By JAMIE HALE/The Oregonian/OregonLive
Visiting Oregon’s state parks is about to get a little more expensive — again.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, staring down a looming budget shortfall to the tune of roughly $30 million, has announced it will once again implement new fees to help fund the state park system.
The plan involves increased camping fees across the state, and new parking fees at 21 state park sites that previously did not charge for parking. The new parking fees will go into effect Oct. 1, while the camping fees will begin next May, the agency said.
The news comes less than a year after the department approved its first significant fee increases in years, bringing parking fees up from $5 to $10 and increasing the cost of booking campsites and cabins throughout the state. At the same time, park officials gave the state park director broader authority to determine where and when those fees are charged.
Director Lisa Sumption is now exercising that new authority.
Until now, only 25 of Oregon’s 225 state park sites charged a parking fee, but as of Oct. 1 that number will increase to 46. Among the additional 21 sites are some of the busiest state park destinations, including Beverly Beach and South Beach state parks in Lincoln County.
Oregon residents will pay $10 per vehicle per day to park at those parks, while nonresidents will pay $12. Annual parking passes offer a discount for those who plan to visit a few state parks throughout the year, costing $30 for one year and $50 for two years.
A seasonal increase in tent and RV camping fees will affect only the state’s 29 busiest campgrounds, the parks department said, but will disproportionally affect parks on the Oregon coast. Every state park campground on the coast will see fee increases starting next year.
Tent and RV campers will see their top rates increase to $29 and $52 per night, respectively, although those rates will be in effect only during the busy season from May 1 through Sept. 30. Camping rates vary by location and season, but currently range from $20 to $42 nightly.
People booking cabins and yurts at any state park will also pay higher prices year-round, with top rates ranging from $79 per night for rustic yurts to $129 per night for deluxe cabins and yurts, the parks department said. Those rates currently range from $75 to $120 per night.
Nonresidents pay an additional 25 percent surcharge for all campground reservations, following a rule change implemented earlier this year.
Fees for overnight parking, overflow camping and primitive camping will increase from about $10 to at least $15 per night. Boat moorage fees will also increase from $15 to $20.
Sumption said the additional revenue generated by the fees is meant to help mitigate the hole in the budget. It is one of several strategies the department is undertaking to become more financially resilient, which include additional concessions and bringing private partners into parks for new recreational opportunities.
“We’ve always tried to do everything we can to be as nimble as we can, to keep moving and keep surviving,” Sumption said in July. “We’re now saying we need to do something, we need to do some bold changes quickly and think more about the future financial stability.”
- Jamie Hale is a travel and outdoors reporter at The Oregonian/OregonLive and can be reached at JHale@Oregonian.com
