Sunset Bay State Park evacuated due to flooding; Shore Acres, Cape Arago inaccessible

A popular campground on Oregon’s south coast was evacuated due to flooding Friday morning while two other popular parks were inaccessible after a landslide undercut a highway near Charleston and Coos Bay.

Sunset Bay State Park’s campground was impacted when Big Creek came over its banks between Thursday and Friday night, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department officials said.

“The campground will likely remain closed through the weekend due to high water and tide conditions,” OPRD spokeswoman Stefanie Knowlton said. She added that the Sunset Bay Day-Use Area remains open at this time “but could close if flooding continues.” The restroom is closed, but there are portable toilets available. 

Shore Acres and Cap Arago also closed by landslide

Just up the road from Sunset Bay, a “significant landslide has occurred” on Cape Arago Highway.

“The slide has caused substantial undermining of the roadway, leading to its closure,” OPRD said. “As a result, both Shore Acres State Park and Cape Arago State Park are currently inaccessible to vehicular traffic.”  

The trio of parks — Sunset Bay, Shore Acres and Cape Arago — are three of the more popular destinations on the south coast. It’s unclear how long the area would be inaccessible.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 16 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors.