All Oregon State Parks See Fee Hikes Soon, Including the Coast

Published 9/28/24 at 7:45 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Gold Beach, Oregon) – For the first time in more than a decade, the price of camping on the Oregon coast and all other state parks in this region goes up, mostly by a couple of dollars to $5 higher. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) announced this week that camping, parking and reservation fees are being raised. Above: Cannon Beach's Ecola State Park, where parking fees go up. Photo Oregon Coast Beach Connection.

OPRD said the move is necessary to keep up with the rising costs of operations, utilities and maintenance.

It is the first time in at least seven years costs have gone up – the first in 15 years for some base fees. You'll see about $2 to $5 more, depending on the aspect of visiting a state park.

“The park system has experienced record visitation as well as the impacts of rising costs and inflation,” OPRD said. “Utility costs for example have increased by 28% over the last 4 years, but most fees have remained the same. Depending on the fee, the last increase was anywhere from seven to 15 years ago for base fees.”

Among the examples are Shore Acres State Park near Coos Bay, where the yearly Christmas light display has had to adopt a reservation system just to see the lights, due to an absolute surge in crowds.

Also happening on the Oregon coast: Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition and Surfrider Foundation are teaming up to protect the region from harmful coastal development and shoreline management. They're working to safeguard Oregon's public beaches for future generations and ensure the preservation of the regional coastlines and communities as all are forced to adapt to climate change. Oregon Shores, Surfrider Partner for Coastal Beaches Preservation Campaign - Oregon Beaches Forever campaign takes aim at riprap, ensuring beach access

Base Camping Fee Increase:

For the first time since 2017, Oregon State Parks will raise its base camping fees. This increase applies to all camping reservations made for 2025 – including Oregon coast areas like Humbug Mountain near Port Orford, South Beach at Newport, Fort Stevens near Astoria.

Starting on October 15, 2024, any reservations for 2025 stays will include the fee increase.

Increases include:

- Misc. sites (including teepees, meeting halls, and other facilities) will see a $2 increase.
- Tent sites (including horse tent sites, horse group sites, and group tent sites) and primitive sites (such as overflow, fly-in, and walk-to-sites) will have a $3 increase.

- RV sites (including full hookup, electrical, horse RV, and group RV sites) will see a $4 increase.
- Cabins and yurts (including rustic, mini, totem, and deluxe sites) will experience a $5 increase.

Seasonal rate adjustments were adopted in 2020.

Fort Stevens - Oregon Coast Beach Connection

Some seasonal adjustments will be added to the new base rates:

Specifically, summer rates will be $2 more for tent sites, $3 more for RV sites, and $5 more for cabins/yurts.

Changes Effective January 1, 2025:

The reservation fee charged by OPRD will increase from $8 to $10 per site.

This reservation fee has not been raised since 2010.

Additionally, daily parking permit fees at the 25 parks that charge for day-use parking will increase from $5 to $10.

The annual parking permit and two-year permit fees will remain unchanged at $30 and $50, respectively.

Changes Effective July 1, 2025:

OPRD will expand the 25% out-of-state surcharge for RV campsites (as required by state law) to all site types for out-of-state campers.

New camping rate ranges will replace the existing ones.

These ranges set the lowest and highest fees that OPRD can charge over time, allowing flexibility for adjustments as needed.

The last rate range update was adopted in 2018.

OPRD Director Lisa Sumption said the agency is well aware these increases can be challenging.

“We don’t make this decision lightly,” she said. “We try to keep costs and fees as low as possible to minimize the impact while still fulfilling our commitment to stewardship and recreation.”

OPRD does offer some resources that help increase access these jewels of the state.

The vast majority are already free to park at (some Oregon coast exceptions include Jessie M. Honeyman at Florence, Heceta Head near Yachats, Cape Lookout State Park near Oceanside, and Cannon Beach's Ecola State Park). See full list

There are also free camping and day-use parking permits for:
- Oregon foster parents, guardians and parents who have adopted Oregon foster children.
- U.S. veterans with a service-connected disability.
- Active duty U.S. military on official leave.

OPRD has three main sources of funding: a little less than 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.

In October, OPRD will open public comment on a proposal designed to give OPRD’s director more flexibility to decide which parks charge for day-use parking. The proposal would require day-use parking permits at all parks unless otherwise noted. The director would have the authority to waive the permit requirement as needed. There are no plans to charge at all parks, and OPRD would consider any changes carefully.

OPRD will continue to explore options in the future that reduce cost as a barrier while earning needed revenue to maintain our parks and manage congestion.

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