East Lake Campground, near La Pine, Oregon, is a popular spot for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors right by the water. With its scenic views and access to fishing and kayaking, it’s a fantastic place to unwind and soak up nature.

The campground features 29 sites, many of which are conveniently located along the shoreline, making it easy to step out and enjoy the beach. Visitors appreciate the flush toilets and drinking water available on-site, although there are no showers or electric hookups. As one camper noted, “It’s a great camping spot by the lake,” highlighting the peaceful atmosphere and spacious sites that allow for some privacy.

For those eager to explore, East Lake Campground is close to hiking trails and other recreational activities in the Deschutes National Forest. The area is known for its beautiful landscapes, and the nearby hot springs offer a perfect way to relax after a day of adventure. Just keep in mind that it can fill up quickly, especially during peak season, so plan accordingly if you want to snag a spot.

## Overview

 East Lake Campground sits at the edge of beautiful East Lake in the caldera of Newberry Volcano. Most sites in this campground are on the lake or no more than a few minutes walk away. There are opportunities for bird watching, bicycling, sightseeing, and canoeing. East Lake is a little shadier than the other lakes and is a perfect way to beat the heat of the summer. There are nearby hikes into the lava rock and close by waterfalls. The area is part of the Newberry National Monument in Deschutes National Forest. The area is popular for its geological significance and multitude of recreational activities, making it an ideal individual and family camping excursion. [For more information about the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=66159 ][1]  
## Recreation

 Visitors can take advantage of boating, kayaking, swimming and fishing on East Lake. A boat ramp is located in the campground, and the lake has a 10 mph speed limit. For anglers, the lake provides the perfect setting to fish from boat or the shoreline. It supports rainbow trout, brown trout and Kokanee salmon. In September, the outlet of adjacent Paulina Lake may be choked with Kokanee moving to spawn in Paulina Creek. The Crater Rim Trail, considered one of the finest high country trails in the area, boasts vast stretches of forest, deserts and mountains. The trail has many access points and connectors to other trails.
## Natural Features

 East Lake is located within the collapsed caldera of Newberry Volcano. Nearly five miles in diameter, the caldera encircles the basins of East Lake and Paulina Lake. East Lake covers 1,044 acres and is 180 feet at its deepest point. Paulina Creek flows from the lake and has chiseled a narrow gorge through the caldera's west wall creating a remarkable twin waterfall. Thermal vents and hot springs along the lake's northeast edge help create a highly productive ecosystem. The surrounding undeveloped wilderness, clean streams and diverse forests support a variety of wildlife, including black bear, bighorn sheep, deer, native fish and migratory birds. 
## Contact Info

 For facility specific information, please call (541) 323-1746. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Big Obsidian Flow Trail offers a 1-mile interpretive trail that climbs up and onto this impressive lava flow of obsidian (black volcanic glass) and pumice. The Big Obsidian Flow is 1,300 years old, the youngest lava flow in Oregon. Lava Lands Visitor Center in nearby Bend, Oregon, is a great starting point for visitors to learn about the diverse landscape and history of the area through educational programs and exhibits. Lava River Cave, also located in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, is nearly a mile long. The northwest section of the cave is the longest continuous lava tube in Oregon.
## Charges & Cancellations

 Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation. 

[1]: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=66159

East Lake Campground

Searching for the best camping near La Pine, OR? Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—La Pine is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near La Pine and user-submitted reviews.

La Pine

The Best Camping Near La Pine, Oregon

We stayed at east like the beginning of June. Fishing was spot on. Kokanee biting like crazy. The view of the lake was beautiful. Flat like glass in the evening. Some of the shore lines still had snow!! We met a gentleman who was singing and playing guitar at the cafe and he came back to camp and serenaded us. Bugs weren't to bad at all and the people all around us were friendly and quiet at night. Great experience. 

New friends and great fishing

Camped for the august meteor shower. Were right on the beach. So lovely. Would make this my happy place

Beautiful!

East lake is our favorite of the two lakes on newberry volcano. The campsites are nice and big, bathrooms are ok, and it has a better swimming area for kids and family then paulina does. There's a store and a resort on the lake. Lots of hiking trails. It was packed though only downside.

Better swimming area than paulina

I tent camped here for 4 days w my family and 3 dogs in September during labor day weekend. It was a nice really decent size campsite with plenty of space and privacy from the surrounding campsites. The only negative experience was the irritating noise from the RV generators all night long, and the guy who wouldn't give up the bongo playing and go to bed. The camp host was helpful and friendly. I would stay here again, but not during a holiday weekend.

Nice place 

It's big. Over 100 spots. Some are right on the lake. Hot Springs are very close and it's a great way to escape the heat. Bring bug spray and plenty of firewood!

East Lake Campgrounds are huge!

This is one of the better campgrounds I’ve stayed in. It cost $18 per night for a tent site. The site we stayed in was next to the bathroom and wasn’t too close to other sites, but it would’ve been nice to have some more space between sites. 

The bathroom had a flushing toilet and a sink with water. Toilet paper was stocked daily as well. Very well maintained and kept clean.

Tent site was decent sized. We had a large cabin tent. There was no problem finding a spot big enough to set it up. We were also able to find plenty of trees to hang up our hammock. 

The site had a picnic table that was in excellent condition. The fire ring was about half full of ash, but nothing to complain about. 

The only negative comment I have is that the camp host wasn’t able to give change for fees. However they were polite about waiting for us to leave to the nearest store to obtain change.



East Lake Campground is very popular because many spots, tent and RV, are available right on the shoreline. The trade off is that you are also right on top of each other with little privacy.  

  

The beach is beautiful, and the lake fun to play in. A good location to all of the rest of the Paulina Lake trails and activities. Flush toilets, fresh water. Boat launch available.  

  

One of the more popular campgrounds, it is often full due to its popularity.

Popular campground right on the water

There are several campgrounds in the immediate area (near the twin lakes of East Lake and Paulina Lake) and this is one of the most popular both because of the nice beach, but also because it's fairly small (and thus fills up fast).  

  

It's basically one squished oval loop on the lake. Several spots are right up against the beach, others have peek-a-boo views, and they're all within walking distance.

  

There's a boat ramp as well as bathrooms. No showers.

  

There's also not a ton of privacy since the trees are fairly thin and all the spots are semi-crammed in, but not too bad considering you'll want to be down by the lake most of the time anyway.

Great spot. Nice beach.

Our first time here at East Lake Campground in the last week of September 2023 just 1 day before the park closed for the season. Because East Lake Campground is 6500 feet in elevation the nights were very cold, from 44 to 31 degrees but normally the days were in the morning windy and about 62\*. The camp has 29 sites and NO hookups.

  

There is flush toilets, NO showers, but had drinking water. East Lake also had 1 boat launch but the water was very low, some 40' down from the edge of the bank to the water. Great fishing and a great place for kayaks. Each site has a picnic table and fireplace. Most Sites on the lake side has pull-thru that were about 50' long. Some back-in sites were only 35'. Very quite campground and not too close to each others camp site. We camped at East Lake Campground in a Travel Trailer.

  

Restrooms Flush toilets, faucet water. No hookups, No electric, No water hookup, No sewer hookup. You can fill your water tank FREE at the ($10) Dump Station so you don't have the weight in your rig. Dog-friendliness Lots of space to run and play.

Photos of East Lake Campground

Real photos from real campers