This tiny port town on the southern Oregon coast is a hidden gem for travel and adventure.
By Bruce W. Smith
July/August 2024
It’s late morning. Ahead, the sun is peeking above rugged, tree-lined ridges and shining bright against a crystal-blue sky. I’m in tourist heaven. The powerful sounds of the engines pushing the jet boat up the lower section of the wild and scenic Rogue River, mixed with the spray of the bow wave falling onto the river’s glistening surface a few feet from my seat, has an exhilarating yet soothing effect.
So does the smell of the pristine mountain air and the sight of black bears, Oregon coast blacktail deer, and playful river otters that our guide has been pointing out along this beautifully remote section of the “Rogue” as he pilots one of the 42-foot-long, world-famous historic mail boats from its base in the Port of Gold Beach some 20 miles behind us.
We are delivering mail to the tiny community of Agness in much the same fashion as Elijah H. Price pioneered back in 1895 when he and his son sailed, rowed, and poled an 18-foot boat upstream to bring mail and provisions to gold miners and homesteaders in the little community of Illahe — eight miles up the river from Agness.
HISTORICAL MAIL DELIVERY
Each year, more than 30,000 visitors board jet boats for river tours, including the popular Historic Mail from Jerry’s Rogue Jets.
“Our ‘Historic Mail Route’ jet boat tours travel 32 miles to Agness with the daily mail delivery,” said Scott McNair, operations manager for Jerry’s Rogue Jets. “True to history, the original post office on the Rogue River was at Big Bend (Illahe) on the homestead of Elijah H. Price. In 1897 the post office was officially established in the mining camp of Agness at the home of Amaziah Aubury, which led to establishing the present community of Agness.”
What took the Prices two or more days of backbreaking work to deliver the mail upriver could be done in less than an hour today with the custom-built aluminum jet boats outfitted with 1,000 horsepower of state-of-the-art marine V-8s in the stern.
However, the May through October mail boat tours take a little more leisurely pace of about four hours with idle time along the way as dozens of passengers take pictures and videos of wildlife and are then treated to a delicious mid-trip barbecue lunch stop in Agness at the rustic Cougar Lane Lodge.
RVers with a passion for adventure and photographing wildlife will find the jet boat tours fascinating in all respects. McNair said that more than 30,000 visitors from around the world ride the jet boats every year. (The Express Whitewater Jet Boat Tour is even more exhilarating!)
GOING ROGUE IN GOLD BEACH
The city is well known for salmon fishing in the ocean and at the mouth of the Rogue River.
The river tours are just one of the many adventures awaiting RVers who take time to explore this tiny port town located on the southern Oregon coast at the mouth of the Rogue River and bisected by the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 101).
Gold Beach is one of those hidden travel gems that too often fly under the radar of RVers escaping California and eager to head to the larger, more well-known towns along the southern Oregon coast. This little port town (population 2,600), and the surrounding area, is the gateway to checking off a lot of those “wish we could. . . ” boxes on one’s vacation list.
It’s easy to spend several days or even a week here walking the miles of quiet beaches, exploring tide pools, clam digging, and viewing wildlife, as well as wilderness mountain hiking/biking, playing golf, fishing, boating, whale watching, kayaking, and windsurfing.
As the weather warms, the community ramps up the fun. During the month of April the city hides 1,000 three-inch glass floats, similar to those used on the nets of ocean fishermen, amongst the driftwood along the beach fronting the visitor center for tourists to find. Some of the floats have special designations for prizes donated by local businesses.
April is also the time to enjoy some of the best salmon fishing on the Oregon coast, with local guide services providing the opportunity to hook into a beautiful Rogue River spring chinook right in the bay.
SUMMER ACTIVITIES
July and August is prime time for jet boat and whitewater tours, river rafting, chartering an ocean fishing trip, and whale watching. Or fish the Rogue for steelhead and salmon. In fact, the annual Gold Beach CAF Salmon Derby runs in August if you want to go for the gold.
On July 4, Gold Beach hosts one of the largest fireworks shows on the Oregon coast. On July 13 and August 10, area residents, vendors, and artisans will gather to show their wares at the Community Sale & Market. Hydroplane races take place in Agness July 13-14 and August 17-18. And the Curry County Fair runs July 24-27.
The annual Turtle Rock & Grass Music Festival takes place in September.
This year on September 14, the annual Turtle Rock & Grass Music Festival takes place on the outdoor stage at the Turtle Rock RV Park Resort. It’s always a huge crowd-pleaser that’s very well attended.
