Each of the parks in Oregon offers a unique place where both Oregon residents and visitors can relax, hike, camp, picnic, play, and more in the great outdoors. From the Cascades to the coast and from fertile valley to arid desert, every corner of the state features sprawling areas of day-use, well-maintained campgrounds, and extensive trail networks.
Beverly Beach State Park
The Beverly Beach State Park is a popular park in the state of Oregon. A walkway travels beneath a highway and the emerges onto an expansive stretch of sandy beach that extends from Yaquina head all the way to the Otter Rock headlands. Kites can be seen flying in the wind when the weather is good. Surfing is popular at the north beach. The Beverly Beach State Park includes a picnic area, playground for children, a forest-sheltered campground, and a sandy beach. The Visitors Information Center provides information about the area, as well as sells some souvenirs and firewood.
198 NE 123rd St, Newport, OR 97365, Phone: 541-265-9278
Bullards Beach State Park
The Bullards Beach State Park is a family-oriented, large state park located about two miles from Bandon, Oregon. Its campground is situated within shore pines protected from the strong breezes coming off the ocean. The park features campsites on three different loops, each of which contain at least electrical and water hook-ups. There are also thirteen Yurts available in Bullards Beach State Park, with six of them being pet-friendly. The park’s horse camp includes access to the dunes and the beach for equestrian campers. In addition to camping, the park offers opportunities for crabbing, fishing, biking, and hiking.
Bandon, OR 97411, Phone: 541-347-22090
Cape Lookout State Park
The Cape Lookout State Park is located around an hour and thirty minutes to the west from the city of Portland, Oregon. Visitors headed to the park will find great fishing, scenic views, and waterfalls along the Wilson River pass. Cape Lookout, a popular day-use area and campground, is situated between the Pacific Ocean and Netarts Bay on a sand spit, offering spectacular ocean views and beach access. One of the most popular activities at Cape Lookout State Park is beachcombing. Over eight miles of walking and hiking trails meander through the park’s old-growth forest.
13000 Whiskey Creek Rd, Tillamook, OR 97141, Phone: 503-842-4981
Champoeg State Park
The Champoeg State Park boasts a unique collection of recreation, nature, and history and is the spot where the first provisional government of Oregon was created in the year 1843 by a historical vote. Visitors can tour the Pioneer Mothers Log Cabin museum as a way to see what pioneer life was like at Champoeg, as well as explore the Newell House and visitor center. Behind the park’s visitor center is an 1860’s style garden. Located on the Willamette River, the Champoeg State Park features a scenic setting with acres of wetlands, fields, and forest recreating a bygone era’s landscape.
8239 Champoeg Rd NE, St Paul, OR 97137, Phone: 503-678-1251
Cottonwood Canyon State Park
The more than 8,000-acre Cottonwood Canyon State Park is a vast and rugged park, from rocky, arid grasslands and deep-side canyons extending in all directions for miles to the vertical cliffs carved out by the area’s John Day River. Activities possible in the park include hiking, fishing, boating, camping, and horseback riding. The Lost Corral trail and the Pinnacles Trail are both 4.3 miles and travel downstream along either side of the scenic John Day River. The Pinnacles Trail starts at the campground, while the Lost Corral Trail starts at JS Burres. The Hard Stone Trail is 1.5 miles.
99989 OR-206, Wasco, OR 97065, Phone: 541-394-0002
Crater Lake
Crater Lake National Park is a park that inspires awe in many people who visit. Native American saw the formation of the lake more than 7,700 years ago with a tall peak collapsed as a result of a violent eruption.
Scientists often marvel at the purity of Crater Lake, fed by snow and rain. This lake is considered to possibly be the world’s most pristine lake, as well as one of the most beautiful, and is also the country’s deepest lake at approximately 1,943 feet deep. Cliffs surround Crater Lake, set atop the scenic Cascade Mountain Range.
Fort Stevens State Park
The Fort Stevens State Park at one time was the Harbor Defense System’s primary military defense site, located at mouth of the region’s Columbia River. Fort Stevens is now a state park encompassing around 4,300 acres, offering recreational activities, nature exploration, and history. The history military fort, historic shipwreck, wildlife viewing, hiking and biking trails, a freshwater lake for swimming, beachcombing, and camping all make Fort Stevens State Park a diverse park in Oregon. Coffenbury Lake offers a boat ramp, picnic area, two swimming areas, and restrooms, while two smaller lakes provide opportunities for canoeing and fishing.
100 Peter Iredale Rd, Hammond, OR 97121, Phone: 503-861-3170
Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver is situated along the Columbia River’s northern bank, within sight of a dynamic urban landscape and the nearby snowy mountain peaks, and boasting a rich history of culture, home to stories of community, conflict, settlement, and transition. The Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is made up of four different sites that visitors are able to explore: The McLoughlin House, the Pearson Air Museum, the Vancouver Barracks of the United States Army, and the reconstruction of Fort Vancouver of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The Visitor Center houses hands-on, creative exhibits that bring the stories and sites together.
