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Established Camping

Wallowa Lake State Park Campground

41 Reviews

About

State Park

Wallowa Lake campround has activities for everyone in the family. If you're interested in a campground surrounded on three sides by 9,000' tall snow-capped mountains and a large clear lake, this is the area for you. To fully enjoy this popular fishing and boating site, check out the Wallowa Lake Marina

Campground Info:

-121 Full-hookup sites (36 pull-through)

-88 tent sites with water nearby

-Two yurts (Both ADA; one pet friendly, see our Pets in Parks FAQ for more info)

-Group Tent camping

-Group Picnic areas

-Hot showers and flush toilets (ADA available)

-RV dump station

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Location

Wallowa Lake State Park Campground is located in Oregon

Directions

Wallowa Lake State Park is located 6 miles south of Joseph, OR, on State 82.

Address

72214 Marina Lake
Joseph, OR 97846

Coordinates

45.281564311368626 N
117.2121058797992 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Stay Connected

WiFi
Available
Verizon
Available
AT&T
Good
T-Mobile
Unknown

Site Types

RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

Market
Trash
Picnic Table
Firewood Available
Phone Service
Reservable
Showers
Drinking Water
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets

For Vehicles

Sanitary Dump
Sewer Hookups
Water Hookups
Pull-Through Sites
Big Rig Friendly

For information regarding reservations, contact this campground directly.

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Contact

General Info

Nancy M.

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 14, 2024

Best place to camp with kids and best restaurant for everyone

This is the last year Vali's will be open. If you've never been head you still have a chance and if you love it as much as we do then this is your last call.

The campground at Wallowa lake is a great one. The little town at the far end of the lake is a destination. So many fun things to do and lot's of great places to eat, but seriously don't miss Vali's (make reservations before you leave home) for dinner and donuts on the weekends. Amazing food and even more amazing people.
Riding horses in the Eagle Caps is one of my favorite childhood memories. My parents would never go with me but the guides were always great. Now I send my kids. Putt putt golf and go-karts also make for some great memories and are easier for the whole family to enjoy together. The lake itself is great for skiing and there are several docks to borrow for the day. Camp and marina staff are pretty friendly and keep the place looking great. Go to here.

Month of VisitSeptember

Susan F.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 11, 2023

Lots of activities

Very friendly, helpful staff. We camped in our RV at two different sites. Very clean. We kayaked on the lake and went up Mount Howard on the tram where the views of the Eagle Cap wilderness were breathtaking. We also hiked up to Chief Joseph trail and did a loop back down to the campsite. Definitely somewhere I’d go back to.

SiteB4 & E6

Month of VisitJuly

Gintare

Ranger

Reviewed Sep. 29, 2022

amazing place !

amazing place ! amazing staff! very clean ! super dog friendly ! have full hook ups! comfy cosy parking ! we stayed longer than planned :) so it says a lot about the place . we will be back!

Sitee24

Month of VisitOctober

(14) View All

Gintare

Ranger

Reviewed Sep. 29, 2022

Super Place!

Amazing location! amazing staff! super clean and calm! Dog friendly! We stayed longer then we actually planned :) Thank u !

Month of VisitOctober

(6) View All

Adro R.

Traveler

Reviewed Sep. 4, 2022

Family friendly

My wife and I went camping with another couple and we just had a great time there. A lot of kids were also playing there which to me it is a great sign of being a family camp ground. We will definitely coma back in the feature.

SiteD 16

Month of VisitSeptember

(5) View All

Katie M.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 26, 2022

Great CG on Wallowa Lake

Great visit in August after a backpack in the Lake Basin area. There were only a couple spots with a lake view but it’s a close walk down there and they have a marina where you can rent boats and bikes.

Note: D23 doesn’t have much privacy with site D22. It’s also close to bathrooms but they are clean and that wasn’t an issue for us.

SiteD23

Month of VisitSeptember

Jennifer H.

Legend

Reviewed Aug. 12, 2022

Wow! OR knows how to do state parks

This campground is close to town and has it all. We walked into town and did the gondola, go karts, restaurants and treats. We rented a pontoon boat at the campground, swam in the lake, enjoyed the river rapids, went on a hike, scootered around the campground and played at the park. It’s great!

SiteC41

Month of VisitAugust

(18) View All

Vicki S.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 4, 2021

Nice Campground close to the lake

A very nice spot with plenty to do. The lake is beautiful and the marina has many water toys to choose from. Fires & Firewood available was a surprise but a happy one. Very generous with the wood fire the $5 fee.

