Portal:Oregon/Selected article/39

The Oregon Coast is a geographical term that is used to describe the coast of Oregon along the Pacific Ocean. Stretching 362 miles from Astoria to the California border, the beaches along the Oregon Coast are considered public land. Oregon law prohibits private ownership of beaches. The Oregon Coast is often divided into three regions: The North Coast - from the Washington border at Astoria to Lincoln City; The Central Coast - from Lincoln City to Reedsport; The Southern Coast - from Reedsport to the California border, just south of Brookings. There are no large cities on the coast, mainly due to the lack of deep harbors with access to the inland agricultural areas. The largest metro area is Coos Bay/North Bend on the South Coast, which together make up a population of 25,000. The relative isolation of the coast from nearby large population centers has given the coast a reputation for being somewhat rustic, being a mixture of old logging towns, fishing villages, seasonal resorts, and artists' colonies. Tourism and logging are the major industries on the coast. The coastal region's popularity, combined with the fact that there is only one continuous highway along the coastline (U.S. Route 101) contributes to traffic along the coast being named the worst tourist traffic in the United States. Features along the coast include the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Sea Lion Caves, Yaquina Bay, many bridges, more than ten lighthouses, and part of the Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks at Fort Stevens at the northernmost portion where the coast meets the Columbia River.