Nehalem Bay State Park occupies the Nehalem Spit on the Oregon Coast between Nehalem Bay and the ocean, including Nehalem Beach near Nehalem and Manzanita. Tillamook County transferred the land to the State of Oregon in the 1930s for park use, and dune-stabilization work in the 1940s and 1950s planted European beach grass, shore pine, and Scotch broom. After another twenty years, the park opened in 1972. It now serves both overnight and day visitors with campsites, areas for hikers, bicyclists, horse riders, and recreational vehicles, plus an amphitheater and a small airport. Its mix of beach, bay, dunes, and forest supports varied wildlife.