Reedsport

The towns of Reedsport, Gardiner and Winchester Bay are located in Douglas County along U.S. Highway 101. Points of interest on this part of the coast include the Umpqua River Lighthouse and the historical marker of the place where the Jedediah Smith expedition was attacked in 1828 with deadly results by the Lower Umpqua Indians just north of present-day Reedsport.
The tiny community of Gardiner was once a logging and mill town. Historic homes and a small hillside cemetery hint at its rich history. Nearby Reedsport has a small commercial waterfront and was named after pioneer Alfred W. Reed in 1919. Just a few minutes south is Winchester Bay, with its popular Salmon Harbor. The harbor is a safe haven for fishing and recreational boats, in addition to sailboats. The U.S. Coast Guard maintains a station there. Reedsport and Winchester Bay also are in the center of the Oregon Dunes Recreation Area, making the community a destination for visitors seeking a variety of fun outdoor activities, from fishing to beachcombing to riding off-road vehicles.
The Reedsport area is one of the rainiest spots on the South Coast, bringing in an average annual rainfall of 75.9 inches, from records compiled from 1937 through 1983. Most of the downpour, as with all South Coast cities, hits between the months of November and March. July, August and September are the warmest months and the peak of the area's tourism season.

Reedsport/Gardiner/Winchester Bay

Coastal Douglas County towns at center of Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
The towns of Reedsport, Gardiner and Winchester Bay are located in Douglas County along U.S. Highway 101. Points of interest on this part of the coast include the Umpqua River Lighthouse and the historical marker of the place where the Jedediah Smith expedition was attacked in 1828 with deadly results by the Lower Umpqua Indians just north of present-day Reedsport. The tiny community of Gardiner was once a logging and mill town. Historic homes and a small hillside cemetery hint at its rich history. Nearby Reedsport has a small commercial waterfront and was named after pioneer Alfred W. Reed in 1919. Just a few minutes south is Winchester Bay, with its popular Salmon Harbor. The harbor is a safe haven for fishing and recreational boats, in addition to sailboats. The U.S. Coast Guard maintains a station there. Reedsport and Winchester Bay also are in the center of the Oregon Dunes Recreation Area, making the community a destination for visitors seeking a variety of fun outdoor activities, from fishing to beachcombing to riding off-road vehicles. The Reedsport area is one of the rainiest spots on the South Coast, bringing in an average annual rainfall of 75.9 inches, from records compiled from 1937 through 1983. Most of the downpour, as with all South Coast cities, hits between the months of November and March. July, August and September are the warmest months and the peak of the area's tourism season.