The price to camp and explore Oregon’s state parks could go up, sometimes in significant ways and particularly for out-of-state visitors, across the next handful of years.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is proposing sweeping fee increases that include new parking fees, increased campsite cost and charging upward of $129 for a deluxe yurt.
Anyone from out of state would see an extra 25% increase to stay overnight at a state park.
The increases are part of the agency’s plan to balance its books amid rising inflation, materials and labor costs.
“We’ve tried to keep our rates and fees low as long as we could, but they do not cover the full cost of operating the park system,” OPRD Director Lisa Sumption said. OPRD oversees 250 parks and over 50 campgrounds all without taxpayer funding, Sumption stressed.
The fee increases, which must be approved by the OPRD Commission and Oregon Legislature, would be phased in across multiple years starting in 2026.
“Creating these fee ranges gives us the flexibility to make incremental changes over time instead of large increases all at once,” Sumption said. “This will help us keep pace with the rising costs of utilities, operations and maintenance so people can continue to visit their favorite state parks and expect the same level of excellent service they’re used to.”