Update: Lawsuit Shuts Down Small Part of South Oregon Coast Dunes Just Before UTV Event

Published 08/12/2026 at 6:55 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Winchester Bay, Oregon) – A part of the south Oregon coast's dunes have been closed off temporarily because of a federal lawsuit regarding the protection of the Pacific marten. The closure came just before an off-road vehicle event on this part of the southern Oregon coast, and shutting down a small portion of the area used for that. (Photo courtesy Travel Lane County)

It was announced at the last minute: a federal judge in Eugene imposed temporary limits on off-highway vehicle use in parts of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area on Monday, August 10, just one day before the six-day UTV Takeover event was set to begin near Winchester Bay.

The order marks a procedural win for the Center for Biological Diversity, though the underlying lawsuit remains active while the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) undergoes a required consultation on protections for the Pacific marten, a newly listed threatened species.

Judge Ann Aiken found that the Center had shown a likelihood of success on its claims and that unmanaged riding could cause irreparable harm to marten habitat within the dunes.

Curfew area

She said the case hinges on two core issues: the Forest Service’s failure to consult on the marten after its listing, and unresolved questions surrounding permits for the upcoming event.

“In compliance with a Court Order issued on August 10, 2026 by the U.S. District Court of Oregon’s Eugene Division, the Siuslaw National Forest is closing two areas of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area south of Winchester Bay, Oregon, and implementing a motorized vehicle curfew from 10:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.,” the USFS said. “The closure areas include Banshee Hill, which is located northeast of the Umpqua #2 staging area, and the southwestern edge of the Umpqua Dunes south of the Umpqua #3 staging area. Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trails within the closure area will be off limits. The curfew includes the entirety of the Middle Riding Area.”

Two cameras will also be installed at two different entrances to monitor compliance.

Aiken noted that the agency’s existing routes plan includes extensive safeguards for the western snowy plover but lacks comparable protections for the marten because the required consultation was never completed. The temporary restrictions will remain in place while the case proceeds.

The majority of the UTV Takeover is not affected: only one small area. The rest of the event takes place as planned on county and private property. It started Tuesday.

The Center had originally asked for seven habitat areas in this part of the Oregon coast to be closed, and that may yet happen once more of the consulting gets done down the road.

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