The Washington coast is nice and all…but nothing beats the concentrated lakes, dunes, trails, campgrounds, & beaches of the Oregon coast. Their closeness to the highways & interstate alone makes them easily accessible and so handy for car-camping (a.k.a. sleeping in a tent next to your car…at a campground). 
   We've taken numerous trips down south from Seattle over the years, sometimes with a stop in Portland for city-fun along the way, sometimes as a quick stop on the way to California, & sometimes just to go for the Oregon beaches' sake. We've camped multiple times at our favorite car-camping spot - the Waxmyrtle Campground - just 7 miles south of Florence, Oregon.  It's amazingly beautiful, secluded, and still has yet to make it onto Google Maps for everyone to discover…shhh…
   Trails leave here following the Siltcoos River to the nearby ocean (2.5 miles roundtrip) and even closer to the Siltcoos Lagoon. Although it's only open May-September, we got a spot easily a few weeknights last summer and had a blast!

   The quickest way to this neck of the woods is via I-5 south to Eugene, OR and then over to the coast. We, however, like the scenic way (mostly 2-lane) via McMinnville & Lincoln City. Whatever you do, don't miss the super scenic Yachats to Reedsport drive (map)…epic coastal driving! Also, note that the Google Map above is to a campground directly across the street from Waxmyrtle. Check the links at the end of this post for exact directions. Upon settling down at our Waxmyrtle camp site, we decided to try the Waxmyrtle 2.5 mile roundtrip hike to the beach.

   The trail was a little deep-sandy at times, but totally worth it…what a view! Back to camp for a nice fire…Our next post: hiking in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area!  
    ~Paul, Amber, Mom

Links
Waxmyrtle Campground in Siuslaw National Forest
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

P.S. Waxmyrtle doesn't have showers…it does have bathrooms with running water…head into Old Town Florence for some free public showers (more on this in one of our next posts). Also, you can make reservations for the campground in the summer, although make sure to do it a enough days ahead of time or they won't let you make them. We tried to reserve a site but ended up getting a spot first come with no problem (weeknight, summer). Waxmyrtle is back open May 1st for the upcoming summer…get here!

   One of our favorite places in the US (so far!) is the Oregon coast - more specifically the Oregon coast between Yachats and Reedsport (map). This is usually a summer adventure for us, but a lot of this could be explored now with our mild Northwest winter! This is just a picture preview - we'll be posting about our favorite spots over the next couple of weeks!

   Our second entry into road trip month is a quick trip from Seattle to a little campground not too far off the beaten path in Oregon called Birdtrack Springs (often labeled Bird Track - two words). The campground is located in the Wallowa Whitman National Forest, only about 5 hours from Seattle. 

  It's always cool to see the drastic land & weather changes when leaving Western Washington. Seattle is green, usually gloomy, & by the sea. Heading south and eventually into Eastern Washington it quickly turns dusty, sunny, warm, and dry. The path gets really dramtic when you approach the wind-power fields near the Columbia River gorge.

  A road trip rule we like to follow is to not drive too much on day one (we usually leave late because of all of the last minute packing anyway). Five hours gets us out of the city, over the mountains, and into Oregon for some super cheap camping at Birdtrack Springs.

  Birdtrack is along the Grand Ronde River and tent camping is cheap at $5 a night! Only $2.50 with an annual National Parks Pass! Across from the campground is a nice interpretive trail leading to the river.

   Not bad for day 1. Tomorrow we head into Idaho, camp and kayak at a nice little lake, and avoid 200 bikers headed to our campsite the following morning…yikes!

    ~Paul & Amber    ETC

Links:
Our complete road trip month route
Bird Track Springs Campground
National Parks Annual Pass
Awkward at the Oregon pump?

  We made a little visit to our kiteboarding, beer-making neighbors to the South  in Hood River, Oregon. They advertise the 'best wind in the world'. Well, it was windy, I'm not so sure about best (because it is a lot and is blowing all of the time?), but they do make some good beer.

   Full Sail brewery is located in the small adventure town, almost right on the mighty Columbia. They have free daily brewery tours and a great little restaurant/pub. It's not exactly on the water but it's easy to hop in the car and drive on down to the beach where the kiteboarders are going at it. I wouldn't take a picnic and blanket because it's windy...like, really windy (unless you like watching the kiteboarders like me).
   The brewmaster told us that the beer-making staff works four ten hour shifts and then plays every three-day weekend in the beautiful outdoors that surround the city. Some kiteboard, some hike, in the winter they ski and/or snowboard, snowmobile, snowshoe, etc. Sounds nice. It's basically what we try to do here at ETC...but with more beer...and wind...OK, not just more wind...the best wind in the world!
   Paul, Micah, Joe, Matt   ETC