Last-minute camping is about to get a little easier in Oregon.
Starting Jan. 1, 2024, same-day online reservations will available at dozens of state park campgrounds, allowing spontaneous campers the option to book sites less than 24 hours in advance.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced the change Tuesday, nearly five months after rolling out same-day reservations at state parks on the coast. That pilot program went smoothly, park managers said in a news release, giving the parks department the confidence to expand it to campgrounds across the state, including at popular places such as Silver Falls, L.L. Stub Stewart and The Cove Palisades.
“Same-day reservations at the coast gave those traveling the peace of mind that there was a place ready for them when they arrived,” Dennis Comfort, coastal region director for the parks department, said in a news release.
Campers have long been able to make same-day reservations in person, allowing people to roll up to a campground, find an unclaimed site and book it on the spot. But with the widespread adoption of online reservations, made more popular as state park campgrounds fill up at record rates, many travelers have become accustomed to having a site booked upon arrival. The 24-hour reservation policy made last-minute camping difficult for those unwilling to drive out to a campground with nothing but crossed fingers.
In 2024, same-day reservations will be available at 40 state park campgrounds, which includes the 17 on the coast that had already adopted the policy, the parks department said. Parks that normally switch to first-come, first-served reservations in the winter will switch to the new reservation policy in the spring.
Not all campgrounds will get the change: 11 smaller, more remote parks will remain first-come, first-served year-round, including Smith Rock, Jackson F. Kimball and Bates state parks, the parks department said.
Yurts and cabins will also be covered by the new policy, though they will need to be booked before 6 p.m. to allow staff time to assist with keys and door codes.
Visitors will still be able to use self-registration envelopes in person, paying with cash or check, though parks will also provide limited wi-fi in campgrounds to make online reservations by credit card on the spot. Due to limited service, however, the parks department recommends people make reservations before arrival, if possible.
And in case anyone needs a little incentive to do some last-minute camping, the typical $8 online reservation fee will be waived for all same-day reservations.
Reservations can be made online at oregonstateparks.reserveamerica.com or by phone at 800-452-5687, Monday through Friday.
— Jamie Hale
503-294-4077; jhale@oregonian.com; @HaleJamesB
Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe