Sunset Bay State Park

Beautiful little bay! The surfs were high and the crashing waves were beautiful. Lots of paddle boarders and surfers out enjoying the surf! Definitely worth visiting if you are in the area.

I went on a camping road trip down the PCH and this was one of our stops, so I can compare this to at least 6 other campgrounds. The campground offers hardly any privacy between sites, so don’t expect much shade or room. Our trip was in early September and there was a serious BEE problem. They were literally EVERYWHERE. I noticed some bee traps hanging in some of the trees but it was apparent that they weren’t doing much, because bees were literally swarming our picnic table while we were trying to eat breakfast and I got stung later INSIDE our tent. The campground is very close to the Shore Acres Gardens (a must-​see if you’re camping at Sunset Bay) and Cape Arago, which is an amazing photo spot. We saw hundreds of sea lions and a pod of gray whales at Sunset Bay, which is a great spot to watch the sunset.
So in summary… the campground itself isn’t that great, but the state park offers fantastic activities and things to see.
Don’t miss: Sunset Bay, Cape Arago, The Shore Acres Gardens.

Love this place! Who knew that state parks could be such an ideal destination sport for those of us on the lookout for a place to camp.
Located along the coast in Coos Bay. You drive through an area that does not inspire confidence, forge ahead, the drive is worth it!
Beautiful campground, nicest of staff checking you in, clean camp spots and the bathrooms — toilets seemed just fine, the showers a little dicey.
What makes this place so great is what surrounds the campsite. Trails that lead to the most magnificent shoreline. Such a beautiful area of the coast it’s a wonder that the surrounding town (s) are so lacking. Not beach towns at all. Lots of areas where you can walk/​climb out onto the rocks that are filled with tide pools.
A short walk will take you to the beach which is very kid friendly, no surf, just lots of water to play safely in. Walk a little further up the bluff and bestow the mostly lovely of views and coastline. Walk a little further to the botanical gardens in the Shore Park State Park. Worth the walk.
All of the hiking we did was kid friendly. You didn’t have to walk far to be surrounded by amazing beauty.
A great destination for camping. Quite, beautiful, curfew enforced, biking, hiking, privacy, etc. Great for kids, pets allowed, good for RV’s and tents. Plus they have cabins and yurts on the property for rent.

I love this campground, have been coming here for years. Lots of tent spots in the c loop with vegetation for privacy. My daughter and I came late last weekend, set the tent up in the dark as quietly as possible. Saw the neighbours on both sides in the morning and apologised if we were noisy. They were both very nice and said we were quiet. My daughter went fishing in the surf. That was when the blue sail jellyfish were on the shore! Not to be missed in the area is a trip up the road on the left to Shore Acres Botanical Gardens, the Rhodies are in full bloom! The beach area is perfect for families. The protected bay keeps the wind down. I left off one star because of the old showers condition in A loop. They need updating. The B loop only has toilets and sinks. But when you’re camping… hot water to wash your face in the morning is a luxury. And the trees and plants here are beautiful!

Not very big camping spots and if you like close neighbors. But if you like privacy like we do, and big tent spots, I wouldn’t come back here. It’s nice for day use and to visit the tiny beach. Our campground was full of untamed barking dogs and kids playing everywhere all day and night and wasn’t very peaceful. There’s a small trail you can walk that leads to the beach which was neat though.

I am a local, so I tend to forget how lucky we are to be surrounded by such beauty. This is definitely a tourist spot, but incredibly beautiful and great nonetheless! If you go during low tide you can climb and walk out onto the rocks that are filled with tide pools. You can find sea anemones, crab, starfish, sea urchins, sea slugs, fish and more! The campground is nice, very shaded by trees and the spots are fairly separated, there is a giant spot up the road that can hold up to 75 people for camping, it’s very late and private and overlooks the ocean. Would be great for weddings or large party camping trips!

Holy crap, what a beauty! There aren’t too many perfect coves along the Oregon coast and honestly, this was the first one I had seen like this. A perfect large area protected from the winds, complete with tide pools. Plus, if you want to make a day (or more) of it, there are volley ball courts and some other what-​nots when you want to get off the beach.
We weren’t there at sunset, but I did ask hubby if he wanted to wait around for it just to see why it’s called Sunset Bay. Considering it was noon, it was no surprise he wasn’t interested.

This was a nice little stop on my trip. The town leading into the campground/​area is really really… um… filthy, but the grounds were alright. There were a few police cars that cruise by so that made me feel a bit safer. In retrospect, perhaps police cars frequent the area based on the surrounding area? Anyhow, the sunset is gorgeous and the campground is well maintained.

