State Recreation Area · Oregon

Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site

Location: Polk County, Oregon
Nearest town: 4.6 miles south of Monmouth
Type: State Recreation Area

About Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site

1845 was the year Sarah Helmick, an Oregon pioneer, donated the land that would become this recreation site, making it the first state park established in Oregon. The grounds sit on the floodplain of the Luckiamute River, forested with Bigleaf Maple, Douglas-fir, and Black Cottonwood. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.

Hours, fees, camping, reservations and closures are set by the park and change often. Check the official park site before you go.

Getting there

Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site is in Polk County, Oregon, 4.6 miles south of Monmouth. The Directions button takes you to the park's mapped location; the entrance may be elsewhere, so check the official site for the address to use.

State parks near Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site

Within 60 miles, closest first, straight-line. All 137 in Oregon →

Towns near Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site

State parks near Salem, State parks near Corvallis, State parks near Lebanon, State parks near McMinnville, State parks near Woodburn, State parks near Agate Beach

Facts from Wikidata, checked September 25, 2026. Distances are straight-line.