Twenty-one Oregon state parks will charge a new parking fee beginning in October and the cost of camping or renting a yurt or cabin will go up in May 2026.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said it will face a $14 million shortfall by 2027, potentially requiring the closure of some parks, unless it raises additional revenue.
The fee increases are a first step in attempting to bridge that gap, the state agency announced Aug. 1.
“State parks are some of the most beloved spaces in Oregon, but we have struggled as a state to sustainably fund them,” OPRD director Lisa Sumption said. “We’re working to reimagine the future of Oregon State Parks as financially resilient system that will serve generations to come.”
Parking fee goes up at 21 Oregon state parks
The new parking fees will apply to 21 parks where in the past, visitors could park for free.
The cost is $10 for Oregonians and $12 for out of state visitors.
It includes busy places on the Oregon Coast such as Fort Stevens, Oswald West and South Beach state parks, among others.
Currently, OPRD charges for parking at 25 parks. With this addition, the agency will now charge for parking at 46 parks.
The parking fee does not apply to visitors who walk, bike, use public transportation, have a valid hangtag from camping at an Oregon state park or a 12 or 24-month parking permit.
Fees for camping, yurts and cabins will increase at Oregon state parks before summer 2026
OPRD is also upping fees in a variety of ways beginning May 1, 2026.
The cost to camp will increase to $29 for a tent site and $52 for a full-hookup RV site at Oregon’s 29 busiest state parks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
It’s a move by the agency to implement a “dynamic pricing model” that Sumption said had been successful at other state parks across the nation. The rate hike includes Silver Falls, Milo McIver and Nehalem Bay, among many others.
The cost of staying at yurts, cabins or deluxe yurts at cabins will go up at every state park, year-round, beginning in May 2026.
The cost of a rustic yurt will increase to $72 and a deluxe yurt will be $129. Rustic cabins will cost $81, mini deluxe cabins will be $100 and deluxe cabins will cost $129.
Oregon state parks asking for feedback
The Oregon State Parks system is considering trying to raise additional revenue through corporate sponsorship and new business opportunities.
It put out a survey to get a sense of how Oregonians feel about the proposed changes.
State parks has three main sources of funding: a little less than half comes from dedicated lottery funds, about 15% comes from recreational vehicle license plate fees and roughly 35% comes from park fees from visitors. It is not funded by general fund taxes.
Oregon state parks that will charge a new parking fee
• 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
Oregon state parks where camping fees will go up in summer, Friday-Sunday
William M. Tugman State Park
Wallowa Lake State Park
Valley of the Rogue State Park
Umpqua Lighthouse State Park
Tumalo State Park
Sunset Bay State Park
South Beach State Park
Silver Falls State Park
Nehalem Bay State Park
Milo McIver State Park
LaPine State Park
L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park
Humbug Mountain State Park
Harris Beach State Park
Fort Stevens State Park
Devils Lake State Recreation Area
Detroit Lake State Recreation Area
Deschutes River State Recreation Area
Cove Palisades State Park
Champoeg State Heritage Area
Carl. G. Washburne Memorial State Park
Cape Lookout State Park
Cape Blanco State Park
Bullards Beach State Park
Beverly Beach State Park
Beachside State Recreation Site
Ainsworth State Park
Alfred A. Loeb State Park
Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 18 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. He can be reached at [email protected] or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors and BlueSky at oregonoutdoors.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: New parking, camping and yurt fees coming to Oregon state parks
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