Oregon State Parks says ‘Yes’ to same-day campground reservations

One of an RVer’s great frustrations is being able to allow spontaneity to travel with their RV. To be sure of getting a campsite, too often reservations have to be made well in advance. What if you woke up one morning and decided to take the motorhome on a trip? Officials with Oregon State Parks are ready for you—now you can book same-day campground reservations. It’s similar to Oregon Coast campground reservations set up in an earlier pilot program.

Now same-day campground reservations across all of Oregon

In the past, online reservations had to be made at least 24 hours in advance of arrival date. The exceptions were Oregon’s coastal parks, which started offering same-day reservations online as part of a pilot project. On January 1, 2024, visitors will be able to make online reservations on the same day that they want to camp statewide. Of course, there’s a catch. The reservations will only be good if there are sites available.

Internet connectivity varies by park (doesn’t it everywhere?), so State Parks’ staff recommend this: Reserve your campsite when you can, and before you arrive. Many Oregon State Parks are in remote locations. Phone and internet communication options are more limited.

If you do show up without reservations, signs help explain the new feature to visitors. They include instructions on how to book online at the park. Some sites will still be available as first-come, first-served. Park staff can also help visitors make reservations during booth hours, when available.

And here’s one other sweetener for the deal on Oregon Coast campgrounds. The $8 reservation fee has been waived under the pilot program. That’s subject to change as the program is evaluated.

Here are step-by-step instructions to make a reservation

Go to https://oregonstateparks.reserveamerica.com, then follow these steps. Alternatively, you can click here and follow the steps below.

Step 1:

If you’re on a desktop computer, look for “Find an Adventure.” Enter a state, city or zip code and under “Interested In,” select camping and lodging. Enter your preferred site type under “Looking For,” then add your dates and length of stay and click “Search.”

If you’re on a mobile device, click “Advanced Search” and then under “Where” enter a state, city or zip code; under “Interested In” select camping and lodging; add your dates and length of stay; and click “Apply Filters.”

(Sign in first or create a new account if you do not already have one).

Step 2:

Click on a park in the search results from Step 1 that says “Available” and look for blue icons on the map to see what is open for reservations.

Step 3:

Click on a site and then “Book these dates” when you find one that you want. Follow the prompts to add your registration information and to pay (when required). You will get a confirmation email. If you have any reservation questions, you can call (800) 452-5687 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Oregon Coast campground reservations? Sure. But now all of Oregon’s state campgrounds are up for same-day reservations.

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