Nehalem Bay State Park Reopens Campgrounds in Time for Bustling Oregon Coast Season

Published 07/02/25 at 6:25 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Manzanita, Oregon) – A major north Oregon coast favorite is just about fully back in action. (Photo courtesy OPRD)

Oregon State Parks and Recreation (OPRD) said Nehalem Bay State Park reopened the majority of its campground on July 1, following a seven-month closure for infrastructure upgrades. Reservations for campsites are already underway ahead of the busy Fourth of July holiday.

Park Manager Ben Cox expressed enthusiasm about the reopening, saying, “We’re excited to welcome visitors back to the campground in time for the Fourth of July holiday.”

The park had paused reservations through December to accommodate potential construction delays. While the day-use area reopened in May, campground loops D, E, and F, along with the hiker/biker area and horse camp, will be available starting July 1. Loops A, B, and C are scheduled to reopen about a month later, allowing time to complete roof work and accessibility upgrades for the yurts.

While some improvements will be immediately visible to visitors, many enhancements - such as updated water and electrical lines - are behind-the-scenes upgrades designed to improve overall guest experience.

Recent construction at the park included water and electrical system upgrades within camp loops, a new restroom and shower building equipped with an adult changing table, accessible facilities and campsites at the horse camp, and the installation of hose bibs at equestrian sites. The project also delivered new accessible campsites and pathways, repaving of the main entrance road, and the addition of traffic-calming features along the entry route from Garey Street to the airport intersection. A new day-use fee station has also been installed near the airport entrance.

These improvements were funded by GO Bonds, part of a $50 million allocation approved by the Oregon State Legislature in 2021 to support infrastructure upgrades at several state parks. Nehalem Bay is one of nine projects across eight parks focused on increasing accessibility and addressing aging facilities.

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In addition to the campground updates, day-use amenities resumed operation in May. This included trails, the boat ramp, the airport, and the multi-use path east of the main entrance, wrapping up a multi-phase construction effort that extended into June.

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