State Parks

Whether you enjoy hiking a rugged trail, kayaking an ancient river, sunbathing at the world’s best beaches, learning about ancient cultures or touring historic homes, you’ll find just the right setting at any one of Oregon's state parks.  

State park units include natural reserves, recreation areas, and historic sites. These breath-taking lands are found in every corner of the state and are supported nominal entrance fees, state lottery and recreational vehicle registration revenue.

The Oregon Parks app includes these awesome state parks:

Agate Beach State Recreation Site

Diggers, this park's for you! Also known as a surfers paradise, if you plan to visit prime Newport attractions like the Oregon Coast Aquarium and Hatfield Marine Science Center, you must stop in for a refreshing picnic at Agate Beach. A tunnel leads to the invigorating ocean beach and day-use area. If you walk through this tunnel, you might imagine Newport farmers many years ago leading cattle westward through this tunnel to the ocean salt.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For more information, call toll-free 1-800-551-6949.

Ainsworth State Park

Campground opens March 12, 2010

Nestled in the awe-inspiring Columbia River Gorge, Ainsworth is equal parts waterfall wonderland, hiker's playground and camper's delight.

Situated at the eastern end of Historic Highway 30, from Ainsworth to Crown Point to the west, you'll find the world's greatest concentration of high waterfalls (like Multnomah Falls).

By leaving the park on Nesmith Point trail, you'll end up with a splendid view of St. Peter's Dome, a majestic basalt monolith rising 2,000 feet above the mighty Columbia River. Hiking is definitely something you'll want to do while camping at Ainsworth State Park.

Back at the campground, you'll find 45 peaceful full-service campsites canopied in a laid-back, tree-filled setting. There are also four walk-in tent sites for a more primitive camping experience. This is a classic campground ... the smell of a campfire is your constant companion. Flush toilets, showers, a camp host, firewood and an amphitheater with interpretive programs are all here. Top it off with a roaring creek at the east end of the park, and you have all the makings for a great camping trip.

Alderwood State Wayside

A forested tract along Hwy 36 west of Junction City. There's a picnic area and short trail along the Long Tom River. Bring a lunch and relax!

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Alfred A. Loeb State Park

Your first impression of Loeb may well be the scent of the myrtlewood forest ... a crisp, bay leaf aroma. The park is nestled in a grove of these lovely trees. Many of the trees in the park are well over 200 years old. The Chetco River swirls and dances just beyond the park.

Several campsites and three rental cabins face the river. During the year, you can fish, swim and raft, or just walk a self-guided streamside nature trail. The river offers some of the finest fall and winter salmon and steelhead fishing on the south coast. You can bank fish from the gravel bar or use a drift boat. Throughout spring and summer, you may see scampering chipmunks, hear chirping osprey or see a family of river otters frolicking in the water.

The northern most redwood grove in the U.S. can be reached by a .75 mile self-guided River View Trail adjacent to the Chetco River.

Alsea Bay Historic Interpretive Center

The Historic Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center in Waldport was constructed by the Oregon Department of Transportation as part of the bridge replacement project. It's operated by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department with help from the Waldport Chamber of Commerce. There are daily bridge tours during the summer (at 2 p.m.) led by a park naturalist. The tours cover the story of the bridge replacement.

Clamming and crabbing demonstrations are led by guides from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. A schedule is usually posted in the Interpretive Center during the visitor season. Locations and times vary with the tides.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, please call (541) 563-2002 or 1-800-551-6949.

Arcadia Beach State Recreation Site

A shady spot, just off of the highway and a few feet from the sandy ocean beach. Take a lunch break on your way north or south on Highway 101. Kick off your shoes and leave them in the car ... you"ll want to feel the sand between your toes and the waves lapping at your ankles.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Arizona Beach State Recreation Site

Arizona Beach is a two-third mile stretch of sand bookended by two rocky headlands. The headlands shelter the beach from prevailing winds, creating temperatures warm enough to give the site its name.

Mussel and Myrtle creeks flow through the park east of U.S. 101. The wetlands attract elk and a variety of waterfowl.

Bald Peak State Scenic Viewpoint

Bald Peak (1,629' elev.) is located where the worlds of high-tech and rural Oregon meet. Restaurants, shops, nightlife and a fast pace abound in nearby Hillsboro. Farms, wineries, fruit stands and a slower pace of life can be found in Newberg. Take a relaxing, scenic drive through the Chehalem hills from Hillsboro to Newberg. Along the way, stop at Bald Peak State Park, where you will experience a stunning view of the Willamette Valley.

There's a nice grassy hillside perfect for a picnic (there's no drinking water at the park, though). Afterward, go for a short stroll through a Douglas fir woodland.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Bandon State Natural Area

Bandon awaits the beachcomber, the explorer, the artist and the dreamer. Located along Bandon's Beach Loop Road, there are several locations with beach access, picnicking and unsurpassed views. Parking is ample at all locations.

No beach camping from Bandon to Floras Lake.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Banks-Vernonia State Trail

Stop. Look. Listen. Not for the train ... it doesn't whistle along this old, abandoned, 21-mile railroad anymore. Listen to the rustling wind, birds and trickling streams. Stop at Manning. Stop at Vernonia. Stop at Tophill or Buxton. Stop at any of these trailheads and get on this trail to walk, bicycle, clop along on your horse or push the stroller. Look at the old trestles and gorgeous wildflowers, animals and trees. Hop on board. 21 miles of adventure await. There's a ticket with your name on it.

The trail is open to all non-motorized users ... horse, bicycle, and walkers/hikers.

This park is actively seeking adopters who can help with trail improvement, map-making and other tasks. Read more about the search for volunteers.

Battle Mountain Forest State Scenic Corridor

Seasonal Closure: The park closes Oct. 19 for the winter.

Battle Mountain Forest State Scenic Corridor -- located on U.S. 395 nine miles north of Ukiah -- was purchased to protect the forest of ponderosa pine, larch, Douglas fir and spruce. It provides prime habitat for all kinds of wildlife. The name commemorates one of the last battles between native Americans and settlers in eastern Oregon. This confrontation took place near the park.

The park also served as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp, whose members constructed the water system, installed picnic tables and built the large granite stone fireplace still available for use in the park. The park offers a convenient place to gather for summer visitors. Spring brings with it the beauty of abundant wildflowers and wildlife. Many people enjoy the many species of birds in the park throughout the spring and summer.

Whether you are traveling the highway and need a place to stretch your legs, or are looking for a place to have a family reunion or get together for a large group, be sure and consider Battle Mountain.

Vital stats

There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949. Day-use area open mid-April(weather permitting - Oct. 15 (may remain open longer if weather permits).

Beachside State Recreation Site

Campground opens March 15, 2010

A few miles south of Waldport and north of Yachats on the central coast, this small, exquisite destination campground is right alongside miles of broad, sandy beach that makes the park perfect for kite flying and watching. Tent and electric sites accommodate one vehicle per site. Every site is mere seconds from the beach, which makes the park perfect for watching storms, sunsets and whales.

Recent erosion at the park has prompted us to change some trails and start an erosion control program.

Benson State Recreation Area

Simon Benson was a lumber magnate, philanthropist, and one of the principal promoters of the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway. Located one mile west of Multnomah Falls on I-84 at milepost 30 (eastbound access only), picnickers love this park; there's even a disc golf course and a reservable shelter for groups.

Free Fishing Day is an annual event around the first weekend of June (call 1-800-551-6949 for details). Anyone can bring their own pole (or use equipment provided) to try their luck catching some of the thousands of rainbow trout stocked each month into the lake between March and October. This is a non-motorboat lake, so it's perfect for rowboats and swimmers.

Beverly Beach State Park

Beverly Beach is popular for a reason! Like magic, a well-known walkway goes under the highway and emerges to the long expanse of sandy beach extending from Yaquina Head (you can see the lighthouse from here) to the headlands of Otter Rock. When the weather cooperates, kites color the air and whip in the wind. Bring a bucket and build a sand castle! Surfers often head to the north beach, while folks looking for fossils head south.

A few steps from the ocean you'll find the forest-sheltered campground. Giant, wind-sculpted trees and nurse logs surround the campsites strung along pebbly Spencer Creek. There is a Visitors Information Center located near the registration booth where you can also purchase books,souvenirs or educational toys. The children's playground is located next to the program area. The picnic area is a grassy, tree-lined spot protected from summer winds by a charming yurt group meeting hall. It's hard to believe all this is a few minutes drive from the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Yaquina Head and other prime attractions.

Blue Mountain Forest State Scenic Corridor

Blue Mountain Forest State Scenic Corridor lies along the Old Oregon Trail Highway between Deadman's Pass and Spring Creek. The corridor protects one of the few examples of mature evergreen forests on I-84 between Ogden, Utah and The Dalles, Oregon.

Composed of intermittent stands of old-growth ponderosa pine, western larch, Engelmann spruce, lodgepole pine and grand fir, this corridor contains undisturbed examples of the native plants and animals. White- tailed deer, mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk, cougar and other wildlife inhabit the corridor. Spring explodes in a multi-hued kaleidoscope of flowers. The fall frost ends the season in a final flurry of color.

Take a break from the freeway and enjoy nature"s beauty as you pass through this section of the Blue Mountains.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Bob Straub State Park

This park is located in Pacific City and provides beach access, parking, and restrooms. It's a nice place to go for a walk on the beach and explore the Nestucca sand spit. The Nestucca River is legendary for 50 pound chinook salmon.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint

A miraculous and rugged, basalt-rimmed bay, Boiler Bay is a great place to watch wild surf action on the rocky spurs. This splendid panoramic viewpoint presents a good opportunity to see migrating and resident gray whales. Take your binoculars -- this is one of the best sites in Oregon to see ocean-going birds (like shearwaters, jaegers, albatrosses, grebes, pelicans, loons, oystercatchers and murrelets). In 1910, an explosion sank the J. Marhoffer, and you can see the ship's boiler at low-tide. A short, rough trail takes you to some of Oregon's richest tide pools.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Bolon Island Tideways State Scenic Corridor

This park is a quiet place with a hiking trail that extends half way around the island. Lots of birds roost at the end of the trail. The trail also provides a nice view of the Umpqua River. There's no drinking water at this site.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Bonnie Lure State Recreation Area

If you want to get off the beaten path, Bonnie Lure State Park along Eagle Creek provides a refreshing getaway. You may catch a rare glimpse of a pileated woodpecker or hook an elusive steelhead trout (otherwise known as a silver-sided freight train) on its way back to the hatchery. It could easily become your favorite day-trip destination.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Booth State Scenic Corridor

Picnic under a stand of old-growth ponderosa pine. You'll find all the conveniences: picnic tables, drinking water and modern restrooms. The mixed forest which borders the highway (through an area the locals call Drews Gap), is especially colorful in the fall thanks to stands of quaking aspen.

Keep a watchful eye out for abundant wildlife -- mule deer, coyote and cougar drop by every once in a while.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. The restrooms are closed in late fall, winter and early spring. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Bradley State Scenic Viewpoint

November 2009 Note:Closed through spring 2010 for sewer system and parking improvements.

This park was one of the first parcels donated as park land to the Oregon Highway Commission in 1922. One of the few rest stops along Highway 30, you'll find a restroom, monument, and a wondrous Douglas fir forest overlooking the Columbia River.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call (503) 861-3170, ext.24.

Bridal Veil Falls State Scenic Viewpoint

Bridal Veil Falls State Park is located near milepost 28 on the Historic Columbia River Scenic Highway and is accessed off I-84 at Exit 28.

Travel west on the Historic Columbia River Highway about 3/4 of a mile to the entrance of Bridal Veil Falls State Park. The park offers a nice parking area, picnic tables and restrooms all within easy walking distance from the parking area. Nice grassy areas afford visitors a chance to stretch a blanket in one of the laziest parts of the Columbia River Gorge. No day-use fee is charged; admission is free.

The park is situated in large timber stands; the area was a natural choice as a logging haven once upon a time. The park features two different trails: an upper walking/interpretive trail and a lower hiking trail to the falls (120' tall). Both are not to be missed.

The upper trail takes visitors around the precipice of the cliffs of the Gorge. Sign boards along the trail point out distinctive native wild plants that grow abundantly in this area such as camas, lupine, bead lilly, trillium and bleeding heart. The trail is fenced beautifully with logged beams and wire to protect visitors along the viewpoint while maximizing every vantage point of the magnificent view of the Gorge. The famous geologic edifice known as the Pillars of Hercules, a 120-foot basalt tower once used as a training site for mountain climbing, can be seen best from the upper trail at Bridal Veil.

The lower trail at Bridal Veil takes the visitor downhill to the base of Bridal Veil Falls and is about a mile round trip to the falls and back. Although short, this is a steep little trail full of switchbacks and is not wheelchair accessible. Along the way are a few unwanted wild plants of this area -- such as poison ivy -- so keep on the path. Do not attempt to walk along the bridge over the Historic Highway to view the falls. The road here is a narrow two-lane passage with absolutely no sidewalk. PLEASE view the falls from the trail.

Beautiful Bridal Veil Falls is an elegant and graceful lady that can be fully appreciated from the deck of a viewing platform rebuilt in 1996. The creek hustles down from the top of nearby Larch Mountain, tumbles over the cliff and eventually flows into the mighty Columbia River. No visit to the Columbia Gorge should be considered complete without a tour of the area of Bridal Veil and a visit to Bridal Veil Falls State Park.

Bullards Beach State Park

Jan. 8, 2010 Note: The horse camp is closed Jan. 11-15 while a new restroom building is installed. The day-use equestrian area remains open.

Bullards Beach is a large, family-oriented park located just two miles north of Bandon. The campground is nestled among shore pines and well protected from the strong ocean breezes. Besides three loops of campsites, the park boasts 13 yurts, making year-round camping a very popular choice. The horse camp features easy access to the beach and dunes for our equestrian campers.

Well known for excellent fishing and crabbing opportunities on the Coquille River, our boat launch facilities are well-used during the summer and fall seasons.

From the registration booth in the campground, take a walk or bike ride on the paved pathway to the beach (a little more than a mile). The path weaves through the open, grassy fields and lowland forest across a plain to the sandy dunes. All along the path are views of the beautiful Coquille River. Across the river is Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, sporting a variety of resident and migrating wildlife. Be sure to bring your binoculars!

The historic Coquille River Lighthouse is located at the end of the beach access road in the park. It's staffed from May through October with park volunteers who interpret the history of the area. From this point, there are 4.5 miles of open beach to explore. Bring your mountain bike to ride along the hard-packed sand along the edge of the surf, or just enjoy a leisurely stroll along the ocean shore.

And there's more nearby. Across the river is Bandon by the Sea. Visit a variety of shops, galleries, and restaurants in the town that is called "The Cranberry Capitol of the World," as well as the "The Storm Watching Capitol of the World." Learn the legend of Face Rock and access miles of shoreline at our day-use state parks on Beach Loop Drive. For more information on the local area, visit the Tourist Information Center in Old Town.

Coquille River Lighthouse

The lighthouse will open May 3, 2010 for the season. Call the park office at 541-347-3501 for current information.

May hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, Wednesday through Sunday
June - September: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday and Tuesday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
October: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week.

Cape Arago State Park

Cape Arago may be the end of the road (the road out of Coos Bay goes no further), but it's really only the beginning if you want to explore the southern Oregon coast.

Located at the end of Cape Arago Highway about 15 miles southwest of Coos Bay, Cape Arago is a scenic headland jutting into the Pacific Ocean. Long used by native Americans, Cape Arago was first sighted by Europeans during one of Sir Francis Drake's expeditions in the late 1500s. Modern visitors can scan the horizon for migrating whales and other marine mammals, as well as fishing boats and ships entering and leaving nearby Coos Bay.

The south cove trail leads down to a sandy beach and superior tidepools where you can visit intertidal plants and animals (but please enjoy them with your eyes only). The north cove trail provides access for fishing, beachcombing, and viewing the off-shore colonies of seals and sea lions at Shell Island -- a designated National Wildlife Refuge. The trail is closed March 1- June 30 to protect seal pups. Picnic tables, restrooms and a gazebo shelter are available for daytime use.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Cape Blanco State Park

Use our extra-large, private, sheltered campsites as your base of operations while you enjoy the lighthouse and historic Hughes House tours.

The lighthouse and historic home are open from April to October. The lighthouse tour, managed by the Bureau of Land Management, costs $2/adult, $1 youth under 12, or $5/family. The Hughes House tour is conducted by knowledgeable volunteers and is free, but donations are gratefully accepted and help fund restoration and maintenance of the house.

Lighthouse Tours
April-Oct. 31, Tuesday - Sunday, 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Last tour ticket sold at 3:15 p.m. Gates close at 3:30 p.m.
Hughes House Tours
April-Oct. 31, Tuesday - Sunday, 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

The rest of the park, including the campground, is open year-round.

Cape Blanco is the most southern of Oregon's lights, and is the westernmost point in Oregon. Proposed in 1864, it was the first lighthouse in the state outfitted with a first-order Fresnel lens in 1870.

