The Best National and State Parks in Oregon for Cascading Waterfalls, Seaside Dunes, and Massive Fossil Beds

To know Oregon is to know its parks. Wherever you go, you’re never far from a pristine patch of nature that forward-thinking conservation set aside so everyone might have the chance to explore it.

Celebrating its centennial in 2022, Oregon State Parks has been in the business of conserving many of the West’s most scenic spots for 100 years, with more than 250 sites now under protection. Add to this the national monuments, national recreation areas, ample campsites, and a truly iconic national park, and it’s understandable why Oregonians are so in love with their state.

Whether you’re looking for waterfall hikes in temperate rainforests, the whitewater thrills of America’s deepest river canyon, or the largest expanse of coastal dunes on the continent, you’ll find it all in the state’s wildly diverse parklands. 

Here are the Oregon state parks, national monuments, and recreation areas to plan a trip around.