Courtesy Sand Master Park
Sandboarding at Sand Master Park
Florence, Oregon
For a downhill sport that doesn’t require you to wear thermal underwear, try sandboarding, which sends you careening down dunes on boards that glide over sand. The year-round sport has attracted surfers, out-of-season snowboarders and others just looking for a good time sliding down sandy hills.
“That’s the beauty of sandboarding,” said Lon Beale, founder of Sand Master Park. “We give you a board, and you can go try it. The sand won’t hurt your fall. You don’t need special gear or anything to try.”
Billed as the world’s first sandboard park, Sand Master Park sits on 40 privately owned acres of sand dunes minutes from the Pacific Ocean. Groups willing to give sandboarding a whirl can sign up for a sandboarding lesson before attempting the park’s beginner to advanced slopes. Instructors have all participated in sandboarding world championships, so groups can learn from some of the best.
“Because we own the dunes here, we can keep them free from other vehicles, which keeps the sandboarders very safe,” said Beale. “We also use bulldozers to keep the dunes in good condition.”
If some in your group want to opt out of sandboarding, the park rents sand sleds for an easier slide down the dunes. The park also offers dune buggy tours and free sand-sculpting clinics.