The first-order lens was replaced with a second-order lens in 1936.

Work off your picnic lunch by hiking over eight miles of trails with many spectacular ocean vistas, woodland and wetland settings. Bring your horse and enjoy 7 miles of horse trails and the facilities in our horse camp. The group camp holds a maximum of 50 people, and can accomodate up to 24 vehicles. This total may include five or more self-contained RVs. If you expect to have more than five RVs or 24 total vehicles, call the park. The group camp has four fire rings, four picnic tables, four water spigots and vault toilets. Showers are located in main campground 1/4 mi. away.

No matter how you camp with us, don't forget a sunset walk along the headland beaches to finish out your day.

Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area

Cape Kiwanda is part of the Three Capes Scenic Route (along with Cape Meares and Cape Lookout). Kiwanda is the smallest of the three, but it"s one of the best places to experience spectacular wave action. Pacific City is the home of the Pacific Dory Fleet. South of Cape Kiwanda is the dory boat launching area. North of Cape Kiwanda to Tierra Del Mar is a stretch of beach popular with picnickers. Kiwanda provides great hang gliding and kite flying opportunities.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Cape Lookout State Park

Cape Lookout State Park can be reached by traveling an hour and a half west of Portland through the scenic Wilson River pass. Along the way, stop and enjoy waterfalls, scenic views and some great fishing.

A popular campground and day-use area, Cape Lookout is located on a sand spit between Netarts Bay and the ocean, giving you a terrific view of the ocean with easy access to the beach. Beachcombing is popular here, and the park is reputedly a good place to find glass floats. More than eight miles of hiking and walking trails wind through a lush old-growth forest. The Cape Lookout trail follows the headland for more than 2 miles. A bench is located at the end of the trail. Enjoy the view! You might see a whale or two along with other wildlife.

Two walking trails -- a nature trail and the Jackson Creek trail -- are perfect for a shorter jaunt. The nature trail gives you a close-up view of native trees and other plants. Numbered markers are keyed to a trail guide. The Jackson Creek trail starts with an interpretive panel describing the local salmon restoration project.

Be sure to look up when you visit this park ... hang gliders and paragliders fill the air with colorful wings as they catch thermals and rise to dizzying heights. Along with Cape Kiwanda and Cape Meares, Lookout is part of the Three Capes Scenic Route.

Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint

March 16 Note: The park is open.
See Cape Meares Lighthouse vandalism update

A must-see when driving the Three Capes Scenic route, Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint is situated on a headland 200 feet above the ocean. Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda are the other two capes on this route. Cape Meares provides an excellent view of the largest colony of nesting common murres (the site is one of the most populous colonies of nesting sea birds on the continent). Bald eagles and a peregrine falcon have also been known to nest near here.

The park features tours of an 1890s lighthouse, the Sallie Jacobson Interpretive kiosk and interpretive panels at key viewpoints. Cape Meares has over 3 miles of hiking trails and a mile-long walking trail that winds through old-growth spruce trees (including the uniquely-shaped Octopus Tree). In winter and spring, this park is an excellent location for viewing whale migrations.

Cape Meares Lighthouse
Open April 1-Oct. 31, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Free admission. The base of the lighthouse tower will be open. Both upper levels will be closed. Vandalism in early 2010 damaged the historic Fresnel lens.

The Friends of Cape Meares is accepting entries for their annual photo contest. For more information, go to the Friends of Cape Meares photo contest webpage.

Vital stats

There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor

Cape Sebastian ... the very name invokes images of early Spanish explorers and long journeys. The cape was named in honor of Saint Sebastian in 1603 by the Spanish navigator Sebastian Vizcaino. The most striking features of this park are its two parking vistas. The parking lots are over 200 feet above sea level. At the south parking vista, you can see up to 43 miles to the north with Humbug Mountain filling the view. Looking south, you can see nearly 50 miles toward Crescent City, California and Point Saint George Lighthouse.

A deep forest of Sitka spruce covers most of the park and a 1.5 mile walking trail takes you out to the cape. If you're lucky, the trail will give you a chance to enjoy awe-inspiring views of the gray whales on their migration.

Vital stats
This park has no drinking water. There is no fee to use this park. For information, call (800) 551-6949.

Ocean views from the trail.

Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park

Washburne is located on the east side of Highway 101 with a buffer of native plants between you and the highway. The campsites are spacious. There are several trails of varying difficulty leading from the campsites to the beach, wildlife viewing areas, and second-growth forests.

A walking trail leads you under the highway to a five-mile sandy beach and a day-use area, where you'll find space to watch whales, hunt agates, beachcomb, and picnic. Another trail connects you to the Heceta Head trail, which you can use to reach the historic Heceta Head lighthouse (check the Heceta Head Lighthouse web page for information on tours).

In the campground at night, you can hear the pounding surf. There is a creek running through the campground, and elk have been known to wander through. Wild rhododendrons bloom in spring.

Cascadia State Park

The first thing that strikes you when you arrive at Cascadia is the tranquility. While the park is quite large, there are barely two dozen campsites, making this a great spot for an intimate getaway. The campground and east picnic area are open May 1-September 30. The west picnic area is open year-round.

A pair of hiking trails give you a chance to explore the area. A .75 mile trail leads to the spectacular Soda Creek Falls. A newer trail ushers you through historic Douglas-fir trees along the South Santiam River (a good place to fish and swim). Ruts from the historic Santiam Wagon Road are visible in the park (the trail was used as a military route in the 1800s).

Casey State Recreation Site

Picture yourself reeling in a salmon, steelhead or trout at Casey State Park. Cradled in the arms of the wild and scenic Rogue River, bring your family and have a picnic on the lush, tree-ringed lawns or raft the river. A relaxing and fun spot.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Catherine Creek State Park

Seasonal Closure: The park closes Oct. 19 for the winter.

Tranquil, crystal-clear waters and towering ponderosa pines frame the landscape at Catherine Creek State Park. Cradled in a canyon created by the creek, the park provides visitors a cool, quiet and peaceful setting for outdoor activities. Camp in the campground next to Catherine Creek and enjoy the thrill of landing a rainbow trout or simply cool your heels in its icy waters.

Bring your friends or family and enjoy a day in our picnic area: play a game of horseshoes, take a leisurely hike along the trail between the campground and picnic area for views of picturesque canyon scenery, or simply kick back under a tree and enjoy the summer breeze through the pines.

While staying at the park, explore nearby attractions such as the Union County Museum in the town of Union, take a drive to Eagle Creek to do some fishing or visit any of the many pioneer graveyards. Drive to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center near Baker City, or head east to the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and the Wallowa Whitman National Forest. The towns of Union and LaGrande offer visitors full-service shopping, restaurants, community events and emergency services. Whether you are looking for a quiet, out-of-the-way location to spend a night or a week, Catherine Creek State Park can accommodate you.

Champoeg State Heritage Area

Champoeg features a unique combination of history, nature, and recreation. This is the site where Oregon's first provisional government was formed by a historical vote in 1843.

Situated on the south bank of the scenic Willamette River, Champoeg's acres of forest, fields, and wetlands recreate the landscape of a bygone era. Tour the park's visitor center, Newell House, and Pioneer Mothers Log Cabin museums to discover pioneer life at Champoeg. Take a guided walk to learn what happened to the bustling pioneer town of Champoeg, and how the Donald Manson Barn was built. An 1860s-style garden lies next to the visitor center.

The park also includes the Historic Butteville Store founded in 1863. It is considered the oldest operating store in Oregon. The store is the last commercial vestige of the once thriving Willamette River community of Butteville. The Friends of Historic Champoeg operate the store Friday - Sunday and holidays from 11 a.m - 5 p.m., Memorial Day weekend through the last weekend in September.

Champoeg: where Oregon comes alive!

Walk or bike along the Willamette River and catch a glimpse of park wildlife, including western bluebirds. Camp and picnic amid a dense stand of Oregon oak and ash trees. Play disc golf, or go fishing and canoeing. Or just relax and take in the entire scene.

Programs

Champoeg Promise: An interactive living history program bringing Champoeg history to life for school children grades 1 through 8. Now accepting reservations for programs running from March to mid-June. For more information on this exciting program at Champoeg, call the Friends of Historic Champoeg at (503) 678-1649 or visit Champoeg Promise

Also available:

• Group tours and special programs available upon request, subject to staff availability.
• Visitor Center museum and video programs free to the public
• Daughters of the American Revolution Mothers Memorial Cabin and Robert Newell House tours available. Contact the cabin at (503) 633-2237 and the Newell House at (503) 678-5537 for information about fees and group reservations.

Weekend programs available late June through Labor Day weekend:

• Historic Manson Farmstead tour.
• 1860's Kitchen Garden tour.
• Historic Old Champoeg Townsite tour.
• Birth of Oregon tour.
• Living History Demonstrations in the Manson Farmstead, Saturdays, July - August.
• Nature Walks.
• Bicycle Tours.
• Junior Ranger programs for the Kids.
• Nature and/or History programs, evenings in the campground, open to the public.

For more information on Champoeg special events, tours and programs, please call the park's Visitor Center at (503) 678-1251, ext 221.

Chandler State Wayside

Take a break from the open road and pull into this uncharacteristically wooded area. Have a spot of lunch alongside a cool stream or rest in the shade of large ponderosa pine. The park has picnic tables, drinking water, flush toilets, and access to Crooked Creek, home to rainbow trout and crayfish.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. The restrooms are closed in late fall, winter and early spring. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island

The Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island is a remarkable place. A virtually untouched coastal estaurine ecosystem, it is bounded by the Sand Creek estuary. This is critically valuable habitat for adult salmon moving upstream to spawn and for smolt leaving the inland fresh waters for their marine journey. The area is a ecological potpourri, including mixed woodlands, grasslands, fresh and saltwater wetlands and a rare native dune sedgeland. Species run the gamut from salmon and steelhead to shorebirds to deer, otter, and even bear and cougar.

Named after Clay Myers (Oregon Secretary of State 1967-77 and State Treasurer 1977-84), the site joined Oregon"s park system in 2000, thanks to a $2.8 million dollar partnership between the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Federal Highway Administration, National Park Service, Tillamook County Board of Commissioners, and the Trust for Public Lands. For the first time, OPRD relied on the state lottery-backed Parks & Natural Resource Fund to pay for a major addition to the state park system. The site was purchased from sisters Kathleen Craft Shaw and Karen Derungs, who worked with the Trust for Public Lands to assure permanent protection of the area in honor of their mother, Lillian Parker Craft.

Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint

On the banks of the Deschutes River lies a quaint rest area that provides plenty of shade for picnickers. An ideal place to stop for a break, lunch or simply to relax in the warm sun. The park provides fishing access to the river.

Alcohol is not allowed in the park.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site

Opens March 1 for the 2010 season

Think of Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site as an oasis. Its tall, willowy cottonwood trees provide shade and serenity. Each campsite is clothed with a variety of trees and other plants to give you that private, secluded feeling. The park borders the beautiful John Day River and is surrounded on all sides by some of Oregon's most pristine wilderness areas. You're as likely to have wildlife neighbors as human ones: the majestic Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer are frequent visitors. You can experience the thrill of seeing steelhead rush upriver to spawn. The park lies in the shadow of the Strawberry Mountain Range just a short drive away.

Collier Memorial State Park

Seasonal Campground Closure: The campground closes Nov. 3, 2009, for the winter. The Logging Museum and Williamson Day-use area remain open.

Collier Memorial State Park features a campground; outdoor museum of historic logging equipment; relocated pioneer village; and a new four-corral, primitive horse camp and trailhead. At the state's finest logging museum, you'll see rare and antique logging equipment dating to the 1880s, as well as more recent pieces (

Coquille Myrtle Grove State Natural Site

Coquille Myrtle Grove will bring out the Huckleberry Finn in you. Located along the Powers Highway, this secluded swimming hole has a shaded myrtlewood grove near the parking area and a sandy beach along the Coquille River just a short way down the hill. Bring your innertube and float along with the river's gentle current. No drinking water at site.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Crissey Field State Recreation Site

Stroll along the edge of the Winchuck River estuary until it joins the Pacific Ocean. Birds abound. Harbor seals and California sea lions surf and feed in this rich mix of fresh and salt water. Follow the trail through ancient driftwood logs into a fragile dune system filled with unique native plant species, miniature wetlands, and old-growth Sitka spruce trees.

In earlier times, this river marked the most northern territory and fishing village of the Tolowa Indian tribe. Crissey Field provides the first available beach access north of the California-Oregon border. The park is named for W.L. (Bill) Crissey, a pre-World War II Harbor lily bulb grower.

Crissey Field -- OPRD's 2008 Park-a-Year Addition

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There is no fee to use this park. Welcome Center hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. from April to October, and 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday from November to March. The parking area and restrooms will be open year-round from 8 a.m. to a half hour after sunset. For more information, call (800) 551-6949.

Crown Point State Scenic Corridor

Millions of visitors driving from Portland through the Columbia River Gorge don't realize the full impact of its beauty until they come around the bend near Corbett at exit 22 and see the famous building on the top of the cliff to the right. This is Crown Point and the building is the Vista House.

Just as the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom, the Vista House serves as the symbol of the Columbia River Gorge. In fact, the architect of the Vista House -- Edgar Lazarus -- and Emma Lazarus (who wrote the poem of the Statue of Liberty), were brother and sister.

The Vista House was built in 1916 at the same time as Highway 30 (what is now the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway, and the only way to reach Crown Point). The building was designed to be a place of refreshment and enjoyment of the Columbia Gorge. The popular clifftop viewpoint recently underwent a $3.2 million restoration to repair and rejuvenate the building's key historic features.

The octagonal building with its copper dome houses a museum, gift shop and interpretive display of historic and geologic points of interest in the Gorge.

Vista House is open daily from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. beginning March 14. Beginning April 19, visitor hours are extended to 9 a.m.-6 p.m. The building remains open daily through Oct. 31.

D River State Recreation Site

The shortest river in the world, D River flows a mere 120 feet from Devils Lake into the roaring ocean. The park is right off the highway with easy access to a busy -- and reliably windy --beach. D River Wayside is home to a pair of the world?s largest kite festivals every spring and fall which gives Lincoln City the name Kite Capital of the World.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949. Wi-Fi access.

Dabney State Recreation Area

The classic summer place, Dabney has been a popular cooling-off swimming and picnic spot for over 50 years. It's easy to see why when you visit. The lower, older part of the park at the west end features an asphalt trail leading down to a classic swimming hole. Large picnic tables and electric cooking stations are on hand and fill up quickly on hot days. The newer parts of the park feature a covered, reservable picnic shelter and trails winding through tall bamboo, horsetail, cottonwoods and alders.

Check out the new disc golf course, made possible through a partnership with the Oregon Disc Sports Association.

You'll find a boat ramp near the swimming area. It's open to boaters year-round.

No pets are permitted on park grounds. Alcohol is not allowed in those sections downstream of the main portion of the park, below the Stark Street Bridge.

Vital stats
Reservable picnic shelter and 18-hole disc golf course. $3 ($5 on 01/01/2010) daily day-use fee or buy a 12-month permit for $25 ($30 on 01/01/2010) or a 24-month permit for $40 ($50 on 01/01/2010). These 1- and 2-year permits are good at all state park day-use areas. Call 1-800-551-6949 for information.

Darlingtonia State Natural Site

Darlingtonia State Natural Site is the only Oregon state park property dedicated to the protection of a single plant species. Concurrently, the plants it protects are the only carnivorous flora in the system.

This 18-acre botanical park provides parking and a boardwalk trail out into a fen that is home to Darlingtonia californica. Also called a cobra lily, the rare, strangely-shaped plant is the only member of the pitcher plant family (Sarraceniaceae) in Oregon.

What visitors see in this little garden of multi-colored horrors (for insects), is a plant with yellowish green hooded leaves that form erect, 10 to 20-inch-high hollow tubes. On top, the leaves are often purplish to reddish mottled with transparent areas. A hidden opening into the stalk is bordered by a large, green, mustache-shaped appendage beneath the curved hood of the leaf. Nectar inside the plant's hidden opening attracts the insects. Once inside, an insect becomes confused by the transparent areas that appear like exits. It's all "downhill" for the insect from that point as it eventually drops into the lower part of the tube, is trapped by downward-pointed hairs and falls into a pool of water at the bottom of the stalk. Bacteria in the water decompose it into nitrogen that is then absorbed by the plant.

Darlingtonia californica has flowers with five purple petals (surrounded by yellow sepals) that bloom in the spring. Associated species include an orchid, California lady's slipper, and two lilies, Tofieldia and Narthecium.

Darlingtonia plants are found in serpentine soils and sphagnum fens arising from wet sands on coastal plains. Collecting Darlingtonia samples is illegal in Oregon.

