Guest Author - Denise J. Hoffman

Summer season kicks off the beginning of travel for school and work weary people. Pay booths at many of the popular parks in the Pacific Coast region welcome tourists. Many vendors selling permits do not understand, nor can they sell, all of the options offered by the various government agencies.

Regional, county, state, and federal agencies are all involved in land ownership and therefore have different rules and fees. Another group, concessionaires, are private businesses hired by a government agency to operate a parking area. Private landowners (e.g., power companies) are another entity that may charge for access during high use months.

Day Use Permit
A day use permit enables the holder parking access to any public park owned by a specific agency on a specific day. Visitors can be surprised to pay a fee at one state park along the coast. Then drive a few miles down the road to find another park but this one is on federal land. If you want to enter, pay another fee. Review the state and federal pass programs when planning a trip to use your money wisely. Depending on the length of your stay, it may benefit you to purchase a yearly state pass or take advantage of a combined federal/state program.

California charges a daily rate for state parks. Oregon has many parks without a fee, but if you are visiting the beautiful Pacific Coast bring the cash. Both states offer yearly passes. Washington State Parks are free for day use parking but this does not include boat launching or dumping fees.

Senior Citizen or Disability Pass
For senior citizens, 62 is the minimum age for discounts or waivers to states and federal parks. The America the Beautiful Pass is the current federal interagency permit for lifetime access to senior citizens or people with disabilities for a minimum fee. California and Washington offer discounted daily or yearly passes for seniors or persons with disabilities if they meet conditions. Oregon does not offer senior or disability passes.

Veteran Pass
All west coast states offer pass waivers or discounts, with conditions, to veterans. The Federal interagency pass has a small fee for lifetime access and most Federal concessionaires will honor the pass.

Best Bets
Oregon Pacific Coast Passport – Covers all state and Federal parks along the Pacific Coast in Oregon. Look into the five-day pass option for short visits.

Washington and Oregon Recreational Pass – Covers Oregon day use, and Washington launch and dump fees, and several Army Corp of Engineers (water reservoirs) sites.

Refer to the Park Permits thread in the Forum, to access links to state park permit websites. Keep in mind that camping, boat launching, and other fees are often not included. The Oregon link includes a great summary of Federal options.