Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Oregon’s state parks rank among some of the most popular destinations in the Pacific Northwest, but that doesn’t mean every park site is busy.

We've already written about the most popular Oregon state parks in 2018, as well as the most popular state park campgrounds. Now it's time to scroll to the bottom of the data provided by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to find out which parks ranked among the least visited last year.



Filling the list are small waysides and scenic corridors tucked away in the remote reaches of Oregon. These are places where you might pull over to use the restroom or walk your dog – not exactly destinations in their own right. But several are, in fact, full-fledged state parks with extensive trail networks that lead to truly beautiful natural wonders.

Each of these park sites is unpopular for its own reason. Cottonwood Canyon is still pretty new. Otter Point has poor signage. Getting to Golden & Silver Falls takes a long drive down a winding road. But as our state parks get more and more popular, it's more important than ever to help thin the crowds by exploring these relatively unexplored places, too.

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Wikimedia Commons/Ian Poellet

20. Booth State Scenic Corridor

Visitors: 46,556

Location: Southern Oregon

One-year change: +71%

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Wikimedia Commons/Orygun

19. Chandler State Wayside

Visitors: 44,240

Location: Southern Oregon

One-year change: +26%

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Courtesy of Oregon State Parks

18. Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area

Visitors: 40,316

Location: Willamette Valley

One-year change: -33%

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

17. Arizona Beach

Visitors: 40,306

Location: Oregon Coast

One-year change: +4%

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Flickr/Rick Obst

16. Munson Creek Falls State Natural Site

Visitors: 40,208

Location: Coast Range

One-year change: +3%

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Jamie Francis/The Oregonian

15. J.S. Burres State Park

Visitors: 38,780

Location: Central Oregon

One-year change: -5%

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Courtesy of Oregon State Parks

14. Fall Creek State Recreation Area

Visitors: 38,182

Location: Willamette Valley

One-year change: -45%

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

13. Cottonwood Canyon State Park

Visitors: 37,964

Location: Central Oregon

One-year change: +18%

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Courtesy of Oregon State Parks

12. Bates State Park

Visitors: 35,888

Location: Northeast Oregon

One-year change: +39%

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

11. Otter Point State Recreation Area

Visitors: 35,258

Location: Oregon Coast

One-year change: +9%

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Courtesy of Oregon State Parks

10. Battle Mountain Forest State Scenic Corridor

Visitors: 31,292

Location: Northeast Oregon

One-year change: -1%

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

9. Goose Lake State Recreation Area

Visitors: 26,120

Location: Southern Oregon

One-year change: +19%

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Stephanie Yao Long/The Oregonian

8. Unity Lake State Recreation Area

Visitors: 25,508

Location: Southern Oregon

One-year change: +2%

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

7. Umpqua State Scenic Corridor

Visitors: 24,136

Location: Coast Range

One-year change: -44%

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Wikimedia Commons

6. Red Bridge State Wayside

Visitors: 23,036

Location: Northeast Oregon

One-year change: +7%

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Courtesy of Oregon State Parks

5. Ukiah-Dale Forest State Scenic Corridor

Visitors: 20,502

Location: Central Oregon

One-year change: +.4%

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Wikimedia Commons

4. Alderwood State Wayside

Visitors: 19,400

Location: Willamette Valley

One-year change: -33%

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

3. Golden & Silver Falls State Natural Area

Visitors: 18,522

Location: Coast Range

One-year change: +2%

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Courtesy of Oregon State Parks

2. Geisel Monument State Heritage Site

Visitors: 16,448

Location: Oregon Coast

One-year change: +10%

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Courtesy of Oregon State Parks

1. Catherine Creek State Park

Visitors: 6,564

Location: Northeast Oregon

One-year change: -30%

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB