As this year comes to a close, Oregon State Parks is looking back on 2025 and planning for the 2026 season.

This year Oregon State Parks welcomed millions of visitors, maintained nearly 1,000 miles of trails, hosted hundreds of events including mushroom hikes and star parties and finished dozens of projects from the restoration of the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse to repaving the campground at Silver Falls State Park.

State parks also updated many of its fees to reflect increasing costs and decreasing Oregon State Lottery funding. Depending on the fee, the last update was anywhere from seven to 15 years ago.

Staff are looking forward to welcoming visitors for the 2026 season with guided hikes, seasonal events and outdoor adventures. To help visitors enjoy the more than 250 state parks and know what to expect next year, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department gathered the upcoming updates in one place.

Winter 2025:

Green Friday (Nov. 28): Parking fees will no longer be waived at parks requiring permits on Green Friday.

Beginning January 1, 2026:

First Day Hike (Jan. 1): Guided hikes at select parks. Parking fees will no longer be waived at parks requiring permits for First Day Hikes.
12-month parking permits will increase from $30 to $60 for Oregon residents and to $75 for out-of-state residents due to the out-of-state surcharge.
24-month parking permits will not be sold in 2026. Existing permits will be honored until they expire.
Oregon State Parks will no longer sell Oregon Pacific Coast Passports but will honor passports purchased in 2025 until they expire.
Oregon State Parks will no longer honor Jackson County parking permits.

Winter/Spring 2026

OPRD is considering updates to its Division 15 Rates and Reservation Policy. The proposed changes would update the rules around cancellations, refunds, special access passes and rate ranges starting as soon as Feb. 2026. The proposed changes are designed to improve the long-term financial sustainability of the state park system and maximize the availability of campsites for visitors by encouraging early cancellation. Public comment is expected to run from December 1 to January 15, 2026. Final approval is required by the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission.
Additional parks will require a parking fee. The specific parks and implementation date is still being finalized.
Implement fees to use dump stations at Oregon State Parks to support the cost of that service.
State Parks Day (June 6), will continue to offer free parking for Oregon residents. Camping fees will no longer be waived on that day pending approval of the proposed Division 15 Rates and Reservation Policy updates.

“The changes are critical to sustaining state park operations and services now and for the future. We appreciate visitors’ continued support as these necessary changes are implemented,” said Oregon Parks and Recreation Director (OPRD) Director Lisa Sumption.

OPRD is projecting at $14 million budget shortfall this biennium due to decreasing lottery revenue, increasing costs and a long-standing need for more sustainable funding. OPRD does not receive general fund tax revenue for operations.

OPRD will continue to review and update fees and operations to keep providing high-quality visitor experiences and sustain parks now and in the future.

In addition to increasing fees, OPRD is also streamlining costs, planning to add more cabins and yurts to expand capacity and increase revenue and looking for new partnerships and sponsorships to help build a more sustainable funding future.

Source: Oregon State Parks

At Home with Gary Sullivan