Some New Campsites Opened for Eclipse Around Oregon, the Coast

Published 04/13/2017 at 3:43 AM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Oregon Coast) – Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) will open up about 1,000 campsites along the route of the eclipse that's coming this August, with reservations beginning at 8 a.m. on April 19. The total eclipse of August 21 will be seen on a path that starts on the Oregon coast, drifting through the mid-Willamette Valley and over into central and eastern Oregon – all places were new campsites will open up. (Above: Driftwood Beach State Recreation Site, where new campsites will be available).

However, not all the spots are in the path of totality, with some close to that path but still in the 99 percent range. About two-thirds of the new spots opening up will be in that route.

All state park campsites – and even lodgings – within the line of totality have been reserved and booked solid.

On August 21, the solar eclipse begins about 9 a.m. and then ends at 11:30 a.m. in and around Oregon. A section of Oregon about 60 miles wide will lie in the path of totality. This first makes landfall on the Oregon coast about 10:15, in an area that stretches from Walport to Pacific City, mostly centered around Newport, Depoe Bay and Lincoln City. The run of total darkness – lasting about two minutes or less – then moves eastward across Oregon. See Tips for the Total Eclipse on Oregon Coast: Lodging, Viewpoints

New campsites open along the Oregon coast include some at Carl G. Washburne State Park (about 30 miles from the totality path). Inside that route are Beachside State Recreation Site, Governor Patterson Memorial State and Driftwood Beach State Recreation Site around Waldport, Newport's South Beach State Park and Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area near Depoe Bay.

Others around the rest of Oregon include Willamette Mission, Cascade Mountain foothills, Cascadia, Silver Falls and The Cove Palisades, among many others.

Prices are remarkably reasonable: $10 a night for a basic spot in a field or parking lot to $31 a night for an RV site with full hookups. All the sites include an $8 nonrefundable reservation fee.

There is a three-night minimum for all campsites, with a check-in on Friday, August 18 and check-out Monday, August 21. Customers can make reservations beginning at 8 a.m. April 19 at oregonstateparks.org or reserveamerica.com or by calling the reservation line at 800-452-5687. Those with questions can call the Oregon State Parks Information Center at 1-800-551-6949, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Customers may also email their questions to park.info@oregon.gov.

OPRD said that transportation officials are predicting “unprecedented traffic and crowds” for this stellar event. They expect major highways and freeways on the morning of August 21 to be at a standstill, and side roads or smaller routes to be even worse in some areas.

“It may be impossible to drive into the path of totality that morning,” OPRD said.

There will be two types of sites available: traditional campsites and the newly created temporary spots for the eclipse only. The traditional campsites are those that are normally not reservable and are “first-come, first-served” on regular camping high seasons. These have fire rings and picnic tables, but some do not have showers. There will be no “first-come, first-served” sites at all for the eclipse.

The temporary eclipse camping areas are being created out of sections of campgrounds and day-use parks with sufficient space and facilities. But some parks will not have flush toilets or showers. OPRD is adding portable toilets to some areas. There will be some tent areas, and a few parks are ADA compliant but most are not. - Maps - Virtual Tours Below: photos of the central coast parks with new camping spots.

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

 

 

LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted

Oregon Coast Lodging
Rentals
Specials

Dining

Events Calendar

Oregon Coast Weather

Travel News

Search for Oregon Coast Subjects, Articles

Virtual Tours, Maps
Deep Details