Coastal Oregon's yurt camping options near Gardiner offer year-round access with most sites open throughout all seasons. The region experiences mild temperatures with foggy summer mornings along the immediate coastline, while inland areas can warm significantly by afternoon. Winter camping requires preparation for rain with the area receiving over 65 inches of annual precipitation mostly between November and March.
What to do
Dune exploration from camp: At Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park Campground, campers can access the Oregon Dunes directly. "Special and unique landscape right in the center of Oregon Dunes. We love it here. Located close to the quant town of Florence. Lots of nearby hikes, beach access, and of course the dunes," notes reviewer Blaine B.
Sand boarding: Rent equipment within walking distance of camp for a unique coastal activity. "Really close access to the sand dunes and we rented sand boards for $10 a day and had a blast sand boarding. Really fun trip," shares Carson C. about his experience at Honeyman.
Fishing access: William M. Tugman State Park Campground offers excellent fishing from shore. "Lots of loops for Sam to ride her bike, trails around Eel Lake to hike (beautiful!), kayak and paddleboard rentals (didn't get a chance to do that), a dock to fish off (lots of fish to catch there), and a nice kids' playground," writes Melissa L.
Crabbing excursions: Set up crab traps directly from your campsite at some locations. "We were able to cast our crab snares right off the back of our site and limit out. Park has a nice walking path that goes around the outside along the bay," reports Dean about Winchester Bay RV Resort.
What campers like
Trail access: Tahkenitch Campground features beautiful hiking connections to the dunes. "The highlight for us was the beautiful trail to the dunes. We actually walked there twice it was so beautiful - once with the dog in the afternoon and then we went back for an incredible sunset," explains Sara R.
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain well-kept bathrooms and showers. "WONDERFUL clean showers; a little tight with neighbors but well-designed to make you feel a bit farther away; garbage only at entrance; wood available for purchase," says Janessa L. about her Honeyman stay.
Yurt amenities: The deluxe yurts offer substantial conveniences compared to standard options. "The deluxe yurt had acres of space. The kitchen had an almost full sized fridge, a microwave, and a sink. The shower in the bathroom was not as nice as in the deluxe cabins elsewhere, but there was plenty of towel bars to dry all of your gear on," shares Nancy H. about her Umpqua Lighthouse State Park Campground stay.
Privacy landscaping: Many sites include natural barriers between campers. "The sites are kind of small for tent camping, and a few are a little too open for my taste, but our site had some lovely privacy hedges around it," Kendra L. explains about her Sunset Bay State Park experience.
What you should know
Weather patterns: Coastal fog and wind affect camping comfort significantly. "To small for me. We were a bit suprised when we got there to find the tent site was very small, I mean small. There was no place for you to let the dog do their business and the only real place to walk was a STEEP walk to the lake. Very noisy, and the park people were kind of rude," reports Cliff M. about his Umpqua Lighthouse experience.
Highway noise: Sites near Highway 101 experience traffic sounds. "The only drawback is that it is near enough to the highway that you can hear trucks and sometimes ATVs going by at night," explains Kendra L. about Tugman State Park.
Reservation timing: Popular yurt sites require planning months ahead. "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 Tugman State Park.
Campsite selection: Harbor Vista Campground and other parks have significant variation between sites. "For $40, you get full hookup, great location and a well cared for place to relax," notes Geoff T. about Harbor Vista.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Choose camps with dedicated children's areas. "This campground has it all! My only regret is making this the first campground in my family's camping experience, the bar was set way high! There is a botanical garden, tide pools, swimming beaches, and very importantly, clean showers and bathrooms!" shares Elly A. about Sunset Bay State Park Campground.
Bike-friendly loops: Several campgrounds feature safe cycling areas for kids. "The drive was a bit longer than we wanted from Portland but pretty the whole way. The campground has a nice small loop with a hill that the kids loved to ride their bikes around and zoom by our site," notes John H. about Umpqua Lighthouse.
Kid-oriented yurts: Families with young children appreciate the yurt amenities. "I had such a nice time at this campground. We went in the off season (in the winter) so the campground didn't have many people staying- most being in RVs and us in a yurt. I have a toddler and it ended up being so helpful with the weather being a bit rainy and getting some creature comforts while still enjoying nature," explains Nicole L. about her yurt camping experience at Honeyman.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling: Thousand Trails South Jetty and other parks require attention to ground conditions. "The Lesson: we arrived in mid-afternoon and quickly chose a site and got everything set up. It was one of the lesser flooded sites, but still very very muddy. We travel with two dogs, so the amount of mud around the trailer was going to be an issue. We took a walk around the campground on found the high-side of the campground, much bigger, much drier sites," advises David & Sue C.
Space limitations: Many coastal sites weren't designed for larger modern RVs. "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," explains Jeff M. about Sunset Bay.
Site selection strategy: Take time to survey all options before setting up. "Look at the entire campground before you pick your spot!" recommends David & Sue C. after their South Jetty experience.
