‘It’s kind of a lot’: 25 Oregon State Parks to double their day-use parking fees, to $10 day in 2025
(Update: adding video, comments from Smith Rock park manager, visitors)
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The day-use parking fee will increase from $5 to $10 per day at the 25 Oregon State Parks that currently charge for parking, starting Jan. 2, Oregon State Parks announced recently.
It will affect some Central Oregon parks, including Smith Rock State Park, Tumalo State Park and Cove Palisades State Park.
Out-of-state visitors we talked to Tuesday say the price jump won't change how often they visit.
"It probably wouldn't affect me in the future, since I come out here once or twice a year." said Ethan Brown, who was visiting Smith Rock on his winter break. "I'm sure for the locals, it's it's more of a task."
Some park visitors compared the new fee to what they already pay in their home states.
"In Washington, all the state parks there are $10 per day. So this was actually less expensive than it is there." said Seattle resident Issac Andrews. "It's not that much of an increase, but I guess for just stopping by for a quick minute, it's kind of a lot."
The 12-month and 24-month permits will remain the same price in 2025, and a discount is now available.
The permits cost $30 for 12 months and $50 for 24 months. Visitors can get a $5 discount on the 12-month permit for the month of December as part of Oregon State Parks’ annual sale.
Only 25 of the more than 250 Oregon State Parks currently require a day-use parking permit. The fee helps pay for operations and maintenance.
Smith Rock State Park Manager Matt Davey said, "Oregon State Parks, like everyone, has been seeing the increase of inflation affecting how we do business, And so it's just costing a lot more to run state parks than it used to."
The day-use parking fee increase was first announced in September, along with hikes in reservation and camping fees, as part of an ongoing effort to keep pace with rising costs. The last parking fee increase was more than 15 years ago, officials noted.
"Day-use parking fee was $3. And so we raised that from $3 to $5, which is where it's currently been sitting," Davey said.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has three main sources of funding. Nearly half comes from constitutionally dedicated lottery funds, about 15% comes from recreational vehicle license plate fees and roughly 35% comes from park fees from visitors. OPRD is not funded by taxes.
"The park user fees is the only one that our agency has any control over," Davey said.
These resources and programs can help with access to Oregon State Parks.
- Special access passes for free camping and day-use parking permits are available for:
- Parking fees are waived on the following days: The day after Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day and Oregon State Parks Day (first Saturday in June), which also includes free camping.
OPRD said in announcing the parking fee hike that it "will continue to explore options in the future that reduce cost as a barrier while earning needed revenue to maintain Oregon State Parks and manage congestion."
