One Of Oregon's Most Popular Swim Beaches Is A State Park Stunner Surrounded By Pristine Sand Dunes

The Beaver State is loaded with incredible coastal locations, like the diverse flora and fauna of Cascade Head, where sea lions bask on wave-smashed Pacific shores. It also boasts stunning roads like the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, widely considered the most breathtaking drive on the Oregon coast. It goes without saying that the state is brimming with beaches, but not all of them are on the ocean. Head inland to Cleawox Lake and you'll find a popular and beautiful destination with soft white sands, clear H2O, and dunes that shift and reshape every year.

Cleawox Lake is divided between the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and the Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park. However, the state park offers the best access points to the beach with two designated day-use areas, one on the north shore and the other closer to the sand dunes on the south shore. It's an easy detour off Highway 101, located under 10 minutes south of Florence and just over an hour's drive from Eugene.

Aside from lazing on the banks and splashing around in the water, there's stacks more adventure to be had here. Perhaps most notably, the state park is home to 47 miles of rolling sand dunes, some of which are a whopping 500 feet high. You'll also get to discover fir forests, hiking routes that weave around wooded lakesides, and year-round campgrounds where you can linger a little longer.

Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park, known as just "Honeyman" among locals, encompasses the northern, southern, and eastern shores of Cleawox Lake. The park has two sandy stretches and a series of swimming areas along the lakeshore, which offer ample places to cool off with a dip.

But it's not all about the beaches here. Honeymoon occupies 515 acres of land along the Oregon coast. It has pockets of rare Pacific Northwest rainforest, thickets of rhododendrons that come into bloom during the springtime, and woods of hemlock and spruce trees. There's so much to see that you might want to hang around for a couple of days, so it's good news that the park is home to the second-largest campground in Oregon. The campground is pet friendly and has over 180 separate tent pitches, not to mention a handful of glamping yurts.

On top of all that, there's a second — much larger — freshwater lake within the boundaries of the preserve called Woahink Lake. Around its perimeter is a popular 1.8-mile trail that connects to forests, beaches, and popular fishing spots teeming with trout and bass. Woahink also boasts its own boat launch, one of which is regularly used for scuba diving certifications. 

If there's one thing that defines the shores of Cleawox, it's surely the sand dunes — a majestic sight to behold. As one Tripadvisor reviewer puts it, "The dunes literally spill into the small lake." The state park merges with the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area to form long stretches of dune-topped shoreline running south for 40 miles from Florence, an underrated town known as "Oregon's coastal playground."

It's hardly a surprise that the area is hailed as a sandboarding mecca. Honeyman State Park has hills suited to riders of all levels, from steeper slopes to beginner-friendly runs. Gear won't be an issue, either — sandboard rentals are available at the park's Sand Dune Day-use Area.

If whizzing down giant sand hills isn't your idea of fun, there are plenty of other ways to explore these amazing landscapes. The Honeyman State Park Loop Hike is 6.6-mile trail that connects the two main lakes and offers panoramic views of the sandy surroundings. On the trail is a sand dune that towers 250 feet above sea level, revealing views of the Pacific Ocean in the distance once you climb to the top. For a different kind of thrill, the park also allows ATVs to drive onto the dunes during the off-peak months from October to April.