Following a five year effort to restore a historic public access trail at Lighthouse Beach in Coos Bay, Oregon, the Surfrider Foundation is thrilled to announce that the trail is officially back open, and has been deeded to Oregon State Parks to be used for public access in perpetuity!
“This donation of land is a gift to our community, and to everyone who supports public lands. In Oregon, the 1967 Beach Bill ensures that all 362 miles of our ocean shoreline is open for all to enjoy. Today, the spirit of that bill is carried on with this collaborative effort to protect access and enjoyment of our ocean, beaches, and waves.” said Carmen Matthews, Campaign Lead and co-founder of the Surfrider Coos Bay chapter.
Following decades of public use, local residents found the Lighthouse Beach trail blocked by barbed wire in early 2021. Surfrider subsequently filed a lawsuit in 2022 seeking to restore access. As a result of that lawsuit, Surfrider negotiated with the property owner who later agreed to donate a portion of their property, along a new trail route, to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (“OPRD”) for public access purposes. In late 2023, the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission voted to conditionally allow the State Parks and Recreation Department to accept this donation of property. Following additional necessary legal steps, the State has now done so, and Surfrider is pleased that OPRD will continue to steward this trail for future generations, with support from Coos County, who has agreed to manage the property.
The O’Leary family completed the new trail alignment and construction in 2025, but several additional legal steps were required to create the new trail parcel which the O’Learys donated to the State for public use. Surfrider has diligently worked with the landowner, our legal and local teams, and Coos County throughout the lengthy legal process required to separate the new trail property from the remaining private property and establish the “forever” public access in perpetuity. We applaud Coos County for their commitment to seeing this process through, and for their willingness to maintain the trail property so that it can be enjoyed by all.
The final signatures were penned on October 7, 2026, officially transferring ownership of the trail to OPRD.
We’re excited to once again be able to access Lighthouse Beach, and we encourage all who use the trail to do so in a respectful manner. Always leave the trail and beach better than you found it by packing out your trash, respecting the neighbors, and maintaining the quiet, peaceful nature of the neighborhood.
Surfrider would like to thank the O’Leary family for their generosity in donating this land to all Oregonians, and their willingness to work toward common ground to restore this beloved trail to an equally beloved beach.
A huge thank you to our outside attorneys Karl G Anuta, Mike Sargetakis, and the Crag Law Center for their legal support throughout this years-long effort. Their guidance and expertise have been invaluable as we’ve navigated the many turns of this campaign.
And finally, our deepest gratitude to our local activists and supporters of the Coos Bay chapter. You are the first line of defense for our beaches, and vital public access to Lighthouse Beach would not be restored were it not for your tireless organizing. Thank you.
For a timeline and previous blogs about Surfrider’s Lighthouse Beach campaign, visit our campaign page.
After earning a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon, Kaia gained professional experience working in coastal wildlife interpretation and watershed conservation. As Oregon Regional Manager, her favorite part of the role is connecting with dedicated activists across the entire state.