Park Update: Smith Rock Master Plan

Since the original Smith Rock Master Plan was first adopted in 1991, park visitation has tripled. In 2016, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department initiated an update and over the course of the next six years, they conducted assessments and surveys to determine the direction for the future of the park. Matt Davey, Park Manager at Smith Rock State Park, gave us a brief update on what they accomplished in 2023, as well as the plans for their next major project. 

“The new Master Plan was approved by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission last summer,” writes Davey. “It is now the official guiding document for land use planning and development at the park for roughly the next 20+ years.” The biggest accomplishment in 2023 was replacing the footbridge. Davey states that although they still have a little rehabilitation work to do this spring, overall the new bridge was an awesome improvement. 

The next big project on the docket is a new visitor center. The parks department is currently in the design and permitting process right now, so no groundbreaking work is planned for the next year. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new project!

If you want to learn more about the Smith Rock State Park Master Plan, please visit: https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/PRP/Documents/PLA-Adopted-Smith-Rock-2023.pdf