Multiple State Parks Are Closed Again Following Last Week’s Snow and Ice Storm

At least nine parks are temporarily off-limits because of damage caused by snow and ice accumulation or power outages—or, in some cases, both.

(Martin Cizmar)
By Andi Prewitt

Oregon State Parks just can't catch a break.

After an unprecedented networkwide shutdown due to COVID-19 last spring, staffing shortages throughout 2020 and then historic fires that burned land in September, the agency has now been forced to close multiple properties again following last week's storm.

At least nine parks are temporarily off-limits to the public, either because of damage caused by snow and ice accumulation or power outages—and, in some cases, a combination of both.

Affected state parks closest to the Portland metro area include Tryon Creek, just off of Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard, and Champoeg, which is about 6 miles outside Newberg.

Most of the other closed properties are farther south in the Willamette Valley, in and around Salem, including State Capitol State Park, Willamette Mission and the Spring Valley Willamette River Greenway.

Oregon State Parks wants to remind people that access to attractions in the Columbia River Gorge is limited. Two to 4 feet of snow fell there, and now snow berms created by plows clearing roads have blocked entrances to many parks. If you head out and cannot access a lot, the agency asks that you not park on the side of the road and instead find a different location to recreate.

Some good news: Oregon's largest state park, Silver Falls, is open, though there is no power or cell coverage around the campgrounds or hiking trails.

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