New Oregon Coast campgrounds proposed for Fogarty Creek, Brian Booth and South Beach

LINCOLN CITY — Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area has long been an attractive site for a new campground on the Oregon Coast.

The 165-acre park south of Lincoln City features inland forest and direct access to one of the coast’s most scenic beaches.

Parks officials have considered building a campground there for decades, but never got final approval.

Now they’re taking another crack at it.

A small campground and rental cabins are proposed for Fogarty Creek in the final draft of a master plan governing the future of 25 state parks between Lincoln City and Yachats.

A common theme in the document is the need for more campsites.

“We’ve known for a long time that coastal state parks are over capacity when it comes to camping,” said Ian Matthews, park planner for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. “In too many cases, we’re having to turn people away because a campground is full.”

The plan proposes expanded camping at South Beach State Park, along with a new disc golf course. Both projects join an ongoing plan for a new 100-site campground at Brian Booth State Park, south of Newport.

Parks officials are holding two meetings, on May 24 at Beverly Beach State Park, and May 31 at Wilsonville Public Library, to take public comment. They will also take comment via email to ian.matthews@oregon.gov.

“We really want the public to weigh-in on these plans,” Matthews said.

A host of smaller proposals, including new trail systems and picnic areas, are included in the 283-page document.

The proposals aren't set in stone, Matthews said. They're more of a wish list.

“It’s what we’d like to do during the next 10 to 20 years,” he said. “But only if we can find the money for it.”

The cost of all the proposed upgrades would be around $12 million. OPRD’s budget for 2017-19 is $220 million.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights from the plan, which can be read in entirety at: https://southbevparksplan.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/final-draft-plan-05-09-17.pdf.

New camping at Fogarty  

The most noteworthy proposal is opening new campsites and cabins at Fogarty Creek.

A collection of small hiker-biker campsites would likely be installed first, with rental cabins coming in the next four years, Matthews said. A larger campground would be installed in seven to 10 years.

“Fogarty has a lot of advantages for camping,” Matthews said. “And, of all the parks in this area, Fogarty is the only one that has enough space.”

One of the site’s parking lots would be eliminated to create space for a dog park and picnic area as well. The current bathroom would be upgraded into a shower and bathroom facility. A loop trail would be considered for the upland portions of the park.

“It’s one of the few parks you could go from camping and have direct beach access,” Matthews said. “Another advantage is there are already two park entrances, and it’s pretty easy to convert the south side into a campground while still maintaining access for day use,”

Disc golf, more camping at South Beach 

One of Oregon’s largest and most popular state parks would get additional yurts, cabins and walk-in campsites under the proposal. But perhaps most exciting to residents of Newport, Matthews said, is development of an 18-hole disc golf course. The course would feature views of the ocean, Yaquina bridge and rolling sand dunes.

“There aren’t many disc golf courses in that area, so there has been a lot of excitement around this idea,” Matthews said.

A paved bike path, connecting South Beach to Newport via South Jetty, is also proposed.

L. Presley & Vera C. Gill State Natural Area

This little-known patch of natural landscape is outside Waldport and home to dunes, forests, wetlands and part of Hidden Lake.

The plan would create public access — including new beach access — and a new trail system and parking lot.

Less parking for Gleneden

This small access point onto the beach south of Lincoln City would have its parking lot shrink in size, to 63 spaces from 99 currently.

Beverly Beach State Park

The plan would replace group camps with cabins or yurts and create a better beach access trail.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors writer, photographer and videographer in Oregon for eight years. He is the author of the book “Hiking Southern Oregon” and can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.

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