BROOKINGS, Ore. – The day-use area at Harris Beach State Recreation Area will close weekdays Sept. 30 – Oct. 11 to facilitate a gorse removal project in the park. The day-use area will be open during the weekend, Oct. 5-6. Trail access to the day-use area will be closed too, including the Butte Trail and Harris Beach Trail. Beach access will remain open for the duration of the closure; day visitors are encouraged to park in the park’s viewpoint lots and hike the Rock Beach Trail down to the ocean shore. The closure will not affect the park’s campground, however campers may hear some project noise during the day. View a PDF map of the park online. The gorse removal project will center on Harris Butte, a popular hiking spot near the park’s day-use area. Contracted work crews will rappel down the slopes of the butte with chainsaws and other equipment to remove the gorse and apply herbicide to the remaining stumps. Dani Padilla, park manager, says the closure is for visitor safety. “There will be falling rocks, shrubs and other debris from the work, so we’re asking visitors to steer clear of the area until the project is complete,” says Padilla. Gorse, an invasive plant, was introduced to the southern coast in the 1890s. Learn more about removal efforts online: gorseactiongroup.org. Learn more about Harris Beach State Park: oregonstateparks.org.