The best place to get a full scope of all that’s going on in Gold Beach is at the Gold Beach Visitor Center located on the south end of town. It offers good RV parking and lies just a few steps from the mile-long beach that fronts this seaside town. Inside are numerous racks full of brochures from local RV parks, jet boat river tour operators, fishing guide services, and restaurants, along with Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service maps. The best part is that questions are quickly answered by a super-friendly staff.
OREGON’S “BANANA BELT” CLIMATE
Weatherwise, Gold Beach is in what’s called the “Banana Belt” of Oregon, with summer temps averaging in the high 60s and more sunny days than anywhere else along the coast. (Locals say their favorite months are May/June and September/October.) Temperatures from June through September average in the high 70s to high 80s.
A leisurely drive a dozen or so miles upriver on Jerry’s Flat Road (State Route 595)/Agness Road (National Forest 33) follows along the south side of the Rogue all the way to Agness. A mix of RV campgrounds lie between Gold Beach and Agness, both Forest Service and private, offering full-hookup and dry camping.
CAMPING NEAR GOLD BEACH
Gold Beach might be small, but it’s big on accommodating RVers, with more than a dozen RV parks located in or near town. The two largest bookend the city: Honey Bear RV By The Sea RV Resort & Campground is located about seven miles north of town off Highway 101, and Turtle Rock RV Resort is situated seven miles south of town.
Honey Bear, part of USA Camping Company, exudes a laid-back atmosphere. The campground recently celebrated 50 years of operation and underwent a complete renovation. It offers 120 mixed RV sites on 52 acres, with a big fenced-in dog park and plenty of hiking trails. It’s also close to the nine-hole Cedar Bend Golf Course.
Turtle Rock is a whole little city in itself, with 105 campsites on 24 acres along Hunter Creek, which spills into the Pacific Ocean just a short walk from the park. This resort-style campground has full-hookup sites (a few with hot tubs), plus a restaurant, a store, cottages, electric bike charging stations, and direct beach access. Then there’s Agness RV Park, built along 1,000 feet of the Rogue River with 55 back-in and pull-through sites for RVers.
RVers who want to fish or camp close to the river may also consider Quosatana Campground, located in Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, 14 miles east from Gold Beach via County Road 595 and Forest Road 33.
CAMPING IN GOLD BEACH
In Gold Beach proper, a number of RV parks welcome guests. These include Gold Beach RV Park, with 20 back-in sites and two pull-through spots; Oceanside RV Park, offering 100 full-hookup spaces just a short stroll from the beach; and Ireland’s RV Park, situated 100 feet from the beach. The latter has its own lighthouse; visitors can climb to the top for a spectacular ocean view.
Be forewarned: It’s prudent for RVers to make site reservations months before coming into town during the summer. In fact, some returning RVers book their vacation stays in the Gold Beach area a year in advance.
GREAT PLACES TO EAT
Spinners Seafood Steak & Chop House is one of several Gold Beach eateries that serve fresh local seafood.
A great vacation stop for any RVer is one that not only allows you to check off some of those “I’ve always wanted to” things on your life list but also to treat your palate. Fine dining in Gold Beach comes in many forms — including food trucks.
“I’ve been really impressed with the quality of our town’s food trucks,” said Jane Manghillis, manager of the Gold Beach Visitor Center. “Hunger Paynes and The Bite’s On all have excellent food that’s locally sourced.”
Locals also rave about inside dining at the Port Hole Café & Tap House at the harbor, as well as Barnacle Bistro and Spinners Seafood Steak & Chop House downtown. Fresh in-season seafood can be found at any of these eateries — and some of the best clam chowder anywhere.
Gold Beach is a unique seaside town in many respects. It’s one of those communities where the coastal mountain terrain and proximity to the Pacific Ocean will always keep it small and quaint. It’s that very location, at the mouth of one of the original eight Wild & Scenic Rivers in the United States, that makes it a wonderful destination for RVers looking for solitude, action, and adventure.
IF YOU GO
Travel Oregon
traveloregon.com
(800) 547-7842
Visit Gold Beach
visitgoldbeach.com
(800) 525-2334
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Names often reflect the origin of a town, and Gold Beach, Oregon, is no different. This coastal town at the mouth of the Rogue River was named by miners living in the settlement in the early 1850s when they discovered gold in the coarse beach sands. Previously, the settlement had been known as Ellensburg, named after Ellen Tichenor, the daughter of a sea captain who founded the city of Port Orford 30 miles farther up the Oregon coast.