Besides its parking area and boardwalk, Darlingtonia State Natural Site offers a small picnic area. Nearby scenery includes a lush assortment of vegetation that includes rhododendron, spruce, cedar and shore pine.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Del Rey Beach State Recreation Site

The ocean is a just a short walk from Del Rey"s quiet, secluded parking area. If ever there was a place to play, fly a kite, build a sandcastle or picnic, this is it. The sunsets can be spectacular, too.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Deschutes River State Recreation Area

The Deschutes River State Recreation Area is a tree-shaded, overnight oasis for campers. The sparkle-laden, swift, green rush of the Deschutes converges with the Columbia here, and there's no better place for family outing activities like hiking, mountain biking, camping, rafting, world-class steelhead and trout fishing, and equestrian trail riding.

Trail riding is permitted March through June. Reservations are required. Up to 10 horses are permitted on the trail per day [

Detroit Lake State Recreation Area

Mongold boat ramp open.

Campground opens March 15, 2010

Located in the Cascade Mountains, Detroit Lake State Park is the gateway to beautiful Detroit Lake. The 400-foot-deep lake was created in 1953 when the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers completed the Detroit Dam project. The lake is over nine miles long with more than 32 miles of shore line. This is the spot for all types of water sports: fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing, and personal watercraft.

The park has a large campground bordering the lake. Along with two swimming areas, you'll find two playgrounds, a wildlife viewing area, and a visitor center with historical exhibits and a store with gifts, ice, soft drinks, firewood, souvenirs and educational toys.

Reservoir water level graph

Devils Lake State Recreation Area

With downtown Lincoln City mere minutes away, you can glide quietly by canoe or kayak on the lake while you watch for coots, loons, ducks, cormorants, bald eagles, and grebes. As the only Oregon coast campground located in the midst of a city, the lake is a center of summertime activity. Boaters, skiers, swimmers, and personal watercraft users share the water. Kayak tours of the lake are scheduled in the summer (we provide the kayak).

The nearby outlet mall, one of the largest in Oregon, is a short drive away. You'll find the campground on the west shore, and the East Devil's Lake day-use area just down the road.

Summer 2010 Kayak Tours
7:30 a.m., Sat.-Sun. & Wed.
Guided kayak tours teach the history and ecology of Devils's Lake. Glide through the wetlands of the three-mile lake and see the wildlife, aquatic plants and waterfowl that make their home at the lake. Bring your binoculars. Bird guides are provided. Tours run about 2 hours. $15 adults, $10 ages 6-14. Participants younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult. To register up to two weeks in advance, call (541) 994-2002. Registration recommended. Space limited. For more information or to schedule group tours, call 541-994-2002 or e-mail jon.moll@state.or.us.

Devils Punch Bowl State Natural Area

Surfers and surf watchers energize this area! During winter storms, water from the restless ocean slams with a thundering roar into a hollow rock formation shaped like a huge punch bowl. The surf churns, foams, and swirls as it mixes a violent brew. The punch bowl was probably created by the collapse of the roof over two sea caves, then shaped by wave action. The park is a popular whale watching site and displays an intriguing geology. This is a scenic picnic spot atop the undulating rocky shoreline. Don"t forget to explore the tidepools.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Dexter State Recreation Site

Zipping down Highway 58 east of Eugene, you'll suddenly find yourself driving along side a long, skinny reservoir. In spring, summer and fall, the Dexter and Lookout Point Reservoirs are dotted with boats. Whether you like to fish or boat, you'll find a pair of convenient day-use parks on the lake.

Dexter State Recreation Site, on the western edge of Dexter Reservoir, not only has a large parking area and convenient access to the reservoir, but you can reach nearby Elijah Bristow State Park through a system of connecting trails. An 18-hole disc golf course is now open at the park (get the

Driftwood Beach State Recreation Site

Driftwood Beach State Wayside provides access to the ocean and picnic facilities scattered among the shore pine. The area offers a wide, flat, sandy beach. A great place for beachcombing and enjoying beautiful sunsets.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Ecola State Park

One of Ecola State Park's first attractions was a beached whale. In 1806, Capt. William Clark and twelve members of the Corps of Discovery climbed over rocky headlands and fought their way through thick shrubs and trees to get to the whale in what is now Ecola State Park. Today, a paved road from Cannon Beach makes your trek to the park much easier. Winding your way through towering Sitka spruce, you suddenly emerge upon a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean. Be sure to have your camera ready.

Ecola State Park offers year-round recreation for all types of modern day explorers. Stop for a picnic to feed your hungry adventurers before taking to the many miles of trails. At Indian Beach you can begin your own expedition on

Elijah Bristow State Park

Elijah Bristow State Park is located on the Willamette River, and is easy to reach via State Highway 58 southeast of the Eugene. The park was named for one of the first pioneer settlers in Lane County and is comprised of 847 acres of scattered meadows, woodlands and wetlands. Elijah Bristow has more than 10 miles of trail for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. Part of the trail system includes a portion of the Eugene to Pacific Crest trail.

Salmon and steelhead trout abound during annual runs in one of the few stretches of the lower Willamette with fast-moving white water. Unique wildlife nesting and habitat areas fill the park's islands and sloughs.

Channel Lake, a land-locked river channel that meanders through the park, eventually empties back into the Willamette. The lake and a short stretch of Lost Creek are home to a diverse community of plants and wildlife. A dense canopy of broadleaf and evergreen trees with a lush understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants provides an excellent area for nature study and outdoor education.

Osprey, great blue heron, bald eagles and beaver live in and near the park. Elijah Bristow is also home to several threatened species, including the Western pond turtle and the Oregon chub. You'll find old-growth cottonwood, bigleaf maple, western red cedar, Douglas fir and western hemlock along with stands of Oregon ash and white oak.

Elijah Bristow has three reservable picnic areas complete with picnic tables, water, electricity, restrooms and fire rings. Area B has a large barbecue stand. There is also ample opportunity for informal picnicking in other, first-come/first-served areas of the park. A separate equestrian staging area with tables, water electricity and a restroom make Bristow a favorite destination with local riding clubs.

Ellmaker State Wayside

On the highway between Newport and Corvallis, this land works equally well as a highway rest stop and tree preserve. Fruit trees are still found on the south side. Four picnic tables border a spacious, grassy meadow. A small stream flows from the northeast through the fir forest to join the Tumtum River.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area

Perched near the summit of the Blue Mountains, Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area offers visitors an opportunity to camp and explore a popular pioneer stop over along the Oregon Trail. The park is nestled in an old-growth forest.

Camp in the campground, or bring your horse and camp in the reservable horse camp (be aware there are limited horse trails actually in the park; most of the trail riding is on adjacent property). The horse camp is closed in winter.

Picnic among towering trees or bring your group for overnight or daytime activities in our community building. For those that are not fully equipped for traditional camping, rent one of our cabins for a warm, dry and comfortable stay. We have both rustic 1-room cabins (sleep five on two full beds and one single), and Totem cabins Side A sleeps four on two bunkbeds. Side B sleeps three on a bunkbed (double on the bottom and a single on the top).

Visit the Oregon Trail display in the park, take a stroll along the nature trail. Get your friends together and have a game at our full-size basketball court or partake in an evening program at our amphitheater (get the current schedule when you arrive at the campground). Bring your innertube for fun in the snow and enjoy a winter outing. Cabins are available year-round, but larger groups may want to rent the community building.

Use Emigrant Springs as a base camp to explore nearby attractions such as the Blue Mountain Crossing Oregon Trail interpretive park or the Pendleton Woolen Mills. Experience the life of Chinese emigrants of the 1800s in the Pendleton underground tours. Other destinations within easy driving distance of the park include the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center near Baker City, the Union County Museum in Union, the Baker County Museum in Baker City, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, the Pendleton Roundup and Lehman Hot Springs. Enjoy winter recreation at the Blue Mountain Crossing Nordic Ski park or bring your snowmobile and visit one of the many sno-parks which give you access to hundreds of miles of trails on two National Forests.

Erratic Rock State Natural Site

This 40-ton rock was deposited during a prehistoric flood. Other than this specimen, rocks of this type are only found in Canada. It was carried here on an iceberg during an Ice Age some 20,000 years ago, probably by way of the Columbia River. The rock was deposited when the ice melted. This is the largest glacial erratic found in the Willamette Valley. The trail to the rock provides an excellent view of Yamhill Valley Vineyards.

Park along Oldsville Road off of Highway 18 to reach this park. From Oldsville Road, you'll need to walk up a short paved path to the rock itself. The trail becomes steep briefly as you near the rock.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint

There is an American Indian legend about this spot. Some say they hear a maiden's voice on the wind, and standing on the cliff overlooking the ocean you can easily pick out the face on Face Rock. There is a well-kept trail to the beach, and several rocky intertidal areas to explore at low tide.

No beach camping from Bandon to Floras Lake.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Fall Creek State Recreation Area

Fall Creek Reservoir is a prime recreation area surrounded by day-use parks and a campground.

Cascara campground, on the south shore near the point where Fall Creek enters the lake, is tucked away amid towering Douglas fir trees. The 47 primitive campsites are great for tenters who remember that there are times when "roughing it" means just that. Every site comes equipped with a fire ring and picnic table. The campground has a swimming area, complete with a deck, and boat ramp.

Looking for a place to camp with your group? A reservable RV group camp, Fisherman's Point, is just across the road from Cascara campground.

And if you want to get out on the reservoir, check out one of the five day-use areas. Winberry, with its two-lane boat ramp and parking for more than 100 cars and 150 boat trailers, is the largest. It's also the only one to charge a day-use fee [$3 ($5 on 01/01/2010) daily day-use fee or buy a 12-month permit for $25 ($30 on 01/01/2010) or a 24-month permit for $40 ($50 on 01/01/2010)]. These 1- and 2-year permits are good at all state park day-use areas).

There are four other day-use sites. Three offer primitive boat ramps. The North Shore site has a low-water ramp, vault toilets and is open year-round.

Reservoir water level graph

Farewell Bend State Recreation Area

Historic Farewell Bend State Recreation Area, located on the Oregon/Idaho border north of Ontario, offers a beautiful desert experience on the banks of the Snake River's Brownlee Reservoir. Pioneers on the Oregon Trail took a final rest here before leaving the Snake River to travel wearily inland on their way to Oregon City. Historic markers and interpretive displays provide visitors with information on Farewell Bend's significance on the Oregon Trail. The RV and tent campgrounds make excellent basecamps as you explore the region. Oregon Trail wagon ruts are visible just up the road. The National Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is less than an hour away in Baker City.

If history isn't your game, come for the sports! Brownlee Reservoir offers fishing, water skiing and boating. There are horseshoe pits, basketball hoops and a sand volleyball court for you land lovers. Best of all, while resting from the day's activities, you can enjoy the scenery and amenities. Picnic on the cool grass, roast marshmallows over your campfire or attend an evening interpretive program at the amphitheater. Whatever you like to do, Farewell Bend is the place to do it.

Reservoir water level

Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area

Where the creek and ocean meet, you'll find ingredients that make the spirit soar. Discover this park's perfect wind-sheltered picnic areas. In case of rain, head for the covered picnic shelter. Walk the wooden footbridges arching through the Sitka spruce, western hemlock, shore pine and alder forest. At the cliff-rimmed beach, a lazy creek flows into the sea, cutting through an enchanting scenic ocean cove. This park has some of the best birdwatching and tidepooling on the coast.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For more information, call toll-free 1-800-551-6949.

Fort Rock Cave

The Fort Rock Basin has served as a vital part of the Native American lifestyle. Fort Rock Cave is near Fort Rock State Natural Area, and is the site of an archaeological discovery of several 9,000 to 13,000 year-old sagebrush sandals. This property serves as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage that has shaped so much of Oregon's history. The story of the Fort Rock Basin is told by the artifacts left behind and by the rich oral tradition of the tribes who claim the area as home.

Fort Rock Cave is a National Heritage site and is open only by a state park guided tour. The location is not available here on the website.

How to reserve

Fort Rock State Natural Area

Like a desert mirage, this National Natural Landmark rises huge out of the barren, immense flatness of Oregon's high desert. An enormous near-circle of towering jagged rock walls make it seem like a fort. Hike around and you'll soon realize it's even bigger than it looks! It's an old tuff ring set in what was a shallow sea in prehistoric times. As you walk around inside, imagine the early American Indians who canoed to and from what was then an island. Sandals found in a nearby cave are the oldest ever discovered, dating back around 9,000-13,000 years [check out the Fort Rock Cave page for information on tours].

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Fort Stevens State Park

Fort Stevens was the primary military defense installation in the three fort Harbor Defense System at the mouth of the Columbia River (Forts Canby and Columbia in Washington were the other two). The fort served for 84 years, beginning with the Civil War and closing at the end of World War II. Today, Fort Stevens has grown into a 3,700 acre park offering exploration of history, nature, and recreational opportunities.

And you can help fund historic programs and restoration at the park! The Friends of Old Fort Stevens will run Wood on Wheels this summer, selling and delivering firewood right to your site. Check it out when you arrive!

Camping, beachcombing, freshwater lake swimming, trails, wildlife viewing, an historic shipwreck and an historic military area make Fort Stevens a uniquely diversified park. A network of nine miles of bicycle trails and six miles of hiking trails allow you to explore the park through spruce and hemlock forests, wetlands, dunes, and shore pine.

Coffenbury Lake has two swimming areas, a picnic area, restrooms, and a boat ramp (10 mph boating speed limit). Two other smaller lakes offer boat ramps for fishing and canoeing.

Throughout the year, you can browse through displays dating back to the Civil War at the museum, visit the only enclosed Civil War earthworks site on the west coast, and explore the gun batteries.

During the summer, watch the blacksmiths work, tour a rare 90-year old underground gun battery that served as a World War II command center, and take a truck tour of the fortifications spanning the Spanish-American War and World War II (tour available at a nominal charge).

Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area

Built in the mid-1800s to regulate the eastern border of the Grand Ronde Agency Coastal Reservation, Fort Yamhill represented a time of transition for the people of the Northwest. The fort served to ease tension between settlers and natives, protect both populations and control traffic between them.

Times were hard for all. Native Americans from five tribes were moved from their homes to the reservation - a confinement that imposed a new spoken language and white man's rules. Enlisted soldiers fought hunger, rain, isolation and monotony. Desertion was common, but the rough country usually drove deserters back to duty.

Visiting Fort Yamhill today offers an insight into the physical and emotional hardships endured by all the people involved, as well as the emotional tone of the state from 1856-1866. Exhibits and cultural restoration are provided in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde.

Frenchglen Hotel State Heritage Site

Frenchglen Hotel is a small slice of peace and quiet in southeastern Oregon at the gateway to the mighty Steens Mountain. Offering rooms for rent, the accommodations are rustic and the food is excellent.You don't need to drive to the Sierra Nevada or Montana to get that glorious wide-open sky feeling.

This historic building has been preserved and is open during the summer season. Come enjoy the history and unique beauty of this timeless piece of Oregon history.

Geisel Monument State Heritage Site

Within this historic site of a Rogue Indian war skirmish, the park contains the grave sites of the Geisel family. It is a peaceful, secluded picnic area to enjoy, while traveling along Highway 101.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call (800) 551-6949.

George W. Joseph State Natural Area

Access to George Joseph State Park is possible by using the trail from Latourell Falls and Guy Talbot State Park. A trail leads from the parking lot to the top of lower Latourell Falls. Beyond this point on the trail, you've entered the enchanted forest of George Joseph State Park where sword fern, moss and lichens are barely illuminated through the dense stands of timber. Continue on the trail to a rarely visited wonder which is upper Latourell Falls.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Gleneden Beach State Recreation Site

It's not your imagination ... those really are seal heads peering at you from the surf! A short paved trail descends from the parking and picnic area through the shore pine forest to a soft sand beach flanked by crumbling orange sandstone bluffs. Wetsuit-clad surfers often catch waves here in the mornings. As you hike to the right along the beach, the horizon is dominated by the dark green cape of Cascade Head. In case you decide to venture onward, please don"t disturb the sea lions found at the tip of the four mile Salishan Spit.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Golden and Silver Falls State Natural Area

A hidden gem in the dense coastal forests of southwest Oregon, Golden and Silver Falls State Natural Area may be hard to find, but it's well worth the 24-mile drive from Highway 101. The small parking and picnic area are located along the banks of Glenn and Silver Creeks and is shaded by large maple, alder, and Oregon myrtle trees. Hiking trails wind through scenic canyons to each of the waterfalls -- they plunge over sheer rock cliffs to moss covered boulders 100 feet below.

Hike to the top of Golden Falls to get an eagle's-eye view of the cascading waterfall and giant old-growth firs and cedars.

If you're looking for Silver Falls State Park in the Willamette Valley east of Salem, you need to go here.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Golden State Heritage Site

At its peak, the 1850s mining town of Golden, now a ghost town, was home to 100 people and served as a hub for many others who worked the land in more remote locations. Golden was distinguished by its lack of saloons in the town center, its two active churches and the large orchard established by its founding families. Today, visitors can explore the remaining settlements perched above the valley where miners once toiled.

Golden's remains include four buildings: a church, a former residence, a shed and a structure that once housed a post office and store. The entire property is in the National Register of Historic Properties.

For more information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Views of the townsite and information panels.

