A Guide to Camping in Oregon

Oregon is a prime state for camping along the West Coast. Over half the state is on public lands, the population density is small compared to its neighbors to the north and south, and each region in the state offers something unique and worth visiting. With a few exceptions, campgrounds aren't hard to come by even on the busiest of weekends, especially if you're willing to drive a few hours from Portland or Bend. And for anyone looking to combine camping with a hiking or backpacking trip, many incredible wilderness areas have campsites at the trailhead, giving you the option of car camping or staying at a backcountry site for the night.

State park campgrounds in Oregon are generally well-managed and come with many amenities such as showers, amphitheaters and rentable day-use facilities. In the case of state park campgrounds on the Oregon Coast, these usually also have yurts and/or cabins available to rent for the night, a nice option for families and during the rainier months along the Pacific Ocean. National forest campgrounds, found more prominently in the Cascade Range and Eastern Oregon, are usually more primitive, often with picnic tables and fire pits, vault toilets, and occasionally with potable water. The only national park in Oregon is Crater Lake National Park, which has one large campground that can be very hard to get a reservation at during peak summer months.

Are you new to camping in Oregon? With hundreds of campgrounds in Oregon there are so many places to go. Here are a few guides to orient you, and some suggestions on great campgrounds where you can stay. Even if you've explored the state from top to bottom, there may be a few gems in here that get you to somewhere new. Regardless of where you go, though, pay attention to posted notices such as fire restrictions and how to properly store your food to keep away pests. And please remove everything you brought along so the next guest can also have a wonderful, clean camping experience.

Oregon Coast

• Tillicum Beach Campground.  Thirty-six car/tent sites adjacent to the beach and Pacific Ocean. Takes reservations.
• Cape Lookout State Park Campground. There are 172 car/tent sites and 38 full hook-up RV sites within walking distance of the beach. Takes reservations.
• Fort Stevens State Park Campground. Nearly 500 campsites, yurts and cabins along the Oregon Coast. Takes reservations.
• Jones Creek Campground. Located in the Tillamook State Forest between Portland and Tillamook on the Wilson River. Twenty-eight tent/car sites and 14 tent/walk-in sites. First-come, first-served.
• Humbug Mountain State Park Campground. Forty RV sites and 55 tent/car sites within walking distance of the beach in Southern Oregon. Takes Reservations.
• Loon Lake Lodge + RV Resort. Twenty-four full hookup RV sites, 24 tent sites, nine tent/car sites, four yurts, eight cabins, five cottages, six motel rooms, and more on the Oregon Coast Range's only fully accessible natural lake.

Mount Hood + Clackamas River

• Lost Lake Campground. Amazing views of Mount Hood and Lost Lake. There are 119 tent/car sites and seven cabins. Takes reservations.
• Tilly Jane Campground. High on Mount Hood, with lots of nearby hiking trails. Fifteen tent/walk-in sites and two cabins. Campsites are first-come, first-served.
• Trillium Lake Campground. Lakefront camping with postcard-worthy views of Mount Hood. Fifty-seven tent/car sites and seven tent/walk-in sites. Takes reservations.
• Clackamas River, Upper Campsites. Primitive and less-crowded campsites along the Clackamas River. Two tent/walk-in sites. First-come, first-served.
• Timothy Lake, Hoodview Campground. Lakeside camping with Mount Hood views. Forty-three tent/car sites. Takes reservations.

Mount Jefferson + Metolius River

• Peninsula Campground. Easy access to Olallie Lake. Twenty-nine tent/car sites, six tent/walk-in sites, and one group campground. First-come, first-served.
• Horseshoe Lake Campground. Small, quiet campground with access to Horseshoe Lake. Eight tent/car sites and a group campground. First-come, first-served.
• Pioneer Ford Campground. Small campground along the Metolius River. Eighteen tent/car sites and two tent/walk-in sites. First-come, first-served.
• Candle Creek Campground. Relaxing, quiet and spacious campsites along the Metolius River. Ten tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.
• Paul Dennis Campground. Alongside Olallie Lake, with amazing views of Mount Jefferson. Twelve tent/car sites, three tent/walk-in sites, and two yurts. Campsites are first-come, first-served.

Three Sisters + Central Oregon Cascades

• Sparks Lake Shoreline Campsites. Nicely-spaced, private sites along Sparks Lake, with views of Broken Top and South Sister. Twenty-two tent/walk-in sites. First-come, first-served.
• Hosmer Lake South Campground. Primitive campsites adjacent to beautiful Hosmer Lake. Twenty-three tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.
• Devils Lake Campground. Primitive campground with amazing access to the Three Sisters Wilderness. Ten tent/walk-in sites. First-come, first-served.
• Waldo Lake, North Waldo Campground. Access the lake's clear and pristine waters. Forty-two tent/car sites and six group sites. Takes reservations.
• Little Lava Lake Campground. Spacious yet basic campsites at the headwaters of the Deschutes River in Central Oregon. Fifteen tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.

Crater Lake + Southern Oregon Cascades

• Mazama Village Campground. Crater Lake National Park's main campground, albeit busy and overly constructed. There are 210 tent/car sites and 40 cabins. Takes reservations but can be difficult to reserve.
• Lost Creek Campground. The more primitive and much quieter of Crater Lake's campgrounds. Sixteen tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.
• Crescent Lake Campground. Access to Crescent Lake with a beach and boat launch. Thirty-nine tent/car sites and three yurts. Takes reservations.
• Summit Lake Campground. Primitive campground with lake access and amazing views of the Southern Oregon Cascades. Three tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.
• Timpanogas Campground. Spacious campsites alongside Timpanogas Lake south of Diamond Peak. Ten tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.

Northeastern Oregon

• Wallowa Lake State Park Campground. Large campground with access to Wallowa Lake and hiking into the mountains. There are 89 tent/car sites, three group sites, two yurts and a cabin. Takes Reservations.
• Lone Pine Campground. Fairly basic campground in Cottonwood Canyon State Park, one of Oregon's newest, alongside the John Day River. Twenty-one tent/car sites, seven tent/walk-in sites and a group site. First-come, first-served.
• Strawberry Campground. Forested campsite at the entrance to Strawberry Mountain Wilderness. Twelve tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.
• Ochoco Divide Campground. Quiet campground with large campsites in the Ochoco Mountains. Twenty-five tent/car sites and one group site. First-come, first-served.
• Middle Fork Campground. Small campground with spacious sites alongside the Middle Fork John Day River. Ten RV sites that serve well as tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.

Southeastern Oregon

• Mann Lake Recreation Site. Primitive and sun-exposed campsites with amazing views of Steens Mountain. Five tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.
• Thompson Reservoir, East Bay Campground. Quiet and remote campground alongside Thompson Reservoir. Fifteen tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.
• Chickahominy Reservoir. Barren campground with excellent access to fishing in Chickahominy Reservoir. Twenty-eight tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.
• Fish Lake Recreation Site Campground. Situated on the flank of Steens Mountain with great access to nearby hiking. Twenty-three tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.
• Page Springs Campground. Near the town of Frenchglen with access to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Thirty-six tent/car sites. First-come, first-served.