Where Pixieland Was Oregon Coast's Salmon River Estuary Now Rules: Old Mystery Remnants

Updated 09/03/25 at 4:55 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Lincoln City, Oregon) – In a rather quirky twist, a goofy, even tacky remnant of Oregon coast history skyrocketed to a new popularity for awhile, some 40 years or more after it was gone. The fondly-remembered Pixieland – a kind of third or even fourth rate Disneyland – became more popular for a time in the 2010s than it was during its brief existence from 1969 to 1972. (Google Maps: the triangular area where Pixieland was)

Various festivals in Lincoln City brought it back to life to varying degrees, as well as the original Pixie Kitchen – which ruled the culinary scene of Oregon from the '50s into the mid-70s. There was a palpable hunger for that chunk of nostalgia, making big waves every time the town brought some aspect back to life for an event.

There's still a kind of Pixieland revival going, which includes the big kite festival coming up: there are Pixie Fest Carnival games featured. Lincoln City Fall Kite Festival Returns with Night Flights Over Central Oregon Coast Town

Pixieland fever seems to still exist, although it's a low grade fever now.

Still, it begs the question: where is the old site of Pixieland? Can anything be seen of it now?

The short answer is that the old site has mostly returned to nature, while chunks of it have been replaced by an ODOT facility, which warns you not to enter. The only hint of anything there is by satellite photos. All the rest of it was a part of the Salmon River Estuary restoration over a decade ago.

However, there are small remnants left, now mysterious pieces perfect for "abandoned places" fans. But it's a bit of a hike.

From Wikipedia

For the curious, really the bulk of the adventure left here is looking at shots from space. For the next level curious: hit the slightly mysterious trail (which according to Cascade Head Biosphere Collaborative is not an offical trail at all).

The estuary and wetland seem to hold a few secrets, and that area has paths wandering through it, with a kind of trailhead right off Highway 18, just before the junction to 101. The walkable areas (one can't call these actual trails) that wander into this patch of forest are unnamanaged, however. Inside is a moody place at times: magical, mystical, dark and forested. It's also a bit of puzzle when you find old stuff just lying there. These curiosities, it turns out, are glimpses of old Pixie site remnants. Some photos out on the net show random objects in the forest, like parts of a tiled path or amusement park-oriented bits 'n pieces that are rusted or in various states of decay.

Google Maps

You can find the entrance on the paved patch pullout facing Highway 18 - the gated access road with a big sign that says "wetlands restoration" in huge letters. They're not monitored for safety or problems, so use much caution. It's then about a half mile walk into former Pixieland territory.

The official trails only go around this area but eventually let you look down on it from Cascade Head.

Google Maps Streetview: ODOT has this private facility which won't gain you access

What can you see of Pixieland? Nothing from the exterior – even from space satellite images. However, that little access path - if the photos are true - produces some rather amazing finds. The objects are mostly covered over by greenery and soil and such, so they're faint, barely visible: but that's what gives them some extra "abandoned spaces" feel. There's a whole photograph genre around that these days.

However, the North Lincoln County History Museum has plenty of remnants - the really cool stuff. On occasion, oddities show up on the net – like (supposedly) a part of one ride that popped up in someone's yard.

Kooky Oregon Coast History: Lincoln City's Pixieland Part Two Not all that history is normal stuff, however

Weird Tales of Pixieland, Central Oregon Coast History, Part I The famed Lincoln City attraction seems more popular now than in its few short years

What's surrounding the old Pixieland site?

Pixieland was built right up against Highway 18 and Highway 101, where they intersect, with 18 on the southern side and the northbound bypass from 101 on its northern boundary. It's all in between that triangle in the satellite photo. The bypass, a one-way, takes you to the northbound traffic on 101.

Smaller signage at the Salmon River Estuary wetlands access spot talks about the restoration project and what it used to be, but Oregon Coast Beach Connection has not been able to confirm if it mentions Pixieland specifically.

This is what Pixieland looks like now / Oregon Coast Conservation Strategy

What Happened to Pixieland?

The links above describe some of that in more detail, but the history of the end of Pixieland gives some clues as to why going there to look could be precarious.

Ol' Pixieland was constructed on shaky ground – so to speak – by blocking creeks and trying to turn wetlands into solid ground. That turned on the owner, Jerry Parks, back then. They fought the elements right off the bat with floods and other erosion issues. According to Mid Coast Watershed Council (in communications with Oregon Coast Beach Connection in 2011), Pixieland had “utilized diking of these Oregon coast waterways and rerouting of rivers in order to develop the site. Fill material was placed in some areas, and others had culverts, dams and tide gates.”

Earlier than that, in 1961, other waterways were blocked by a slight rebuild of Highway 101, which were other factors in the park's demise.

Courtesy Lincoln City's museum

By '72, Pixieland was fighting the elements and became an eyesore. By '75 it shut down, and in '77 Parks officially shuttered the attraction and retired to Cali. The property, as well as the adjacent Pixieland Trailer Park, changed hands a few times.

The last truly documented owner was the Carlyle Group from California, which had purchased the lots in a trust-deed foreclosure. Not even county officials were completely aware of all the ownership changes. However, in '78, when it became evident the Carlyle Group had intentions to build new developments on the land, this conflicted with laws about preserving wetlands that had gone into effect in '74.

So, the government found a way to choke the project financially. The U.S. Forest Service had the property condemned (which was likely coming anyway, considering the iffy state of that soil). The USFS had originally offered $120,000 for the land, but Carlyle refused. After being condemned the USFS snagged it for pennies on the dollar.

The sale came through sometime around 1980. It's unclear when the Pixieland Trailer Park was turned over.

Thus began decades of restoration efforts, which included another failed development nearby, Tamara Quays. That stalled in '96 because of budget issues, but then in 2006 – 2011, volunteers from OSU and other agencies cleared the land of the dikes and objects left from Pixieland. Most or all of that was thrown out.

Still, it leaves a bit of an adventure hike to where minor objects are left behind. Until then, hit the North Lincoln County History Museum.

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