Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The footprints before me led in circles, wandering everywhere and nowhere through the sand.



Unreliable, I thought, regretting that I ever followed them (and the two hikers who made them) in the first place. My calves ached from more than an hour already spent climbing up and down the towering dunes, tromping through sand and navigating tree islands.



The plan was to hike the five-mile loop trail through the Oregon Dunes Day Use Area, taking the southernmost path to the ocean before heading up the beach to the start. But after quickly straying off the marked path, I found myself alone in the sandy expanse, where true adventure in the Oregon Dunes can be found.



The 40-mile stretch of sand dunes on the central Oregon coast can feel like an alien world (and, in fact, was the inspiration for classic sci-fi novel "Dune"). Because the dunes are always shifting with the wind, no permanent trails lead through them, forcing hikers to navigate through the sand.



Whether you're planning to follow the markers or wander on your own, it's wise to carry lots of water and a trail map (I got mine from OregonHikers.org). Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses are also useful whether it's sunny or not, as a lot of light reflects off the sand. And bear in mind that hiking in loose sand is a lot more tiring than hiking on a dirt trail.



READ MORE: Wandering through the Oregon Dunes in a summer veil of gray

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Most hiking areas in the dunes are marked with wooden posts that show a path through, but it can be easy to lose sight of them. Footprints of hikers who came before you can sometimes be useful, but, as I learned, they're not a reliable resource.



Shielding my eyes against the bright morning sun, I scanned the sand to the south. My paper trail map showed the beach path at a bend in Tahkenitch Creek, which cuts through the dunes to the ocean. The Google Maps app on my phone said I was getting close and aiming in the right direction. Still, I wanted something more concrete to guide me there.



Finally, I spotted it: a brown wooden post in the distance, visible only as a straight line standing up in the sand. There was my trail. Now it was a question of how to get there.



Standing at the top of the highest dune near me, I quickly picked out a path that snaked around tree islands – remnants of old forests that were swallowed by sand – leading up, down and back up several dunes to the trail marker. Leaving the previous footprints behind, I made a new trail of my own.



While you can theoretically walk in a straight line across the dunes, it's unwise to try to cross the tree islands. This brush can be dense and impassable, and if you don't lose your way you can at least waste a lot of energy trying to pick your way through.



I had already learned that lesson the hard way, with scrapes and bruises to show for the effort.



After another 20 minutes of tromping through sand, with a couple pushes through low, dense brush, I finally arrived at the wooden marker, back on a more reliable trail. From there, I could see the next post ahead, and the next one beyond that. Dutifully following the pre-ordained path, I reached the bend in the creek and found a wooded path to the beach.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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It's hard to describe the feeling of arriving at the ocean after a day spent wandering the dunes. I felt relieved, almost ecstatic, as a huge smile spread over my face. At the same time, it was such a shocking shift of experience – miles of sand replaced by miles of water, difficult navigation traded for an easy stroll down the beach.



I picked up shells and stones as I walked north to the path that would take me back across the dunes to the trailhead. The long beach was empty, save the skittering shorebirds and a few lone figures in the distance. After a morning of empty silence, I appreciated the ocean's gentle roar.



More people appeared as I reached the northern trail. Most who visit the Oregon Dunes Day Use Area seem to make the straightforward, one-mile trek from the parking lot to the beach, rather than navigate the longer, five-mile loop hike, which took me almost three hours to finish.



My legs were plenty tired by the time I climbed the final dune to the hard trail back to the start, happy to walk on solid ground for a change. The trail climbed a hill through the woods to the parking lot, with a few small clearings that offered sweeping views. Looking back across the landscape I had crossed, I was glad to have taken the more adventurous path.



The silent sand, sun and struggle are all part of the appeal of hiking through this alien landscape. We live in a place with no shortage of natural excursions, but there's no adventure in Oregon quite like wandering through the dunes.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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OREGON DUNES DAY USE AREA LOOP HIKE

Distance: About 5 miles, but distance varies

Difficulty: Moderate

Amenities: Restrooms, parking lot at trailhead



The Oregon Dunes Day Use Area can be a kind of choose-your-own-adventure experience. There are two trailheads to choose from, one right off the parking lot that leads downhill, and another by the viewpoints atop the wooden stairs that lead uphill.

Both the longer loop trail and shorter trail straight to the beach are found at the bottom of the hill, marked by a trail sign and wooden posts. If you choose to follow the loop trail, watch for the blue-tipped posts that lead south through the sand, eventually winding up at the southern beach trail by Tahkenitch Creek.

If you want a more adventurous hike, consider starting at the upper trailhead and staying uphill, skirting around a deep basin of sand and through a gap in tree islands. Follow a southern course and stay on the western side of the trees, heading up and down the tall dunes in any way you like. This is a great place to explore and blaze your own trail.

Eventually, you’ll need to make your way southwest to pick up the trail to the beach. Look for the wooden posts or just follow Tahkenitch Creek toward the ocean. The wooded trail will be clear, emerging at the beach.

Once on the beach, walk north for about 1.5 miles, looking for the marked trail that leads back into the dunes. From there, it’s a straight shot to the parking lot, where a sign will point you to the path back up to the trailhead.

The Oregon Dunes Day Use Area is found on the western side of U.S. Route 101, about 10 miles south of the Siuslaw River Bridge in Florence; visitors must pay a $5 parking fee per vehicle or display a Northwest Forest Pass.

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