Deschutes River Overlook Dispersed Camping

Could not be better. Almost leveled very quiet and great views on the river. Near paved road.

I was just passing through and saw a spot to pull over for a bit. I didn’t even realize until the morning this was a spot on Dyrt. It was so peaceful along the river and was a beautiful sunset view and next thing I remember was waking up with the sun coming up.

No facilities here it’s just a spot to park and experience the beauty of being out on the road.

Mild note caution, more a heads up. I came from Bend/Redmund via Madras. From Madras, the GPS took me on NW Pelton Dam Rd through Pelton Park: totally worth it for the views I loved it but there was a short but surprisingly steep windy section of road dropping you from the farmland down into the canyon. It’s my first trailer and my first time hitting a section that steep so I definitely smoked my brakes. You can also come to this spot from the north instead of the south, or just don’t be surprised, don’t do what I did and ride your brakes down the hill just use lower gears, don’t gain any speed, and enjoy the view longer!

Essentially a parking lot over a very pretty view. There was a trailer that seemed to be permanently located at one end of the lot, and a local woman stopped by to ask what I was doing there. Wouldn't have stayed for more than a night, but a gorgeous view!

This spot was large and flat, perfect for a night camping in our van. It's fairly close to the road so expect some road noise. After making coffee in the morning, we took a short walk to enjoy the view. We'll definitely remember this spot if we're passing through again.

Nice couple spots around a couple big piles of dirt. Some fire rings and no one around. Very windy in the tent.

We kind of stumbled into this free spot while heading to a more formal campground near Pelton Dam. As the daylight faded I spotted a pullout/turnaround area which then led to a rather private loop with a great view of the Deschutes River and Lake Simtustus. I had to confirm with the Dyrt BLM map overlay, but I was glad to find myself on public land. It’s not really a place I’d choose to spend more than one night, since it doesn’t really connect to any trails or walking areas, but it was a handy en-route overnight spot, complete with a nice view and bright sunset. It’s only a few miles off Rt. 26, following signs to Pelton Dam. There was plenty of room to turn around my 26’ skoolie. However, I didn’t really see a good place for a tent, but I didn’t look very hard. There were signs of previous users, including a fire ring (which I didn’t use). Since it was the eve of Earth Day, I did collect a bagful of empty cans and trash. Leave no trace, people!