Oregon State Parks plan sweeping fee increases, jacking up prices on out-of-state visitors (2024)

The price to camp and explore Oregon’s state parks could go up, sometimes in significant ways and particularly for out-of-state visitors, across the next handful of years.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is proposing sweeping fee increases that include new parking fees, increased campsite cost and charging upward of $129 for a deluxe yurt.

Anyone from out of state would see an extra 25% increase on tent campsites, yurts or cabins.

The increases are part of the agency’s plan to balance its books amid rising inflation, materials and labor costs.

"We’ve tried to keep our rates and fees low as long as we could, but they do not cover the full cost of operating the park system," OPRD Director Lisa Sumption said. OPRD oversees 250 parks and over 50 campgrounds all without taxpayer funding, Sumption stressed.

The fee increases, which must be approved by the OPRD Commission and Oregon Legislature, would be phased in across multiple years starting in 2026.

"Creating these fee ranges gives us the flexibility to make incremental changes over time instead of large increases all at once," Sumption said. "This will help us keep pace with the rising costs of utilities, operations and maintenance so people can continue to visit their favorite state parks and expect the same level of excellent service they’re used to."

Bottom line, officials said, the parks need to produce more revenue.

Public comment, meetings for Oregon State Parks fee increases

OPRD is taking public comment on the rates now through the end of August. Public comment can be emailed to OPRD.Publiccomment@oprd.oregon.gov or submitted at bit.ly/3LRwQRc.

Hearings where people can provide comment are set for the following dates:

Cost of day-use parking at Oregon State Parks would go up, more sites with parking fees

Currently, 25 Oregon State Parks require a day-use parking fee of $5 per vehicle.

Under the plan, fees would increase to between $7-$15. The more popular sites would cost more, while the less visited sites would be on the lower end of the scale.

In addition, Sumption would have the ability to increase the number of parks with day-use fees.

“It’s not something we’d do just because we can,” said Chris Havel, parks spokesman and associate director. “We’d go through a process of asking ourselves whether there are features at the park that justify the fee. We’d consider congestion, access and the public’s reaction.”

A yearly day-use pass would increase to $40-$60, up from $30, while a 24-month permit would jump from $50 to $60-$80.

Flexible fees increase for campsites, yurts and cabins at Oregon State Parks

Oregon State Parks plan sweeping fee increases, jacking up prices on out-of-state visitors (1)

Oregon state park campsites aren’t one flat fee — they’re a range of prices from $17-$22 for tents to $26-$40 for a full-hookup RV site. The most popular campsites are at the top end of the range, while less popular sites are at the lower end.

OPRD is proposing to increase the range to $21-$29 for tents and $33-$52 for a full hookup RV site.

The last time the fee range was updated was 2018.

The more striking fee increase are for the nicer yurts and cabins. Rustic yurts and cabins would cost $52-$72 per night after the increase, while deluxe yurts and cabins, which usually have showers and amenities, would reach $86-$129.

Havel said the uptick in cost for cabin and yurt rentals was due to the fact they cost more to maintain, especially for materials. And because “they’re more capable of generating revenue that we need to keep the park system open.”

Jacking up prices on out-of-state visitors

Fee increases will hit out-of-state visitors hardest with an extra 25% charge for a tent campsite, cabin or yurt.

Out of state visitors already pay an extra 25% for RV sites, so those sites will not see an additional uptick.

The range for out-of-state visitors would be $26-$36 per night for a tent campsite, $41-$65 for a full hookup RV site, $65-$90 for a yurt and $107-$161 for a deluxe yurt.

“We have a deep affection for our out-of-state visitors and yes we are worried about alienating them, but we’ve been directed by the Commission to look for anything that can produce revenue and keep the park system open,” Havel said.

Public response to fee increases at Oregon State Parks

Increased fees are never particularly popular, and that’s reflected in the public comments so far submitted. But there’s also a surprising amount of support for the fee increases, often coupled with support for increasing fees on out-of-state visitors.

There are also lots of comments in favor of penalties for people that book a campsite and “no-show.”

All public comments can be found at bit.ly/3LRwQRc.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 16 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon State Parks plan fee increase for out-of-state visitors