Portal Campground
Reviewed Aug. 29, 2018

Fantastic spot

I hesitated to write a review because I don't want too many people to flock here! This is a terrific campground, and although you aren't backcountry camping, it feels more removed than many typical car camping locations. It's a beautiful location on the Grizzly Reservoir with beautiful views, and a pretty creek runs behind some of the camp spots. I counted 7 spots total (although I've seen 5 listed on this site and others); all are first come first serve. It never filled up the whole time I was there (Thurs-Sat in late August), and if there was at all a "peak" time, it seemed to be after 2pm on Friday. Again, it never filled completely. The sites feel private and separated from each other. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring (currently not in use due to fire ban), and there are typical vault toilets (but with a surprisingly good supply of TP!) There is no drinking water source or garbage location, so you have to pack your water in (or filter) and pack your garbage out. It was very quiet except for some noise coming from what seemed to be nearby maintenance buildings associated with the reservoir, but these are not visible from the camp area. A resident dog there barked at night until about 10pm, and in the morning you could hear the occasional low hum of a loader they used. By no means did this ruin things, but it's worth a mention. The temps were pretty chilly at night…upper 30s in late August…and a really pleasant high 60s during day. Getting to the campground might be a challenge for some. After you turn off of Hwy 82 it's 6.5 miles up a 4x4 road. I made it in a small "crossover" AWD SUV, but anything lower might have trouble. You definitely can do it without a big truck, though. That said, I did see a Jetta that was already a ways up the road as I was leaving. There are plenty of things to do in the area - hiking, mountain biking, fishing, etc. Overall, this is a new go to spot for me and I highly recommend it. I can't wait to go back.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Portal Campground by Christina S., August 29, 2018
  • Review photo of Portal Campground by Christina S., August 29, 2018
  • Review photo of Portal Campground by Christina S., August 29, 2018
  • Review photo of Portal Campground by Christina S., August 29, 2018