Reedsport and Winchester Bay

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Winchester Bay, Commercial fishing boats moored near mouth of Winchester Bay [Ask for #276.713.]
Commercial fishing boats moored near the mouth of Winchester Bay, outside Reedsport. [Ask for #276.713.]

Reedsport

There are two small towns at the entrance to the Umpqua River, less than two miles from each other: Reedsport and Winchester Bay. Reedsport is the smaller of the two, with a 2010 population of about 4,800. It sits at the intersection of US 101 and SR 38, both very scenic drives. Its downtown stretches eastward along SR 38 rather than along  US 101 as you might expect. This is because US 101 did not exist here until the 1930s, and for many years Reedsport was at the end of a very long dead end on SR 38. Reedsport wasn't founded until 1913, when it was laid out as a railroad work camp rather than a port. Its old port, also paralleling SR 38, has been revived with a good boardwalk, museum, and restaurants; it gives excellent views over the Umpqua River towards the impressive truss swing drawbridge that carries the railroad.
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Town of Reedsport, Boardwalk, View over the Umpqua River towards the Coos Bay Rail Link steel truss drawbridge in open position; restaurant on the boardwalk [Ask for #274.534.]


A restaurant on Reedsport's Boardwalk gives good views over the Umpqua River Inlet towards the railroad bridge. [Ask for #274.534.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Town of Reedsport, Boardwalk, View over the Umpqua River towards the Coos Bay Rail Link steel truss drawbridge in open position; boat docks [Ask for #274.532.]


View from Reedsport's Boardwalk, showing carved wood bench and interpretive plaque. [Ask for #274.532.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Town of Reedsport, Boardwalk, Derelict Building in an abandoned area of the wharf [Ask for #274.527.]


The furthest end of Reedsport's waterfront has derelict docks. [Ask for #274.527.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Town of Reedsport, Boardwalk, Umpqua Discovery Center, a museum on the boardwalk [Ask for #274.536.]


The Umpqua Discovery Center, a museum on Reedsport's Boardwalk. [Ask for #274.536.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Town of Reedsport, Boardwalk, Umpqua Discovery Center, a museum on the boardwalk [Ask for #274.535.]


The Umpqua Discovery Center, a museum on Reedsport's Boardwalk. [Ask for #274.535.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Town of Reedsport, Boardwalk, View over the Umpqua River towards the Coos Bay Rail Link steel truss drawbridge in open position; boat docks [Ask for #274.531.]


The floating docks along Reedsport's Boardwalk. [Ask for #274.531.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Town of Reedsport, Boardwalk, View over the Umpqua River towards the Coos Bay Rail Link steel truss drawbridge in open position; boat docks [Ask for #274.529.]


The floating docks along Reedsport's Boardwalk. [Ask for #274.529.]

Winchester Bay

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Winchester Bay, Wood bridges lead to floating docks, reflections on bay's surface. [Ask for #276.702.]
Wood bridges lead to floating docks, reflections on bay's surface. [Ask for #276.702.]

Winchester Bay is just a mile and a half south of the end of Reedsport, separated from it by a low ridge. It was first developed in 1945 when the US Army Corp of Engineers transformed it into a boat-turning basin. Then, sometime around 1970 or so, the county turned it into a very large set of docks, 200 acres in size with two substantial basins. The three peninsulas separating the basins contain a set of shops and restaurants on the east side and an RV park on the west. This is a major gateway to the ORV area of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, as well as a 3.3 mile long road that gives access to the beach itself, on which no ORVs are allowed.

OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Winchester Bay, Fishing boat moored at floating dock [Ask for #276.705.]


Commercial fishing boats moored at Winchester Bay. [Ask for #276.705.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Winchester Bay, Pilings mark channel to wood bridge [Ask for #276.703.]


Pilings mark channel to wood bridge at Winchester Bay. [Ask for #276.703.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Winchester Bay, Sports fishing boats moored at floating dock with harbor master's office and American flag [Ask for #276.709.]


Sports fishing boats moored at floating dock by the harbor master's office. [Ask for #276.709.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Winchester Bay, Sports fishing boats at floating dock [Ask for #276.708.]


Commercial fishing boats moored near mouth of Winchester Bay. [Ask for #276.711.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Winchester Bay, Commercial fishing boats moored near mouth of Winchester Bay [Ask for #276.714.]


Commercial fishing boats moored near mouth of Winchester Bay [Ask for #276.714.]
OR: South Coast Region, Douglas County, Pacific Coast, Reedsport Area, Winchester Bay, Commercial fishing boats moored near mouth of Winchester Bay [Ask for #276.713.]
Commercial fishing boats moored near mouth of Winchester Bay. [Ask for #276.713.]
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