You can take driftwood from Oregon beaches for personal use, up to one cubic yard per person per day and no more than three cords per person per year, provided the wood is loose on the surface and you can load it by hand.1Oregon Secretary of State. Oregon Administrative Rules Compilation – OAR 736-026-0010 Rangers patrol the coast and write citations, so the details are worth knowing before you fill the back of your car.
How Much You Can Take
One cubic yard is roughly a pile three feet on each side. Three cords, the annual cap, is a lot of wood: a cord measures four feet high, four feet wide, and eight feet long.1Oregon Secretary of State. Oregon Administrative Rules Compilation – OAR 736-026-0010 Most beachgoers will never approach the yearly limit, so the daily cap is the one to track.
The wood has to be for personal use. The rule permits taking driftwood “for souvenirs, for personal use or as gifts,” which covers home firewood, decor, and craft projects.2Oregon Public Law. Oregon Administrative Rule 736-026-0010 – State Park Beaches Selling what you collect is not allowed.
What Counts as Collectible Driftwood
Only loose wood sitting on the surface is fair game. Anything embedded in sand, bluffs, or dune banks is off-limits, because pulling it out accelerates erosion.2Oregon Public Law. Oregon Administrative Rule 736-026-0010 – State Park Beaches If you have to dig for it, leave it.
Standing trees and attached roots are protected whether dead or alive. Cutting a dead snag off a bluff for firewood would violate the rule and can destabilize the slope behind it.
Skip wood with brand marks, sawmill stamps, or other signs of being processed lumber. That material isn’t natural driftwood and may legally belong to someone. The same goes for pieces broken off piers, jetties, or pilings.
Tools and Equipment
Everything you take must be loadable by hand. Mechanized loading gear, including tractors, winches, and ATVs rigged for hauling, is prohibited on state park beaches.2Oregon Public Law. Oregon Administrative Rule 736-026-0010 – State Park Beaches On other public ocean shore areas, mechanized loading and removal equipment is also barred.3Legal Information Institute. Oregon Administrative Code 736-026-0015 – Non-State Park Beaches
A hatchet or bow saw is fine for breaking large pieces down. Chainsaws are not. On state park beaches, you need prior approval from the park manager before using one.2Oregon Public Law. Oregon Administrative Rule 736-026-0010 – State Park Beaches On non-state-park beaches, power saws may be restricted in certain areas, so check with the local managing authority first.3Legal Information Institute. Oregon Administrative Code 736-026-0015 – Non-State Park Beaches
Where the Rules Shift
Oregon’s public ocean shore runs the full length of the state, but not every stretch is managed the same way. State park beaches and other public ocean shore areas share the core restrictions: personal use only, no embedded wood, no mechanized equipment. The finer points, particularly around power saws and vehicle access, differ by location.
On non-state-park beaches, upland property owners’ wishes factor into whether vehicle permits for wood gathering are granted.3Legal Information Institute. Oregon Administrative Code 736-026-0015 – Non-State Park Beaches That matters when the only vehicle route to a stretch of beach crosses private land.
Some coastal areas sit under federal jurisdiction, such as sections managed by the Siuslaw National Forest. Federal rules generally track Oregon’s, but confirm with the local ranger district before collecting. One more reminder worth stating plainly: the land above the public beach zone can be private property, and taking driftwood from it without permission is theft.
Closed and Protected Areas
Certain stretches of coast carry additional protections that override the general rules. The Neskowin “ghost forest,” where ancient tree stumps periodically emerge from the sand, is a well-known example where removing any material is prohibited. Other sections close seasonally to protect nesting shorebirds, including the federally threatened western snowy plover.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asks beachgoers to respect posted closures, give nesting birds space, and keep dogs leashed in sensitive areas, since flushing birds from nests can cause them to abandon eggs or chicks.4U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Share the Shore: How You Can Help Beach Birds If a section is posted closed for wildlife protection, driftwood collection is off the table there regardless of the general rules.
Ancient wood or artifacts on federal land may be protected under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, which prohibits unauthorized disturbance, excavation, or removal of archaeological resources from public lands and carries both criminal and civil penalties.5National Park Service. Using ARPA Civil Penalties to Protect Archeological Resources on Public and Indian Lands If a piece looks old enough to be historically significant, or if the area is posted with archaeological restrictions, leave it alone.
Penalties if You Break the Rules
On state-managed beaches, illegal wood removal can be charged as a Class A park violation, which carries a higher fine than routine infractions. Rangers can issue citations on the spot and require you to return the wood you took.
Penalties depend on where the violation happens. Federal land managers handle their own enforcement, and taking driftwood from private property without permission exposes you to theft charges under Oregon criminal law. Fines for casual overcollecting may be modest, but the stakes climb quickly when mechanized equipment is involved, protected areas are disturbed, or the wood turns out to have archaeological significance.