The area

Just 7 miles south of the wild and scenic Rogue River, in Gold Beach, lies Cape Sebastian State Park and depending on the wind direction, this spectacular state park can start or end your beach ride in one of the most photogenic sections of the Oregon coast.

Pistol River State Scenic Viewpoint, about 1.7 miles south of the HWY 101 bridge over Pistol River bridge, is the south end of this scenic beach, single-track ride and right in the middle of the Banana Belt of the south coast. "Oregon’s Banana Belt" means it’s a slightly warmer than the surround area.

Just like the early Spanish navigator Sebastian Vizciano, who first saw the cape in 1603, you too can explore the many caves, nooks, and crannies that become accessible at the low tides. Make sure to check out the rocks just south of Meyers Creek around the middle of the ride. Ochre sea stars, sea anemones, and other intertidal critters await your viewing in the surrounding tidepools. Black Oyster Catchers and other shorebirds can be seen and heard out on the sea stacks lining this stretch of beach (where there are no Snowy Plover closures to worry about).

The route

I choose to start my ride at the northern end in the parking lot at the bottom of Cape Sebastian and choose one of the trails down to the beach to begin riding north into the cape. This is a worthwhile 1 mile ride out-and-back to the cape, as you get great views of the magnificent Cape Sebastian and Hunters Island.

Heading back to the south you pedal through Meyers Creek, in and around the many rocks on the beach and on south towards Pistol River. NOTE: There are a couple of stream crossings along the way, with only the Pistol River demanding caution during higher flows in winter and spring.

Pistol River got it’s name from the Rogue River Indian wars when a soldier lost his pistol in the river during a decisive battle fought here in 1856. This is the biggest stream to cross on the ride and can be fairly significant during the winter and early springtime. Like many of Oregon’s coastal rivers with no jetties, in July the river gets bar bound, meaning it no longer flows into the Pacific and will not be an issue for riders. The river also seasonally meanders quite a bit so where it reaches the ocean can be in very different locations each year.

Roughly 1.7 miles south of the bridge that crosses the Pistol River there is a sign that designates the Oregon Coast Trail. This sign is on the edge of the dunes and the beach; it signifies the spot to ride inland to circumnavigate the small Lola Lake. The Lola Lake loop is a super fun single track on packed sand and dirt that rounds what is more of a large wetland than a real lake. This roughly 1.5 mile loop trail is a blast and is the southern most part of this route.

Alternate start point

Lola Lake Loop can be the start, the end or a turn around point if you are riding back to your vehicle on the north end below Cape Sebastian.

Driving south on 101, before mile marker 341, there is a parking lot just after a guardrail as you climb up from the flats along the beach where you can park at the Lola Lake Trailhead.

It would be wise to start at the southern end in the morning before the winds blow if you are making this an up-and-back ride, as the typical summer northwest trade winds start to blow around 10-11am. I chose to start at the north on this day as there was no wind.

I found only perfect low tides, no crowds and the playful sand bike park that is all of Oregon’s free and public beaches.

Additional information

LODGING

Gold Beach - https://visitgoldbeach.com/lodging/

Brookings - http://visittheoregoncoast.com/cities/brookings-harbor/accommodations/

DINING

Gold Beach - https://visitgoldbeach.com/dining-food/

Brookings - http://visittheoregoncoast.com/cities/brookings-harbor/dining/