Oregon State Parks Camping Reservations

Yurts And Cabins Reopen At Oregon Coast State Parks

UPDATE at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 26

Yurts and cabins are beginning to take reservations for yurts and cabins at Oregon Coast state parks.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced Thursday it was beginning a gradual opening of the popular way to spend a night near the ocean.

It’s recommended people make reservations well in advance at Reservations America.

Here are the parks reopening yurts and cabins and when they’ll be open.

Beverly Beach, Bullards Beach, Fort Stevens, Harris Beach, Jessie M Honeyman, South Beach, Sunset Bay, Umpqua Lighthouse, and William Tugman

Nehalem Bay

Cape Lookout

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“Not all parks will open their cabins and yurts at the same time, so keep checking back,” the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said in a . “We will make every effort to honor these dates. Thank you for being flexible as we adapt to changes!

For the moment, Reservations will look a little different for cabins and yurts. A minimum of a two-night stay and a resting day in between reservations for thorough cleaning is required.

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ORIGINAL STORY

Ever so slowly, Oregon’s state parks have started reopening a popular way to spend the night in the great outdoors cabins and yurts.

The cozy and heated structures are the most in-demand amenity at parks during winter, providing an appealing alternative to pitching a tent in the rain.

But, it’s a start.

Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area

This remote park in the Blue Mountains between Pendleton and La Grande preserves what was once a stopover for travelers on the Oregon Trail.

Often snowy in the winter, the site features six rustic cabins open for rental.

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Silver Falls State Park

Perhaps the most famous of Oregon’s state parks and certainly the closest to Salem this emerald forest home to 10 giant waterfalls can make a fun family escape in winter.

The park features 14 rentable cabins, although no showers are currently open.

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Or State Parks Camping Reservations

Are OR state parks only accept camping reservations 30 days in advance? I checked several parks on Reserve America site and they all have reservation window of 30 days. Is it because of COVID-19 or am I doing something wrong? At this point I am just dreaming of future trips, nothing in particular in mind, but we were hoping to spend 2-3 weeks camping through OR next year, so I was browsing through trip reports and looking into various campgrounds.

Thanks

Due to COVID-19, campgrounds that are open only have 30 day reservations periods for the foreseeable future. This was on their FAQ website: In the future, they may have longer reservation periods.

Edited: 1 year ago

Got it thanks. I did not see this announcement, but I was just browsing on my phone, so may have missed it

I checked Bastendorf County Park and it looks like there’s no restrictions. Bastendorf is near Charleston, about 1 mile from Sunset Bay State Park. As an example, I had no problem looking at a camp trailer site reservation for 10 days over the 4th of July and it showed vacancies. However, I didn’t go on to check out. This is their website:

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Oregon Parks To Resume Group Camping And Day

Oregon State Parks will begin taking reservations for group camping and day-use areas in select parks starting Thursday.

This is the first reopening of group facilities since they were closed more than a year ago because of revenue shortfalls and reduced staffing caused by COVID-19, according to a state parks news release.

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The online reservation slots will become available between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. Thursday, and a list of which parks are available for group reservations is online at the Oregon State Parks website. The first reservable dates begin in May.

Each area will have a temporarily reduced size limit of 25 visitors in order to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Hiker and biker camping areas also are opening statewide, which are all available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parks in Lane County with opening reservations include:

• Elijah Bristow State Park: three group day-use areas
• Fall Creek State Recreation Site: Fishermans Point group camp area
• Jasper State Recreation Site: four group day-use areas
• Lowell State Recreation Site: day-use picnic shelter area
• Jessie Honeyman State Park: group camping areas A and F, and hiker and bicycler areas
• Carl Washburne State Park: hiker and bicycler camp

Those with questions can call the Oregon State Parks Information Center at 1-800-551-6949, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Here is the full list of parks available for reservations:

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Around Oregon: State Parks Looking For Flexibility In Campground Reservations Fees

Participants in a 2019 “Let’s Go Camping” summer program canoe at Willamette Mission State Park

A standard nine-month window for campground reservations at Oregon state parks could become a thing of the past.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced a proposed rule change Tuesday, which if approved would give the agency more flexibility in deciding both the campground reservation window and the transaction fees charged to campers.

For years, the agency has allowed people to book campsites, cabins and yurts from one day to nine months in advance, but the coronavirus pandemic this year has shaken the foundation of that system.

The unprecedented process of closing all parks and canceling reservations in response to COVID-19 exposed a need for increased flexibility in reservation rules to enable the agency to respond nimbly to changing conditions, the parks department said in a news release Tuesday.

State park campgrounds began to reopen in May, after closing to the public as the pandemic began to spread across Oregon in March. Reservations were initially limited to two weeks in advance, and the window eventually broadened to 30 days.

Parks on the Oregon coast added an additional restriction, barring same-day registration to cut back on crowds circling campgrounds looking for an open site.

Yurts and cabins at all Oregon state parks have remained closed since the spring.

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Dunes Areas From North To South

• South Jetty: South Jetty provides day use access to beach and dunes, with separate areas for OHV and non motorized use.
• Siltcoos: Along the Siltcoos River are traditional campgrounds and easy trails along the river and to the beach. OHV users will find developed and dispersed camping opportunities.
• Oregon Dunes Day Use: Miles from OHV recreation, this area provides exceptional opportunities to explore the dunes on foot.
• Tahkenitch: With easy access off Hwy 101, traditional campgrounds provide lake access for boaters and dune access for hikers only.

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Oregon State Parks Amid Covid

“Right now we’re better staffed to handle the demand that comes with yurts and cabins, at least at our interior parks,” Oregon Parks and Recreation Department spokesman Chris Havel said. “We had to make sure staff had the capacity to keep the park open and handle all the day-to-day duties before we looked at reopening yurts and cabins. It was really when they told us they were ready.”

Oregon’s state parks have seen their finances stabilize somewhat following a $22 million shortfall created by the first COVID-19 shutdown and decline in Oregon Lottery revenue earlier this year. Parks laid off or didn’t hire almost half of their park rangers for the summer of 2020.

The goal is to return the 260 parks, campgrounds and recreation areas to normal by around spring of 2021, and reopening yurts and cabins in some places is a first step.

A next step could be opening them on the Coast, but parks officials are wary, especially with COVID-19 cases rising statewide. It won’t happen until at least January.

“We need more confidence that Oregon is getting a handle on the COVID-19 surge,” Havel said. “Yurts and cabins are very popular on the Coast and before we reopen them, we want to make sure we can handle that additional load.”

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“The counties on the Coast haven’t given us any indication something like that could happen again, but the reality is that right now things aren’t stable enough,” he said.

After Covid Cancellations And Closures The State Park System Is Persevering For Next Yearbut Needs Some Time To Heal

ByAinslee DickenOctober 15, 2020

Coastal state park cabins and yurts, like this one at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, near Reedsport, have yet to reopen in the pandemic.

Image: Courtesy Rick Obst/Flickr

Oregon State Parks have suffered immensely this year. After an initial shutdown March 23 through June 9 due to the pandemic, a slow reopening began, with staffing hampered by financial realities. Now, following a stunted summer, the state department is boasting only 18 closures amid its 200 or so parks, aside from any regular seasonal shutdowns that have begun.

Frustrated at your canceled trip this past summer? So was North Portlander Jennifier Stewart, who booked a family yurt trip to Beverly Beach State Park for June 2020 way back in the fall of 2019. She said Oregon State Parks officially canceled her reservation just 10 days before her trip.

Booking a yurt is sort of a miraculous feat anyway, she says of that almost-too-good-to-be-true feeling of landing a coveted weekend reservation at the beach, though she certainly never could have predicted the reason these well-laid plans would fall apart. The yurts at Beverly Beach and other coastal state parks remain closed, though most campgrounds were open this summer, as well as some inland yurts and cabins.

Visitors to state parks this fall have seen signs like this at restrooms, check-in stations, and other public areas.

Image:

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Group Camping Reservations Open Feb 2

Group camp reservations will open Feb. 2, 2022 at 6 a.m. online and 8 a.m. over the phone. Reservations will be accepted from non-profit organizations that have an account set up with Metro. To set up an account please call 503-663-4708.

Oxbow has one group camp area available to nonprofit organizations, such as scouts and church groups.

Group Camp Area 1 is a drive-in camp that can accommodate up to 100. Fires are permitted.

Group camping fee is $125 per night. Reservation and permit required.

Dont Cancel All Your Summer Plans

If you thought your backyard was the only place you could pitch a tent this summer, Oregon State Parks and Recreation has just offered hope you can make more ambitious vacation plans.

The agency announced that starting Tuesday, June 9, some state park campgrounds will allow overnight stays. Those properties closed across the state March 23 to encourage visitors to follow Gov. Kate Brown’s stay-at-home order.

A list of campgrounds set to return to operation is still being finalized and will be published on the Oregon State Parks website by the end of May.

Sites where restrictions are lifted will honor existing reservations for tent and RV campers, though the booking process going forward will work a little different.

Instead of being able to save your spot as far as nine months out, Oregon State Parks will only take reservations from one day to two weeks in advance. You can still snag a site at open campgrounds on a first-come, first-serve basis, as long as there is space available and enough staffing. Reservations for most yurts and cabins are subject to cancellation at this point.

The two-month closure of recreation areas has hampered the Oregon state park system, since much of its revenue is generated by visitors. Given those losses, the agency has been operating with about half its staff, which means trash removal, cleaning and landscaping services are all operating at a reduced rate. Park conditions will determine whether camping can go forward at any given location.

Also Check: Golden Gate State Park Camping

How To Book Your Campsite In Oregon

When it comes to getting a campsite in the states most popular parks or booking a weekend getaway to one of the states coveted fire-lookout cabins, the trick is to be proactive. Recreation facilities during COVID-19 have had limited availability, but the booking windows are increasing again to allow for better preparation for the summer season. Here are a few tips to help you reserve a campsite in time.