SiteC7

Month of VisitSeptember

Hope

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 7, 2021

Beautiful!

Well to start from the beginning of our trip. It was a long drive since we live in the Willamette Valley. But to be honest this camping trip was so worth it. We onlyi stayed 3 nights. But next time we will stay at least a week. My husband and I love to camp. We have stayed at a few nice places that we thought wow this place is so nice and pretty. But when we came into the town of Joseph we were taken back by the town people and how nice they were. You can tell they take pride in there town. They greet you with kindness and it's not fake either. So when you drive threw the town stop and look around and talk with the locals. Well we finished our drive to the state camp ground at Wallowa Lake. Since we got there later in the evening we really couldn't see anything. So the next day we were in awe with how they take great care of the camp ground. I have not seen so many people working in a state camp ground. And the forest workers also. There camp hosts were fabulous, checking on everyone. This camp ground was extremely clean from the bathrooms and showers to the actual camp sites. You can definitely see where the money goes when you stay here. We have never seen a camp ground this taken care of before or that many people taking care of the whole park. I wish the other state parks and camp grounds would look to see how they run and take care of this place. Cause they could learn alot from them. This camp ground is for all age group of people. But the best part is when it got closer to dinner time and everyone was coming back to there camp sites. You can hear all the kids playing and having fun. And all the laughter you hear, is the best medicine for anyone. The lake was perfect in every way. If you want to see how beautiful Oregon can be then check this place out. You will not be disappointed.

SiteC36

Month of VisitSeptember

Lauren A.

Ranger

Reviewed Jul. 20, 2021

Perfect location, beautiful lake

This campground was packed but my particular spot had a decent amount of space between me and the campsites on either side. It backed up to a fence (a neighborhood is on the other side apparently). It was a bit of a walk from the bathhouse but not horrible. This particular bathhouse was different than all the others I have gone to this year. It had a regular bathroom then separate rooms across the hall that had showers. I liked it a lot! Very clean and a bigger shower and changing area which was wonderful. Water pressure was fantastic and it got nice and hot. There was proper ventilation in both the bathroom and the shower rooms and the garbage cans were always being emptied. The soap dispensers were always full. Campground staff did a great job maintaining the bathhouse! The campground was in the perfect location. No traffic noise and right by the marina and a small beach area for water access for families. The marina rents out kayaks and paddle boards. They had picnic areas and plenty of places to sit and enjoy the view of the lake. If it is too crowded try going in the morning before 10am-I did and there were only like 10 people there besides me. They had an outdoor amphitheater, which I didn’t visit but I thought that was pretty cool. The only thing that was kind of disappointing was that they did not sell ice at the campground. It would have been wonderful to have that convenience. The closest place I found that sells ice was 6 miles from the campground. There obviously was a fire ban so they had the firewood they usually sell locked up. People respected the ordinance. They had a large and clean recycle and garbage disposal area that you can pull your car or RV right up to to dispose of your garbage and recycling before leaving the campground which was a nice convenience. The nearby Tram to Mount Howard was an amazing experience! Gorgeous views and nice trails at the top to explore. They even have a restaurant at the top too. The unfortunate thing was that smoke from a fire about 62 miles north had made it to the area so the views weren’t as clear as they could have been. Overall, if you are in the area camping I highly recommend you take a tram ride. It is well worth the $40 a ticket price. Also, a young buck walked through my campsite the morning I left, which was super neat! I would come back to this campground.

SiteC52

Month of VisitAugust

(19) View All

Isabel

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 18, 2021

So much to do with kids!

You will never get bored. There is something to do for everyone in the family! Clean park and friendly staff.

Site13 & 44

Month of VisitAugust

Kathy B.

Legend

Reviewed Jul. 9, 2021

Lovely Spot

This is the place summer dreams are made of! Hiking, kayak and SUP rentals. Swimming. Glacial rivers and lakes. Wallowa Lake is in the cute artistic cowboy town of Joseph. Nez Perce territory.

The campground itself can get crowded, with lots of families who return every year, but there is so much to do and see in this area, you could spend a month and still not see it all. There are some touristy things up the road, like mini golf, horse rides and a tram that will take you up top the mountain. (I didn't do that because of Covid, although it was open.)

You can rent a boat or bring your own. In June/July the peaks still have snow on them. A bear sometimes visits the campground. Deer will walk through your site. Be sure to be wildlife safe and keep all your food out of reach.

