Deschutes National Forest, OR is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Oregon camping adventure.
$38 - $550 / night
"Rv sites available close to the lodge along the river and up the hill away from the water. Both sites have pools filled by the springs."
"Situated on the McKenzie River and near the McKenzie River Trail (MRT), this spot has it all."
$28 - $58 / night
"Paradise in Oregon (located in Oregon, DUH!), is one of my favorite places to go. I have been there twice- One with family and the other time with college friends."
"A Picturesque Getaway with Room to Roam - Paradise of Oregon Campground Review
I recently had the pleasure of camping at Paradise of Oregon Campground, and I must say, it was a memorable experience."
"Oregon State Parks have the best website, brochures and information so you can often drive in totally prepared. USFS has some major catching up to do."
"Room for several tents on nice flat spots, not too close to adjacent sites with drinking water just across from parking. The slow moving creek means mosquitos are pretty bad at dusk, but bearable."
"Absolutely a beautiful spot tucked away! Off the main road with a few dispersed spots spaced out very nicely. Not the easiest access to the river but if able easy enough."
"We found a spot to put our tent (right off the road) but still a safe distance away from it and was able to watch and hear this clear blue river while we fell asleep."
$22 - $44 / night
"Ranger review of Banner and Oak Baseball hats at French Pete campground, Oregon."
"Tucked back in the deep forest lays old french pete, everything’s covered in moss and old growth, the camp host was so sweet and was willing to help with anything. The bathrooms were cleaned nightly!"
$18 / night
"Hard to find because there is limited signage around the reservoir. Once you pass the hot springs, travel over the bridge and the campground will be located on the right side."
"The river it’s on isn’t accessible to swim at, but there are animals who drink and catch fish out of it!!"
"Complete forested sites and open meadow sites available, some lakeside. Two pit toilets, and affordable nightly camping rate."
"Lakeside (30 feet off lake in sheltered area with beach pathway). End of June. Sunday-Tuesday. Semi quiet and peaceful (loud family a couple sites over). Otherwise very nice."
$165 / night
"Though it’s near the 242, the road is not busy. Mostly used by bicycles and during a good chunk of the year there’s a snow gate blocking further up."
"The hwy is a popular ride for long distance road bikers so be prepared when driving to the close by hikes, and if you are going up to the pass."
$25 / night
"Beautiful place, quiet with sites right next to the McKenzie river."
"Plenty of places to hike and walk around. Not far from McKenzie Market for their restaurant and live music."
$23 - $48 / night
"We stayed two nights tucked right up against the Mckenzie river. It was beautiful and peaceful."
ScoutThis is a nice small campground right on the Falls River. Sites are a little uneven and there is just a pit toilet. For the price of $21 I would like there to be a water spout.
TravelerPulled in here after a long night driving with a cranky toddler around 3am and found a perfect lil site to toss the tent up quick and sleep until morning. When the sun rose we realized what an amazing spot we had, right on the river with lots of room for the little to run around. Stayed the whole day and enjoyed soaking our feet in the cool creek.
ScoutGreat spot but they messed up our campsite assignment and it was taken by someone. They advised that campsites nearby are filled with mosquitos but we still just took one since nobody answered the phone, neither a call box. It was fine, only in the morning once we filled water tank and turned on engine, it was crazy — sworn of mosquitos attacked us.
Spot itself is nice, firepit with table. The hookup plugs were really far away though from the spot itself.
LegendRight off the main road and just outside the entrance to Newberry volcanic national monument. Basically a big parking lot are actually two big parking lots for the snowmobilers and the cross country skiers and winter. Vault toilet no water. Quiet and cool. Probably two to three degrees cooler than down in the valley. There is a warming Hut just off the edge of the parking lot and a fire ring. Very convenient for visiting the national monument just up the road a mile. Not too far from us 97 & the towns as well. Very much enjoyed staying here. Pretty quiet and great surroundings. Picturesque. No permit required this time of year. Free. 2 bars of 4G Verizon- Usable.
RangerDrove all the way out this way to stay at Steelhead Trail, but it was packed for the holiday weekend. Used my map to find closest BLM land and headed here. Actually pretty decent spot. You can hear the highway, but could prob get away from noise if you went back far enough. Dirt roads and a little bumpy but I wouldn’t see anyone having an issue getting in here. Also have 5G cell service with AT&T. Open skies for solar/starlink.
Only knocked down a star because there is a good bit of trash spread throughout the sites. Looks like a place some may come to party. Also here cows moping constantly from cow farm across the road lol
Overall a good safe spot to stop passing through.
GuideWe enjoyed our stay at the campground, there are a couple good hiking trails and the river was beautiful. We were next to the showers and bathrooms. some of the sites are rather far away from the faculties.
TravelerWe stayed here in a little tent and was a great night sleep. Loads of space to put a tent or park an RV. They have a vault toilet. Only half a mile to see the steelhead waterfall
GuideWe were at site 15 which was all the way at the end and was nicely secluded from the rest of the sites. We had direct access to the lake, but it looks like if the lake was low it would be a climb to get down to the water. No electricity or water so bring all that. Enough parking for 2-3 vehicles and a couple of tents or an RV. We had amazing views!
ScoutSupposedly there are 2 areas you can camp- a parking lot and various spots down the dirt path. Well, the dirt path had a gate up and was closed. I saw a sign up saying that the area is closed for camping because they are doing prescribed burns. Rumor is that they recently evicted a bunch of people that were camping on this land. Another person in town told me that the town has been cracking down on the free camping here.
That being said, I did end up staying in the parking lot, and I saw a few others stay too. It was a little awkward in the morning because the area is really busy with mountain bikers, but if you park farther away from the trailhead, should be fine.
I personally prefer an area where you can pull in and have some level of privacy, this is definitely not that.
Camping near Deschutes National Forest, Oregon, offers a fantastic escape into nature with stunning views and plenty of outdoor activities. Whether you’re looking for a cozy cabin or a spacious RV site, there are options for everyone.
Camping near Deschutes National Forest, Oregon, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. With a little planning, you can have a memorable experience in this beautiful area.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Deschutes National Forest offers a wide range of camping options, with 365 campgrounds and RV parks near Deschutes National Forest and 48 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Deschutes National Forest is Belknap Hot Springs Lodge and Gardens with a 4-star rating from 21 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 48 free dispersed camping spots near Deschutes National Forest.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 21 parks near Deschutes National Forest that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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