Siltcoos Lake Seaplane Base

The closure was most likely due to a combination of economic and operational factors. Small, private seaplane bases tied to resorts often cease operations due to the high costs of aircraft maintenance, insurance, and fuel, coupled with fluctuating tourist demand. Changes in ownership of the associated resort or the retirement of a pilot/owner are also common reasons for such closures. There is no evidence of a major accident, environmental issue, or military conversion leading to its closure.

The site of the former seaplane base is now the Siltcoos Lake Resort. The coordinates (43.866501, -124.084999) point directly to the resort's docks on the lake. The water area once used for takeoffs and landings is now part of the public lake, used extensively for recreational boating, fishing, kayaking, and other water sports within the Siuslaw National Forest. The resort's docks are used for mooring small boats, and there are no remaining signs of dedicated seaplane infrastructure like a ramp, fueling station, or hangar.

Siltcoos Lake Seaplane Base was a small, private-use facility primarily associated with the Siltcoos Lake Resort. Its significance was local, serving the tourism and recreation industry of the Florence, Oregon area. When active, it would have handled small, single-engine floatplanes (e.g., Cessna 185s, Piper Super Cubs on floats). Operations likely consisted of scenic air tours over the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Siltcoos Lake, and the Pacific coastline, as well as providing a unique transportation option for guests of the resort. It was not a major transport hub but rather a feature that enhanced the region's recreational appeal.

There are no known official plans or active proposals to reopen the Siltcoos Lake Seaplane Base. Re-establishing a seaplane base, even a private one, would require significant investment and navigating a complex permitting process involving the FAA, the Oregon State Marine Board, and the U.S. Forest Service (as the lake is within the Siuslaw National Forest). Given that seaplane services are available elsewhere in the Florence area (on the Siuslaw River), and the current recreational use of the lake, the prospects for reopening this specific base are considered very low.