Sleep Under the Stars
(or Curl Up Under Canvas or Rest in an RV): Camping in Newport by Nancy Steinberg
C
amping in Newport allows visitors to get up close and personal with the beaches and forests of the coasts. How better to end a day at the beach than roasting marshmallows over a roaring campfire? In my family we prefer tent camping, but those interested in RV camping or staying in a yurt (a small, round, canvas-sided cabin with a wooden floor) can also find accommodations in the campgrounds of Newport. Two gorgeous campgrounds close to all that Newport has to offer yet offering peaceful havens from “the big city” are Beverly Beach State Park and South Beach State Park. While the two parks have similar amenities, they are situated in contrasting environments, so you just might have to check out both while you’re in town. One piece of advice: these campgrounds do tend to fill up, especially on summer weekends. Make your plans early!
Beverly Beach: Gnarly Trees and Ancient Fossils Beverly Beach State Park just north of Newport includes an expansive campground (53 full-hookup sites, 75 electrical sites with water, 128 tent sites, and 21 yurts) in a coastal forest just east of a gorgeous beach. As a tent
Photos by: Jo Wienert
camper, I’m partial to the tent sites on the outside of loops B and D which are right along Spencer Creek. Gnarled Sitka spruce, some of them so-called “octopus trees,” are found throughout the campground and cast eerie shadows as the sun sets. Sites are wooded and flat, and include paved parking, fire rings, and picnic tables. The Spencer Creek Nature Trail runs through the woods along some of the camping loops, and the Spencer Creek Welcome Center serves as a Visitor Center for the park – check out the enormous grey whale skull on display. An open-air amphitheater hosts summer ranger talks and other events – check the schedule at the campground for details when you visit. The beach at Beverly Beach is really special. Spencer Creek finds its way to the ocean here, and makes for a great spot for rock hounds to search for treasures. Beverly Beach is also well-known for fossils, which can be found strewn on the beach and embedded in rocks and the cliffs that line the shore (it’s OK to collect fossils from the beach for your personal collection, but Oregon law prohibits prying them from the cliff faces). South Beach: Off the Dirt and Into a Yurt At both Beverly Beach and South Beach, you can reserve yurts; we particularly like them at
Camping continued on page 16 15