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Established Camping

Big Bend Campground

Big Bend Campground, near Prineville, Oregon, is a scenic retreat right alongside the Crooked River, perfect for those looking to unwind in nature. With a handful of sites right on the riverbank, it’s a prime location for fishing and enjoying the peaceful sounds of flowing water.

The campground offers basic amenities, including pit toilets and drinking water from hand pumps, though some visitors have noted that the water spigots can be a bit finicky. Many campers appreciate the quiet atmosphere, with one reviewer mentioning, “Great campsite, camping right on the river was beautiful.” Just keep in mind that it can get hot during the summer, so be sure to bring plenty of water and maybe a few tubes for floating in the river.

For those who enjoy hiking, there are trails nearby that lead to the base of the dam at Prineville Reservoir, adding a bit of adventure to your stay. While the sites are relatively small and lack shade, the stunning views and the chance to connect with nature make Big Bend a worthwhile destination for a weekend getaway. Just remember to arrive early, as it operates on a first-come, first-served basis and fills up quickly, especially on weekends.

Description

Bureau of Land Management

Crooked Wild and Scenic River

Located south of Prineville, Oregon, this campground offers year-round camping and Crooked Wild and Scenic River access along the Lower Crooked Back Country Byway. Cooperatively managed in partnership with the Bureau of Reclamation and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, this campground's facilities include 13 campsites, one group use area and a day-use area with access to the Crooked Wild and Scenic River.

Know Before You Go:

Open year-round on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations are accepted. Potable water is available during the warmer spring and summer months. Cell phone service is not available in the campground. Watch for bicyclists: the section of State Highway 27 between Prineville and Bowman Dam is designated as the Crooked River Canyon Scenic Bikeway.

Point of Interest:

Looming 240 feet above the campground, the mighty Arthur R. Bowman Dam retains the waters of the 3,030-acre Prineville Reservoir, a popular spot for fishing and other water-based activities. At 1.6 miles away from Big Bend Campground, the boat ramp at Powderhouse Cove provides the nearest reservoir access.

Fee Info

$8 per night; $2 per extra vehicle (tow vehicles excluded) with a maximum of two vehicles allowed per site. Group-use site is $16 per night.

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Location

Big Bend Campground is located in Oregon

Detail location of campground

Directions

From Prineville, Oregon: Drive 19.2 miles south on State Highway 27; the campground will be on your right.

Address

Prineville District Office 3050 NE 3rd Street
Prineville, OR 97754

Coordinates

44.11304 N
120.793586 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site

Stay Connected

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

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • ADA Access
  • Trash
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol

Reviews

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10 Reviews

Reviewed Aug. 13, 2024

Fishing

Good spot for fly fishing,stargazing, camp spots all pretty close together.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Daniel W., August 13, 2024
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Daniel W., August 13, 2024
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Daniel W., August 13, 2024
Reviewed Sep. 29, 2023

Couple Night Stay on the River

Great campsite, camping right on the river was beautiful. Pretty quiet but a lot of day use traffic from fly fishers.

SiteSite 13
Month of VisitSeptember
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Reviewed May. 29, 2022

Riverside rest

This is the first campground after descending from the Prineville Reservoir.  It is the only campground of the several along this section of the Crooked River with a campground host and water.  The water came from a hand pump, something you cannot use to fill and RV as it spurts and sputters like any well pump and you cannot fit a hose to the wide nozzle.  There are two water faucets in the campground, but during my visit before Memorial Day, they were not working.  The best place to get potable water and dump is the Crook County RV Park just 20 minutes down the road on the outskirts of Prineville.  Very nice site, dump fee $10 by credit card, potable water $5 (free with dump).  One of the few dump sites with a threaded hose allowing my to use my black tank flush.

Verizon service rare to none.

Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Bill T., May 29, 2022
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Bill T., May 29, 2022
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Bill T., May 29, 2022
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Oct. 28, 2020

Last Campground in Lower Crooked River coming from Prineville

One of the many campgrounds along the Lower Crooked River, and is first come first serve.  I stayed in mid June and got the last campsite on a Friday night out of all the campgrounds so it fills up fast.  There is a trail that goes to the base of the dam for the Prineville Reservoir from the Campground.  There is also a large parking lot at one end of the campground that fills up with fishermen and car pools for people biking the highway.  Lots of the spots were large enough to fit Class A's in.

Site4
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Ashley B., October 28, 2020
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Ashley B., October 28, 2020
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Ashley B., October 28, 2020
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Aug. 14, 2020

Ada kinda sorta.

Got a riverside spot. Most Ada will definitely need help to get to actual riverside. There is a paved trail that ok but steep and doesn’t take you to river. Parking Asphalt area tends to be crowded with old folks really not needing a flat Ada paved spot but they be first there so they can get it. Pretty drive along crooked river. Worth going back early to get the good spots.

  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Skyeriver  ., August 14, 2020
Reviewed Aug. 1, 2018

Basic dry camp

Basic dry camp with only a couple actual spots. Right on the river. There is a vault (pit) toilet on the hill. Super hot in the summer. My husband and I love to get away here each summer, no cell service for miles, very few other people. Great to just set up camp then fish, swim, read, or nap all day long.

Reviewed May. 29, 2018

Big bend

Medium size campground close to the boeman dam and prineville reservoir. Dump toilets but no water

Reviewed May. 14, 2018

Great place to visit

Big Bend Campground in Oregon is a great place to visit. My favorite time to come is during the summer months. Although the weather can get pretty dang hot, the river close by provides a great place to cool down and have fun. The last time my family and I came here we brought tubes and laid in the river. We tied really long rope to each of the tubes, and tied the rope on a tree that was next to the river- That way we didn't float away. This provided great entertainment for hours! Highly recommend doing this. It truly is a peaceful place to come and enjoy the outdoors. The campsites themselves aren't "oh-la-la." They are a bit small, and there is NO shade whatsoever. My family has a camper so that made it nice to escape the heat. It has a but of a "desert" feel to it. We didn't see any snakes, but I definitely feel like with the conditions and heat, they are out there! There were some fun hiking trails also. My favorite one (can't remember the name) was along the river. Bring lots of water!! Another recommendation I would have is to bring your own toilet paper. There was a few times that the TP was out!! The bathrooms aren't the greatest, but at least they are there.

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Julie P., May 14, 2018
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Julie P., May 14, 2018
  • Review photo of Big Bend Campground by Julie P., May 14, 2018
  • (10) View All
Reviewed Jul. 8, 2017

Amazing time

Great spot for tent camping, friendly people.

Month of VisitJune

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the elevation of Big Bend Campground?

    Big Bend Campground is located at 3083 feet.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Big Bend Campground?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is unknown, AT&T is available, and T-Mobile is available.