An undated photo of the boat dock and other amenities at Cleawox Lake in Florence, Ore.
Courtesy of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Oregon State Parks is teaming up with the Oregon library system to offer a limited number of free parking permits.
The system works the same as borrowing a book from the library. Parks spokeswoman Kaileigh Westermann-Lewis said you present your library card, and if a free parking pass is available, you can borrow it.
“You receive a hang tag, just like all of our annual parking permits,” she said. “That would allow you to go to any of our 250 state parks with a day use fee.”
The parks department is running the program after having increased fees for parking and camping over the last few years.
“We’re doing this because we care deeply that everyone has access to our state parks,” Westermann-Lewis said. “We recognize that fees have been increasing.”
Each library has its own rules about how long a pass can be checked out. It varies from a few days to a week or more. If the pass isn’t returned, a replacement costs $60.
About 80 libraries are taking part, offering 200 permits. Participating libraries can be found on the Oregon State Parks website.
“This program leverages the existing borrowing system to help connect folks of all income levels with the beauty and splendor of Oregon’s State Parks,” Wendy Cornelisen, state librarian of Oregon, said in a statement.
Next year's state parks parking pass. Scores of libraries will let people borrow them to park at any of Oregon's 250 state parks.
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
The state library system purchased permits with funds from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.
A pilot program in 2024 handed out fee parking permits 2,100 times at 28 libraries. The state hopes to continue expanding the program in the future.
