Ice Cap Campground

Ice Cap Campground is a modest spot to spend the night while you explore the area’s incredible scenery and trail system.  There isn’t much to the campground itself; merely a loop with several sites that are accessible to cars and a few more attractive walk-in sites overlooking Carmen Reservoir.  There are vault toilets, but no potable water.  Each site has the standard picnic table and fire pit, but you will have to bring your own firewood.  You’ll hear the mighty McKenzie rushing to the north, and Ice Cap Creek flows on the eastern edge of the campground.  Generally the sites are well spaced and provide an average level of privacy, though the walk-in sites are bunched together and may feel crowded when the campground is full.

In terms of location, however, Ice Cap Campground is an excellent choice.  Koosah Falls is a short walk from the campground entrance, and the McKenzie River Trail will take you upstream to Sahalie Falls and downstream to Carmen Reservoir, or farther on to Tamolich Pool.  The campground is far enough from the highway to keep the road noise at bay, and you will be surrounded by the old-growth environment that makes this part of the McKenzie River Corridor such a unique place.  The campground is closed in the winter, and reservations are recommended in the summer months.