Visitors planning trips to several of Oregon’s most popular beaches, scenic viewpoints and recreation areas will soon find a new parking requirement waiting at the entrance. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has expanded its day use parking permit program to include 22 additional state parks and recreation sites, nearly doubling the number of locations where motorists must purchase a parking permit before leaving their vehicles.
The expansion increases the number of Oregon state parks requiring day use parking permits from 25 to 47, making it one of the largest changes to the program since it was first introduced. State officials say the additional locations were selected because they experience consistently high visitation and require ongoing maintenance to support millions of visitors each year.
Many of the newly designated parks rank among Oregon’s most recognizable outdoor destinations. Along the coast, Agate Beach State Recreation Site, Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area, Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area, Gleneden Beach State Recreation Site, Bob Straub State Park, Cape Blanco State Park, Oceanside Beach State Recreation Site and Umpqua Lighthouse State Park are now included in the program. In the Columbia River Gorge, Angel’s Rest Trailhead, Latourell Falls Trailhead and Bridal Veil Falls State Scenic Viewpoint have also been added. Eastern Oregon visitors will encounter the new parking requirement at destinations including Lake Owyhee State Park and Wallowa Lake State Park.
The change means motorists visiting those parks will be required to display either a valid daily parking permit or an annual pass while using day use facilities. Oregon residents may purchase a daily permit for ten dollars or an annual permit for sixty dollars. Daily permits for nonresidents cost twelve dollars, while annual permits are available for seventy-five dollars.
Visitors have several options for obtaining permits before arriving or once they reach participating parks. Permits may be purchased online, through self-service payment stations located at many parks or by using QR codes posted at designated parking areas. Annual permits are also available through participating vendors and selected Oregon Parks and Recreation Department offices.
The parking requirement applies to vehicles using designated day use areas and does not affect visitors arriving on foot, by bicycle or by public transportation. Overnight campers with qualifying reservations continue to receive parking privileges associated with their campsite, while existing state programs also provide parking benefits for eligible veterans, active-duty military personnel on authorized leave and certain foster and adoptive families.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department says revenue generated through the expanded permit program will support the continued operation and maintenance of the state’s busiest parks. Funding is used to maintain trails, parking lots, restrooms, picnic areas, visitor facilities and other public infrastructure that receives heavy use throughout the year.
Unlike many state agencies, Oregon State Parks receive little funding from the state’s general fund. Instead, park operations are supported through a combination of lottery proceeds, recreational vehicle registration fees, camping revenue and user fees. Officials say expanding the parking permit program will provide an additional source of funding as visitation continues to grow and maintenance demands increase across the statewide park system.
The department has also expanded a partnership with public libraries that allows participating libraries to lend Oregon State Parks parking permits to patrons. The program gives residents another option for accessing parks without purchasing their own annual permit and is intended to help keep Oregon’s outdoor recreation opportunities available to a broad range of visitors.
Although the expansion adds parking fees at 22 additional destinations, most Oregon state parks will continue to offer free parking. For visitors heading to the newly designated locations, however, checking parking requirements before leaving home may become an important part of trip planning as the expanded permit program takes effect across the state.