LINCOLN CITY — The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is handing over management of the D River State Recreation Site to Lincoln City, which will immediately begin a massive renovation project, closing much of the site over the summer, the parks department and city jointly announced Monday.
D River, which is located in the heart of Lincoln City, saw more than 1.1 million visitors in 2025, making it the sixth busiest state park site on the Oregon coast and the eighth busiest state park in Oregon. Every year it hosts the city’s annual kite festivals, and sees throngs of visitors there to spend a day on the sand or head out hunting for glass floats.
As it stands, the park features little more than a large parking lot with restrooms and trails that lead down to the beach. City officials plan to change that.
The city of Lincoln City said it intends to build a new Lincoln City Welcome Center at D River for $6.7 million. Construction will also include upgraded parking and beach access, and more accessible amenities. Work on the project is expected to begin this spring and wrap up in early 2027.
— The Oregonian/OregonLive
