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What activities can visitors enjoy in Oregon's parks?
- 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.
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What types of landscapes can be found in Oregon's parks?
- 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.
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1. Beverly Beach State Park
Camp near the coast and walk along the sand on a family weekend.
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
2. Bullards Beach State Park
Bike forest trails and see the lighthouse on an easy trip.
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
3. Cape Lookout State Park
Hike to stunning views and enjoy whale watching on a spring adventure.
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
4. Champoeg State Park
Explore historic grounds and bike riverside trails on an affordable outing.
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
5. Cottonwood Canyon State Park
Discover rugged canyons and spot wildlife on an unusual trip.
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
6. Crater Lake
Admire deep blue water and hike rim trails on a breathtaking summer trip.
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.
7. Fort Stevens State Park
Explore military ruins and walk the beach on a kids-friendly adventure.
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
8. Fort Vancouver
Visit historic buildings and watch blacksmith demos on a quick educational trip.
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
9. Harris Beach State Park
Savor ocean views and explore tidepools on a romantic coastal weekend.
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
10. Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park
Slide down dunes and paddle lakes on an exciting family trip.
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
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