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Josephine County, OR Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Default hours
Sunrise to sunset
Timing source
U.S. Naval Observatory tables
Exception
Designated overnight camping areas
Director's power
Close/restrict any park early
Watercraft rule
Boats/vehicles out before closure

Summary

County parks in Josephine County are open daily from sunrise to sunset, timed to U.S. Naval Observatory tables, and close at sunset except for areas set aside for overnight camping. The Director can also close or restrict any park early to protect public health, safety or the facilities themselves.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Josephine County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

§ 12.05.080. Park hours. A. All parks shall be open daily for use from sunrise to sunset unless posted otherwise by the Director and except as provided in subsection (B) of this section. The hours of sunrise and sunset shall be computed according to the Astronomical Applications Department Table for the Rise and Set of the Sun of the U.S. Naval Observatory. All parks shall be closed daily at sunset except for those areas designated for overnight camping. All boats and motor vehicles shall be removed from all water areas prior to park closure except with the prior approval of the Director.

View official code

Full Breakdown

S. Naval Observatory, the same federal reference other jurisdictions use for tide and light tables. Parks close daily at sunset, with one carve-out: areas the County has designated for overnight camping stay open through the night. Before that daily closure, all boats and motor vehicles shall be removed from all water areas unless the Director has approved otherwise in advance. Subsection B gives the Director, or a designee, standing authority to close or restrict public use of any park when it is deemed necessary to protect the public health, safety or welfare, or for the protection of the park or park facilities, independent of the sunrise-to-sunset default.

090(D) makes it unlawful to remain in or enter upon any park when it is not open or after having been ordered to leave by the Park Director or designee.

Violations & Fines

Being in a park after closing violates § 12.05.090(D), and § 12.05.060(K) lets the Director order anyone believed to be violating park rules, including the hours rule, to leave immediately. Chapter-wide, § 12.05.180 treats park violations as unclassified violations carrying State Court Administrator fines, doubled for a corporation, and repeat trespassers can be barred from all Josephine County parks for up to 60 days; refusing to leave when ordered can bring an arrest for criminal trespass.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time do Josephine County parks close?
Parks close daily at sunset, computed from U.S. Naval Observatory sunrise and sunset tables under § 12.05.080(A), unless the Director has posted different hours. The only standing exception is areas the County has designated for overnight camping, which stay open through the night.
Can I camp overnight in a Josephine County park?
Only in areas designated for overnight camping; § 12.05.080(A) keeps those areas open past sunset while every other part of the park closes. You also need a camping permit under § 12.05.070(A)(2), capped at 14 consecutive days per park and 28 days in any six-month period.
What happens if I'm in a county park after it closes?
It's a prohibited act under § 12.05.090(D) to remain in or enter a park when it isn't open. The Director can order you to leave, and refusing can lead to arrest for criminal trespass, on top of the chapter's standard unclassified-violation fines under § 12.05.180.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Josephine County

Animal Ordinances: Chickens & LivestockSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic ZoningLight Restrictions

All Josephine County rules

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