Goose Lake State Recreation Area

Goose Lake State Recreation Area is a green and shady lakeside destination of wildlife and wildlife watchers on the Oregon-California border. Its grassy expanse also makes it an inviting place to camp or find boating access. It is home to many species of birds and other wildlife including a large herd of mule deer which spend much of the time in the 48-site campground.

The park provides hot showers, grassy areas suitable for tents, paved sites, shade trees, fireplaces, electrical hookups, telephone and a dump station. A kiosk and brochures available at the campground provide information about things to see and do in the area.

Government Island State Recreation Area

Government Island (in the Columbia River northeast of Portland) is a series of islands accessible by boat only. There are two docks and a floating tie-up on the north side of the main island. Although restrooms are located throughout, rules signs and restrooms also are located at West Lemon Island, SE Lemon, Commodore (near I205 north), Government Island Landing (west dock), Bartlett Landing (east dock), SE McGuire, and about two miles east of south I-205 (South Beach)

With 15 miles of shoreline, the park is popular with anglers. Camping is permitted below the vegetation line around the perimeter and in a few upland areas where picnic tables and a shelter have been installed.

There are trails along the north side of Lemon and Government Islands. The interior is accessible by permit only. The interior of the island is still used as a cattle ranch and also contains protected natural areas.

Vital stats
Accessible by boat only. No charge for camping. Call 1-800-551-6949 for information. Park staff phone number is 503-281-0944.

Governor Patterson Memorial State Recreation Site

Governor Patterson State Park is a beachcomber"s delight. ... miles of flat, sandy beach and just a short hike from the mouth of Alsea Bay where you can windsurf, crab, or just watch the seals. Excellent whale and storm watching. Sunsets are beautiful here and it's a great place to take photos.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Guy W. Talbot State Park

Guy Webster Talbot and his family used this property as a summer estate until 1929 when they donated it to the state. Today, it's a beautiful picnic park. A modern picnic shelter is available for rent (and is reservable).While the park is terrific for a group or family picnic, the park is often uncrowded even on the best days because of its seclusion. A gently sloping grassy hill dotted with Port Orford cedars, Douglas firs, alders and maples invites frisbee tossing and quiet relaxation.

The tiny town of Latourell (pop. 12) borders the north side of the park. Homeowners ask that visitors please respect their privacy. A trail underneath the Historic Columbia River Highway bridge leads directly to Latourelle Falls (250' tall), only a few minutes away by foot.

H.B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor

Enjoy your drive through this scenic corridor surrounding Highway 18. Along the way, there's a place to pull off, stretch your legs and enjoy a spot of lunch amid a captivating ancient forest. If the time is right, get ready for some exciting wildlife viewing. A weekday would be the most peaceful, and give you a chance to discover the old growth Douglas-fir trees along the Salmon River. Stay alert for salmon, deer and Roosevelt elk. Exactly one mile east of the park entrance is a pull-out with a short trail leading to a swimming hole beneath more ancient trees.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Harris Beach State Park

Harris Beach was named after the Scottish pioneer George Harris who settled here in the late 1880s to raise sheep and cattle. The park boasts the largest island off the Oregon coast. Bird Island (also called Goat Island) is a National Wildlife Sanctuary and breeding site for such rare birds as the tufted puffin. The park offers sandy beaches interspersed with eroded sea stacks.

The park's beauty changes with the seasons. Many people are drawn to watch the powerful and dramatic winter storms; others seek the green and fragrant spring (

Hat Rock State Park

Hat Rock State Park, located off U.S. Highway 730 nine miles east of Umatilla, lies on the south shore of Lake Wallula behind McNary Dam on the Columbia River. Hat Rock was the first distinctive landmark passed by the Lewis and Clark Expedition on their journey down the Columbia, and is one of the few remaining sites not underwater.

The park is a desert oasis surrounded by rolling sagebrush hills and outcroppings of basalt. The park offers visitors a chance to escape the summer heat under the shelter of cottonwood and black locust ringed by acres of green grass. A boat ramp provides access to the lake, which is noted for walleye, sturgeon, and other fish. Waterskiing, jetskiing, swimming, and boating are popular here. The park has its own pond stocked with rainbow trout and provides year-round habitat for waterfowl.

Bring the kids, enjoy a day on the water, fish in the pond, or play volleyball in the sand court. Hat Rock offers the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature with spacious, well-maintained grounds that offer lots of room for your family or large group to get together for outdoor recreation and fun.

Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint

Heceta Head State Park (which includes Devils Elbow State Park) is located in a cove at the mouth of Cape Creek. There are picnic tables sheltered from the wind and a great view of the ocean. A short trail leads to the historic Heceta Head lighthouse and lighthouse keeper's house. A recently-completed trail gives you a spectacular view of the coast north to Cape Perpetua.

Heceta Head trail is part of a 7-mile network. Trails of varying difficulty feature beach and wildlife viewing areas. Wildlife refuge islands feature a view of puffins, cormorants, gulls, and other bird nesting areas. Sea lions and whales can be seen from the beach and cliff-top lighthouse.

On the west side of 1,000-foot-high Heceta Head, 205 feet above the ocean, the lighthouse is one of the most photographed on the coast. The light at top of 56-foot tower was illuminated in 1894; the automated beacon, seen 21 miles from land, is rated as the strongest light on the Oregon coast. The historic assistant lighthouse keeper's house (Heceta House; built 1893) offers bed and breakfast rentals and facilities for group events; call (541) 547-3696 for info.

Heritage Landing (Deschutes)

Heritage Landing is a popular jetboaters launch. It provides access to the Deschutes and Columbia Rivers. This is where river guides meet their clients, families gather to head out onto the Columbia River for salmon fishing or water skiing, and everyone collects to share the excitement of their big catch. Jetboating is allowed on the lower segment of the Deschutes River all year around except alternating weekends from June - September; boaters passes are required.

The lower 2 miles of the Deschutes River is a PASS THROUGH zone for boaters, which means that all floating craft, except float tubes, may not stop along or tie up to the riverbank except in an emergency. This provides fishing access for the many hike-up anglers that depart from Heritage Landing and use the river trails.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Hilgard Junction State Park

Seasonal Closure: The park closes Oct. 19 for the winter.

Hilgard Junction State Park is next to Interstate 84 at its intersection with Highway 244 near the Grande Ronde River. The park offers camping and daytime activities amongst the cottonwood and ponderosa pine. The Grande Ronde River flows through the park, enticing anglers, rafters and swimmers. Beaver, mink, deer and a variety of birds inhabit the park area and can be viewed throughout the year.

Fall frosts gives birth to brightly colored fall foliage along the river corridor, and winter snows bring herds of elk and deer to the banks of the river. While camping at the park, you can see ruts of the historic Oregon Trail at the nearby Blue Mountain Crossing Interpretive park, explore miles of open road in the national forest, or hop over to LaGrande and stock up on groceries, have a meal or partake in community events.

If you're going to be traveling Interstate 84, be sure to stop at Hilgard Junction and spend a night or two and explore the natural beauty of eastern Oregon.

Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail

March 18, 2010 Note: A portion of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail west of Bonneville Dam is closed to accommodate freeway bridge work on Interstate 84 near Tanner Creek. The trail closure affects the state trail west of the Tooth Rock Trailhead. Forest Service Trail 400, in the same area, will remain open. The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail east of Tooth Rock will also remain open.

Where motorists on old U.S. Highway 30 once crept around curves high along the cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge, hikers, bicyclists and users of other muscle-driven forms of transportation leisurely enjoy the view from the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. The trail, two disconnected paved ribbons along abandoned stretches of the historic highway, give you more than 10 miles of sightseeing thrills.

Between Hood River and Mosier, the five mile Twin Tunnels segment passes through two climate zones. Starting at the east Mark O. Hatfield Trailhead near Mosier, the trail leads through semi-arid terrain dotted with ponderosa pine for about a mile until you reach the Twin Tunnels. Spectacular geologic formations tell the story of the gorge's creation.

After passing through the tunnels, you'll emerge into a forest of fir trees and other common western Oregon plants. Viewpoints along the 3.5 mile segment from the tunnels to the west Mark O. Hatfield Trailhead overlook the river.

Both trailheads for the Twin Tunnels segment require a day use pass $3 ($5 on 01/01/2010) daily day-use fee or buy a 12-month permit for $25 ($30 on 01/01/2010) or a 24-month permit for $40 ($50 on 01/01/2010). A yellow self-service machine dispenses daily passes at each trailhead. There's a visitor center at the west trailhead with brochures and other information.

The other open, paved section of the trail parallels Interstate 84 between Cascade Locks and Bonneville Dam (the trail actually extends from Moffett Creek to Cascade Locks). Lush and green, this segment gets twice as much rainfall as the Twin Tunnels area. Ferns, moss-covered rocks and delicate, shaded wildflowers flank the 2.5 mile section from Cascade Locks to the Eagle Creek Fish Hatchery. The trail then continues for another mile west to the Tooth Rock Trailhead, with views of Bonneville Dam along the way. Several U.S. Forest Service trails intersect this segment of the trail.

All segments of the trail are rated moderate to difficult for people with disabilities.

Highway history

The Historic Columbia River Highway was designed by Samuel Lancaster and constructed between 1913 to 1922. Its purpose was not merely to provide an east-west transportation route through the Columbia River Gorge, but to take full advantage of every natural aspect, scenic feature, waterfall, viewpoint and panorama. When bridges or tunnels were designed, they stood by themselves as artistic compliments to the landscape. The Columbia River Highway served millions of travelers and became one of the grandest highways in the nation.

When transportation needs required faster and larger roads, sections of the old highway were bypassed. By 1960, a new interstate highway had replaced nearly all of the older road. The four-mile stretch of old highway between Hood River and Mosier, including the Mosier Twin Tunnels, was closed, filled with rock and abandoned.

In the 1980's, new interest in the old scenic highway began to resurface. Lost sections of highway were identified, unearthed and studied for potential renovation. Some portions of the original route were covered by I-84 when it was built.

An ambitious restoration began with the removal of rock from the Mosier Twin Tunnels. Restoration took several months. When workers were done, several surprises were unearthed, such as graffiti dating back to 1921 (when drivers were snowbound for several days).

Hoffman Memorial State Wayside

Hoffman Memorial Myrtle Grove is a shaded glen canopied with spectacular myrtlewood trees. Interpretive signing accompanies a self-guided tour brochure designed to help you experience this cool respite from the highway. There's no drinking water at the park. The myrtlewood tree is a relative of the bay laurel. Many people cook with myrtlewood leaves in place of bay leaves. Can you imagine the pungent aroma that will greet you as you enter this grove?

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Hug Point State Recreation Site

Just south of Cannon Beach, this little wayside gives you easy access to the beach and a peek at some interesting history. Imagine travelling by stagecoach along the beach (before the highway was built, the beach was the only way to go). North of the parking area you can still walk along the original trail carved into the point by the stagecoaches. The wayside was named after this trail because it hugs the point. Looking further north, Haystack Rock—one of the most identifiable landmarks along the coastline—is easily visible.

Caution to visitors; be aware of the tide! It is possible to become stranded at high tide when exploring the point. Take a look at the stagecoach trail, the view of Haystack Rock and the two caves around the point, but have a plan. Pick up a

Humbug Mountain State Park

The park and campground are dominated by Humbug Mountain (elevation 1,756 feet) and surrounded by forested hills. The campground enjoys some of the warmest weather on the Oregon coast as the surrounding mountains offer protection from cool ocean breezes. Many visitors enjoy windsurfing and scuba diving. Hiking to the top of Humbug Mountain is a major activity.

Illinois River Forks State Park

Heading to or from the Oregon coast or the giant redwoods on Hwy. 199, you may want to stop for a picnic at this day-use park. Located at the confluence of the east and west forks of the Illinois River, the park offers picnic tables and restrooms. There is a short walking trail near the picnic area. The Illinois Valley is a unique geologic area with many rare plants. Visit here to enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site

This 62-acre parcel of rolling grassland, set amidst the stunning backdrop of the Wallowa Mountains, became a State Heritage Area in 2009. The entire area is part of the ancestral homeland of the Nez Perce Tribe, and is a sacred place to the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. "Iwetemlaykin" is the Nez Perce name for this area of the Wallowa Lake basin. Pronounced ee-weh-TEMM-lye-kinn, the name translates to "at the edge of the lake." The property is adjacent to a Nez Perce National Historical Park, site of Old Chief Joseph Gravesite and Cemetery.

Short trails with spectacular views of the Wallowa Mountains pass Knight's Pond, a cool summer oasis and a peaceful respite for hikers. Look for spring and summer wildflowers during your walk. You also may catch glimpses of deer, elk, fox and raptors.

Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site

Seasonal Campground Closure: The campground closes Nov. 3, 2009, for the winter.

J. F. Kimball State Park is a pristine site located at the headwaters of the Wood River. This stream flows from the pine forest into open meadow land laced with picturesque quaking aspen surrounded by the southern Cascade Mountains. Wood River offers fine fishing that can be accessed from the park by canoe. Kimball Park offers primitive camping next to a spring-fed lagoon at the beginning of this waterway.

A walking trail connects the campground to the site where the clear spring bubbles from a rocky hillside. The park is a secluded place where you can contemplate the moment while relaxing in the whispering lodgepole pines.

Jasper Point (Prineville Reservoir)

Need a place to play? Where you can enjoy nature viewing at its finest? This is a place where those weary of hectic schedules and jangling telephones can find peace, a place where life can be pondered from a different and unique perspective. Most of all, a place carefully designed and maintained for people -- for the mother and her baby out for a Sunday drive, for the father teaching his son how to fish, for the teenager who wants to get away for a bit, for the couple on a weekend camping trip, for the grandparents who just want to take it easy for a week.

A place where, as the golden sun sinks slowly over the ridge and the fiery lake catches the last color reflections of red and green canyon walls, the silent hush of the deeply dark night ushers in the glorious canopy of a million stars; where slumber is deep and peaceful.

Jasper State Recreation Site

After you visit Jasper for the first time, you might be tempted to tell all your friends about it. Go ahead. We don't mind. The park has plenty of room for games, picnics, fishing ... sounds like the perfect place to hold a family reunion, doesn't it? The reservable group shelters come complete with covered cooking facilities.

If summer is just to busy for you, consider dropping by this park in spring. Songbirds abound along the river and among the wooded patches.

Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park

Situated half way up the Oregon coast and three miles south of Florence on scenic Highway 101 is the second largest overnight camp in the state. There are two miles of sand dunes between the park and the ocean. Two natural freshwater lakes are within the park. Cleawox -- which is great for swimming -- and Woahink, which has a public boat ramp, is used for all water sports. Rent a canoe and explore the lake.

During Discovery Season (October 1 to April 30 every year), you can access the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area directly from your campsite in H loop of the campground. Reservations are recommended for winter holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Spring brings out the pink rhododendrons. Come summertime, this is a great place for family reunions. The fall huckleberries and blackberries are ripe for the picking. During the winter, off-road vehicle users can access the sand dunes from H Loop. This a camp for all seasons.

Note: From May 1-Sept. 30 (high season), unloading, starting the engines, operating, or staging of ATVS in the park or campground loops is prohibited.

John B. Yeon State Scenic Corridor

John B. Yeon Scenic Corridor honors a man who gave generously of his time and professional skills. He was one of the principal architects of the Historic Columbia River Highway (US 30); a major portion of the scenic highway joins I-84 westbound at Yeon State Park.

Here is a hiker's paradise with a gentle rising trail that permits access to two of the most beautiful and secluded waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge: (lower) Elowah Falls and (upper) McCord Creek falls. Elowah Falls is a 289 foot drop over basalt that must be seen to appreciate. The view of the falls and way the tall cliffs jut out at odd angles is nearly disorienting at the bottom of the trail. Most days, the trails are never crowded. The crisp air, easy access and accompanying scenery of this area offer some of the best hiking and viewing opportunities available in the Gorge.

Joseph H. Stewart State Recreation Area

Opens March 1 for the 2010 season.

Picture yourself in a campsite overlooking Lost Creek Reservoir with wildlife, large conifer trees, and mountains surrounding you. Take a hike or bike ride on our 11-mile trail system, through the forest with year-round streams and wildlife viewing. Take a swim in the cool, mountain water; rent a boat from the marina (call (541) 560-3646 for information), and troll the 10-mile lake for trout and bass ... an angler's dream. Or bring your own boat and waterskis, and spend a few days in the sun.

The park is about 40 miles from Crater Lake National Park, and makes an excellent jumping-off point for an exploration of southern Oregon. A large fish hatchery - the Cole Rivers Hatchery - is open for self-guided tours.

Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site

Kam Wah Chung Museum is a must-see for anyone with an interest in Oregon history. Preserving the legacy of the Chinese workforce in Oregon, the museum contains artifacts and displays that share some of the trials of everyday life of these people.

Chinese businessman Lung On and herbal doctor Ing Hay worked out of this building. Dr. Hay administered care to the Chinese gold-mine workers, pioneers, and others from the John Day area and beyond by using traditional Chinese remedies.

