Port Orford to Gold Beach, and onto Brookings -
The Fourth Part of the Cycling Trip

It is 28 miles (45 km) from Port Orford to Gold Beach, and Route 101, the Pacific Coast Highway, hugs the coast most of the way driving the cyclist up and down several demanding hills. Yet cycling along this portion of the Oregon South Coast is rewarding with amazing views, plus bird and whale watching as you bike.

Starting out of Port Orford is Battle Rock. Stop and enjoy the view and restrooms.

From Battle Rock, climb up and head south towards Humbug Mountain, which looms in the distance. There are several places in this section to pull over and enjoy the view.

On entering the Humbug Mountain area, note that the road becomes quite windy and the shoulder disappears through much of this section - approach with caution. If you are a glutton for punishment, stop and climb the 1759 ft Humbug Mountain. The section just south of Humbug is the only portion that does not follow the edge of the coast.

Continue cycling along the coast and head south towards Arizona Beach - a day use state park that is an excellent place to pull over and have lunch. Then enjoy the roadside dinosaur at Prehistoric Gardens.

South of Prehistoric Gardens is a 'secret' state park called Sisters Rocks. Located just south of mile marker 314 is a poorly maintained gravel parking lot and a path down to the beaches.

Heading further south, down a steep hill is the unincorporated area of Ophir. On the right is a day use area and rest stop for Ophir Beach, one of the longest beaches on the Oregon South Coast. Just past Ophir Beach is the unincorporated area of Nesika Beach, which is somewhat famously known as an area where some of the houses are on the verge of falling into the Pacific Ocean.

For a short distance, route 101 is again shielded from the Pacific Ocean. Bicyclists should keep an eye out for a road marked as The Old Coast Road as it crosses from the east side of the highway to the west. Turn right (west) and cycle off of Route 101. On the right is Otter Point. Turn down the gravel driveway and take a few moments to travel out to the point.

Resume cycling south along The Old Coast Road, along Bailey Beach and into the town of Gold Beach.

Lodging

While motel selection in Port Orford is limited, there is a large selection of hotels in Gold Beach fitting all budgets.

Camping

North of Port Orford is Cape Blanco. South of Cape Blanco is Mt. Humbug State Park, which, unfortunately, offers the only public camping for nearly 40 miles. If staying in Gold Beach, there is Oceanside RV Park with 10 camping sites and 2 yurts (located near the Rogue River south jetty). Indian Creek Resort and Secret Camp are located just a few miles up Jerry's Flat Road (south bank). There is a US Forest Service campground located about 10 miles up the Rogue River on the south side of the river which is a fairly easy ride.

Side Trips

It would be a mistake to just cycle over the world famous Rogue River. Either stop and take a jet boat trip or cycle a course east on the north side and back on the south side. The round trip is 21 miles and although it is not completely flat, it is a lot less challenging than the cycle from Port Orford to Gold Beach. There is also a small campground up along the Rogue. Unfortunately, there is not much of a shoulder to bike on and some of the curves are blind, so be careful.

Gold Beach to Brookings