This State Park In Oregon Is So Little Known, You'll Practically Have It All To Yourself
By Sarah McCosham|Published June 21, 2022
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
Oregon is home to more than 100 state parks, each and every one of them unique and worth visiting. Whether you’re in the mood for epic waterfall chasing, lakeside camping, a scenic coastal hike, or a fascinating history lesson, you’ll find it all — and more — at our Oregon State Parks. However, some spots tend to get a bit more attention than others, as is the case with today’s feature destination. Catherine Creek State Park is a spectacularly scenic, little known Oregon State Park that’s peak Beaver State beauty, and sure to capture your heart.
This scenic slice of Beaver State paradise is Catherine Creek State Park, a little known Oregon State Park located in Central Oregon, just east of I-84.
The park's centerpiece is, of course, Catherine Creek, a picturesque natural feature that got its name from Catherine Godley, a settler in the area in the late 1800s.
In the summer, it's a marvelous place for creek stomping!
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Catherine Creek State Park is nestled in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, and it's surrounded by big, beautiful Ponderosa pines. Take a stroll along the three-mile-long footpath that winds through the campground and picnic area, and you'll be transported to a scene straight out of a Tolkien tale.
During the spring and summer, Catherine Creek State Park dazzles in all the colors of the rainbow, with winsome wildflowers blooming in perfect synchronous harmony.
This little known Oregon State Park really is a perfect day trip adventure in the Beaver State, offering visitors amenities like large picnic tables, horseshoe pits, and lovely campsites.
Dogs are welcome here, too, provided they remain on leash.
You'll definitely want to spend the night at the campground here, where the sites are primitive, but the restrooms offer flush toilets. The scenic beauty is pretty much all around you.
