards," shares Eric N.
Crabbing: Sun Outdoors Coos Bay offers equipment and cooking facilities for crabbers. "Staff went above and beyond to get us and our pups a place to stay during COVID19. They have full-hook up RV spaces, tent camping on the beach, and a lot next door for tents as well. They lend crab traps and have a crab cleaning and cooking station," explains Sara S.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Bullards Beach State Park Campground features natural vegetation separating camping areas. "Great camping location with lots of private spots with lots of trees and greenery. They have bathrooms and showers if needed. Close to beach and nice to walk around campgrounds with 3 camping areas," Jennifer C. comments.
Clean facilities: Bastendorf Beach Park maintains well-serviced restrooms and showers. "Brand new hot free showers close to the site. There is a day area open to the public overlooking the beach so lots of kid noise during the day but far off from our site. Beach is Ez access (maybe 1/4 walk or drive)," Vicky G. reports.
Waterfront access: Many campers appreciate proximity to both ocean and lake water. "This site was large. The lake is about 1 mile walk from campground. Lighthouse is about 3 miles from campground. Town of Bandon is right over the bridge about 3 miles. Restaurants and stores," Rachel G. notes about Bullards Beach State Park.
Yurt amenities: William M. Tugman State Park offers yurt camping with pet-friendly options. "Only a couple of the yurts are designated pet friendly. A short walk leads to a kids play area and the beach isn't too far away," explains Melissa N., highlighting the yurt accommodations.
What you should know
Weather patterns: Coastal fog often affects camping conditions. "Heads up if it's hot in the valley it'll be foggy on this shore but Coos Bay is just a 10 minute drive and it can still be sunny there!" advises Katie P. at Sunset Bay State Park Campground.
Site selection: Umpqua Lighthouse State Park requires careful site selection for privacy. "I found my campsite itself to lack privacy, I was very much up my neighbor's butt getting their campfire smoke blowing directly into my site. Not enough shrubbery/trees in my opinion," reports Lainey P.
Connectivity challenges: Cell service varies significantly between campgrounds. "We had NO Verizon connection and limited Starlink connectivity — the beautiful tall trees obstruct the satellite visibility. Great place for a long stay if you don't need to reach the outside world," notes Sarah about Sunset Bay State Park.
Seasonal differences: Winter camping requires preparation but offers quieter experiences. "This geography of the area is dominated by Coos Bay, a small sound that surrounds Cape Arago by water on three sides. Because there's so much cold water around, it cools the air close to the ground, colder than the air above it in the heat of summer," explains John B.
Tips for camping with families
Children's activities: Umpqua Lighthouse State Park features a one-mile hiking trail suitable for families. "I loved the 1 mile loop around the lake, totally covered in huckleberries in August. Lots to pick and plenty unripe for September pickings," shares Lainey P.
Playground access: Many Coos Bay area campgrounds include dedicated play areas. "This campground has a nice small loop with a hill that the kids loved to ride their bikes around and zoom by our site. The bathrooms were clean and because of its location, it had few cars driving through, leaving the road open for kids to do what kids do," notes John H. about Umpqua Lighthouse State Park.
Yurt options: Sunset Bay State Park offers yurt camping as an alternative to tent camping. "Absolutely beautiful and clean campgrounds. Lots of retirees in rvs. Showers are hot and nice. Big spaces but right next to each other. Also offer yurts," Braxton C. reports.
Advanced reservations: Book yurt accommodations 6 months ahead during peak season. "We made our reservations way in advance. I would highly recommend that if you know you're going to book as soon as possible, 6 months out if possible. We got the last yurt available for the time period we were out there," advises Robena M. about William M. Tugman State Park.
Tips from RVers
Site dimensions: Sunset Bay State Park has limitations for larger vehicles. "Very nice clean campground. This is an older park and wasn't designed for today's RVs. The driveways are narrow and so are the sites leaving little room for maneuvering and for the slide outs," Jeff M. warns.
Level challenges: William M. Tugman State Park requires leveling equipment for RVs. "Notice the asphalt spaces were not very level. Most RV/Campers had to use blocks to level out. Very woods sites and all spaces shaded," Cindy U. observes.
Utility connections: Most state parks offer electric and water connections but limited sewer hookups. "Spots vary from all hookups to water/electric to no hookups. They also have tent camping and yurts. Highly recommend," Jennifer C. notes about Bullards Beach State Park Campground.
Shower facilities: Free hot showers are available at most state parks but may have time limitations. "Great experience, plenty of campsites, wonderfully hot showers. The D section showers, if you put the handle to the bottom right it'll be nice and hot!" advises Katie P. at Sunset Bay State Park.
