A Postcard from Gold Beach, Oregon
Wind whipping through our hair, we stared at the long stretch of beach in amazement. There is enough sand and shore to get lost in, and that’s before we even reached town. While we dined on locally caught salmon, the sea-lions entertained us at the mouth of the Rogue River. Come stay in our new vacation home and enjoy the Oregon coast with us.
About Gold Beach, Oregon
Driving through tall rows of cedar along the Samuel Boardman Scenic Route, suddenly the coast appears again. A long stretch of sand and ocean, and not a sign of fog. Welcome to Gold Beach, Oregon, where the confluence of forest, river and sea create vacation magic. With abundant fishing and fiercely protected wilderness, a second home here is your ticket to nature’s glory.
Gold Beach has a distinctly different, upbeat feeling compared to its other coastal neighbors. Perhaps it’s the fairly constant wind, which makes you feel alive, and also keeps the fog away. Perhaps it’s the abundant sunshine. (The local airport here has more clear days of any airport between San Francisco and Portland, thanks to that fog-clearing wind.) But if it were only just beach and sun, people wouldn’t be flocking here for vacation and second homes. What gives Gold Beach its magic is the presence of the wild and majestic Rogue River, flowing to the ocean through the town under a magnificent long cantilevered bridge.
A jet boat ride up the Rogue River takes you into country only accessible by foot or boat. The ecology and wild life are untouched and thrilling to spend time with. Exuberance pervades the town. Even the sea lions sunning themselves at the entrance to the Rogue River seem happier and more playful than elsewhere.
If you are keen on fishing, set your sights on the 70 lb catch that’s still possible in the river these days. With a wide variety of fishing options, hiking in wilderness and just enjoying beachcombing, Gold Beach provides a temperate and friendly place to call your second home.
Average Lifestyle in Gold Beach
The town exudes friendliness, welcome, and informality. Life is peaceful and laid back, with lots of time to enjoy nature and people. A very high spirit pervades the area. Because forestland surrounds the area, the town won’t ever grow into a huge place. If the local Gold Beach Chamber of Commerce is an example, people are incredibly helpful, and happy to be living in this ocean breezy town. Even plants love it -- fuscia grows wild here due to the moderate climate.
Housing in Gold Beach, Oregon
Housing costs have gone up in recent years, yet there is also an upsurge of interest in vacation rentals. This means your second home can easily pay for itself. Most realtors can refer you to competent rental and property agencies. The surrounding forest land is zoned at 160 acres/house. This means not a lot of big development can take place here, keeping properties at a premium and it’s definitely a sellers market, with limited inventory. Gold Beach is less expensive than its neighbor, Brookings, even though Gold Beach has more sunny days.
Costs: $137,700 for median price according to 2000 Census. According to local realtors, typical entry cost for 3-bedroom is $300,000. Examples of the wide range of home prices include a three bedroom 2.1 acre wooded lot with ocean view for $420,000; 3.5 acres secluded forested beachfront cottage for $750,000 and cul-de-sac, ocean view home for $239,000.
Things to Do in Gold Beach
Fishing for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and trout on the Rogue River
Deep sea fishing on charter boats
Surf fishing
Jet Boat up the Rogue River
Travel a loop road through the wilderness area
Crabbing in the winter (starting December)
Windsurfing
Whale watching
Golf
Hike and backpack in Kalmiopsis Wilderness
Horseback ride on the beach
Hike the Siskiyou National Forest
Bird watching for over 250 species
Beachcombing at its best
Cultural Activities in Gold Beach
Music at Pistol River
America’s Wild Rivers Coast Art, Seafood and Wine Festival
Location
Southern Coast of Oregon, at the mouth of the Rogue River
Distance to other major cities
Medford, OR: 162 miles (3 hours)
Eugene, OR: 194 miles
Crescent City, CA: 50 miles
Getting To Gold Beach, Oregon
Located 50 miles from Crescent City, you can fly into either Crescent City, Arcata, or to Portland and then North Bay. In either case, a drive from the airport unless you have a private plane, in which case you can fly right into Gold Beach Municipal Airport.
Weather in Gold Beach
Gold Beach is still in the banana belt. With the highest amount of sunshine on the Washington and Oregon coasts, it can reach a high of 80 on some summer days. Generally, it’s never too hot, never too cold. Storms in the winter are often followed by stretches of clear sunny warm days.
Annual Average Temperature: 65-70 (winter lows of 40, summer highs of 67)
Annual Average Rainfall: 80 inches
Population
Population 2,069
Median Age, 2000: 44.8
Economics
Median Family Income: $37,634
Principle Industries: Tourism, agriculture, fishing, lumber, services
Local History
While history dates back to Native American cultures, the modern history that most affected the area was the gold discovery in 1853 in the sand near the mouth of the Rogue River. Gold Beach was established almost instantly, becoming the county sea of Curry County. Prospectors arrived, and soon copper and other mining took place. Eventually gold mining gave way to fishing. The first fish hatchery was built in 1878, and by 1896 the first 18-pound salmon was hooked using a fly rod. Commercial fishing ended in 1935, and mainly sports fishing takes place now.