Month of VisitAugust

(14) View All

Blaine B.

Legend

Reviewed Jul. 7, 2021

Paradise in Eastern Oregon

The best state park we’ve visited, and we’ve been to many! Right on the lake, close to the tram and hiking, and close to the town of Joseph. We loved it here! The only regret was not staying longer.

SiteB27

Month of VisitJuly

Jodi

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 30, 2021

Great campground, especially for kids!

I have been here several times as a child, but my most recent venture was as an adult with my own children. It was really nice to see that not much has changed in the last ten years since I was here last, and my kids can enjoy the same campground Ive been going to since I was their age. The restroom facilities are great. The restrooms have multiple stalls of flushing toilets, running sinks with soap and paper towel dispensers. There are also showers. You can buy firewood for 5$ a bundle and bring it back to your campsite in a rolling cart. There's a nice playground for the kids. The wildlife here is pretty desensitized to humans, deer will just wanted through. We spent a whole day feeding two chipmunks (who we named Jeff and Veronica) peanuts. The downside is that the campsites are extremely close together with very little in between so there is very little privacy. A positive if that though is that my kids were able to instantly make friends with our neighbors and they played the whole time and had a blast. The lake is nice, there are often Canadian geese down there. There is a swimming area sectioned off, and boat rentals available. Right down the road is the wallowa lake tramway. It's 38$ per adult, and 28$ per child over 4, but it is definitely a great experience. It's a 15 minute ride to the top of the mountain on a gondola. At the top is a restaurant, restrooms, lots of trails. My personal favorite is the royal purple lookout solely because if the friendly chipmunks that come and harass you for food. Nearby the town if Joseph has a ton of cool shops to visit. Mad marys is a must if you have kids, there is an old fashioned ice cream parlor in half of it. I can't wait to come back here again, because we had a blast!

Siteb25

Month of VisitJuly

(15) View All

Alexander

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 26, 2021

Wallowa Lake has it all!

Facilities were top notch and there are lots of activities in the nearby town. Campground is large and sites are fairly close together. Mountains and lake are stunning!

SiteA36

Month of VisitJuly

Raphaela H.

Legend

Reviewed Mar. 25, 2021

Lovely Lake

This park is enchanting - a little oasis in the dry eastern Oregon landscape, huge trees, imposing mountains. It gets packed at the lake shore, but there are lots of places to hang out in the day use area further from the beach that are near-empty. Good facilities. As a plus, the hike at the top of the tram is lovely (great views, fragrant flora).

Month of VisitSeptember

(4) View All

Matthew K.

Guide

Reviewed Dec. 6, 2020

Beautiful lake!

We arrived in late November, when it was cold, snowy, and practically empty. But the campground and all of its facilities were open, and the camp host was extremely friendly and helpful!

Amancay B.

Traveler

Reviewed Nov. 2, 2020

Great Fall Retreat

We enjoyed our off season stay!

Easy back in to our fairly level site.

Unfortunately they had water hookups shut off for winter (after we made our reservation, but before we arrived). So we had to venture back out to the design acted water fill campsite our first morning.

Sites were nice, but very much on top of each other, IMHO. I prefer more privacy for longer stays. Wouldn't want to be there in peak season.

They ask that you don't offload a full black/grey tank at your site, as the septic system can't handle it... in my experience, the dump site may not be able to handle it either. We were after another camper, and it began to overflow as we finished emptying our grey... neither having been completely full.

The picnic table and firepit were at the end of the site, not next to the RV pad/door, as I would've preferred.

A nice nature trail to the lake.

K. K.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 3, 2020

Beautiful Location

Great location near the lake and town of Joseph. The park is really busy in the summertime with families and groups enjoying the lake. We had a great time spending two nights here, despite the crowds. It was easy to distance from others during covid times aside from the restrooms where mask usage was spotty. There are deer and their fawns that regularly visit which is cool to see (but don’t feed them)!

Aaron B.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 12, 2020

Beautiful location

Beautiful campground and location! The campground is big and has lots of room. Campsites have plenty of room however and you don't feel like you are right next to your neighbor. You can buy wheelbarrows of firewood from the camp hosts, but only for a short time in the evening so don't miss it! There is so much to do there from hiking, renting a boat, and taking the gondola/tram up the mountain.

Nicole O.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 10, 2020

Beautiful

Beautiful!! Lake activities, hiking trails, campsites are large but not very private.

