Smith Rock State Park current day-use parking area.
About Smith Rock State Park
Smith Rock is considered one of the seven wonders of Oregon and its popularity has skyrocketed among local, national and international visitors. Located in the High Desert north of Bend near Terrebonne, the formation is a premier rock climbing destination. Visitors of various climbing skill levels can explore more than 1,500 bolted routes. The park also has many miles of trails for mountain biking, hiking and admiring the views.
Planned visitor improvements
- Improve parking and traffic flow.
- Improve and pave the overflow parking lot to provide additional year-round permanent parking.
- Develop more accessible trails and improve visitor flow to benefit hikers of all ages, abilities, and experience levels.
- Repair and resurface the existing Rim Rock Trail from the main day-use parking area north to the picnic shelter.
- Build a new accessible trail connecting the picnic shelter to North Point and the overflow parking lot
- Build a new accessible restroom serving the overflow parking lot and North Point if budget allows.
Welcome center on hold
The Welcome Center project has been put on hold until additional funding becomes available. Oregon State Parks is focusing on projects that will extend the life of existing facilities rather than adding new facilities due to budget constraints. OPRD will allocate the remaining GO Bonds to its maintenance backlog.
Short-term visitor impact
Construction of the overflow parking lot and trails will begin in late fall 2026 and extend through spring 2027. The park will remain open during construction. Active construction zones within the park will be closed during construction.
Milestones
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Final Master Plan adopted.
- Programming complete.
- Schematic design complete.
- Geotechnical and septic investigations.
- Land use planning.
- Revised project final design and permitting complete.
Next steps
OPRD is currently working on starting the bidding process ahead of construction.
The current GO Bond estimate for the revised project is $2 million. OPRD was awarded a Land and Water Conservation Grant to help fund the construction of this project.
Last updated Oct. 2026. Additional updates as information becomes available.