612 E Reserve St, Vancouver , WA 98661, Phone: 360-816-6230
Harris Beach State Park
The Harris Beach State Park is named after George Harris, a Scottish pioneer who settled in the area during the latter part of the 1880’s to raise cattle and sheep. This park is home to Oregon coast’s largest island: Bird Island, or also known as Goat Island. The island is a breeding site for rare species of birds, including the tufted puffin, and is an established National Wildlife Sanctuary. Harris Beach State Park also includes sandy beaches with occasional rock outcroppings that harbor tide pools with a broad array of life, while sea stacks can be seen dotting the ocean offshore.
US 101, Brookings, OR 97415, Phone: 541-469-2021
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park
The Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park is a beautiful and versatile state park on the coast of Oregon, around three miles from Florence, Oregon. The park is home to the second largest campground of Oregon’s state parks, providing over 350 campsites. Honeyman Memorial State Park also includes sand dunes, trails for hiking, and two freshwater natural lakes. Woahink Lake offers a boat ramp for the public, while Cleawox is a good lake for swimming. Visitors can rent canoes to explore the lakes more. Many family reunions take place in the summer, while blackberries and huckleberries are ripe for picking during the fall.
84505 Highway 101, Florence, OR 97439, Phone: 541-997-3851
John Day Fossil Beds
The John Day Fossil Beds are home to a variety of colorful rock formations, preserving a world-class record number of animal and plant evolution, past ecosystems, and changes in climate that span across more than forty million years. A working lab and exhibits at the park’s Thomas Condon Paleontology and Visitor Center, along with the scenic hikes and drives at each of the park’s three units let guests view science in action and explore the state of Oregon’s prehistoric past. The John Day Fossil Beds consists of the Sheep Rock Unit, the Painted Hills Unit, and the Clarno Unit.
L.L. Stub Stewart State Park
The L.L. Stub Stewart State Park is located only thirty-four miles away from the city of Portland, Oregon, offering an amazing backyard of adventure. Equestrians, cyclists, hikers, and campers can spend days exploring the 1,800 acres of the state park’s wildflowers, gleaming streams, forest glades, and rolling hills, all of which are criss-crossed by the more than 25-mile trail network. The park’s multi-use trails, along with six miles of free-ride mountain biking and cross-country trails, vary from easy to challenging, and allow visitors to immerse themselves in the great scenery, along with chances to view various wildlife.
30380 Oregon 47, Buxton, OR 97109, Phone: 503-324-0606
LaPine State Park
LaPine State Park lets visitors immerse themselves within a subalpine forest with high-Cascade crisp air. The park features a quiet and clean campground situated along the winding Upper Deschutes River, which is full of trout and features a legendary spot for fly fishing nearby. During the summer, popular recreational activities in the LaPine State Park include floating, fishing, mountain biking, and hiking. Miles of wilderness can be explored throughout the park, as well as dozens of lakes high in the mountains. Ten cabins are also available for rent, five of which have private bathrooms.
15800 State Recreation Rd, La Pine, OR 97739, Phone: 541-536-2428
Lewis and Clark
The Lewis and Clark National Historical Park provides an opportunity to explore grand coastal vistas and timeless rainforests, in addition to discover the rich heritage of the region’s native people. The historical park shares the dramatic and interesting stories of two of the most famous explorers in America, encompassing sites along the Pacific Coast and the Columbia River. The park includes about fourteen and a half miles of trails. These trails follow similar routes as the ones taken in the past by the Corps of Discovery. A Fort Clatsop replica can be seen at the visitor center.
92343 Fort Clatsop Rd, Astoria, OR 97103, Phone: 503-861-2471
Milo McIver State Park, Oregon
The Milo McIver State Park is located on the banks of the Clackamas River and just forty-five minutes away from the city of Portland. The park offers an array of recreational activities, with the possibility of spending a day or many days exploring one of the state’s lesser known gems. Those who love time on the Clackamas River on kayaks, canoes, or rafts. Anglers can use the fishing dock or boat ramp at Estacada Lake for some fishing, or the Chinook and Steelhead runs on the river. Visitors can also take a self-guided tours of the Clackamas Fish Hatchery.
24101 S. Entrance Rd, Estacada, OR 97023, Phone: 503-630-7150
Nehalem Bay State Park
The Nehalem Bay State Park is set between the bay and the Pacific Ocean on a sand spit measuring four miles in length, featuring two day-use area that are great for entire families and a campground. A 1.8-mile forested bike path offers spectacular views out over the water. The campground borders the rolling dunes by the beach and is located among shore pines. Visitors can relax with the ocean sounds, fly kites, and build sand castles on the beach, while beachcombing for glass floats, shells, and agates is a popular activities at Nehalem Bay State Park as well.
34600 Gary St, Nehalem, OR 97131, Phone: 503-368-5154
Nez Perce
The Nez Perce National Historical Park preserves the plateaus, mountains, prairies, and valleys that for thousand of year have been the home of the Nez Perce people. An extremely resilient people, they have adapted to the settling of the country, and this park gives visitors a chance to learn their stories and explore the places they have called home. The park is made up of thirty-eight different sites, spread out over a large portion of the Nez Perce’s traditional homeland in what is now Oregon, Montana, Washington, and Idaho. The main visitor center is located in Spalding, Idaho.
