• Coffenbury Lake is located within the boundaries of Fort Stevens State Park
• A fifty-acre coastal lake offers numerous outdoor activities
Coffenbury Lake is a 56-acre freshwater lake located 10 miles west of Astoria in Fort Stevens State Park. This is a typical coastal lake trapped between sandy dunes decades ago. No streams are flowing in or out. Its water level fluctuates depending on seasonal changes in the water table. The 1-mile-long lake gets its water from rain, snow, and irrigation.
The lake is situated at the mouth of the Columbia River and was named after George Washington Coffenberry, the first settler from West Virginia and a four-term county judge in Clatsop County before Oregon's Territorial Court was established in 1849.
Surrounded by a dense coastal forest, the lake is home to a variety of wildlife. You may spot squirrels, martens, otters, minks, skunks, beavers, and many bird species. You might even see elk or deer coming to drink from the lake.
With warm water in the summer, the lake is a great spot for fishing, and it supports warm-water fish like largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, brown bullhead, and yellow perch. It is also stocked with hatchery steelhead and rainbow trout.
Coffenbury Lake is perfect for swimming, boating, canoeing, and paddling. Motorized boats are allowed, but with a 10 mph speed limit (gas-powered boats are not permitted). The area has fishing docks, boat ramps, sandy beaches, and picnic spots.
Things to Do near Coffenbury Lake
Coffeeberry Lake is located within Fort Stevens State Park. Fort Stevens is a part of Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. Previously, the site served as the military defense fort at the mouth of the Columbia River.
Today, 4,300-acre Fort Stevens State Park features the military defense installation with the old artillery bunkers and weapons exhibits, the largest in Oregon campground, picnic areas, a broad beach, the skeleton of the Peter Iredale shipwreck, and well-maintained trails through the beautiful coastal forest with alder, spruce, shore pines, Scotch broom, and sword ferns.
Fort Stevens Hiking Trails
There are over six miles of hiking and nine miles of biking trails.
Delaura Dune Trail - a 4 miles hiking trail along the coast.
Kestrel Dune Trail - a 1.3-mile biking trail along the coast to Peter Iredale Shipwreck.
Coffenbury Lake Trail - a 2-mile long easy loop hiking trail around Coffenbury Lake.
Battery Russell Trail - a 1-mile trail along the dune's ridge from Battery Russell to the north end of Coffenbury Lake.
Swimming
During the summer months, the Coffenbury Lake water is warm (70°F in July). Two swimming areas, sandy beaches, fishing docks, and boat ramps make Coffenbury Lake a perfect spot for a variety of water activities. This beautiful lake is a popular destination for canoeing, paddleboarding, and kayaking.
Fishing
Coffenbury Lake provides great opportunities for fishing. There are fishing docks and boat ramps. Motorized boats with a speed less than 10 mph are allowed. For the sake of lake conservation, gas-powered boats are not permitted on the lake.
Warmwater Species
Formed between dunes, Coffenbury Lake with warm water temperatures in summer allows warm-water fish to reproduce successfully. There are largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, brown bullhead, and yellow perch.
The best time for fishing: warmer months of spring, summer, and fall.
Trout & Steelhead
Coffenbury Lake is stocked on the regular basis with the legal, larger and trophy sizes rainbow trout. Check the stocking schedule on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website.
The lake, also, receives adult hatchery steelhead in the winter months. There is not any stocking schedule for hatchery steelhead but if it is stocked you can find information in the weekly ODFW report.
The best time for fishing: from March to September.
Video
Coffenbury Lake | Facts
Open: Year-round from dawn until dusk (for day-use)
Managed by: Oregon State Parks
Amenities: Flush toilets, drinking water, garbage service, fishing docks, boat ramps, picnic sites, and a reservable picnic shelter
Activities: Swimming, watersports, hiking, biking, fishing, boating, horse riding, historic site with a museum, scenic viewpoints of the Pacific Ocean and Peter Iredale shipwreck
Distance from the parking: Short
Road access: Any passenger vehicle
Day-use fees: Yes or parking permits for State Parks
Dogs: Must be on a leash
Accommodations: 170 full-hookup sites, more than 300 electrical sites with water, six tent sites with water nearby, 15 yurts, and 11 deluxe cabins
Lodging in Warrenton or Astoria
Coffenbury Lake is located:
- 11 miles west of Astoria
- 94 miles west of Portland
- 124 miles northwest of Salem.
Facts
Body of water: Natural Coastal Lake
Surface area: 56 acres
Shoreline: 2.4 miles (3.9 km)
Maximum depth: 9 ft (2.7 m)
Transparency: 5.7 ft (1.8 m)
Characteristics
Swimming hole rating: 3 out of 5
Water quality: Tea-brown, fair transparency
Current: None
Depth: Deep and shallow
Beach: Sand
Water T° (summer): Warm
Adventures Nearby
Driving Directions to Coffenbury Lake
From the junction of Highway 101 and Highway 30 in Astoria
- Drive 3.2 miles to the southwest (Warrenton/Seaside/Airport)
- Turn right onto Fort Stevens Highway Spur, then turn left onto Fort Stevens/Main Street
- Turn right onto 18th Street, which merges onto Ridge Road
- Follow 3.5 miles to Fort Stevens State Park.
Phone: 503-861-3170 x 21
stateparks.oregon.gov