Sitka Sedge State Natural Area

By America's State Parks Editorial TeamMay 8, 2026 · Updated October 23, 2026

🏆 Sand Lake Estuary — Tidal flats, salt marsh, forested dunes and a snowy plover nesting area on the Sand Lake Estuary

Sitka Sedge State Natural Area protects 357 acres of tidal flats, salt marsh, forested wetlands, dunes, and beach on the Sand Lake Estuary on the Northern Oregon Coast. The park is named for the Sitka sedge (Carex aquatilis var. dives), a native grass-like plant that grows in pockets throughout the property. The beach provides habitat for the threatened western snowy plover, one of the rarest shorebirds on the Pacific Coast. A trail system provides access to the beach, estuary, and forest while keeping visitors away from sensitive nesting areas.

Visitor Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I walk on the beach?

The beach is open, but the sand spit at the north end is a western snowy plover management area. From March 15 to September 15, dogs, kites, bikes, vehicles, camping and fires are not allowed there, and walkers must stay on the wet sand. Watch for posted signs and stay out of fenced nesting areas — these birds nest directly on the sand.

Why are snowy plovers protected?

Western snowy plovers nest on open sandy beaches — the same beaches that attract human recreation. Dogs, vehicles, and foot traffic crush eggs and disturb nesting. The Pacific coast population has been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 1993, and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department restricts use of nesting beaches such as the Sitka Sedge spit from March 15 to September 15. In the 2025 breeding-season survey of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, biologists counted 3,022 adult snowy plovers on the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California, 488 of them in Oregon and 2 on the Sitka Sedge beach.

About Sitka Sedge

Sitka Sedge State Natural Area on the northern Oregon coast protects coastal dunes, wetlands, Sitka spruce forest, and beach. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department bought the land in 2014 and opened the natural area to the public on June 2, 2018. The 357-acre preserve lies on the Sand Lake Estuary just southwest of Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island, a separate state natural area.

Things to Do

Hiking on 3.5 miles of looping trails through coastal dunes, spruce forest, and wetlands. Birdwatching on the Sand Lake Estuary. Beach walks and beachcombing on the sandy ocean beach.

Insider Tips

Views: From the trails you look over tidal flats, salt marshes and forested wetlands, and the beach view stretches from Haystack Rock in the south to Cape Lookout in the north. No signal: There is no cell phone service in the natural area. Pro tip: The half-mile Beltz Dike Trail leads from the parking area west across the estuary and through forested dunes to the beach — three ecosystems in one short walk. Birding: Belted kingfishers and band-tailed pigeons are common along the first part of the Beltz Dike Trail, shorebirds feed on both sides of the dike, and wrentits live in the forest year-round. In recent years snowy plovers have been seen year-round near the mouth of Sand Lake, about 0.6 mile north along the beach. Bring binoculars.

Best Time to Visit

Spring/fall: Shorebird migration. Summer: Best weather for the trail. Year-round: Wrentits in the forest. Tides: The mudflats along the dike start to fill at about a 5.5-foot incoming tide, and the tide reaches the dike about an hour later than the beach.

Wildlife & Nature

Sitka Sedge State Natural Area protects a large coastal wetland in the traditional territory of the Nestucca group of Tillamook Indians, who are now part of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde also claim cultural affiliation to the area. The area’s salt marsh, freshwater wetland, and coastal forest provide habitat for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. A dike and tide gate from the 1930s still restrict the tides in Beltz Marsh and hold back coho, chum, steelhead and cutthroat trout from their historic spawning streams. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership plan to replace it with a setback dike, restore about 68 acres of tidal marsh and reopen Reneke and Beltz Creeks to fish. Construction is planned for 2027 and 2028, depending on permits and funding, and the natural area is expected to close for several months in 2028. The Sitka sedge (Carex aquatilis var. dives) that gives the area its name grows in pockets throughout the property. Beyond the dike, the trails enter a coastal forest of Sitka spruce, western hemlock and shore pine.

Nearby Attractions

Pacific City and Cape Kiwanda are a few miles south — featuring the sandstone headland, dory fleet, and Pelican Brewing on the beach. Bob Straub State Park protects the Nestucca Spit. Nestucca Bay NWR provides additional estuary habitat. Three Capes Scenic Loop connects to Cape Lookout and Cape Meares. Cascade Head Preserve protects rare coastal headland prairie. Neskowin has the Ghost Forest and Proposal Rock. Nestucca River offers world-class salmon and steelhead fishing.

More parks nearby: Bob Straub State Park and Neskowin Beach State Recreation Site are both a short drive away.

About the Author

America's State Parks Editorial Team

America's State Parks is an independent online guide to state parks and other public lands in the United States. Our editorial team compiles park profiles from official agency and operator sources and other identified references, and follows our published editorial policy and review methodology. Where a profile shows a source-check date, that date applies to the detail it names. We correct errors when we find them or when readers report them.

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