One of my favorite places to park overnight on the Oregon coast is a turnout at Meyers Creek Beach in Gold Beach OR.
The turnout, also known as the Pistol River State Scenic Viewpoint, is south of the Gold Beach OR city limits. The gravel parking area is spacious, fairly level and very scenic.
A Walk On The Beach
I pull in to the viewpoint and find the perfect parking spot around 7:00 o’clock PM.
I’m looking forward to being lulled to sleep by the ocean waves but, since it’s still daylight, I decide it’s time for a peaceful walk on the beach.
As I head down one of the pathways leading to the beach I feel a crawling sensation on my leg.
It feels like a bug of some sort crawling up my leg!
As I look down, ready to swat, I realize I rubbed against the tall, gently swaying beach grass that lines the narrow pathway.
Once I reach the beach I notice the simple driftwood motif.
Driftwood lightly lines Meyer’s Creek beach but it’s not overpowering like it is further north.
Some of the beaches further north are so packed with driftwood that it’s difficult or impossible to get to the beach.
I walk towards the ocean water just as a couple of seagulls fly overhead.
There are gale wind warnings for tonight and it’s windier than usual. As the seagulls try to soar against the strong ocean wind, at times, it seems as though they’re hovering in mid-air.
As I reach the waters edge I step into the water.
The water is cold!
I knew it was going to be cold. The temperature is only 57.
But I just HAD to step in to the water.
It’s just a thing with me. I’ve been IN the north Pacific, south Pacific, mid-Pacific, north Atlantic and south Atlantic oceans during the last year and a half of my travels.
On Christmas day 2016 I stepped in to the Gulf of Mexico.
It seems that I have an unwritten goal to set foot in all of them, eventually!
The End Of Another Great Day
I head back up the path to the van.
It’s time to think about supper.
I usually do what I call dinner and a movie.
I simply make something to eat and watch a movie or a TV show. I have Netflix but I’ve also purchased movies on Amazon and I have some saved on my laptop from a DVD.
When I moved in to the van my daughter, Nikki, was in the process of leaving the nest and we were cleaning out The Hut (our 400 square foot, one room house). There were lots of DVD’s that we both liked so I saved what I liked on my laptop and gave Nikki custody of the actual DVD’s.
I’m currently watching How I Met Your Mother for the umpteenth time. I had never watched it until a few years ago when Nikki got me hooked on it.
Meyers Creek – Misty Ocean Morning
I love sunsets but I’m more of a sunrise person which explains why I love mornings.
When I woke up the sun was already up. I look outside and see it’s a misty ocean morning so I step outside to enjoy the morning air and get some pictures.
Meyers Creek – Pistol River State Scenic Viewpoint
There are several turnouts along the Meyers Creek beach stretch and I see people overnight parking at all of them.
The turnouts aren’t usually packed, though, so there’s plenty of “personal space”.
Amenities At Meyers Creek
There are no amenities.
What you get is a gorgeous view, pathways for exploring and lulled to sleep by peaceful waves!
If you have trash to dispose of you can head north to Gold Beach OR (there’s a visitors center as you enter town) or drive south to Brookings OR (there’s a rest area as you enter town).
The rest area in Brookings OR also has a dump station (for a donation).
Cell Signal At Meyers Creek
My phone service is through Verizon.
I’ve noticed that some turnouts have a 4g lte cell signal while other’s have 3g.
In any event, a Verizon cell signal is available on this stretch.
GPS Coordinates For Meyers Creek
The GPS coordinates for my favorite turnout are 42.30139,-124.4116.
To go to a different turnout simply drive further down the road!
Simply Connie 