Smith Rock State Park is getting ready to make some much-needed improvements that have been years in the making.
Oregon State Parks will soon be unveiling a new master plan that they say will address issues the park faces such as congestion, parking, and trail improvements.
“The park’s become really popular these last few years, and parking has become more and more of a challenge,” Smith Rock visitor Zane Ball said.
Manager of the park, Matt Davey, says it’s a 20-year vision that will help navigate Smith Rock’s exponential growth in visitors.
“Visitation has tripled since the 1991 master plan, and not a lot of facilities have come with that,” Davey said. “We’re really getting ready to start bringing in some new physical improvements and changing a little bit of the flow, the visitation, and just meeting visitors needs when they come to Smith Rock State Park.”
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Of course, with high volumes of people, parking can be hard to find.
“As more visitation has come, we haven’t really added much parking. We’re looking at improving the parking,” Davey said.
State parks is also looking at offering a welcome center, and trail improvements.
Some visitors have ideas of their own.
“There have been parking problems,” Smith Rock visitor, Cathy Drzyzgula said. “I think it would be great if the park could work with Deschutes County and make a bike path from Redmond out to the park. It’s only 15 miles. It would help with the parking and it would be a fun ride, too.”
