{{Short description|State park in Oregon, United States}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox park | name = Bates State Park | map = Oregon#USA | map_size = 220 | type = Public, state | location = Grant County, Oregon, USA | nearest_city = Prairie City | coords_ref = | area = {{convert|131|acre}} | created = | operator = Oregon Parks and Recreation Department | visitation_num = | opened =September 20, 2011 | open = May to October (weather permitting) | coordinates= {{coord|44.592492|N|118.509841|W|region:US-OR|format=dms|display=inline,title}} }}
'''Bates State Park''' is a {{convert|131|acre|adj=on}} state park in Grant County, Oregon, USA, near Prairie City. The park includes hiking trails, primitive RV and tent campsites, and a day use area for hikers and bicyclists.<ref name=opb>{{cite news |url=http://news.opb.org/article/opening_near_for_bates_state_park/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415121741/http://news.opb.org/article/opening_near_for_bates_state_park/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 15, 2013 |title=Opening near for Bates State Park |publisher=OPB |date=September 14, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2011 }}</ref>
==History== The park is located on the Middle Fork John Day River, on the site of a lumber mill that closed in 1975. The company town for the mill, Bates, formerly had a population of about 400 on the site, but when the mill closed, the town slowly depopulated.<ref name=opb/> The mill pond, one of the few remaining landmarks from the lumber mill era, is a central feature of the new park.<ref name=opb/>
In 2008, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department purchased the property from the county for $407,000 and spent another $900,000 in preparing the park for its opening in September 2011.<ref name=opb/> Several matching grants were used to continue to develop and maintain the park.<ref name=opb/>
==Features== Located in the Blue Mountains, Bates State Park sits at {{convert|4070|ft}} above sea-level.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cockle|first=Richard|title=Harsh weather may cut short season at Oregon's newest state park|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/10/harsh_weather_may_cut_short_se.html|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=October 9, 2011}}</ref> The park contains 28 primitive campsites for tents and RVs. In addition, there is a day use area for hikers and bicyclists, who use the area as part of the TransAmerica bicycle trail. The day use area contains locations for picnicking and several miles of hiking trails are available.<ref name=opb/> Interpretive panels describing the history of the town and the mill era are on display.<ref name=oprd>{{cite web |url=http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_263.php |title=Bates State Park |publisher=Oregon Parks and Recreation Department |access-date=September 14, 2011 }}</ref> The park is open from May to October.<ref name=opb/>
==See also== * List of Oregon state parks
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{cite web |url=http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_263.php |title=Bates State Park |publisher=Oregon Parks and Recreation Department |access-date=September 14, 2011}}
{{Protected Areas of Oregon}}
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Category:Parks in Grant County, Oregon Category:State parks of Oregon Category:Protected areas established in 2011 Category:2011 establishments in Oregon