Last fall, we started off on a week-long camping trip to visit all the national park sites in Oregon. While we didn’t make it to all the sites, that trip will always rank high as one of our best road trips ever. Oregon’s national parks have something for everyone. History buffs can get lost at the end of Lewis and Clark’s journey along the Columbia River. Hiking enthusiasts can log plenty of trail miles in Crater Lake and Oregon Caves. We’re excited to get back to Oregon and join the nearly 1.3 million people who visit one of the state’s 6 national parks each year.
Check our complete list and start planning your trip to visit all the National Park sites in Oregon:
Crater Lake National Park
Peering over the edge of Crater Rim Drive. Hiking around Wizard Island. Photographing Phantom Ship at sunset. These are among the many reasons visitors can’t get enough of Crater Lake National Park. The deep blue waters, some of the most pristine in the world, captivate and inspire. It doesn’t get any more classic national park than Crater Lake.
Passport Cancellations
Passport cancellations stations at Crater Lake are located in the Rim Visitor’s Center and the Steel Information Center along Crater Rim Drive.
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
With buildings in Oregon City and a headquarters just across the Columbia River from Portland, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site actually sits in both Oregon and Washington. A time capsule for two eras in American history (the 1820’s settlement of the Hudson Bay Company and the World War II military airfield), Fort Vancouver has live
Passport Cancellations
Passport cancellations stamps can be found at the Visitor’s Centers in both Oregon City and in Vancouver, Washington. In Oregon City, look for stamps in the Barclay House.
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Located 4 hours Southwest of Portland, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument protects more than 13,000 acres of some of the best preserved geological and paleontological records of life in North America. Divided into three units, the monument’s fossil record spans more than 40 million years. Visitors can observe an active paleontology center and fossil lab or hike on some of the interpretive trails. Large portions of the John Day River system that runs through the monument are designated as a National Wild and Scenic River. Rafting trips on the John Day give visitors a unique vantage point.
Passport Cancellations
All stamps can be found in the Sheep Rock unit of the park at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center and Visitor’s Center.
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
Designated in 2004, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park is made up of 12 different historical sites. When Lewis and Clark reached the mouth of the Columbia River, they camped in and around the 40 miles of Pacific coastline in what is now Oregon and Washington. Visitors can walk through the restored Fort Clatsop where the expedition spent the winter of 1805-1806. Or take the Fort to Sea hiking trail, the same route from the camp to the Pacific Ocean that the Corps traveled. Other sites to visit include the salt works, the lighthouse at Cape Disappointment, and the aptly named Dismal Nitch.
Passport Cancellations
Passport stamps can be found at nearly all of the 12 different sites in Lewis and Clark NHP. These include the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center, Fort Stevens State Park Visitor’s Center, Cape Disappointment State Park Visitor’s Center, and the Fort Columbia State Park Visitor’s Center.
Nez Perce National Historical Park
While the majority of sites and the Visitor’s center for New Perce National Historical Park is in Idaho, there are three locations in Oregon. All are near the Oregon-Idaho border in the Northwest corner of the state. The Lostine campsite at the confluence of the Lostine and Wallowa Rivers is a traditional Nez Perce summer campsite where Old Chief Joseph died in 1871. The Old Chief Joseph gravesite and Joseph Canyon Overlook are two other locations within Oregon.
Passport Cancellations
All passport cancellation locations are within Idaho and Montana. The passport stamps for the Lostine Campsite and other sites in Oregon can be found at the main visitor’s center in Spalding, Idaho.
Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve
We’ve written about our stay at Oregon Caves National Monument (and the historic Oregon Caves Chateau). Located in the heart of the Siskiyou Mountains of southern Oregon, the caves President Taft protected the park in 1909. In 2014, President Obama expanded the monument by 4,000 acres. See our recap of Oregon Caves here: http://www.parkchasers.com/2018/11/66-trip-recap-oregon-caves-national-monument/
Passport Cancellations
Find passport stamps at the main visitor’s center where cave tours depart and from the Illinois Valley Visitor’s Center in Cave Junction, Oregon.
1 thought on “Visit All the National Park Sites in Oregon”
Pingback: How to Plan the Ultimate Oregon National Park Road Trip - Park Chasers