The structure was built as a trading post on The Dalles Military Road in the mid-1800s.

The museum recently underwent a $1.5 million restoration project that included repairing the building exterior and replacing damaged interior features with historically appropriate materials. The building and all the artifacts are now protected by a high-fog fire suppression system and fire detection, security and lighting systems. More on the restoration. (2.06MB pdf)

Koberg Beach State Recreation Site

Once upon a time -- from about 1915 to about 1950 -- a giant wonderful dance hall and outdoor resort existed at Koberg Beach. When the town of Hood River wanted to cool off or go ballroom dancing to the sounds of a swing orchestra, they went to Koberg Beach. Eventually, the ballroom and the beach had to make way for the rising Columbia River when hydroelectric dams were constructed. For a complete view of the way it was, go see the Koberg Beach exhibit at the Hood River County Museum in Hood River.

Today, Koberg Beach is a wayside that serves busy westbound motorists on I-84 with a restroom and a stretch break. An enjoyable beach lies behind the great rock which screens its recreational access from the busy freeway.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

L.L. Stub Stewart State Park

Stub Stewart State Park is the playground in your backyard. Just 31 miles west of Portland, the park offers camping, picnicking and hiking. If you like trails, this is the park for you. Explore nearly 15 miles of new trails. Bring your horse or bicycle and spend hours exploring the far reaches of the park. After a day of play, finding a quiet spot to relax is easy in the 1,650 acres of lush rolling hills, forest and deep canyons.

Have time for a day trip only? The Hilltop Day-use Area with its views of the Coast Range is perfect for a family gathering. Two trailheads, one at the north end and the other to the south, are gateways to hours of exploring.

Columbia County Rider - Nehalem Valley Fixed Route Stops at Stub Stewart

Lake Owyhee State Park

Campgrounds open April 15, 2010, weather permitting.

Lake Owyhee State Park lies next to a 53-mile-long lake formed by Owyhee Dam. Breathtaking views of the Owyhee Mountains await. A boat trip up the lake (we sell fuel and ice) from the park is one of the many not-to-be-missed experiences in eastern Oregon. Look closely! Bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope live here, as do golden eagles, coyotes, mule deer, wild horses and (rarely) mountain lions. Critters aren't your game? Rockhounds and hikers are welcome in this wilderness paradise. Use the park as your base camp to explore the badlands of Oregon.

The road to Lake Owyhee Reservoir is a very scenic and picturesque drive, but please drive cautiously. The roadway is narrow and moderately steep. Drive slowly and be prepared to yield to other campers and boats as you enter and leave this recreation area.

The main campground (McCormack) has 31 electric and 8 tent sites, showers, a boat ramp, tepees, a wastewater dump station, and more. The Indian Creek campground has 26 electric sites, 9 primitive tent sites and a boat ramp. The Gordon Gulch day-use area has a boat ramp and a large, shaded picnic area.

Reservoir water level graph

LaPine State Park

Note: See Vital Stats section below for pet friendly cabin information. Pilot project extended through Sept. 30, 2010.

If you want to immerse yourself in a subalpine pine forest where the air has that high-Cascades tang; to stay in a clean, quiet campground next to a twisting, cold river brimming with trout (and a nearby legendary fly fishing spot) and surrounded by miles of waiting-to-be-explored wilderness; to sit smack in the middle of dozens of high-mountain lakes (in winter, near some of the best ski-spots in the land); to see eagles or red-tailed hawks grabbing breakfast right in front of you; or, to just sit in a campsite pondering what you might do tomorrow ...

... then LaPine State Park demands a visit.

The park is also home to Oregon's largest ponderosa pine. Nicknamed "Big Red," the tree is 162' tall, 28.9' around and may be in excess of 500 years old.

Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site

Located at the western gateway of the Columbia River Gorge, Lewis & Clark State Park appropriately honors its legendary namesakes who camped and explored here in November, 1805. The park is situated near the mouth of the Sandy River where it spills into the mighty Columbia River and at one of the entrances to the Historic Columbia River Highway. A flat, grassy, tree-dotted park invites blankets and sun-lovers to come spend a leisurely day.

One of the most popular swimming spots on the Sandy River is adjacent to the park, as well as a public boat launch. A trail climbs the cliffs to Broughton's Bluff, which serves as a geologic boundary between the foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range and the neighboring Willamette Valley to the west.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Lost Creek State Recreation Site

Lost Creek State Park is located seven miles south of Newport, Oregon. The park is developed for picnicking and beach access. Great for beachcombing, whale watching and incredible sunsets.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Lowell State Recreation Site

Zipping down Highway 58 east of Eugene, you suddenly find yourself driving along side a long, skinny reservoir. In spring, summer and fall, the Dexter and Lookout Point Reservoirs are dotted with boats. Whether you like to picnic, fish, boat or just walk, you'll find a pair of convenient day-use parks on the lake.

Lowell, accessible by crossing over the reservoir at the Lowell turn-off from Highway 58, is a great place to take a break. Picnic areas, a short walking trail, boat access and a marina are just a few of the amenities packed into this small park.

Manhattan Beach State Recreation Site

You"ll find this day-use park just off of Highway 101 north of Rockaway. Picnic tables are nestled into small cul-de-sacs surrounded by shore pine to provide a break from the wind. After a leisurely lunch, kick off your shoes and take the short walk down the access trail to the ocean beach. A thoroughly relaxing spot.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Maples Rest Area

The Maples Rest Area is the only rest area between Sisters, Oregon and Salem. It is a well- maintained rest stop with large grass lawns and a pet exercise area. There is plenty of parking for every type of vehicle including RVs. The beautiful Cal Leitch Nature Trail was constructed in 1973. There are picnic tables for visitors convenience. There is easy access and egress to Highway 22, the main route through the Cascade Mountains.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Mary S. Young State Recreation Area

Mary S. Young Park is owned by Oregon State Parks, and operated through cooperative agreement with the City of West Linn. For further information please contact the City of West Linn Parks and Recreation at (503) 557-4700.

Mary S. Young State Park offers you a peaceful place to walk or sit by the Willamette River. This quiet, forested park is a favorite for urban birders. As you walk deeper into the forest on the numerous trails (5-8 miles worth), it?s easy to forget you?re in a city. It's a quick but refreshing stop if you don't have time for a drive to the country. See a trail map and aerial photo (courtesy of the City of West Linn).

There's also plenty of room for kids to play on the sports fields, a restroom, reservable shelter and an area for dogs to run unleashed.

Vital stats

Maud Williamson State Recreation Site

Maud Williamson occupies a flat edge of cultivated Willamette Valley farm land on the west side of the Salem-Dayton highway. It's covered by a fine stand of second-growth Douglas fir. The park also includes a historic farm house once occupied by the person who donated the property as a park.

The park provides a covered picnic shelter which can be reserved for group picnics. Volleyball and horseshoes are available at this site. Large Douglas fir trees tower overhead providing excellent wildflower viewing in the early spring. Trilliums are abundant here.

Vital stats
One reservable pcinic shelter and there is no fee to use this park, except for the fee to reserve the group picnic shelters ($35 for up to 50 people, .80 per person after that). For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Mayer State Park

If you need an open invitation to go explore a peaceful tree-lined lake in the summertime, consider yourself invited. Go see lower Mayer State Park from the top of Rowena Crest and soak in a view of the most beautiful lake around. Both are actually within Mayer State Park, but few people know that.

From the top of Rowena, Mayer can be fully appreciated for its many amenities, including swimming, boating, fishing and picnicking. When the spring wildflowers are in bloom, this is one of the most stunning vistas in the Columbia River Gorge. The timing of the bloom varies, but is normally in March/April.

Vital stats
$5 (daily day-use fee or buy a 12-month permit for $30 or a 24-month permit for $50. These 1- and 2-year permits are good at all state park day-use areas. For more information, call 1-800-551-6949.

McVay Rock State Recreation Site

McVay is a well-hidden park noted for surf fishing, clamming, whale watching, and plenty of space to walk on the beach. The large lawn area is great for blanket picnics. The park is elevated above the ocean. As you walk along the edge, you?ll often have eye-to-eye encounters with the seabirds catching the updrafts from the beach.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Memaloose State Park

Campground opens March 12, 2010

The Chinook Indian tribes of the Columbia Gorge used to lay the bones of their dead on open pyres on Memaloose Island in the middle of the Columbia River near The Dalles. A granite monument visible from Memaloose State Park campground marks the resting place where a local pioneer named Victor Trevitt wished to chart his eternal course buried among honorable men.

Today, Memaloose State Park is a virtual oasis of beauty in the hottest part of the Columbia River Gorge. Temperatures can top 110 F on a summer day, but Memaloose always manages to provide cool comfort, lush green grass and shade thanks to the tall maples and willows that loom large in the park. The sound of pulsating sprinklers provides a melodic nighttime rhythm to the counterpoint of chirping crickets and lonesome train whistles.

On summer nights, families select prime viewing spots on the cool grass and open meadows around the campground and observe the nightly celestial performances of shooting stars, wandering satellites and far away galaxies.

Milo McIver State Park

Campground opens March 12, 2010

Situated along the scenic Clackamas River, McIver State Park is only 45 minutes from Portland. This beautiful park provides a variety of outstanding recreational opportunities.

Within this little-known gem, you can spend a day or a week exploring the river, forest and fields. River-lovers can challenge the sometimes wild (but always picturesque) Clackamas River with rafts, canoes or kayaks.

Prefer to stay dry? You can hike, or ride your horse. Still too sweaty for you? Spend a lazy afternoon playing the year-round, 27-hole disc golf course. Discs are available at the park to rent or buy.

If you're planning a special gathering, reservable picnic sites with a shelter are available. If you just need to get away for a while, individual and group campsites are waiting for you. When staying at McIver during the summer, we have family-oriented interpretive programs -- from guided hikes to nature crafts. An annual civil war re-enactment occurs in September. More than 300 actors participate.

McIver State Park offers something for everyone. See you there!

Minam State Recreation Area

This park is located in a remote steep valley. Large pine trees dominate the landscape. The picturesque Wallowa River flows through the park and is noted for its fishing and rafting. Steelhead fishing in the spring and fall attracts many people. Wildlife is abundant; deer, bear, elk and an occasional cougar are seen in the area. Raft rentals are available at a nearby store and with a trip down the river, you could even see mountain sheep. A wide variety of flowers bloom in the spring.

Molalla River State Park

Imagine combining a scenic drive, hiking, picnicking, fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing and a ferry ride all in one location. You can do it all at Molalla River State Park near Canby, Oregon.

This natural area sits at the confluence of the Willamette, Molalla and Pudding rivers. The floodplains of these rivers provide important habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, deer, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. One of the largest blue heron rookeries in the Willamette Valley is located here.

Molalla River State Park has grassy field areas for picnics and games and a pet exercise area where you can let your dog run off leash. Fishing is a popular activity, and a boat ramp gives you convenient river access. No boat? You can cross the river on the Canby Ferry, located a quarter mile downstream. It"s one of three ferries still in operation on the Willamette River. Fruit, vegetable and flower stands abound seasonally in some of the finest farmland in Oregon.

Vital stats
Two reservable day-use areas and there is no fee to use this park as a first-come, first-served customer. To reserve a day-use area, the fee is $35 for the first 50 people, then $.80 per person for more people. For reservations, call 1-800-452-5687. For more information, call 1-800-551-6949 (no reservations accepted at this number). This park has a designated off-leash area for your pet. A leash no longer than 6 feet is required elsewhere in the park.

Mongold (Detroit Lake)

Jan. 19, 2010 Note: Mongold boat ramp open.

Mongold Day Use area is 1.5 miles west of Detroit Lake State Park. It's the only public boat launch facility on the lake featuring a swimming area, grass beach, picnic facilities and restrooms. Mongold is a year-round fee area.

Mongold has 58 single car parking spaces and three fully-accessible parking spaces near the swimming area, and another 25 single car parking spaces at the top of the parking lot. There are 120 vehicle/trailer parking spaces, and three that are accessible to people with disabilities.

Overnight parking at Mongold is permitted only when the visitor is camping on Piety Island.

Vital stats
$3 daily day-use fee or buy a 12-month permit for $25, or a 24-month permit for $40. These 1- and 2-year permits are good at all state park day-use areas. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Detroit Lake campground & Mongold day-use area

Munson Creek State Natural Site

The park is home to ancient western red cedar and Sitka spruce. An important salmon spawning ground, Munson Creek Falls tumbles 319', making it the tallest waterfall in the Coast Range. A trail system winds through the hills to the waterfall.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. There's no water or restroom at the park, and the road is narrow with no turn-around for RVs. For more information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Muriel O. Ponsler Memorial State Scenic Viewpoint

Picnicking with whale watching, beachcombing and a view of the beach. There are approximately five miles of sandy beach with China Creek to the south of the park. J.C Ponsler donated the land in 1938 in memory of his wife, Muriel.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Nehalem Bay State Park

Read all about the historic cannon found on the beach at Arch Cape in February, 2008.

Imagine waking up to the song of the seagull, spending your afternoon on a kayak trip around Nehalem Bay, then taking a short walk over the dunes to the beach. There you'll sit with a blanket and watch the sun set over the ocean in the shadow of Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain. Finally, snuggle down for the night while the ocean waves sing you a lullaby. This is Nehalem Bay State Park.

Many visitors find the serenity of Nehalem Bay State Park to be the most attractive feature. If you look closer you'll find a lot of ways to keep busy, though. Crabbing and fishing on Nehalem Bay are popular. For a breathtaking view of the bay, fitness and wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy the 1.75 mile bike trail that circles the park airplane landing strip. Along this route and in the campground itself, you're likely to see deer grazing, a herd of elk, or a coyote crossing the road. The park is also graced with a variety of birds.

Fine dining and local boutiques in the neighboring communities of Manzanita and Nehalem offer a change of scenery from the park setting. Afternoon or moonlit walks on the beach and down to the end of the jetty enhance the serenity of this park.

Make Nehalem Bay State Park a planned destination in your vacation schedule.

Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint

Benches set on a cliff above the beach give you an excellent view of Cumming Creek, wildlife and the rock-pounding waves. From this location, you can watch for whales, see a variety of birds, sea lions and the occasional deer in the creek. The creek is also a great place to look for agates. At low tide you can walk to the south to see a natural cave and tidepools.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Neskowin Beach State Recreation Site

The long beach and Cascade headland are delightfully pristine. In the town of Neskowin, you"ll find a general store, restaurant and two golf courses amid the posh cottages. A bit north, you can canoe and kayak on the relatively undeveloped estuary of Nestucca Bay. The Cascade Head bike trail is conveniently close. Walk the Cascade Head Trail which skirts Neskowin and passes through magnificent stands of spruce and ocean views (who knows ... you may catch a glimpse of some elk).

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

North Santiam State Recreation Area

North Santiam State Park plays host to some of the most beautiful riverfront in the area. It is one of the finest steelhead fishing spots on the North Santiam River. North Santiam State Park is an undisturbed day-use area with drinking fountain and restroom facilities. Picnic tables dot the grass, making North Santiam State Park a great place to stop to stretch and eat a picnic lunch. Hiking trails show the beauty of the large old-growth trees and the river.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. The day-use area is reservable by calling 1-800-452-5687.

OC&E Woods Line State Trail

Welcome to the OC&E Woods Line State Trail – Oregon's longest linear park! This 100-mile, rail-to-trail conversion is built on the old railbed of the Oregon, California, and Eastern Railroad. The trail is open for all non-motorized recreation, beginning in the heart of Klamath Falls, extending east to Bly and north to the lush Sycan Marsh. From its beginnings as a railroad carrying millions of board feet of timber and railcars loaded with cattle, to its present cargo of recreational trail users, this railroad line has always been on the move.

As of November 2002, the OC&E Woods Line State Trail is paved from the Klamath Falls Trailhead to the small, rural community of Olene. This makes a total of 8 miles of paved trail surface where you can bike, jog, skate, and ride horseback. Here, you'll experience the historic 1898 steel bridge spanning the A Canal and imagine the feel of an old-time steam engine crossing its riveted beams. From Highway 39, an unpaved trail emerges into a wonderful mixture of ranch lands, rivers, and forested buttes. All the original trestles are still in place, as well as unique engineering feats such as the double switchback.

This trail section is more rugged and attracts mountain bikers, avid hikers, anglers, equestrian users, and wildlife watchers. From Beatty to the Sycan Marsh, trail users are in a national forest, with its lofty ponderosa pines, lively streams, and Horse Glade Trailhead camping. This section is host to the 400-foot-long Merritt Creek Trestle. Cross-country skiers will be delighted to find snowfall in the area is consistent. Sycan Marsh is an attraction for bird watchers.

Exploring the OC&E Woods Line State Trail is always an adventure.

Oceanside Beach State Recreation Site

Located in the center of the community of Oceanside, this park offers some of the best agate hunting during the winter season when the sand is stripped away by ocean currents. During the summer season, the park is a popular place to beachcomb, explore tidepools and surf.

