Sunset Bay State Park

Sunset Bay State Park sits about 12 miles from U.S. 101 by way of Cape Arago Highway, on the coast just west of Charleston in Coos County. The bay itself is a horseshoe-shaped cove framed by sandstone cliffs, with a crescent sand beach about 0.2 mile long at its head and reef structure around the outer rim. Most of the diveable water sits between 15 and 35 feet, with depths reaching about 50 feet at the mouth of the bay at high tide, and the outer rims of the cove hold most of the marine life.

The cove has long been called the Pirate Bay of the south coast for the shelter it offered in the days of sail, and it later became one among Oregon's flagship coastal state parks alongside Shore Acres and Cape Arago. Sheltered by the surrounding sandstone cliffs, the cove interior stays diveable even when the outer sea is rough, which draws divers on days when the outer coast is closed out. Surface water reaches the upper 60s Fahrenheit in summer, with 45 to 55 degrees at depth.

The cliff-anchored reef structure around the outer rim of the bay carries a rocky reef biome, and the sand-beach surf entry at the head of the cove sits inside a surf zone biome. Scuba, snorkeling, and spearfishing are all documented uses. Kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals are available at the park itself, and the paddle from the inner beach out to the reefs beyond the mouth is a documented approach for reaching the site's outer structure.

Parking is at the developed day-use lot on Cape Arago Highway. An Oregon State Park Pass is required for parking anywhere inside Sunset Bay, Shore Acres, and Cape Arago State Parks, including designated lots, pullouts, and roadside areas; the pass runs $10 per day or $60 per year, and a single pass covers all 3 parks. Drone flight is prohibited at Sunset Bay, Shore Acres, Cape Arago, and Norton Gulch. Take is enforced under standard Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recreational marine rules.