The Oregon sno park permit is the small piece of paper that trips up first-time Mt. Hood visitors more than chains do. You drive up to Trillium Lake or Government Camp, park, have a great day, and come back to a ticket on the windshield. Here is what the permit is, when you need it, where to get one, and the handful of spots where you can skip it.
What it is
Oregon's Sno-Park program funds snow plowing and maintenance at designated winter recreation parking lots. The permit is a windshield sticker or daily hangtag issued by Oregon DMV and sold through retailers. It is required to park in any signed Sno-Park from November 1 through April 30, regardless of whether there is snow on the ground that day.
Fines are meaningful. The ticket is more than the price of an annual permit, and enforcement on Mt. Hood is regular. Assume you will be checked.
How much it costs
Prices are set by the state and have stayed modest for years. Roughly:
- Daily permit: a few dollars, in the range of $4 to $5.
- Three-day permit: around $9.
- Annual permit: around $25 for the full November through April season.
Retailers often add a small service fee. Check current prices before you go, but the rule of thumb holds: if you will park in Sno-Parks more than a handful of times in a winter, the annual pays for itself.
Where to buy one
Buy it before you reach the mountain. The busiest Sno-Parks do not sell permits on site, and there is no cell-based purchase at the lot.
- Oregon DMV offices sell annual permits.
- Sporting goods and outdoor stores in Portland, Sandy, and Welches. Big-box sporting goods stores usually carry them.
- Gas stations and markets along Highway 26 in Sandy, Welches, Rhododendron, and Government Camp often carry daily and annual permits, but call ahead on a holiday weekend.
- Ski area ticket windows at some resorts sell permits, but you need one to park before you reach the window, so this only helps for the next day.
If you are staying at Wildwood Basecamp, the Welches and Rhododendron stores on the way up are the last convenient stops. Grab your permit with the groceries.
Which Mt. Hood lots need one
Almost every winter recreation lot on the mountain is a Sno-Park. The ones guests ask about most:
- Trillium Lake Sno-Park, for the snowshoe and ski loop to the lake. Fills by mid-morning on weekends.
- Mirror Lake trailhead, the paved lot on Highway 26 below Government Camp.
- Government Camp lots, including the Summit and the big lot at the west end of town used for tubing and sledding.
- White River West Sno-Park on Highway 35, the classic sledding hill with a huge view.
- Timberline and Mt. Hood Meadows parking lots. Yes, the ski areas require them too.
- Skibowl lots in Government Camp.
- Frog Lake, Barlow Pass, Teacup Lake for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing.
If there is a brown sign with a snowflake and the words Sno-Park, you need the permit.
Where you do not need one
Private lots and businesses in Government Camp that are not signed as Sno-Parks, the Wildwood Recreation Site and other low-elevation trailheads in the villages that are not part of the program, and anywhere outside November 1 to April 30. When in doubt, look for the sign.
Neighboring states
Oregon honors valid Washington, Idaho, and California snow-park permits, and those states honor Oregon's. If you already have a Washington Sno-Park pass, it works at Trillium Lake. Bring it.
Practical tips from the parking lot
- Annual stickers go on the lower left of the windshield, inside. Daily permits hang from the mirror or sit on the dash, printed side up.
- Arrive early. Permit or not, popular lots fill by 9 or 10 on weekends, and cars parked on the highway shoulder get towed.
- Carry chains anyway. A permit gets you a parking spot. It does not get you up the hill. Traction requirements are separate and posted on TripCheck.com.
- Pack a shovel. You may need to dig out your spot to leave.
- Keep the permit in the glove box between trips. The one time you forget it is the one time you get checked.
Planning the rest of the day
Once you are parked legally, the mountain opens up. Trillium Lake is the classic beginner snowshoe. Mirror Lake is a short climb with a big payoff. White River is where you take the kids to sled. For the full winter list and the ski details, see our Mt. Hood things-to-do page and our ski cabin guide. Then drive back down to the village, where the parking is free and the hot tub is warm.