Oregon reports boom in camping, longer camping season

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department set a new record for the number of campers at state parks last year and the number of day-use visitors was the second-highest ever.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Wednesday that 2.9 million people camped in 2018 and 54 million people in total visited a park, the second-highest number ever.

Fort Stevens, South Beach and Bullards Beach — all coastal parks — together accounted for more than half of the growth in overnight stays.

The total number of visitors was just shy of the record 54.5 million guests who showed up in 2016.

The statistics continue a 20-year upward trend at Oregon parks.

More people are flocking to state parks in the traditional summer months, but the camping season is also getting longer.