The sky above the park is occasionally filled with colorful hang gliders, paragliders and kites.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Ona Beach State Park

Ona Beach State Park is located 8 miles south of Newport, Oregon. The park is a fine, forested ocean flat now developed for extensive daytime shore use. Easy access for beachcombing and great for large picnic gatherings.

Watch a kayak tour through the Beaver Creek wetland.
The new Beaver Creek park will open in late 2010. No public park facilities are open at the moment, but enjoy your paddle!



Kayak Tours
Kayak tours are offered starting July 4 Thru Labor day weekend. No experience necessary. South Beach State Park supplies the kayaks, paddles, lifejackets (PFDs), and interpretive host guides. Minimum age is 6. Paddlers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. $15 per person (subject to change). All trips start at the Hospitality Center at South Beach State Park. All trips include about 2 hours of paddling.
Reservations strongly recommended. Reservations can be made beginning June 1, 2010 by calling the Hospitality Center at 541-867-6590 or by visiting in person.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Ontario State Recreation Site

Ontario State Recreation Site is a restful day-use park situated on the west bank of the historic Snake River just north of Ontario, Oregon. Green grass, clean grounds, and modern restrooms greet visitors stopping to boat, fish, swim or picnic for the day. Majestic cottonwood trees, sumac and fragrant junipers offer large splashes of shade to cool the hot summer days and provide startling color in the autumn.

Whether you are a serious naturalist or a casual visitor, Ontario is a great place to enjoy birdwatching and other wildlife. Blue heron, Canada geese, river otter, and muskrat are found in the reeds and grass along the shores of the Snake River. Deer feed on a nearby island and are sometimes visible in the early morning mist. Bring your binoculars, picnic basket, boat or fishing pole. Ontario State Recreation Site can be a day away from it all.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. Wi-Fi access. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Oswald West State Park

April 30, 2009 Note: The park remains open, although the campground at Oswald West is closed. Please consider one of our other nearby campgrounds (Nehalem Bay, Fort Stevens and Cape Lookout).

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Step out of your vehicle and into a place with natural beauty that truly inspires. Just a quarter mile from any of the parking areas to the beach, yet the rigors of everyday life are stripped away by the time your feet hit the sand. Although the walk is short, there are several different trails to the beach and lead you to the Cape Falcon overlook or to the Oregon Coast Trail. Be sure to pick up a map on the way into the park. All of the trails to the beach are through a mature forest; one trail follows the winding path of the Short Sands creek. This trail gives way to the spectacular view of the ocean and the creek meeting. This is your first glimpse of the ocean and Short Sands beach.

The beach is nestled in a cove that provides you with a feeling of total privacy. Popular with surfboarders and boogie boarders, the beach is always alive with activity. Surrounded by the mountains, the beach at Oswald West gives you a sense of being transported away from the trials of everyday life. Lose yourself; find Oswald West State Park.

Otter Crest State Scenic Viewpoint

Soak in the view from 500' above the ocean on the breathtaking crescent sweep of white sandy beach stretching to the south. Cape Foulweather is stunning and inspirational with its picturesque promontory. This popular whale watching spot also provides a good view of the Devil"s Punchbowl environs. Imagine Captain Cook"s first sighting on that stormy March day in 1778. The adjacent gift shop is privately owned.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Otter Point State Recreation Site

Excellent walking and hiking trails overlooking pristine beaches and unusual sandstone rock formations sculpted by wind and waves.

Vital stats
Single-lane gravel road entrance and exit road. No trailer turn-around in small gravel parking area. There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Paradise Point State Recreation Site

A parking area with an expansive coastal vista stretching from Port Orford Heads to Orfords offshore reef and distant Cape Blanco and the lighthouse there. The beach is great for beachcombing; it"s not unusual to find floats and agates here.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint

If you enjoy vertical basalt cliffs and scenic river canyons, the Ogden Wayside is for you. The park is perched at the top of a striking canyon. Bring a camera!

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint

Nov. 23, 2009 Note: The Summit Road is closed for the winter. The eastside parking area remains open, allowing access to the butte’s hiking trails.

Come and explore an old cinder cone located just east of Bend. Hike up and around on one of three trails. The trails wind through stands of juniper and sage. All of the trails lead to the summit. Once at the top, get ready for a grand panoramic view of the high desert.

To the west at sunset, the glow of snowcapped Cascade mountains put on a spectacular show. Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Black Butte and Mt. Hood are some of the highlights. Bring something to quench your thirst after the climb; there's no drinking water at the park.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Pistol River State Scenic Viewpoint

Pistol River State Park is set in the dunes of the southern Oregon coast. The river supposedly got its name when a militia soldier lost his pistol in the river during the infamous Rogue River Indian War. In March of 1856, a decisive battle was fought here.

The dunes and the river system that feeds them are what make this area unique. During the spring and summer months, the dunes actually grow. The river has changed its course numerous times in recent history and pothole ponds attract waterfowl and shorebirds. This is an excellent birding spot. Ocean windsurfing is so good here national championships have been held three years in a row. The beaches and sea stacks are wonderful.

Port Orford Heads State Park

The Port Orford Lifeboat Station was constructed in 1934 by the Coast Guard to provide lifesaving service to the southern portion of the Oregon Coast until 1970. A museum, operated by the Point Orford Heritage Society, is now housed in the station. The museum is free (donations accepted, of course), and is open April-October, Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. A 36-foot motor lifeboat used at this station is on the premises and waiting to be restored.

The park has excellent hiking trails on the headlands affording spectacular views up and down the Pacific Coast.

There's a large resident blacktail deer population; please treat them as the wild animals they are.

The station's history
The Port Orford Lifeboat Station (Coast Guard Station #318) was commissioned in 1934 to provide lifesaving service to the southern portion of the Oregon coast. The station served the area until its decommissioning in 1970. The station at Port Orford was one of the three earliest Coast Guard stations constructed in Oregon (earlier stations had been built by the U.S. Life-Saving Service). Neither of the other two Coast Guard-built station retains the degree of integrity as found here. Port Orford"s station complex gracefully combines Cape Cod and classical building forms with Craftsman features, and with its cedar shingles, presents a style typical of the Pacific coast.

Lifeboat stations built during the 1920's through the 1940's represented the highest achievements in Coast Guard architecture. After World War II, station designs changed, making them more military in character. Although simple, the Port Orford station compound exemplifies Oregon"s Coast Guard Stations and is the only Chatham-type station remaining on the coast. Other Chatham-type stations, virtual carbon copies, remain on the East Coast and Great Lakes. Those stations are finished in white clapboard, while the Port Orford station is finished in cedar shingles.

The two-story crew quarters and office building, the officer-in-charge residence, garage, storage building and pump house are still standing. Together with curbed driveways, areas of lawn and privet hedge surrounding the structures and the elevated paths and walkways, the ensemble conveys a particular sense of place and time.

Officer in charge quarters The officer-in-charge residence is sometimes referred to as the "keeper's cottage" as they were known in the U.S. Life-Saving Service. The USLSS merged with the Revenue Cutter Service in 1915 to form the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Port Orford station's officer-in-charge residence is virtually identical to the officer-in-charge residence at the Point Reyes Lifeboat Station in California. As with the crew quarters, the exterior of the Port Orford residence is cedar shingles, while the Point Reyes house is traditional clapboard, giving the Port Orford station a unique Pacific Northwest appearance.
(text courtesy of the Point Orford Heritage Society)

Lifesaving Station Museum
April-October, Thursday – Monday, 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Portland Women's Forum State Scenic Viewpoint

The view is absolutely breathtaking and it's one of the best spots to soak in a view of one of the most beautiful places on earth: the magnificent, awesome Columbia River Gorge. Any visit to the Gorge would be nearly perfect with Women's Forum as the starting place to a fun-filled day of adventure and discovery. With the scenic Vista House and the wide expanse of the Columbia Gorge in the background, more photographs of the Columbia Gorge are probably taken from this point than anywhere else (but don't let that stop you ... go ahead and take a few shots of your own).

Prineville Reservoir State Park

Need a place to play? Where you can enjoy nature viewing at its finest? This is a place where those weary of hectic schedules and jangling telephones can find peace, a place where life can be pondered from a different and unique perspective. Most of all, a place carefully designed and maintained for people -- for the mother and her baby out for a Sunday drive, for the father teaching his son how to fish, for the teenager who wants to get away for a bit, for the couple on a weekend camping trip, for the grandparents who just want to take it easy for a week.

Mountain waters flow out of the Ochoco Mountain Range, joining together to form the Crooked River. This river, confined by its canyon and the Bowman Dam, forms Prineville Reservoir.

The fishing can be good anytime at Prineville Reservoir. It supports rainbow & cutthroat trout, small & largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, and crayfish. The trout fishing experience is year-round, ice-fishing included in the dead of winter. Anywhere on the reservoir is suitable.

Bass, catfish, and crappie are more suited towards warmer water temperatures; May thru October. The upper reaches of the reservoir above Jasper Point and the Bear Creek tributary downstream from Prineville Reservoir State Park are known to produce fine fish. Fly fishing opportunities are best along the Crooked River above Prineville Reservoir and downstream from Bowman Dam.

For specific regulations, refer to the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.

So grab your pole and head out to Prineville. A place where, as the golden sun sinks slowly over the ridge and the fiery lake catches the last color reflections of red and green canyon walls, the silent hush of the deeply dark night ushers in the glorious canopy of a million stars; where slumber is deep and peaceful.

Reservoir water level graph

Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint

Beautiful, quiet secluded forest area with picnic tables and a hiking trail leading to Pearsony Falls, the Rogue River and Mill Creek Falls. No drinking water at this site.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Red Bridge State Wayside

Seasonal Closure: The park closes Oct. 19 for the winter.

Red Bridge State Wayside lies along Oregon Highway 244 and offers visitors overnight camping and daytime opportunities. Situated along the banks of the Grande Ronde River, the park is forested with ponderosa pine and cottonwoods. Uncrowded, quiet summer evenings greet campers and day-users alike. Enjoy a day of fishing or cool off in the gentle waters of the river.

Located in the heart of the Blue Mountains, the park can serve your needs as a base camp for big game hunting, mushrooming or simply exploring the miles of national forest within easy driving distance of the park. Take a drive and visit Lehman Hot Springs for a relaxing hot mineral water swim or partake in local activities in nearby LaGrande.

Red Bridge is conveniently close to the full services of LaGrande, including emergency services, restaurants, shopping and many community events. Whether you need a place to picnic or camp in a forest setting, Red Bridge can fulfill your needs.

Roads End State Recreation Site

A fine place for a romantic stroll with tidepools, islands, and the headland with its hidden cove. Sailboarders come from everywhere! When Lincoln City"s beaches are crowded or windy, this sheltered spot just north of town is surprisingly quiet. A short path descends to the beach at the pebbly mouth of a lazy little creek. The north beach is topped by a jumble of quaint old cottages until the beach narrows to the massive Cascade Head. Fragments of lava form ragged islands where comic, long-necked cormorants dry their black wings atop guano-stained roosts. At low tide it"s possible to clamber around the headland"s tip to a secret cove and beach. Don"t linger too long or you"ll have to wait hours until the next low tide to get out!

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint

Rocky Creek is a spectacular ocean-front park on a forested bluff overlooking the ocean. Offshore rocks provide spectacular wave action in storms and are nesting areas for birds and sea lions. The viewpoint is an official Whale Spoken Here site for watching migrating and resident gray whales.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Rooster Rock State Park

Spring at Rooster Rock is where spring fever happens. Imagine the first warm, sunny days of spring where meadows of wild roses and the spicy scent of Oregon grape combine with an endless panorama of the Cascade mountains, blue sky and the deep blue waters of the Columbia River. During the first sunny days of spring, people suddenly call in sick at work or school. That's when our parking lot fills up!

Summers and Rooster Rock are like peas and carrots; they just go together. Three miles of sandy beaches bring out the crowds. One of the largest swimming areas near Portland serves visitors who want a natural experience. It's even more natural the farther east you go at Rooster Rock (where you'll find one of Oregon's two designated nude beaches). By design, the nude beach area is completely separate and not visible from the clothing-required area of the large park. The two areas coexist in harmony.

Rooster Rock offers not one, but two disc golf courses. The west course is fun and challenging for all skill levels. Looking to test your skill? Try the more technical east course.

Our covered picnic shelters and tables serve families and groups of all sizes. Rooster Rock's boat ramp is located in the scenic lagoon at the base of looming Rooster Rock. You'll find some of the best bass, steelhead and walleye fishing around here.

Fall colors blaze at Rooster Rock. For an easy hike, try the 2 mile Volkswalk trail at the east end of the park. The trails will be covered with huge maples and oaks as you take a flat hike above the Columbia River. Blacktail deer, swordgrass and mushrooms grow large in the beautiful forests and meadows along this trail.

Wintertime at Rooster Rock State Park can be challenging, but it's paradise to those who love life on the edge. Windsurfers know this -- they come here when others stay away. When east winds barge down the Columbia Gorge at 25 to 40 mph, windsurfers come out of the woodwork to ride the whitecaps on the Columbia River. Winter wind speeds at Rooster Rock have been measured at 110 mph. In the winter, Rooster Rock becomes the gateway to winter recreation in the Gorge and the Cascades.

Row River Trail (BLM)

While not technically an Oregon State Park, the Row River Trail (managed by the Bureau of Land Management) has been highly recommended by one of our users, and looks too fantastic to miss. This is a 14 mile long paved trail that runs along the shore of the Row River and Dorena Reservoir, dotted with several covered bridges and passing near the Bohemia Mining area. This trail follows the path of the now defunct Oregon Pacific and Eastern Railroad line. The trail surface is smooth blacktop, with a gravel horse path alongside. There are several trailheads with parking to allow easy access.

Saddle Mountain State Natural Area

Two and a half miles. That's all it is from the parking lot (elev. 1,650') to the summit of Saddle Mountain (elev. 3,283'). Be prepared to marvel at the sheer volume of natural beauty packed onto the mountain, from a mature forest setting to fields of wildflowers to an open rocky summit. The view from the top of the mountain is one that cannot be described ... it must be experienced.

The trip to the top isn't an everyday stroll through the woods, though. Come prepared with water and layer your clothing. The temperature is very different at the summit than in the parking lot. Wear appropriate shoes for rough terrain and be prepared for some steep grades, which make for interesting climbing. A nice walking stick and friend's hand would be helpful in many areas. As you climb, though, remember to look up and out at the landscape before you. Also look down at the wild floral show that may only exist at that elevation. Take frequent breaks and enjoy this unique landscape as well as the beauty of the forest below you.

Vital stats

Campsites open March 1 - October.
Campsites are first-come, first-served. 10 primitive sites at trailhead (RVs restricted to parking area). (800) 551-6949.

Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor

This corridor is a 12 mile, forested linear park with a rugged, steep coastline interrupted by small sand beaches. This park was named in honor of Samuel H. Boardman, the first Oregon Parks superintendent. He and others of his generation felt this shining green emerald coastline should be saved for the public. What gems they gave us: admire the 300-year old sitka spruce trees, gaze at the amazing Arch Rock and Natural Bridges, and walk the 27 miles of Oregon Coast Trail that weave through giant forests.

Seaside prairies, spectacular vistas, secluded cove beaches, rugged cliffs and forested sea stacks come one after the other at this park. Visit old mining sites. Stand and ponder the old shell middens and wonder what it was like to live in a native American village by the Pacific Ocean.

More about Sam
Sam Boardman, as he was affectionately called, was born in Massachusetts in 1874, had schooling in Wisconsin, migrated to Colorado as a young man, then to Oregon. He homesteaded along the Columbia River east of Arlington, and the town of Boardman is named for him. Having an affection for trees he pioneered in planting them in that treeless country, especially along the Columbia River Highway and the Old Oregon Trail. This tree planting along the shadeless highways later became a project of the Highway Department in which he took great satisfaction.

In 1919 he joined the Highway Department in the Mainten?ance Department, but his interest in preserving Oregon's scenic and recreational spots resulted in his appointment as the first State Parks Superintendent by the first State Parks Commission which had just been created by Governor I. L. Patterson.

In 1927 Oregon had 4,070 acres in forty-six small state parks; before retiring Mr. Boardman increased the number of parks to 181, and acreage to 66,000. The increment is due largely to his personal efforts in enthusing donors to make gifts and in urging the public money for land acquisition at a time when pressure to put all the limited funds in highway construction was great.

He had vision to see Oregon's need for preserving immediately her scenic resources. He predicted, if Oregon had sufficient state parks, a great growth in the tourist business and lived to see it become the state's third largest source of wealth. He had a keen appreciation of the beauties of ocean, forest and mountain, and with good judgment selected for acquisition as state parks these areas of outstanding qualifications. It is extraordinary how much he accomplished with very limited funds in those twenty-one years he was Superintendent of Parks. His efforts were directed largely at acquisition of land, believing that purchases should be made while the land was unspoiled and inexpensive and that development could wait until more funds were available. The phenomenal rise since then in the cost of potential park land has proven the wisdom of Boardman's foresight and policy.

Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site

Sarah Helmick is located six miles south of Monmouth off Highway 99W. Helmick lies along the floodplain of the Luckiamute River and is forested in Douglas fir, grand fir, maple, ash, Port Orford cedar and cottonwood. There are two reservation picnic areas for groups up to 200 people. Electricity, water, picnic tables and restrooms are provided at each site. There is plenty of shade from the bigleaf maples that tower above you. A quiet spot to walk along the trails that border the Luckiamute River, with plenty of birds and native plant life to investigate.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. Two reservable picnic areas and the picnic shelter fee is $50 for the first 50 people, then $1 per person for additional people. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Seal Rock State Recreation Site

Seal Rock State Wayside has large off-shore rock formations which are the habitat of seals, sea lions, sea birds and other marine life. The wayside includes interesting tidepools as well as excellent ocean views and a sandy beach. Developed for day-use, the picnic area is in a pleasant stand of shore pine, spruce and salal.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Seneca Fouts Memorial State Natural Area

This would be a great place for a convention if you were a bighorn sheep. In other words, the terrain is rocky, mountainous, desolate and beautiful. This is the third leg of state parks joined together at Mitchell Point (also see Wygant and Vinzenz Lausmann).

Vital stats
Eastbound access only. There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Seven Devils State Recreation Site

Seven Devils Wayside is the jumping-off point for sandy beach adventure. At this access point, you can travel several miles up and down the open beach. Agates are often the beachcombing goal of visitors to this out-of-the-way spot.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Shepperd's Dell State Natural Area

In 1915, a local dairy farmer named George Shepperd gave all that he had (this tract of land) to the City of Portland as a memorial to his wife. Today, thousands of visitors along the Historic Columbia River Highway visit this beautiful spot, with its roaring waterfall cascading down steep cliffs into Youngs Creek and out to the Columbia River far below. The upper fall is around 42' tall. The lower tier is around 50' tall.

One of the most beautiful and historic highway bridges crosses the canyon here, but you can�t see or appreciated it unless you leave your car and take the short trail to the falls.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Shore Acres State Park

Perched on rugged sandstone cliffs high above the ocean, Shore Acres State Park is an exciting and unexpected combination of beautiful natural and constructed features. Once the grand estate of pioneer timber baron Louis Simpson, Shore Acres features lushly planted gardens with plants and flowers from all over the world. Something is in bloom almost every day of the year.

In the landscaped area you'll discover a formal garden, an oriental-style pond and two rose gardens which include an All American Rose Selection display. From Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve, the gardens are ablaze with thousands of colored lights and holiday decorations put up by community volunteers and The Friends of Shore Acres in cooperation with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

After seeing the garden, you can stroll down a trail to a secluded ocean cove at Simpson Beach or skirt the cliff's edge to see spectacular ocean vistas which often include towering waves crashing against the shoreline after a storm and migrating grey whales. On the site of Simpson's vanished mansion, a fully enclosed observation building will allow you to view the ocean and protect you from the weather. The observation building has interpretive panels describing the history of the Simpson estate.

The Friends of Shore Acres operate an information and gift center at the entrance to the formal gardens where visitors can purchase items that relate to the historical and natural features of Shore Acres. The Friends also sponsor a variety of horticultural and cultural events at the garden throughout the year.

A large Monterey pine (pinus radiata) dates back to the historic Louis J. Simpson estate. A member of the national Big Tree Register, the pine is 95 feet tall with a 208-inch truck circumference and a 74-foot crown spread. It shares co-champion honors with a Monterey pine in Carmel, California, which has a smaller trunk, but a wider crown. It was probably planted around 1910.

2009 Shore Acres Holiday Lights: Nov. 26-Dec. 31., 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Read the 2008

Silver Falls State Park

April 1, 2010 Note: The Perimeter Trail is closed until further notice to horses. The trail that goes behind Middle North Falls also is closed until further notice.

Nestled in the lower elevation of Oregon's Cascade Mountains lies a temperate rain forest. It is here that the

Smelt Sands State Recreation Site

An excellent whale watching and photography viewpoint. Walk the historic 804 Trail (.75 miles one-way with resting benches scattered along the way). The park is known for tidepooling, rock fishing and the yearly smelt run (smelt are small, silvery relatives of salmon). Breathtaking sunsets.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Smith Rock State Park

If you enjoy scenic views of deep river canyons or rock climbing, Smith Rock State Park is the place for you. There are several thousand climbs in the park. More than a thousand are bolted routes. We also offer miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Along your trip through the canyon, you might see golden eagles, prairie falcons, mule deer, river otter and beaver.

Due to the uniqueness and fragile aspect of the park, park rangers enforce the animal leash law and strongly encourage all park users to stay on trails.

Note: Open fires prohibited at all times. There is a designated place for cooking with propane and white gas stoves. Cooking is not allowed anywhere else in the park. Gas lanterns are also prohibited. Smoking is only allowed in vehicles.

South Beach State Park

Note: See Vital Stats section below for pet friendly yurt information. Pilot project extended through Sept. 30, 2010.

South Beach State Park and the surrounding areas offer a variety of recreational opportunities.

One of the most exciting additions to the program at South Beach: kayak tours. Folks who register for the activity will launch from nearby Ona Beach (5 miles south) and spend two hours exploring the fascinating Beaver Creek area with a guide.

Other activities around the park include fishing, crabbing, boating, windsurfing and beachcombing. Attractions nearby include the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, marine life exhibits at the Hatfield Marine Science Center and the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

These are just a few of the opportunities you will encounter when you visit and explore the central Oregon coast.

Watch a kayak tour through the Beaver Creek wetland.



Kayak Tours
Kayak tours are offered starting July 4 Thru Labor day weekend. No experience necessary. South Beach State Park supplies the kayaks, paddles, lifejackets (PFDs), and interpretive host guides. Minimum age is 6. Paddlers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. $15 per person (subject to change). All trips start at the Hospitality Center at South Beach State Park. All trips include about 2 hours of paddling. Reservations strongly recommended. Reservations can be made beginning June 1, 2010 by calling the Hospitality Center at 541-867-6590 or by visiting in person.

South Jetty (South Beach)

Adjacent to South Beach State Park, South Jetty offers horse access to the beach, fishing, clamming, surfing, scuba diving and (for the advanced) windsurfing when conditions permit.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Starvation Creek State Park

Zooming down Interstate 84 eastbound, you might very well miss this tiny park. Nestled at the base of the sheer walls of the Columbia Gorge, Starvation Creek is much more than it appears. It is a feast for the eyes and feet.

Trails spreading out from this day-use park lead onto adjacent National Forest Service land and connect to the Mt. Defiance and Starvation Ridge trails. Heading east, trek along a remnant of the Historic Columbia River Highway to Viento State Park and campground.

The waterfall at Starvation Creek, one of the few in this area of the gorge, is an elegant cascade admired by gorge travelers for thousands of years.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For more information, call 1-800-551-6949. Eastbound vehicle access only at Exit 54 off I-84. Westbound sightseers can park at the trailhead at Viento at Exit 56 and walk the two miles to the park.

State Capitol State Park

Feb. 22, 2010 Note: The unusually mild winter weather brings spring flowers a little early. Barring any significant cooling off, we estimate the cherry blossoms will start to make their appearance as early as March 6. Early floral displays of daffodils and rhododendrons are appearing, too. The park will operate the three water fountains for visitors during the cherry blossom season. Watch for a constant display of blooms from a variety of trees, shrubs and plants throughout the spring and summer.

The park features not only cherry trees and other plants favored by Oregonians, but tells a little history as well. Stone plaques set in the mall sidewalks list the county seat and establishment date for each of Oregon's counties. On the Willson Park side of the street, flags from every state in the union sit in a circle near the Moon Tree, a state heritage tree. The young Douglas-fir, just north of the flags along Court Street, was grown from a seed carried to the moon by Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa in 1971.

The grounds include three fountains; Waite Fountain (west of the capitol building in Willson Park), Wall of Water bordering Court Street across from the main capitol entrance, and Capitol Fountain, on Center Street at the north end of the Capitol Mall.

Points of Interest

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Stonefield Beach State Recreation Site

Stonefield has easy beach access. Tenmile Creek is just to the north. A great place to sit in the sun and watch for whales.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Succor Creek State Natural Area

The Succor Creek Bridge in Succor Creek State Natural Area is open to pedestrians. The bridge is not open to vehicles or atvs.

Succor Creek is an unstaffed, no-fee primitive camping area. There's no potable water service and the park lies on rough unpaved road.

Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area

Seasonal Closure: The park closes Oct. 31 for the winter. Trails remain open for hiking and snowshoeing.

The Sumpter Valley Dredge is nestled at the base of the majestic granite peaks of the Elkhorn Mountain Range. The Powder River is born deep within the range and picks up speed as it spills down the Sumpter Valley, traveling through the park before reaching Phillips Reservoir.

This waterway was the vein of life during the boom days of the gold rush. The landscape still bears the scars. Miles of tailings line the banks of the river, a remembrance from the prosperous days of mining. The Sumpter Valley Dredge -- the centerpiece of our park -- left much of the rocky footprint that you'll see on your trek along Highway 7. The dredge is an important link to Oregon's pioneering past and development. It is one of the largest and most accessible gold dredges in the U.S.

A half a century after the last dripping bucket load was lifted, the dredge stands silent. If you listen carefully, you can almost hear whispers of the hope, sweat and dreams of the people who worked on it. After visiting the dredge you may continue on the Elkhorn Scenic Byway to continue your trip into history.

The dredge in the park is the last of three built on the Powder River. Built in 1935, it ran until 1954. It dug up more han four million dollars worth by a simple, but dramatic method.

Sticking out from the dredge's hull is a massive boom bearing 72 1-ton buckets. The buckets, moving like the chain of a chainsaw, would bore into the riverbank and carry the loose rock back into the dredge interior.

Once inside, the rock would pass through a series of steel cylinders to separate the material by size, sending the smaller material deeper into the dredge. Using water and sluices, the gold would be separated from the sediment. The spoils from this process and larger rock pass through the back of the dredge and are deposited behind it via another boom.

Sunset Bay State Park

Situated in one of the most scenic areas on the Oregon coast, Sunset Bay State Park features beautiful sandy beaches protected by towering sea cliffs. Only a short walk from the beach, the campground has sites for tent camping and RV's, as well as cozy and comfortable yurts. Day-use and picnic facilities are located along the bay to allow easy access for beachcombing, fishing, swimming, and boating.

A network of hiking trails connects Sunset Bay with nearby Shore Acres and Cape Arago State Parks. Hiking these trails will give you a chance to experience pristine coastal forests, seasonal wildflowers and spectacular ocean vistas from atop the rugged cliffs and headlands. From points along the trail, you'll be treated to views of Gregory Point and the Cape Arago lighthouse.

A public golf course is located next to the park and the nearby fishing village of Charleston provides opportunities for crabbing, clamming and fishing. In fact, there are plenty of

Sunset Beach State Recreation Site

Sunset Beach State Recreation Site comes with a very famous past. The park marks the west trailhead of the historic Fort-to-Sea Trail - a 6.5 mile route that recreates the experience Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery encountered as they traveled between Fort Clatsop and the Pacific Ocean during the famous winter of 1805-6.

Sunset Beach provides visitors with direct access to the Pacific Ocean with expansive views from Cape Disappointment to the north and Ecola State Park to the south.

This 120-acre park offers paved parking for 21 vehicles; an information station and an ADA accessible boardwalk leading to the beach.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

The Cove Palisades State Park

April 2, 2010 Note: New marina concessionaire selected for Lake Billy Chinook

The Cove Palisades State Park is a year-round recreational destination for the entire family. Located in our high desert region, the weather is sunny and warm in the summer months and chilly but generally mild in the winter. The park is situated among towering cliffs that surround beautiful

Thompson's Mills State Heritage Site

Thompson's Mills is a unique reminder of times past, chronicling the past 150 years of Oregon rural life. It is the oldest water-powered grain mill in the state: its system of waterways, dams, control gates, ditches and dikes has moved water from the Calapooia River to the mill head gates since 1858. A water right that predates statehood produced the water flow that ran the milling machines. Pioneer families came with their grain crops and left with the flour that would keep them through the coming year.

Visitors to the mill today will see antique milling machinery, hand-hewn timbers and mortise and tenon construction. Interpretive exhibits.

Thompson's Mills Interpretive Plan (3.5MB pdf)

Tokatee Klootchman State Natural Site

Tokatee Klootchman sits a few feet above the ocean with an excellent view. A great place to watch for whales.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Tolovana Beach State Recreation Site

After a long day of shopping in Cannon Beach's boutiques, head for the heart of the city: Tolovana Wayside. Just a few steps down from the parking lot, you're on the beach with a spectacular view of Haystack Rock. A short walk down this lovely beach and you'll be at the rock's base. An amazing natural formation, many visitors feel the need for a closer look (but please don't climb!). Enjoy the beauty of the formation, tidepools around the base and abundance of wildlife -- the area is a wildlife refuge.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

TouVelle State Recreation Site

This is a beautiful day-use park located on the bank of the Rogue River and at the foot of the geologically prominent Table Rocks. You can fish, swim, hike, watch wildlife and experience nature at its finest. An ideal spot for family gatherings or group picnics, the site has a large picnic shelter with cooking utilities. There?s a smaller picnic kitchen and three sites with water and electricity. Denman Wildlife Refuge is next to this park and teems with local and migratory wildlife -- a bird viewing paradise. Salmon and steelhead pass through seasonally on treks to and from the ocean. Rainbow trout are stocked by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. A boat ramp with toilet facilities provides excellent access to the river.

Vital stats
$3 ($5 on 01/01/2010) daily day-use fee or buy a 12-month permit for $25 ($30 on 01/01/2010) or a 24-month permit for $40 ($50 on 01/01/2010). These 1- and 2-year permits are good at all state park day-use areas. The picnic shelter fee is $35 ($50 on 05/01/2010) for the first 50 people, then $.80 ($1 on 05/01/2010) per person for more people. Make your reservation by calling 541-582-1118. Call 1-800-551-6949 for more information.

Tryon Creek State Natural Area

Located only minutes from downtown Portland is Oregon's only state park within a major metropolitan area. Every day, visitors come to hike or stroll the nature trails through the verdant ravine between Boones Ferry Road and Terwilliger Boulevard in southwest Portland. Cyclists of all ages bike along the paved trail on the park's eastern edge, stopping along the way to admire a trillium.

Some people visit Tryon Creek just to sit in the Glenn L. Jackson shelter and listen to the chatter of the jays and squirrels. Others, especially people with mobility-related disabilities, come to enjoy the peaceful setting of the fully-accessible Trillium Trail. Tryon Creek is one of the only streams in the metro area with a run of steelhead trout.

The Friends of Tryon Creek State Park operate a nature store, summer youth day camps, school tours, guided nature walks and special events. They can be reached at (503) 636-4398.

There's so much to see and enjoy at the 645-acre park, one visit isn't enough!

Interested in volunteering at the park? Trail host positions are open.

Tub Springs State Wayside

In 1846, a wagon train led by Jesse Applegate traversed southern Oregon along what became known as the Applegate Trail. Tub Springs Wayside is one of the stopping points before you head down the mountain pass into Ashland. Take a moment to stop here amid the towering fir and sense what it was like 150 years ago. Breathe in the fresh mountain air. There's an interpretive panel at the wayside describing the difficulties faced by these pioneers.

The name Tub Springs is derived from the tubs that were installed in the 1930s to provide spring water for travelers. The tubs have been renovated and are still functional today. The same springs that provided early settlers with plentiful fresh water still flow.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Tumalo State Park

Nestled in the heart of sunny central Oregon, Tumalo rests along Oregon's spectacular Deschutes River. The campground is simultaneously close enough to the town of Bend to make an quick jaunt to the grocery store, but far enough away to escape the commotion. Its location makes it an ideal stepping stone for any type of outdoor activity you could possibly dream of: lush green golf courses, clear blue-ribbon trout steams, pristine alpine lakes, miles upon miles of challenging yet scenic hiking and mountain bike trails, and of course the Cascade Mountains are all within easy reach.

Winter recreation is just up the road at Mt. Bachelor where skiers and snowboarders can experience some of the best powder in the state. If you are not fond of the lifts, there are miles of groomed Nordic trails and tons of snowy back-country areas to explore.

At dawn or dusk try casting for rainbow trout as they sip at mayflies and caddisflies. Grab your raft and float with your feet dangling into the cool water during the heat of the summer. Take a hike and explore one of the river trails as they gently wind through canyons created by the untamed river. Watch deer forage for food just as the sun creeps below the rim of the canyon. Listen as coyotes perform their haunting call, announcing the sunset and the coming darkness. Smell the sweet fragrance of sage and juniper as the dew drips off its branches. Sit quietly in the evening and let the stars put on a show of their own. All of this plus a quiet, quaint campground where your family can stay in a yurt, or camp in your own tent or RV.

