OPRD release – GRANTS PASS, Ore— The Valley of the Rogue State Park day-use area will no longer include an interstate rest area starting Sept. 5. Oregon State Parks and Recreation (OPRD) will continue to manage the park as a day use area and campground with a focus on recreation. The park is located at milepost 45 on Interstate 5 between the cities of Gold Hill and Rogue River in southern Oregon. The next closest rest area is 18 miles north at Manzanita Rest Area (Map of Oregon rest areas). The Valley of the Rogue day-use area will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hours will change seasonally. Overnight parking will be prohibited in the day-use area and restrooms will not be available when the area is closed. The park will continue to operate its campground with 175 campsites including full hook-up sites, tent sites, group sites and yurts. OPRD staff will post information about the transition in the park, and Oregon Department of Transportation will remove the blue “Rest Area” signs posted along Interstate 5. As a combined rest area and day-use area, the park had more than 2 million visits per year. That volume of visitation put a strain on park resources, staff and facilities. The transition from rest area to day use will provide staff additional time and resources to focus on expanding recreation opportunities at the park. “We look forward to exploring future projects and opportunities that will enrich the visitor experience, which could include upgraded facilities, increased access to the river, new landscaping and additional interpretive panels and trails. We are excited to welcome visitors to this area as a destination to recreate and enjoy the park,” said District Manager Dani Padilla. The day-use area includes two restrooms, a fenced area for dogs off leash, access to the Rogue River Greenway Trail, a boat launch for the Rogue River, picnic tables, an Applegate Trail interpretive kiosk and interpretive and wood carving displays. In addition to the Manzanita Rest Area, there are facilities for northbound travelers at the Ashland Welcome Center near milepost 13 for RV’s and passenger vehicles; and Ashland Port of Entry at milepost 18 for commercial vehicles. The Suncrest Rest Area is available for southbound travelers at milepost 22.
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