On my Oregon map it was 12 miles from Coos Bay to Sunset Bay… I figured it would be some more stunning, stellar, ocean views… NOT! It was 12 miles of vacation homes and at least 20 dumpy RV parks! But as soon as you get to Sunset Bay you forget all that! For a few days anyway. (Until you leave that is!) We had a great time, boy are the hook-​up sites close to each other. I mean VERY close… Took sometime getting used to it… You get to know your neighbors for sure… We met so many nice camping folks, almost all with dogs… Our puppy had lots of buddies to play with… The hiking trails along the steep bluffs are great, the views spectacular! The bathrooms were just OK, the shower floors were always dirty, not nice when your getting out of a nice, hot shower… We enjoyed the beach too, The campground was surprisingly very quiet at night for sleeping… Yeah…Despite being mostly full… Lots of people come in for one night, coming at dinner time and leaving the next morning…
The highway is quiet at nights also… We stayed at many Oregon State Parks on this trip and a lot of them have very noisy highway traffic 24÷7…

Cute little bay, darling yurts.

What a stunning place to watch the sun set over the Pacific! Great beach, lots of tidepools, and generally plenty of room for the number of people who frequent the place.
After more than 30 years living in the area, I’d have to say, beach visits more often land us at Sunset than perhaps any other place. It has great parking, restrooms, and plenty of beach to wander on. Nice place for a family picnic, or just an evening stroll on a magnificent beach.
For those who enjoy photography, this particular cove offers unlimited photo ops. Never been there when it wasn’t simply… stunning!
Okay, I guess I’ve been there a time or two when some «party» is going on and folks have gotten a bit unruly. However, it didn’t take long to control, since the parks along Arago are very well patrolled.
You’ll enjoy your time here! I’m sure of it!

Like most Oregon State Parks, especially the ones on the coast, this is a beautiful place. It suffers a little bit from overuse and a limited state budget, but the views remain extremely captivating.
The best views, I discovered, are from the cliffs above the little coves that make up the majority of the bay. To get these views, you must first cross the footbridge over the little creek that flows near the parking lot, then follow the short trail up to the top of the cliffs. The trail runs for quite a ways across the cliffs (be careful because there are only fences for part of the way), and to say the views are stunning would be an understatement.

There is a nice beach just to walk and have a little picnic. There are quite a few logs and it’s quite scattered with a variety of rocks so you want to be careful when walking on the beach. Considering that it’s a bay, it won’t be too windy, so even a BBQ shouldn’t be a problem. I wouldn’t drive all the way just to visit this Sunset Bay State Park, but it’s a nice stop to stretch your legs when you’re driving down to the Oregon Coast.

Strange. It seems like every single state park in Oregon has yurts and cabins. I think they’re for the people who unwittingly come to camp without an RV (sarcasm implied). I even saw a semi parked at this site. It’s in a beautiful area but I felt like I was in a trailer park. The cool thing about Oregon though is that you can LEGALLY cut down trees in national forests…hence free fire wood!

I’ve been going to Sunset Bay State Park with my family for the better part of the last 14 years and if I keep coming back (every two years or so), you can imagine how special it has been to us. Right along the Oregon coast is this very popular state park that has about 10 yurts available along with the many RV and camping spots in the 4 park loops. For those of you who do not know what a yurt is, it’s basically like a modern day teepe/​hut that contains electricity, lighting, a bunk bed, pull out bed, table, chairs, and a sun roof at the tip of the yurt. For $ 36 (during summers), it is a solid deal and a great experience to live in the Oregon outdoors in «luxery.» Be aware that they do sell out lightning quick and you will have to make reservations almost 9 months in advance or as early as Sunset Bay State Park will allow you in advance. Even if you miss out, just keep on calling every so often because you never know when somebody will make a last minute reservation.
Some of the other things that makes Sunset Bay State Park an all time campground favorite of mine are:
1) Hot & clean showers
2) Within amazingly close proximity to Shore Acres State Park and Cap Arago State Park
3) There is a beach within walking distance of the campground area that boasts some beautiful views
4) Fish cleaning area for your Coos Bay & Charleston catches of gaper clams, cockles, crabs, and fish
5) The cleaning crews and ranger staff are top of the line in terms of class and service
6) Junior ranger activities for the young ones
As a final note, be aware that loop D is my favorite loop due to the fact that the restroom facilities in that loop are the best and the campgrounds feature sites of the largest in size (and note that all campground locations are the same price). Whether you want to venture to North Bend, Coos Bay, or Bandon, Sunset Bay State Park is the way to go considering the close proximity to these coastal locations and quality of the park itself. I hate to give up my «best kept secret» but considering how popular and filled this campground is, I guess it can’t truly quality as that term.

Sunset Beach is one of my favorite beaches ever. You’re close to Shore Acres, and can walk out on the cliffs and check out tide pools while it’s low tide. You can do some whale watching if that’s you’re jam in the early spring, and it’s genuinely a beautiful spot year round. It’s outrageously pretty to watch from any of the observation points surrounding when there’s a rain storm and the wind kicks up huge waves. Like most Oregon beaches, it’s never really warm to go in the water, but you can easily lounge on the beach and soak up some sun and enjoy a sunny day.

Thar be pirates!
Sunset Bay State Park includes a piratey beach and plenty of trails. The picnic area, deeply shaded with a small stream meandering through, is often filled with deer. Follow the path deeper into the forest and you’ll find a full-​service campground, including yurts!
Too crowded in summer (like every campground), it’s great in off-​season months such as April and October.