Sunset Beach
Warrenton, OR
Sunset Beach is one of the few stretches of the north Oregon coast where street legal vehicles can still drive onto the sand, part of the corridor that runs south from Fort Stevens toward Gearhart. Locals use it for bonfires and kite flying more than swimming, since the water here is cold and the current unpredictable.
The drive on access is the draw, but there's little else here beyond open sand, and the water is too cold and rough for most swimming.
How we score beachesVehicles are restricted to street legal rigs from mid March through mid September, no ATVs or dirt bikes, so check current signage before driving on.
Free parking directly off Sunset Beach Lane, with room to drive onto hard packed sand where permitted.
Flat, direct sand access from the parking area, no stairs or boardwalk.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach.
Wind off the Columbia mouth picks up most afternoons, so mornings in July and August tend to be the calmest for a bonfire or kite session.
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