Summer Recreation Alert
Oregon’s busiest season for tourism, recreation and visitation is here. Popular sites may be busy, full or difficult to access. Know before you go, have back up plans and come prepared. Contact land management agencies and recreation providers for more specific information.
Recreation Impacts
Oregon’s Recreation Site Status Map - Know Before You Go
Open Reduced Services Closed
Why was this map created?
Why was this map created?
Oregon has a large number of post-fire recreation area closures across many land management agencies due to the 2020 wildfire season. There was a need for a 'one-stop-shop' map for the public to be able to understand where these closures are located. This allows the public to plan ahead and be prepared prior to arriving at their recreation destination, and make alternative destination decisions when necessary.
What partner agencies are involved?
What partner agencies are involved?
This was a joint effort led by the USDA Forest Service, the Oregon Department of Forestry, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Oregon State Parks, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Travel, recreation, and safety agencies including Oregon Office of Emergency Management, Travel Oregon and the Oregon Office of Outdoor Recreation also contributed to the information.
What about U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Recreation Sites?
What about U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Recreation Sites?
Please visit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website here:
https://corpslakes.erdc.dren.mil/visitors/status.cfm This is the national site, but visitors can select the state of Oregon to get status of the recreation areas in the state. For more information please call the Project directly at:
Bonneville Lock and Dam, 541-374-8344
The Dalles Lock and Dam, 541-506-8475
John Day Lock and Dam, 541-739-1135
Rogue River Basin Project, 541-878-2255
Willamette Valley Projects, 541-942-5631
Are all of the closures on the map due to wildfires?
Are all of the closures on the map due to wildfires?
Many of the closures on this map are due to the 2020 wildfire season. There may also be areas that are closed for other reasons, such as seasonal closures or construction. Please call or visit the website of the appropriate land management agency prior to leaving for your recreation destination to ensure that a site's status has not changed.
Can I go into a closed area?
Can I go into a closed area?
Please avoid all closed areas for now. We need your help by continuing to recreate responsibly by respecting closures, which are there for your safety and to protect resources. Additionally, we ask that you respect closures for the safety of first responders and work crews who are working as rapidly as possible to make these areas safe to visit again. In some areas, those who enter closed areas may be subject to citations and fines.
What should I know about recently re-opened areas?
What should I know about recently re-opened areas?
Plan ahead to ensure the area you want to go to is open. Play it safe by choosing activities that are within your comfort zone. As fire damaged areas reopen, they may have unmarked hazards and may be more challenging in rescue situations.
The 2020 fire season had devastating impacts on our natural resources that support outdoor recreation opportunities. Right now, state and federal land management agencies are working to assess the on-the-ground impacts from fire to recreation. We are in the early stages of making plans on how to help communities recover, and ways for Oregonians to reconnect with their favorite places when it is safe to do so. For now, we need your help by continuing to recreate responsibly by respecting closures, which are there both for the safety of the public and to protect resources.
Recovery. Recovery efforts focus on repairing and rebuilding damaged and lost infrastructure, restoring ecosystems, and supporting economic recovery of local business and affected communities. Right now, many public lands that burned in 2020 are still closed to public access. This is necessary to protect natural and cultural resources, as well as to protect the public, staff, and first responders.
Reconnection. For areas that were damaged by the fires and have since reopened, visitors should expect a changed experience out on the landscape. This could include hard-to-navigate stands of burned trees or eroded slopes that lack signage or missing sections of trail.
Plan ahead to ensure the area you want to go to is open. Play it safe by choosing activities that are within your comfort zone. As fire damaged areas reopen, they may have unmarked hazards and may be more challenging in rescue situations. Lastly, please be patient - recovery will take a long time. Keep an eye open for opportunities to volunteer on stewardship projects in recovering areas.
Resilience. Wildfires are a natural occurrence on the landscape, but natural areas impacted by the 2020 wildfires may take decades to recover due to severity and size. Agency partners are assessing the impacts and integrating long-term resilience into the recovery efforts.
Reimagining. We’ll have the opportunity to reimagine the connections between communities and their public lands and waterways in the months, weeks, and years to come. Some places may not come back exactly the way they were - either because rebuilding is not possible, or we can envision something better.
- Oregon Department of Forestry
- Oregon Parks and Recreation
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management
- U.S. Forest Service
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
