Our thanks to you–State Parks Day, June 2
Saturday you can camp for free!
State parks throughout Oregon are laying out the welcome mat June 2 in celebration of State Parks Day. Camping is free the night of June 2 in traditional sites—full hookup (sewer, electricity and water), electrical hookup (electricity and water) and tent sites. Parking at the 26 day-use-fee parks also will be free June 2. Campsite reservations may be made by calling Reservations Northwest (1-800-452-5687) before 5 p.m. May 31. Or, reserve online at www.oregonstateparks.org. Approximately half of Oregon’s 53 state park campgrounds take reservations.
“Free camping and parking is our chance to say ‘thank you’ to our visitors,” said Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Director Tim Wood. “State Parks Day has become a special tradition both for Oregonians and for park staff.” Wood noted that June 2 is also National Trails Day. “Oregon has hundreds of miles of trails, for all levels of ability, and it doesn’t matter if you are in a state park or on a backwoods goat path—get outside and enjoy your trails.”
In a proclamation issued May 21, Governor John Kitzhaber encouraged all Oregonians to observe State Parks Day.
Events across the state run the gamut from guided hikes and tours to special barbecues and guest appearances by J.R. Beaver, Oregon’s state park mascot.
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Your park visit helps local businesses
A BBQ isn’t complete without ketchup, mayo, mustard & chips, most likely bought at your local grocer.
If you’re planning a Memorial Day Weekend camping trip, you’re probably buying last-minute groceries, filling the gas tank and wondering where the closest store is to your destination so you can grab those forgotten items.
You’re looking forward to a family vacation, but stores and employees look forward to your business.
In Oregon, businesses love people who love parks. Why? Visitors to Oregon’s National Park sites spent over $53 million and supported 831 jobs in 2010. Based on a 2011 survey of visitors to state parks on the Oregon coast, we know that:
- Each overnight group spent an average of $292 per trip (on camping, gasoline & food).
- Each group visiting for the day spent an average of $120 (on gasoline & food).
We’ve finished surveying the coastal state parks and are doing the final math now. We will share the results later this year.
If you’re visiting a Columbia River Gorge state park this summer, don’t be surprised if you’re asked to complete a survey. Camp hosts will contact day-use and overnight visitors July 4-Aug. 20, 2012. Thanks for helping by answering a few short questions!
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Preservation at Work: Historic Cemeteries
Reblogged from Oregon Heritage Exchange:
What do you think of when you think of “preservation?” Do cemeteries come to mind at all? Oregon’s historic cemeteries are often forgotten about in the preservation world, but are vital resources to our heritage community. Historic cemeteries are also a great way to meet people who are enthusiastic about preservation. Many historic cemeteries have active volunteer groups dedicated to finding unmarked burials, cleaning and repairing markers, controlling vegetation, installing fencing and signage, and interpreting community histories through their cemeteries.
Grant’s Getaways–Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway
Scenic bikeways adds ninth route
Take a break at Catherine Creek State Park along the Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway. The first-come, first-served campground has 20 primitive sites.
The Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway near La Grande and Baker City is Oregon’s latest, official bicycle tour. The 134-mile route travels along portions of the original Oregon Trail and past postcard views of the Blue Mountains and Wallowa Mountains. Although the ride is considered “challenging” because of its length and climbs, bicyclists may break the ride into leisurely segments.
The Oregon scenic bikeway program is the first and only program of its kind and was launched in 2010. The Grande Tour joins eight other scenic bikeways. If you pedaled and pumped along all Oregon’s scenic bikeways, your legs would have taken you the same distance as riding from Bend, Ore. to Helena, Mont., nearly 717 miles.
To learn more about the scenic bikeway rides and find the cue sheets, click on the links below.
Mild
Moderate
Challenging
Extreme
Follow the scenic bikeway program on Twitter: @orscenicbikeway
Visit Ride Oregon Ride for more information on additional bicycle routes and trails.
Oregon’s state parks protect some of the state’s most significant heritage sites and contain important historical treasures. May is Historic Preservation Month, and it’s a great time to plan a visit.
Some heritage is outdoors, some indoors; some are large objects while others are just a piece of paper; some may be original, some may be accurate replicas. The choice of what to visit is yours.
May was also the month in 1843 when more than 100 men gathered at Champoeg and decided by a small majority that they wanted the area now known as Oregon to become a part of the United States. At Champoeg State Heritage Area, you can visit a monument at the site where they made their decision, and see objects and stories related to that day in the interpretive center.
Oregon history is expansive. Thompson’s Mills State Heritage Area a great place to explore our industrial history. Tours show how grain was turned into flour, and marvel at the ingenuity of early Oregon residents.
Oregon’s industrial heritage is also on display at Collier Memorial State Park where dozens of pieces of logging equipment, both large and small, are on display and occasionally operated. You can dig into the state’s mining heritage at Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area.
Historic inns at Wolf Creek and Frenchglen show how travelers lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Pete French Round Barn, Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Area and Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site show the diverse heritage of eastern Oregon.
You can time your May visit to any of these parks with local heritage events. Some of these are listed on a heritage events calendar maintained by Oregon Heritage, the OPRD staff who provides technical support and services to people and organizations documenting, preserving, interpreting and sharing Oregon’s heritage.
Preservation Month Fair at the State Capitol
Logging equipment at Collier Memorial State Park.
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Several seasonal campgrounds now open
Click on the links for additional park information and driving directions.
- Bates State Park, northeast of John Day
- Fall Creek State Recreation Site (Cascara and Fisherman’s Point Group Camp), southeast of Eugene/Springfield
- Hilgard Junction State Park, west of La Grande
- North Santiam State Recreation Area, east of Salem
- Prineville Reservoir State Park & Jasper Point, southeast of Prineville
- Red Bridge State Wayside, southwest of La Grande
In addition to the park campgrounds, Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site in John Day and Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Site west of Baker City opened May 1. Both are day-use parks.
North Santiam State Recreation Area has nine walk-in tent sites available first-come, first served. The campsite nearest the parking area is accessible, via a hard-surfaced gravel trail, to campers with disabilities.
