Mia Maldonado
Oregon Capital Chronicle
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is implementing new fees at some of its day-use parks and raising fees for some of its busiest overnight camping parks.
The state waives day-use parking fees at more than 225 of its state parks, with only 25 parks charging the $10 fee for in-state visitors and $12 for people visiting from out of state. But on Oct. 1, the department will begin requiring the parking fee at an additional 21 of its day-use parks, including:
Beverly Beach State Park
Bullards Beach State Park
Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint
Crown Point State Scenic Corridor
Dexter State Recreation Site
Face Rock State Park
Farewell Bend State
Recreation Area
Fort Stevens State Park
Harris Beach State Recreation Site
Hat Rock State Park
LaPine State Park
Lewis and Clark State
Recreation Site
Lowell State Recreation Site
Oswald West State Park
Prineville Reservoir State Park
South Beach State Park
Starvation Creek State Park
Sunset Bay State Park
Tolovana Beach State
Recreation Site
Tryon Creek State Natural Area
Valley of the Rogue State Recreation Area
The fees won’t apply to visitors who walk, bike, use public transportation or have a valid 12- to 24-month parking permit from Oregon State Parks.
hese parks are some of the busiest parks in the system, according to a news release from the department. For example, Harris Beach State Park experienced an estimated 2 million day-use visits in 2024.
The changes are meant to supplement a 14% budget shortfall because of increasing costs, record visitation and a reduction in lottery funds for operations. The fee adjustments, along with internal efforts to reduce costs, will help maintain current service levels and ensure the system remains accessible in the future, the department said in the release.
The park system raised day-use fees from $5 to $10 at the start of 2025, its first increase in 15 years.
Lottery funds cover a little less than half of Oregon State Parks’ budget, followed by 15% from recreational vehicle license plate fees and 35% from park fees from visitors.
“State parks are some of the most beloved spaces in Oregon, but we have struggled as a state to sustainably fund them,” Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Director Lisa Sumption said in the news release. “We’re working to reimagine the future of Oregon State Parks as a financially resilient system that will serve generations to come.”
The department is also increasing overnight rates at 29 of its busiest parks starting May 2025 to $29 a night for tents and $52 for full RV hook-ups. The rate change will apply from May 1 to Sept. 30 and apply year-round on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
To save on parking, Oregon State Parks offers a 12-month parking permit for $30 and a 24-month permit for $50.
The parks include:
Alfred A. Loeb State Park
Ainsworth State Park
Beachside State Recreation Site
Beverly Beach State Park
Bullards Beach State Park
Cape Blanco State Park
Cape Lookout State Park
Carl. G. Washburne Memorial State Park
Champoeg State Heritage Area
Cove Palisades State Park
Deschutes River State
Recreation Area
Detroit Lake State Recreation Area
Devils Lake State Recreation Area
Fort Stevens State Park
Harris Beach State Park
Humbug Mountain State Park
Jessie M. Honeyman
Memorial State Park
L.L. Stub Stewart
Memorial State Park
LaPine State Park
Milo McIver State Park
Nehalem Bay State Park
Silver Falls State Park
South Beach State Park
Sunset Bay State Park
Tumalo State Park
Umpqua Lighthouse State Park
Valley of the Rogue State Park
Wallowa Lake State Park
William M. Tugman State Park
Oregon State Parks will also increase all its cabin and yurt prices to a range between $72 to $129 a night, boat moorage fees will increase from $15 to $20 and overnight parking and overflow camping and primitive camping fees will increase from $10 to at least $15 a night.