Get the scoop on campground improvements, day-use fees and quiet overnight stays.
Oregon state parks cover our beautiful coastline, with day-use areas and well-appointed campgrounds residing in forests of fir and Sitka spruce, in view of dramatic sea stacks just offshore and atop wide-open bluffs that offer idyllic opportunities for whale-watching.
Before packing up the car and heading out on your next big adventure, it pays to do a little legwork. To help ensure a memorable trip, here’s how to plan your next visit, what’s new at some of the Coast’s most beloved parks and where to savor the solitude at quieter campgrounds.
What to Know About Camping at Oregon State Parks
With nearly 20 state park campgrounds, you’ll find something for everyone. Investigate a wealth of unique sites with features like historic military installations or mountainside base camps offering stunning ocean views. Each state park campground on the Oregon Coast hosts tent and RV sites, typically with a mix of water and electrical hookups. More than a dozen campgrounds offer a mix of circular, canvas-sided yurts and wooden cabins. All lodgings include beds, lights and heat; and a number of deluxe yurts and cabins come with private bathrooms, kitchenettes and on-site grills.
New sites are made available for reservation at 6 a.m. daily and can be booked six months in advance. If you’re planning a weekend stay in the midst of summer, or if you’re hoping to book a yurt or cabin between spring and fall, consider making reservations as early as possible. Even if sites are booked, however, you can set an availability alert through the ReserveAmerica booking platform. If you’re OK with last-minute planning, the Camping This Weekend tool shows availability for the upcoming Friday-to-Sunday window at all state park campgrounds.
What’s New at Oregon State Parks
In recent years, several Oregon State Parks have undergone renovations to upgrade facilities, improve accessibility and enhance the visitor experience. Always check the website for the park you plan to visit before you go to see current announcements and closure alerts.
Several of those projects have taken place at popular parks on the Oregon Coast. Near the mouth of the Columbia River, Fort Stevens State Park has replaced restrooms and made improvements to the park’s wastewater, electrical and water systems. Just south of Manzanita, Nehalem Bay State Park added new restrooms and showers, as well as wheelchair-accessible campsites. Nearby, Cape Lookout State Park received upgraded water and electrical hookups in some of its campsites; note that more construction is scheduled and the park may be closed from February 2026 into the summer, so be sure to check the website for updates. Beverly Beach State Park, between Newport and Depoe Bay, received power and water upgrades, new pavement, and a variety of campground improvements.
Another change is in day-use fees to support crucial park operations. Some fees have been increased, and additional state parks now charge day-use fees, including Tolovana Beach State Recreation Site in Cannon Beach, South Beach State Park in Newport and Sunset Bay State Park west of Coos Bay. Check your preferred park’s website before heading out to see whether a day-use fee may be required. Payments can typically be made with debit or credit cards at on-site pay stations or, if present, using cash at park offices or visitor centers. In some cases, payment can be made with your mobile device after scanning a QR code. Annual passes can be purchased online.
Quiet Experiences at Less-Visited Parks
Enjoy a bit of solitude, take your pick of overnight sites and give yourself the best chance to spot wildlife at some of the state’s quieter parks.
Between Waldport and Yachats, Beachside State Recreation Site is among the smallest state park campgrounds on the Oregon Coast. With fewer than 75 tent and RV sites, as well as two yurts, the campground never feels crowded, offering access to several miles of quiet shoreline.
Umpqua Lighthouse State Park sits just south of Reedsport and offers fewer than 50 sites, as well as roughly a dozen cabins and yurts, two of which are wheelchair-accessible. Its deluxe yurts come with televisions and DVD players.
Just inland from Brookings on the South Coast, Alfred A. Loeb State Park hosts nearly 50 sites and a few rustic cabins along the forested banks of the Chetco River. Hike through a grove of myrtlewood trees and to a stately stand of redwoods, or cast a line for fall and winter salmon and steelhead just a few steps from the campground.
– By Matt Wastradowski
Top photo: Fort Stevens State Park. All photos courtesy of Oregon State Parks.