Oregon Dunes

We are coming up the Oregon Coast in August from Eureka and were wondering what is the best place to rent ATV%26#39;s for the oregon dunes. We want a place that has good ATV%26#39;s and far as equipment that won%26#39;t breakdown and the safestest area. Thanks, Jodie

Oregon Dunes

This doesn%26#39;t quite answer your question, but I think you%26#39;ll have more fun if you hire an experienced driver for the dunes. Especially if you%26#39;ve not driven them before. Good drivers will give you a ride better than you%26#39;ll find at almost any theme park anywhere. And you don%26#39;t have to worry (too much) about safe.

We%26#39;ve had good luck with the place about 5 miles south of Florence. Can%26#39;t remember the name, but if you get to the place with the miniature golf, you%26#39;ve gone a couple miles and one place too far. Have fun.

Oregon Dunes

mistletoe is referring to Sand Dunes Frontier. There is also Sandland Adventures, 1 mile south of Florence.

If you are intent on renting ATV%26#39;s and riding yourself, either of these establisments is fine. There is also one in Reedsport (Bee Rentals I think???) and one in Winchester Bay. The Chamber of Commerce should be able to help with phone numbers, etc.

The dunes near Wichester Bay are quite challenging....very high and steep, and thus quite dangerous. I would not recommend riding alone unless you are a very experienced rider. Even then, it can be quite eventfull if you are not careful. The dunes near Florence are somewhat less challenging and more interesting IMHO. There is more vegitation and more varied terrain.

Sand Dunes Frontier and Sandland Adventures also offer various dunebugy rides from large busses to 4-seater rails.

Den

Thanks for the info. I rode dirt bikes my whole life. I do realize that ATV are different then motorcycles but me and my husband have experience. Our 16 year old daughter has no experience so we would want the smallest and safest dunes. I have been on dunes before in Pismo Beach and they have alot of dunes that just drop off and are very dangerous. Jodie

Dengay.....

What is more fun.....riding the large ';bus'; or the 4-seater??

Thanks!

JodieG,

While incredibly beautiful, razorbacks, some with 100 foot drops are not uncommon at the Umpqua Dunes from April though August (when the north winds are blowing). Even though far fewer people use these dunes verses Florence and North Bend (Horsefall), there are far more serious accidents at Umpqua.

Rocketcity,

No question the 4 or 6 seaters. The bus rides are great for sightseeing and are designed for all ages. On a buggy ride, the good guides will ask if you want mild or wild, and they will deliver. Whne my middle son worked the dunes, he used to make more in tips driving buggies than he did in wages becuase he gave the guests what they asked for (novell concept, huh?).

If it were me, I would go to Sand Dunes Frontier and take a buggy ride.

Den

JodieG,

QUALIFIER: I have no affiliation with any of the business mentioned in my previous posts......

That being said, I re-read your post, and as it relates to equipment, I do know that Torex Rentals (Sand Dunes Frontier) upgrades their equipment annually. I know this b/c the owner buys their ATV passes from my offfice. She has told me that they maintain an inventory of about 25 quads and they buy 10-14 new each year.

Den

Lots of good info above. I%26#39;m not up on the equipment upkeep since I have been in the rental biz for about 16 years but I drive by alot of them from Reedsport south all the time. There is several places in Winchester Bay with rentals but I think most of those places have older equip. The Bee rentals in Reedsport in pretty new but I%26#39;m not sure that their machines are name brand (like Polaris, Yamaha, so on). Plus they are in town and have to transport there machines to Winchester Bay to ride. The ones in Winchester Bay do too but not as far. There is Spinreel rentals in Lakeside about 10 minutes south where I used to work. They used to have rebuilt and rebuilt and rebuilt Honda Odysseys which were nice for the roll cage but not always reliable. They went to Polaris%26#39; with the new owners and I think they now have a unit that looks similar to the old Odysseys also now. Honestly I couldn%26#39;t tell about the quality of the equipment anymore. Farther south to Hauser there is a few more and most of them use Polaris%26#39;.

As for safe areas, Florence is probably a better bet. It hasn%26#39;t been hit quite as bad from the dunner boom as the areas from Winchester Bay south to North Bend. This section is a zoo this time of year. On holiday weekends it%26#39;s not uncommon to here the ambulance leave the hospital five or six times a day with an occational medevac chopper thrown in. As for the saftey of the sand itself I really don%26#39;t see any difference all up and down the coast. Drifts may be higher in one place than another but a 10ft. drift will get you just as bad as 50 footer and are harder to see. You will be going down a dune that looks smooth all the way down then the world drops out from under you. If you want to drive yourself and are not familiar with sand dunes I suggest a rental place that has caged units like the old Odysseys. We had very few inguries with those types of units. A majority of the injuries come from the quad type units. Either being hit or landed on top of. Like I said Spinreel in Lakeside I belive rents them and there is a very new place in Hauser near North Bend that I think has them also which I think they are built by themselves. They took over an old Myrtle Wood factory and turned it into an duner RV park and rental shop. I can%26#39;t remember the name right now. They just opened a few months ago so the equip should be fresh. I%26#39;m not much help with the Florence area since I don%26#39;t get up that way as much anymore.

Hope this helps and if you have any other questions let me know.

Wow, dreaminofmaui...you are a wonderful source of information!! :)

Dreaminofmaui,

Did you work for Jim Neifert at Spinreel or the owner b4 him??? I ask b/c I used to work w/ Jim and know him quite well. I noticed his business was for sale several months ago.

Den

Mauai

Good post. I have been on dunes a few times and there are a lot of dumb people there.

I grew up near Dunes and have been on them many times as walker

I worked for Forest Service, first time I ever rode on Dunes was on FS trip. in fat tired passenger vehicle, not dune buggie Our driver was very experienced, but we came to several places I said to myself I hope you are not planning to go down this one, but we did.

fter that trip there was no way I would take any thing down those high dunes myself and think my adult kids have been convinced of same. Good for grandkids. we have rented quads 2 or 3 times but rode the low dunes