Somewhere at the bottom of Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint, there is an unobtrusively small camera that faces the walking trail.Groups of people pass it, some of them idly chatting, others sprinting to the top. With every passing person a counter connected to the camera tallies them — one, five, 50, 500, 5,000 — until the park closes and the trails are silent.

During the summer, cars can drive a different route up the butte on its paved road, a daily procession that prompts another counter to begin its job. Each car is multiplied by 2.6, however, in an effort to estimate passengers.

Thus Oregon State Parks counts visitation rates. And boy, do people like to visit.

In 2023, over 5 million people visited Central Oregon’s 11 state parks, including the one at Pilot Butte in Bend. Below is a list of the top five, and their ranking might surprise you.

Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint

In 2023, nearly 1.2 million people visited Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint, making it the most popular state park in Central Oregon. Much of its popularity comes from repeat visitors, demonstrating the fervor of which Bend residents love the region’s state parks.

Pilot Butte is an extinct cinder cone in the center of Bend. It’s one of the few volcanoes in the United States that sit within city limits and is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike. The scenic viewpoint has a view of Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson, Black Butte, Mount Hood and even Smith Rock.

Visitors can access the butte year-round. There are three hiking trails and a road is open to vehicles seasonally from April through November.

Smith Rock State Park

Smith Rock State Park is the second most visited state park in Central Oregon at 808,172 visitors in 2023. It is a popular climbing area that sees a moderate number of repeat visitors. However, climbing isn’t the only thing that draws visitors to Smith Rock. Its scenic views and deep canyons offer hiking and mountain biking trails.

There is also a campsite at Smith Rock State Park that saw 9,895 visitors in 2023. The camping there sees lower visitation rates than other camping areas in Central Oregon because it only allows tent camping. RV camping, vehicle camping and open fires are not allowed.

Prineville Reservoir State Park

In 2023, 613,826 people visited Prineville Reservoir State Park and 32,122 people camped there. The state park is most notable for the Bowman Dam and its 15-mile long, 3,000 acre reservoir. It’s also a certified international dark sky park, which recognizes its exceptional night-sky quality.

Amenities include 22 RV hookups, 22 sites with electrical hookups, 23 tent sites, five log cabins, a swimming area, boat ramps, fishing piers and a fish cleaning station. The reservoir is stocked year-round and has rainbow trout, small and largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, and crayfish.

The Cove Palisades State Park

Although not the most popular state park for day-use, the Cove Palisades State Park was the most popular state campground in Central Oregon in 2023 and books six months in advance. Last year, 86,203 people stayed overnight while 479,980 people spent their day there.

There are three day-use areas at the state park: Lower Deschutes, Upper Deschutes and Crooked River, though Lower Deschutes is closed during the winter. From April to October there are boat rentals at The Cove Palisades Resort and Marina, along with a cafe and overnight houseboat rentals. Hiking trails range from the quarter-mile Wetland Nature Trail Loop to the 7-mile round trip Tam-a-lau trail.

Tumalo State Park

In 2023, 456,628 people visited Tumalo State Park. Situated north of Bend on the banks of the Deschutes River, the day use parking area fills quickly during popular days. The main hiking trail is the 2.4-mile segment of the Deschutes River Trail, which extends 12 miles along the river.

Even though only 61,069 people camped at Tumalo State Park, it’s not because visitors aren’t interested. Sites are booked six months in advance. Camping is year-round, however only one of three loops are open during the winter months. During the summer, there are 23 full-hookup sites, 54 tent sites and 7 yurts.