Ukiah-Dale Forest State Scenic Corridor

Seasonal Closure: The park closes Oct. 19 for the winter.

Ukiah-Dale Forest State Scenic Corridor along Highway 395 follows the North Fork of the John Day River and Camas Creek. Winding through a stately ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and western larch forest the corridor provides a pleasant scenic drive and access to a popular fishing spot. Near Ukiah, amidst old-growth pines and larch, the campground provides a perfect location to stay and relax next to the soothing waters of Camas Creek.

Spring brings an abundance of wildflowers -- including camas, a traditionally important food source for the native Americans. Camas Creek and the John Day river offer anglers excellent fishing for trout, steelhead and salmon.The Bridge Creek Elk Wildlife Area is nearby, providing hunters with plenty of big game hunting opportunities. The surrounding national forest provides an abundance of mushrooms and berries.

Quiet, relaxing and far from the high-speed demands of metropolitan life, Ukiah-Dale can provide you with a wonderfully relaxed feeling. In the nearby town of Ukiah, re-stock your groceries, gasoline or fishing tackle. Take a break and discover this unique hideaway.

Umpqua Lighthouse State Park

Umpqua Lighthouse State Park is located less than a mile from the famous Salmon Harbor on Winchester Bay. The campground and developed day use areas are centered around beautiful Lake Marie. Access to this small freshwater lake is provided for angling and non-motorized boating. There is also a small sandy beach set aside for swimming or just relaxing.

The small overnight campground offers RV and tent campsites, along with two beautiful one-room log cabins. These warm and cozy cabins sleep four comfortably. They also have covered porches which overlook picturesque Lake Marie. Two rustic yurts and six deluxe yurts are also available in the campground (the deluxe yurts feature restrooms, a kitchenette, TV/VCR and beds). Showers and restrooms are centrally located. This beautiful and quiet campground has yet to be discovered by crowds of camping enthusiasts.

The park is centered in the stretch of towering sand dunes protected by the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. These dunes, many of which reach heights of 500 feet or more, are ideal for the off-road enthusiast, or for the person who enjoys the magnificent wonders of nature. For more information about the dunes and the recreational opportunities offered, contact the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area visitor center in nearby Reedsport or call (541) 271-3611.

The Umpqua River Lighthouse towers above the entrance to Winchester Bay. The 65-foot tower contains a distinctive lens which emits a red and white flash. The lighthouse and adjacent museum are operated and maintained by the Douglas County Parks Department. Tours are offered May 1 through September 30

Umpqua State Scenic Corridor

This small park contains a couple of picnic tables, a vault-style restroom and a short boat ramp leading into the Umpqua River. There's a small amount of room for trailer parking, but the parking lot is better suited to passenger vehicles.

Vital stats
There's no drinking water at the site. There's no fee to use this park. For more information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Unity Forest State Scenic Corridor

Unity Forest State Scenic Corridor is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Elk, mule deer, antelope, cougar, bobcat and black bear can be seen along this stretch. The forest is heavily treed with ponderosa pine.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Unity Lake State Recreation Site

Seasonal Campground Closure: The campground closes Oct. 31 for the winter.

The high desert surroundings of this park offer a unique experience to its guests. The fragrant smell of juniper lingers in the air and thrills the senses. The cool grass of the park is a vibrant contrast to the sagebrush and cheatgrass of the bordering lands. The Burnt River comes to rest behind the Unity Dam before continuing its path down the valley. Relax on the shores or enjoy water sports. There's a boat ramp to accommodate the water skier as well as the angler. A peacefulness will engulf you at Unity Lake State Recreation Area whatever you choose to do.

Reservoir water level graph

Valley of the Rogue State Park

A pleasant green oasis awaits you in southern Oregon's Rogue Valley. Valley of the Rogue Park has both a day-use picnic area and an overnight campground along three miles of shoreline on the Rogue River. A meeting hall is available for groups. An easy, self-guided interpretive walking trail provides a relaxing 1.25 mile stroll along the river's edge.

Camp and play along the river made famous by novelist and avid fisherman Zane Grey. The campground is also a great place to stay while taking in the local culture, history, and recreation opportunities in the area. Stay with us while you take trips to Crater Lake National Park, the Oregon Caves National Monument, historic Jacksonville, Ashland's Shakespeare Festival, or the Britt Music Festival. The park is ideally located to give you all of this, plus friendly local shops, museums, and sights of interest. We are open all year and have Discovery Rates from October 1st through April 30th. The Rogue Valley awaits your arrival!

Viento State Park

Campground opens March 12, 2010

Appropriately enough for a park in the blustery Columbia River Gorge, the park's name, pronounced vee-EN-toe, is Spanish for wind. Just an odd coincidence, actually. In this case, the Viento comes from the first letters of three railroad tycoons - Villard, Endicott, and Tollman -who put the first railroad in the area.

Where a railroad station once stood is now the home of one of the Gorge's best kept secrets: Viento is a great place to camp! With modern campsites, Viento almost always has a spot available when other campgrounds in the area are full. No reservations are accepted; camping is first-come, first-served. On weekends in the summer, rangers provide interpretive programs. A fully-accessible restroom is located here.

Viento is next to a working railroad line and crossing. Visitors and campers can expect to hear train horns throughout the day and night. Interstate 84 also borders the park. Please call the park office at (541) 374-8811, for more information.

Viento has a day-use area with easy access to the Columbia River and some of the best windsurfing in the Gorge. There's a great picnic area right next to a wonderful, babbling creek - just right for skimming stones and soaking sore feet.

A one-mile, fully handicapped accessible trail from Viento to the Starvation Creek waterfall takes you along a section of the Historic Columbia River Highway. Now a hiking trail, there hasn't been auto traffic here in more than 50 years. If you get a chance to visit, imagine an old Ford Model T twisting around the corners!

Vinzenz Lausmann Memorial State Natural Area

The family of Vinzenz Lausmann gave 126 acres of rugged scenic land to the State of Oregon in his memory. This park adjoins two other state parks tract near Mitchell Point located about 5 miles west of Hood River on Interstate 84. A plaque honoring Mr. Lausmann is at the foot of the park, where a trail leads the visitor up the steep faces of fir, alder and maple which define the Columbia River Gorge in this area. The views of the Gorge from this trail are spectacular.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

W. B. Nelson State Recreation Site

W.B. Nelson provides a small freshwater lake and fishing dock. Bass and stocked pan-sized trout are the most common fish. The area is known for abundant waterfowl. Adjacent to the Alsea River, there"s a scenic wetland area. A free fishing day is held every year in May.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Wallowa Lake Highway Forest State Scenic Corridor

This day-use site is located along the Wallowa River and is a popular fishing and wildlife viewing area. Steelhead fishing is good during the spring and fall. The canyon rises steeply on both sides of the road and is frequented by deer, elk and bear. The slopes of the canyon are forested primarily with pine. Flowers are abundant in the spring. The Wallowa River is clear, cold and popular with fly fishing enthusiasts because it can be waded in many locations.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Wallowa Lake State Park

If you're interested in a campground surrounded on three sides by 9,000' tall snow-capped mountains and a large, clear lake, this is the area for you. The lake is a popular fishing and boating site. Around the Wallowa Lake area, you can enjoy hiking wilderness trails, horseback riding, bumper boats, canoeing, miniature golf or ride a tramway to the top of one of the mountains (a rise of 4,000'). Wildlife is abundant in the area (check out our

Wallowa River Rest Area

This rest area is located in a canyon alongside the Wallowa River. Fishing is the activity of choice in the clear, cool medium-sized river. There is abundant wildlife on the pine and fir tree-laden slopes above the river. Flowers are abundant in the spring and add to the beauty of the river as it rushes ever downward.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call (800) 551-6949.

Washburne State Wayside

Resting on the border between Lane and Benton Counties, this wayside makes a great picnic spot (especially if you've decided to travel through the Willamette Valley along Hwy 99W instead of the interstate). This is a well-shaded park thanks to the Douglas fir trees.

Several interpretive signs relate the story of the Applegate Trail, a historic route that stretched through Oregon from the south. A nature trail takes you through grove.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Whale Watching Center

Located along the seawall in Depoe Bay, the Whale Watching Center is dedicated to sharing information about whales. The center is home to the Whale Watching Spoken Here program, which sponsors the winter and spring break whale watching weeks. Gray whales migrate past the Oregon Coast on their way to and from the waters off Alaska and Mexico.

The center includes exhibits on the history and behaviors of whales and a free theater showing whale movies.

White River Falls State Park

Opens March 19, 2010

One of Oregon's secret hideaways is located just east of Tygh Valley along Highway 216. The White River plunges 90' over a basalt shelf. The park offers excellent viewpoints of the White River falls. A rugged quarter-mile trail takes hikers down deep within the canyon to the historic hydroelectric power plant at the base of the raw, churning power of the falls. The power plant supplied electricity to Wasco and Sherman Counties from 1910 until the completion of The Dalles Dam in 1960.

The park is a popular picnicking, hiking and fishing retreat for visitors to the Deschutes River corridor. Opening early each spring when the desert flowers are in bloom and closing after the leaves turn in the fall, this park offers all of the intrigue of history since time began. The chasm of the falls tells a geological story of violence and power; the old grist pond tells the story of people learning to use that power. The hydroelectric plant at the bottom tells the story of human ingenuity and persistence as we turned the Pacific Northwest's abundant natural energy into electricity.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Willamette Mission State Park

Willamette Mission is one of the most significant and beautiful historic sites in the Willamette Valley. The park occupies land where the first mission for American Indians was founded in 1834 by the Reverend Jason Lee. Members of the Methodist Mission were later active in the formation of Oregon government. A monument is located in the park providing information on this settlement. The original mission buildings are represented by framed outlines called ghost structures. A landing for the Wheatland Ferry -- the first to carry the covered wagon across the Willamette River in 1844 -- is in the park.

The park offers many daytime opportunities for boaters, anglers and other users. Some of Willamette Mission's 1,680 acres hold filbert and walnut orchards. The nation's largest black cottonwood is in the park (it's older than the U.S. -- it's been around for over 250 years). There are grassy meadows surrounded by an array of flowers, plants, and trees. For those that enjoy water, there's Mission Lake and the Willamette River.

Willamette Mission State Park is perfect for your next picnic! The excellent picnic facilities are reservable for large groups. There are picnic shelters, electricity, restrooms, water faucets, picnic tables, fire rings, sunny areas and trees for shade, plus ample room for parking. You can even rent a large, 4' x 3' charcoal briquet barbecue at the park.

The park also has areas set aside for volleyball, horse shoes, softball and soccer. Eight miles of trails run along the Willamette River, with an incredible amount of native birds, plants and wildlife [there's even a

Willamette Stone State Heritage Site

With the exception of portions of the eastern United States and Texas, the United States is divided into a grid of six-mile squares called Townships and Ranges, commonly known as the rectangular survey system. The Willamette Meridian is one of 37 Principal Meridians in the United States, each of which is named, that define the rectangular survey system.

The Willamette Stone is the "Initial Point" or Point of Beginning of the Willamette Meridian. All land surveys and property descriptions in Oregon and Washington are referenced to this point. Established in 1851 under the direction of John B. Preston, the first Surveyor General of the Oregon Territory, the surveys completed from this location promoted settlement of the Northwest and began the transfer of land from government ownership to private ownership.

After a short walk down a hill in the park, you can see, touch and read about this important marker.

Vital stats
Historical markers and signs. A 500' paved trail leading down a moderately steep hill to a bench and viewpoint (there is a short flight of stairs leading from the trail to the Willamette Stone itself). No other facilities. No fee. For more information, call 1-800-551-6949.

William M. Tugman State Park

Despite its close proximity to Highway 101, Tugman State Park is relatively unknown -- a private hideaway on the wondrous south coast. Situated on Eel Lake near the community of Lakeside, Tugman offers 94 campsites with electric/water hookups tucked away in a mature stand of shore pines. The day-use area has a restroom and gazebo-style shelter surrounded by broad green lawns.

There's plenty of space for large and small groups to enjoy themselves. The waters of Eel Lake are outstanding for fishing, swimming, canoeing, sailing and boating. A trail around the south end of the lake allows hikers to get away from the developed area of the park and explore the lakes many inlets. Maybe you'll catch glimpses of osprey, crane, eagle, deer and other forest creatures as you walk through forests of spruce, cedar, fir, and alder.

The famous Oregon Dunes Recreation area is less than a mile away. Tugman is centrally located for visitors wishing to explore the Oregon coast from Reedsport to Coos Bay.

Eel Lake is brimming with fishing opportunities. The brush-lined shore, steep drop-off and underwater structure makes it the perfect lake for a bass boat and bass fishing. The lake has a good population of largemouth bass (some running up to five pounds), and other fish species include crappie, rainbow trout (which are stocked), steelhead, and coho salmon. All coho, even those under 15 inches must be released. There is a fully-accessible fishing dock at the day use area near the boat ramp. Trout and bass are often caught from the dock.

Winchuck State Recreation Site

Winchuck provides parking area and access to the Winchuck River and ocean beach for fishing, exploring, clamming, strolling, photographing seascapes and observing marine life.

There is a multi-agency effort to restore a 1.2-acre estuary at the mouth of the Winchuck River. The estuary was carved from an upland portion of the 6.8-acre Winchuck State Recreation Site.

Besides benefiting many aquatic species with an enhanced habitat, the project will improve the Winchuck site by opening a larger area of the beach and improving viewpoints. Trail improvements and more landscaping are planned as soon as weather permits.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Wolf Creek Inn State Heritage Site

Visit Wolf Creek Inn for online reservations, room rates, restaurant hours and menus, or call (541) 866-2474.

Imagine yourself as a traveler along a section of the Applegate Trail in the late 1800s. You have just arrived by stage coach at the Wolf Creek Inn. This is a long-sought-after refuge from a not-so-comfortable portage over mountains and across valleys. After paying 75 cents for a room, bath, and meals, you're ready to relax. You sit down to a good meal and some easy conversation with the innkeepers. Afterward, the men sidle off to the tap room for some quaffs of beer while the ladies adjourn to the parlor. The conversation drifts from tales of inspirational beauty to frightful experiences of the trail.

The rooms are no longer 75 cents, but the refuge is still here preserved in its original state. Take a step back in time and visit the inn, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. In front of the tavern, you'll find interpretive panels depicting life on the Applegate Trail. The inn still provides lodging and meals to the weary traveler.

The inn was built around 1883 for Henry Smith, a local merchant-entrepreneur. Wolf Creek Tavern, as it was known then, was exceptionally well crafted by local sawyers. It served local traffic to mines and stage travelers connecting between Roseburg and Redding prior to the completion of the Oregon and California railroad through the Siskiyou Mountains in 1887.

Wolf Creek Inn is the oldest continuously operated hotel in the Pacific Northwest. It is here that Jack London completed his novel Valley Of The Moon. As an important stop on the 16 day stagecoach journey from San Francisco to Portland, the Wolf Creek Inn has housed practically every important person found in the Northwest during the early history of Oregon.

Back in the early days of movies, the Inn became a refuge for beleaguered actors seeking an escape from demanding Hollywood studios. Clark Gable was a good friend of the innkeeper in the 1930s and stopped by several times while fishing the Rogue River just a few miles west of the Inn. Other visitors that have signed the guest register include Carol Lombard and Orson Wells.

Between 1975 and 1979, the Inn was acquired by the State of Oregon and restored. Wolf Creek Tavern is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is among the best preserved and oldest active travelers inns in Oregon.

Wygant State Natural Area

The Wygant trail -- six miles west of Hood River -- was a gift to Oregon honoring the memory of the Wygant family. This park adjoins two other state parks near Mitchell Point 5 miles west of Hood River on Interstate 84. A trail strikes through the park in a dense, hilly wilderness area that was once the old Oregon Trail and later the Historic Columbia River Highway. The first mile of this trail is on pavement that hasn't had an automobile on it for 50 years (it still has the yellow divider stripe). As it moves into the wilderness, Wygant trail penetrates a dense forest hillside along a gurgling creek. It is an ideal spot for backpackers who are looking for a little solitude.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Site

South of Yachats, the road makes a one-mile loop, exposing one of the most scenic viewpoints on the coast: the Yachats Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Park along the loop and enjoy access to the beach, tidepools, blowholes, summer sunsets and whale watching.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Yachats State Recreation Area

In the heart of Yachats, turn west on 2nd Street. The road makes a small loop, offering a serene view of the Yachats river as it meets the Pacific Ocean. Park and see the wild waves and gray whale migration. Rock and salmon fishing and tidepools bring people back to this park again and again. Plenty of resting benches and picnic tables.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.

Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site

Yaquina Bay State Park is located in Newport at the north end of Yaquina Bay near its outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The bluff is forested with spruce and pine, but the real star is the historic lighthouse. The lighthouse -- later used as a Coast Guard Lifeboat Station -- has been restored and is open to the public. Attractions nearby include the historic Newport bayfront, Hatfield Marine Science Center and the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

Vital stats
There is no fee to use this park. For information, call 1-800-551-6949.