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.



In the early 1930s, Curtis and Florence Christy bought a chunk of property on the central Oregon coast, with the intention of establishing a small community. When they needed a name, they turned to their young daughter, Florence, who decided to name the beautiful stretch of coastline after her favorite doll, Beverly.



The name stuck, and was affixed to the small community, the adjacent beach itself and – in the 1940s, when Oregon State Parks took over a large parcel of the land – Beverly Beach State Park, now one of the most popular public parks on the coast.



Beverly Beach is far from the busiest day-use site on the coast, but its sprawling campground is the fourth most popular in the entire state, hosting nearly 170,000 campers last year. It's a crowded place to spend the night, but once you reach the beach it's easy enough to find space, as the sand stretches for miles in either direction.



It does lack some of the amenities and attractions found at other state parks in Oregon – there’s no shipwreck, no historical site, no lighthouse – but what Beverly Beach boasts is an easy, accessible and affordable coast vacation. It’s a place where you can roll out of your tent or RV in the morning, and take a short stroll for a day on the beach.

The park is conveniently located between Depoe Bay and Newport, both of which have restaurants, hikes and attractions galore, but Beverly Beach is at its best as a place to relax, where you can amble back and forth between the ocean and camp, letting your worries wash away with the tide.

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THE BEACH

Beverly Beach is a particularly beautiful stretch of the central Oregon coast, nestled between Otter Rock to the north and Yaquina Head to the south. You can walk that whole way, if you so desire, as this entire segment is coastline is made of sandy beach, interrupted only by the occasional creek crossing. The area closest to the bridge is naturally the most crowded, but if you’re in need of a quiet place, it’s easy enough to find one just up the beach.

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SPENCER CREEK BRIDGE

First built in 1947 and replaced in 2008, the Spencer Creek Bridge is one of the most iconic spans on the Oregon coast, serving as the gateway to Beverly Beach. A paved pathway leads from the campground and day-use parking area under the bridge, down to the south side of Spencer Creek on the beach. At sunset, its sweeping arch is painted in beautiful pinks and oranges.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

CAMPGROUND

Like most state parks on the Oregon coast, the Beverly Beach campground is a tightly-packed space, with 257 RV and tent sites, 21 yurts, three group areas and a hiker/biker camp. Since it’s one of the most popular campgrounds in Oregon, you should have no expectation of privacy or peace and quiet – but that’s pretty much par for the course.

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DRIFTWOOD SHELTERS

Walk south on the beach to the day-use area at Wade Creek, and you’ll find a small group of shelters made of driftwood. The whimsical (and sometimes practical) forts are a fun place to take the kiddos – or to connect with your own inner child.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

NATURE TRAIL

If you want to take a break from the beach, take a hike on the short nature trail that runs through the woods along Spencer Creek, and on the north side of the campground. From the day-use parking area, the trail makes a 1.7-mile loop, but with so many user-made trails – and the fact that it cuts through the campground – there are a lot of ways to shorten or extend your hike.

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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.

Shore Acres: Once a palatial estate, Shore Acres is now a state park paradise, with a botanical garden and cliffside views.

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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