Oregon State Parks

Beginning Jan. 14, 2021, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department now accepts new reservations from one day to six months out. Previously in summer 2020, the reservation booking window was reduced as parks slowly reopened after a two-month closure that corresponded with COVID-19 restrictions. To book campsites and yurts through Oregon State Parks, use their online reservation system, which includes advance bookings for tent and RV sites as well as deluxe cabins and yurts. For updated information on reservation regulations, check the state parks reservation website or follow them on , and .

Oregon State Forests

U.S. Forest Service

Campsites, cabins and fire lookouts on U.S. Forest Service lands can be booked through recreation.gov six months in advance. That means if youre looking for a Sept. 2 reservation, youll want to book it when it becomes available on March 2.

Bureau of Land Management

Oregon State Parks Looking For Flexibility In Campground Reservations Fees

Campers walk through the campground at Cape Lookout State Park on the Oregon coast.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A standard nine-month window for campground reservations at Oregon state parks could become a thing of the past.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced a proposed rule change Tuesday, which if approved would give the agency more flexibility in deciding both the campground reservation window and the transaction fees charged to campers.

For years, the agency has allowed people to book campsites, cabins and yurts from one day to nine months in advance, but the coronavirus pandemic this year has shaken the foundation of that system.

The unprecedented process of closing all parks and canceling reservations in response to COVID-19 exposed a need for increased flexibility in reservation rules to enable the agency to respond nimbly to changing conditions, the parks department said in a news release Tuesday.

State park campgrounds began to reopen in May, after closing to the public as the pandemic began to spread across Oregon in March. Reservations were initially limited to two weeks in advance, and the window eventually broadened to 30 days.

Parks on the Oregon coast added an additional restriction, barring same-day registration to cut back on crowds circling campgrounds looking for an open site.

Yurts and cabins at most Oregon state parks have remained closed since the spring, with a few exceptions.

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Camping Without A Reservation

Oregon State Parks offers more than 50 campgrounds across the state. While the majority of campgrounds accept reservations for campsites, some campgrounds are first-come, first-served seasonally or year-round.

Campers register for their site at the campground booth or by providing payment in a self-registration envelope at a kiosk. You will be asked to provide license plate and zip code on the envelope, and pay the designated rate based on the posted rate sign. For general rates, see our rates page.

Note: Reservations are accepted for all cabins, yurts, tepees and some group facilities.

Here’s a list of the first-come, first-served campgrounds:

Southern Oregon

Oregon State Parks Reservation Window Extended To 6 Months

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will accept new reservations from one day to six months out beginning Jan. 14.

The change is the latest step in managing future reservations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early last summer, the reservation booking window temporarily changed from one day to two weeks, then to 30 days, while OPRD slowly re-opened camping after a two-month closure.

In normal times, the reservation window is one day to nine months.

A shorter reservation window helps us deal with the uncertainty posed by state management of the COVID-19 emergency, and the financial hit of changing, canceling and refunding reservations, said Lisa Sumption, director of OPRD.

State parks are funded by revenue from park visitors, a small share of the Oregon Lottery, and a portion of state recreational vehicle registrations.

Although revenue stopped during the two-month closure and continues to be less than what weve earned in past years, weve adjusted our operations and now are comfortable extending the reservation booking window, she said. All of us extend a heartfelt thank you to our visitors as we continue to evaluate our operations to better serve campers and day-use visitors as we head into the spring and summer.

In addition to the reservation booking window change, all new campsite, yurt and cabin openings will become available at 6 a.m. each day rather than midnight.

This minor change is being made to improve customer service.

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Reservations Error At State Park Campgrounds Leaves Unhappy Campers Across Oregon

A campsite at Minam State Recreation Area on the Wallowa River. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department offered an apology on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2021, after its highly anticipated spring and summer campground reservations opened six hours early, leaving many prospective campers in the lurch.

• Save

SALEM An error in the Oregon state parks reservations system has left many unhappy campers across the state.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department offered an apology on Thursday, Jan. 15, after its highly anticipated spring and summer campground reservations opened six hours early, leaving many prospective campers in the lurch.

The parks department announced last week that its reservation window would expand to six months starting Wednesday, Jan. 14, allowing campers to plan for spring break and summer vacation. The department also announced that reservations would become available at 6 a.m. instead of midnight, as had been the practice for years.

But it didnt work out that way.

Many people who dutifully woke up at 6 a.m. on Jan. 15 to book sites at competitive campgrounds or for coveted holiday weekends were suddenly left empty-handed, beat out by campers who had grabbed the sites early.

State parks spokesman Chris Havel said the reservations system vendor, Aspira , simply did not apply the new 6 a.m. start time to Oregon campgrounds, as requested. That meant campsites opened at midnight, as usual, he said.