Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Earlier this year, we asked readers to pick their favorite Oregon State Parks. Now, we're headed to the top 15 to check in, bringing back a comprehensive guide to each one.



The sun sank slowly behind a light summer haze: now just a small red orb hanging behind the silhouetted crags around the bay. A gull flew in and perched atop a tall rock, the sun ringing the bird like a halo.



At Sunset Bay, expectations for sunsets are naturally pretty high, but with a spectacular oceanside setting and reliably clear weather between June and October, the Oregon state park site does not disappoint.



The park itself is small – only 405 acres in all – with a cramped campground, grassy picnic area, small beach and the bay itself. Despite its small stature, the park last year saw nearly 1.4 million day-use visitors, making it the third most visited state park on the coast. Still, only about 75,000 people stayed overnight, owing to the park’s lack of space.

Sunset Bay is also buoyed by the two other state parks directly adjacent: Shore Acres and Cape Arago. The trio collectively makes up one of the best stretches of the southern Oregon coast, dominated by huge rocks, towering cliffs and loads of wildlife. Sunset Bay is the only one among the three with overnight accommodations, making it the de facto headquarters of the scenic Cape Arago Highway.



You won’t always be treated to a beautiful sunset, but when you do get to see one you can bet it will be a memorable experience. If low tide coincides with dusk, you may even be able to walk out into the tide pools of the bay, watching colors streak across the sky above, colorful creatures alive just below. The park may be small, but it’s a pocket of wild beauty on the rugged Oregon coast.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

SUNSET

As it turns out, sunset really is beautiful at Sunset Bay. Where the sun actually sets depends on the time of year, but with so many sea stacks and tree-lined cliffs, there’s always some beautiful natural feature to stand in silhouette against the colorful sky, as the ocean rolls and crashes into shore.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

THE BEACH

The beach in the bay is small, but there’s still enough space to spread out. If the park is especially busy it can get more crowded than your typical Oregon coast beach, though at low tide there’s room to walk around the rocky edges of the bay.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

THE CAMPGROUND

Crowds are common at coastal campgrounds, but Sunset Bay feels more crowded than most. There are 65 tent sites, 65 RV sites, eight yurts, two group campsites and a hiker/biker camp, and it’s all packed into a tight space in the trees behind the bay. The facilities are as good as any other state park site, and they do include showers. One nice feature is the day-use area between the campground and the beach, which has ample grassy space and a sand volleyball court.

Make reservations online at oregonstateparks.org or by phone at 800-452-5687.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

TIDE POOLS

Wait until low tide and walk out to the tide pools bursting with life, from giant green anemone to sea stars and tiny crabs. The rock formations are carved into strange, alien shapes, evoking a truly primordial feeling. The rocks can be extremely slippery, as much of the area is covered in sea moss, which can make them a little tricky to cross. But the secrets found within are well worth the adventure.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

SHORE ACRES

Sunset Bay is part of a three-park stretch along the Cape Arago Highway, and the highlight of the area is Shore Acres State Park, a plot of land that once was home to a palatial luxury estate, but today is a public park that includes formal gardens, a beautiful beach and huge rocks against which waves explode during winter storms.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

CAPE ARAGO STATE PARK

The other park neighboring Sunset Bay, Cape Arago is a small park site that consists solely of a viewpoint overlooking a gorgeous stretch of the Pacific. Along with nearby Simpson Reef the shoreline is a popular hangout spot for sea lions and seals.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

OREGON’S BEST STATE PARKS

Oregonians' 12 favorite parks: We asked our readers for their favorite state parks, and they answered with a solid top 12.

Beverly Beach: With a nice beach, bridge and, yes, some crowds, Beverly Beach is a beautiful slice of the coast.

Silver Falls: The lush waterfall paradise is pure Oregon magic, with one of the very best hikes in the state.

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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