Three of the best U.S. state parks to visit are in Oregon, study finds
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Looking to explore some of the nation’s greatest nature? If you live in Oregon, you won’t have to travel very far.
Three of Oregon’s state parks were listed among the top 10 best in the nation in a new study that analyzed reviews from Tripadvisor and state park websites. The state parks with the highest average rating were ranked among the best.
Oregon’s highest-ranked park, listed as the third best in the U.S., was Shore Acres State Park in Coos Bay for its “spectacular seascapes and even the possibility of spotting migrating whales,” according to the study.
The fourth best state park ranking went to Smith Rock State Park, which the study said “offers exploration of its incredible canyon” in Redmond.
Smith Rock recently installed a new footbridge that had been a part of the park for nearly 30 years. The new bridge is wider and can accommodate more visitors, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said prior to the bridge’s completion in September 2023.
Oregon’s final ranking rested with Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, which features a three-hour long scenic drive. The state park in Brookings ranked in joint ninth place with Michigan’s Ludington State Park.
California topped the list with its Humboldt Redwoods State Park in the northern part of the state. Travel experts in charge of the study said the park ranked so high thanks to “a number of activities, as well as being situated near several attractions” including the Redwoods Railbike tour and a half-day whitewater rafting trip.
Top 10 best state parks in the U.S.
| Location | State Park | Average Ranking | |
| 1 | Weott, Calif. | Humboldt Redwoods State Park | 4.884 |
| 2 | Homer, Ala. | Kachemak Bay State Park | 4.882 |
| 3 | Coos Bay, Ore. | Shore Acres State Park | 4.862 |
| 4 | Redmond, Ore. | Smith Rock State Park | 4.855 |
| 5 | Mouth of Wilson, Va. | Grayson Highlands State Park | 4.853 |
| 6 | Waimea, Hawaii | Waimea Canyon State Park | 4.844 |
| 7 | Crescent City, Calif. | Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park | 4.839 |
| 8 | Jersey, Ark. | Moro Bay State Park | 4.838 |
| 9(a) | Brookings, Ore. | Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor | 4.833 |
| 9(b) | Ludington, Mich. | Ludington State Park | 4.833 |
| 10 | Marlinton, W.Va. | Beartown State Park | 4.832 |