Nicole C.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 7, 2020

The smoke of 200 campfires

I should start with a few prefaces. I was at a state park on a holiday weekend. I don't rv camp. I usually camp during shoulder seasons.

Wallowa Lake is gorgeous. I regularly forgot that I was in Oregon. The snow capped peaks around the lake made me feel like I was in the Rockies.

The park was well equipped with showers, floral toilets, and dish washing sinks. The sites were reasonably well spaced.

The day use area was very crowded, but to be expected on a holiday weekend. The cottonwoods were snowing and it was magical.

This campground has about 200 sites. When each one of those sites is having a campfire, it creates a mini inversion and the smoke just hangs close to the ground, making it extremely difficult to breathe. I also noted that every night, at least one fire was left unattended, which was concerning.

The Chief Joseph trailhead is just at the edge of the park with an extremely steep first mile or so, but easing out into a lovely walk through the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Even on the holiday, I didn't see a single other person.

Russ H.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 23, 2020

Amazing scenery

This has the typical state/federal issue of older campground when trailers were 20 feet long with no slides so it can be a little tight, but the location is incredible. There's a marina with rental boats,the fish is good, the town of Joseph is a couple miles away, The tram and mini golf is a 1/2 walk up the road. Be advised in Eastern Oregon each town has a max of 1or 2 gas stations. Don't miss the tram.

SiteC55

Month of VisitJuly

(7) View All

Blake F.

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 9, 2020

Beautiful, Large Campground

This is a beautiful campground walking distance to Wallowa lake. This is the perfect spot for those who like to camp, but like to have their home comforts readily available as well. There’s a Thai food cart, putt putt golf, and an assortment of other activities within walking distance of camp.

B M.

Legend

Reviewed May. 29, 2020

Beautiful area

This was our first stop in Oregon we were in Site C9 which is a pull thru with Full hook up. Big tall pines, the lake & mountains. We had a good site other than some neighbors with 10 kids kept walking through our site to get to theirs instead of walking around the circle. We finally said something after the 3rd day.

I love they have a grey water dump every 3 or 4 sites we have a fish cleaning table we set up it has a hook up for a hose to have direct water to it. We do dishes and prep food on it and we use a bucket under the sink in it to catch the water so walking over 2 sites to dump it is nice.

We launched the kayak & went out in the lake what a nice view of Mt. Howard. My husband caught some nice size Kokanee & trout. There are some floating docks you can climb out on & have lunch the park has 5 I believe.

We took the cable cars up to Mt. Howard & hiked it was beautiful. Still had a good amount of snow on the ground up there. We had a drink & lunch at the Summit Grill.

The small town of Joseph is close by, small grocery store had to go a little further to get to a safeway.

The first few nights were so quiet, a nice bonfire & a glass of wine.

Some of the sites are small in the loop we were in there were some bigger ones.

SiteC9

Month of VisitJuly

(11) View All

Heidi P.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 7, 2019

Clean and quiet

This campground is a nice well maintained place with clean facilities and well dispersed sites. It was a bad fire season when we were there so it’s pretty smoky in my picture.

Clean bathrooms scattered throughout, water available. Nice tree cover and a River right at the edge of where we were. There’s trails and the lake close by too. Picnic tables and nice fire pits.

It was a very quiet place and has several loops in the campground.

Stephanie Z.

Legend

Reviewed Sep. 1, 2019

Busy Campground- Great Location for Visiting the Area

There is nothing too amazing about this campground except it's location. It's large and busy and full of people. There aren't many trees, and you're pretty much next to your neighbors. If you don't mind this type of camping, you will love the area.

You can practically walk to the alpine tram, you're right on Wallowa lake, there's a great marina and lake access for your boat or SUP, and you're just a few minutes drive to Joseph.

Also, the sunsets are incredible.

This is a busy location. Sites fill up fast.

(14) View All

Kayli G.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 27, 2019

Favorite

We come back to this place every year! The most amazing views and so many things to do for people of all ages. It fills up quickly though so prepare.

Andy T.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 16, 2019

Very beautiful

Very beautiful campground with a lot of amenities. To get a good view of the mountains you have to be right on the lake or hiking through the back country but it would be a great group camping spot. Heard a whole lotta rattle snakes

Lauren H.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 24, 2019

Emphasis on RV camping

Good views of the mountains. Beautiful lake. Impressive marina for those who are trailing boats. Emphasis on RV camping rather than secluded tent camping and I prefer tent camping. Bathrooms clean.

Month of VisitJune