Oregon Caves
The Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve is home to twisting, dark passages awaiting discovery deep within the area’s Siskiyou Mountains. There are a variety of tours offered at the park for visitors of all ages, providing an opportunity to explore the mountain, get an idea of what caving is about, and discover fascinating sites. The Discover Cave Tour takes guests on a ranger-guided exploration of glistening flowstones, a marble passageway labyrinth, and a massive room located 220 feet below the earth’s surface. There is also a cave tour specifically designed for children and families. Both last around ninety minutes.
19000 Caves Hwy, Cave Junction, OR 97523, Phone: 541-592-2100
Oregon State Capitol State Park
The Oregon State Capitol State Park features cherry plants and other types of plants favored by the residents of Oregon, but also shares a bit of the state’s history. Stone plaques have been placed in the sidewalks of the mall, listing the establishment date and county seat for each of the counties in the state of Oregon. The grounds of the park include three different fountains: the Capitol Fountain at the Capitol Mall’s north end, the Wall of Water across from the main entrance of the capitol, and the Waite Fountain in Willson Park to the capitol building’s west.
155 Waverly St NE, Salem, OR 97310, Phone: 800-551-6949
Shore Acres State Park
The Shore Acres State Park is an unexpected and exciting combination of beautiful constructed and natural features, perched atop sandstone cliffs towering above the Pacific Ocean. Formerly the estate of Louis Simpson, a pioneer timber baron, Shore Acres State Park boasts lushly planted gardens that include flowers and other plants from throughout the world. The gardens feature something in bloom nearly every day during the entire year. Visitors can find a formal garden, two rose gardens, and a Japanese-style garden featuring a lily pond in the landscaped area of the park. Colored lights take over the gardens during the holiday season.
89428 Cape Arago Hwy, Coos Bay, OR 97420, Phone: 541-888-3732
Silver Falls State Park, Oregon
The Silver Falls State Park is sometimes referred to as “the crown jewel” of the state parks system of Oregon. It’s a bit of a standout among scenic treasures with historic presence, boundless recreational opportunities, and natural beauty. Nestled within the Cascade Mountains foothills, not even an hour away from the state capital, the 9,200-acre park is the largest of Oregon’s state park and one of its most popular. The Trail of Ten Falls, a nationally recognized and spectacularly scenic hiking trail, meanders through dense forests, passing by a number of stunning waterfalls. There are several picnic areas as well.
20024 Silver Falls Hwy SE, Sublimity, OR 97385, Phone: 503-873-8681
South Beach State Park
The South Beach State Park starts in Newport near the Yaquina Bay Bridge, then stretches many miles down the coast of Oregon. The historic park provides an array of opportunities for recreation, including an ideal place to ride a bike or jog on the jetty trail. Visitors can rent bikes at from the Hospitality Center during summer. The equestrian trail leading to the beach starts at the South Jetty trailhead. The South Beach State Park also contains a nine-hole disc golf course, horseshoe pits, and a children’s playground area. Junior Ranger activities, guided hikes, and interpretive programs are offered as well in the summer.
5580 SW Coast Hwy, Newport, OR 97366, Phone: 541-867-4715
The Cove Palisades State Park
The Cove Palisades State Park is considered to be an ideal recreational destination for the whole family. The park is nestled among towering cliffs surrounding the scenic Lake Billy Chinook and includes a variety of recreational water activities, fishing, The Cove Palisades Resort and Marina, rental services, a restaurant, a store, and a full-service campground. Deluxe cabins are also available on the lakeshore. The Cove Palisades State Park also boasts almost ten miles of trails for hiking that provide access to areas with splendid scenery and wildlife viewing. Kayak tours are also offered at The Cove Palisades State Park.
7300 SW Jordan Rd, Culver, OR 97734, Phone: 541-546-3412
Tryon Creek State Natural Area
The Tryon Creek State Natural Area is an oasis within the bustling city of Portland, Oregon and is the only state park in Oregon located inside of a major metropolitan area. The park includes eight miles of trails for hiking, three and a half miles of equestrian trails, a paved three-mile bicycle trail, a wetland boardwalk, eight bridges, the Glenn Jackson Shelter, and a Nature Center with a store and interpretive exhibits. Special events, school field trips, a Junior Ranger program, summer day camp, and guided hikes are offered at various time throughout the year as well.
11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd, Portland, OR 97219
Wallowa Lake State Park
The Wallowa Lake State Park offers visitors with a variety of activities for the entire family to enjoy. The campground in the park is surrounded by snow-capped mountains on three sides, as well as a large picturesque lake. Just outside of the park area are the Wallowa Lake trailhead, miniature golf, canoeing, go-karts, horseback riding, and a tramway that takes passengers to the summit of Mount Howard. Wallowa Lake also acts as a gateway to the continent’s deepest gorge, Hells Canyon. An artist community and gift shops can also be found near the Wallowa Lake State Park.
Joseph, OR 97846, Phone: 541-432-4185
