Silver Falls State Park reopens campgrounds with increased accessibility

MARION COUNTY Ore. (KPTV) - Silver Falls State Park has finished the construction project to add more ADA-compliant features to their campgrounds, and has reopened camping reservations for this summer.

Known for their Trail of Ten Falls and their expansive camp grounds, Silver Falls is now trying to be known for something else: accessibility.

“No matter what your mobility is, you should be taken care of here at Silver Falls,” Park Manager Chris Gilliand said.

For the last nine months, the campgrounds were under construction.

While they refreshed the basics like vegetation maintenance, replaced fire rings that were rusting out, replaced broken picknick table boards, and a bunch of new signage, they also added a lot of new ADA-compliant features.

“The bathroom building in Loop B is brand new. It’s got multiple large toilets and shower stalls, and this one has a full ADA changing table for an adult,” Gilliand said.

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The new building will also be more efficient for maintenance. Since each shower and toilet has its own entrance, cleaning crews will not need to shut down the whole restroom for cleaning.

But the accessibility goes beyond the bathroom.

“We did add four tent ADA camp sites to this loop and 3 ADA RV sites, we didn’t have any ADA sites before the projects,” Gilliand said. “Everyone who has different mobility needs can come here and not have any obstacles in their way and that’s the point.”

Silver Falls is also excited to welcome a new concessionaire who will be opening a new restaurant, dining area, and supply store in the park.