On June 15, the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department will launch a new parking pass program at 22 Oklahoma State Parks.
Funds raised from the passes will allow the Oklahoma State Parks system for park facilities and infrastructure maintenance and improvements.
“It is deeply important to all of us to keep Oklahoma State Parks affordable while providing the best possible experience for our visitors,” said Jerry Winchester, executive director of the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department. “The need to implement this parking pass program was not made lightly, but it was a necessary step to help slow the deferred maintenance trend. We have made great progress in streamlining processes and reducing costs, but we have to also increase our resources in order for our state parks to be of the quality that Oklahomans expect and deserve.
“Improving the parks will also better position us to attract visitors from outside the state, which will bring dollars into the communities surrounding the parks.”
The passes will start at $10 for a one-day pass for a single vehicle. Vehicles with an Oklahoma or Oklahoma tribal license plate will receive a 20 percent discount, making their pass just $8 per vehicle for a single day.
Passes are free for residents over 62 and their spouses; veterans and the disabled.
Three-day, one-week and annual passes will also be available. The annual pass will work for all 22 parks. Its cost will be $75, with a discount rate of $60 available for vehicles with Oklahoma or Oklahoma tribal license plates. Buses will be assessed a $25 per day fee regardless of license plate origin.
Free parking for one vehicle will be included in lodging and camping reservations at each park. State park golf courses and some concessionaire areas will be exempt from the parking fee, and some restaurants and other concessionaires may offer parking validation.
“Our park staff have been making do for many years without adequate funding,” said Oklahoma State Parks Director Kris Marek. “We anticipate that this program will provide the resources they need to make our parks the best they can be.”
Oklahoma State Parks has already begun projects associated with the new park improvement effort, including new or improved restaurant facilities at five parks, the acquisition and improvement of additional campsites at Little Sahara State Park, the acquisition of cabins at Fort Cobb State Park, paving improvements at several parks and the improvement and replacement of restroom facilities systemwide.
These projects are only the beginning; many other improvements are in the planning/contracting stage.
Guests will have several ways to pay for parking, including in advance online through a link from TravelOK.com. and via pay machines at park offices and at other locations around the participating parks.
These state parks are participating in the program:
- Arrowhead Area at Lake Eufaula State Park
- Beavers Bend State Park
- Boiling Springs State Park
- Cherokee Landing State Park
- Fort Cobb State Park
- Foss State Park
- Honey Creek Area at Grand Lake State Park
- Great Plains State Park
- Great Salt Plains State Park
- Greenleaf State Park
- Keystone State Park
- Lake Eufaula State Park
- Lake Murray State Park
- Lake Texoma State Park
- Lake Thunderbird State Park
- Lake Wister State Park
- Natural Falls State Park
- Osage Hills State Park
- Robbers Cave State Park
- Sequoyah State Park
- Tenkiller State Park
- Twin Bridges Area at Grand Lake State Park