Kiwanis Road Free Camping

It was a 10pm arrival but thankfully we found a spot that did not disappoint. I wish we had a full weekend to stay but the overnight and breakfast on the river was a great start to our PNW visit.

whole road is paved all the way up & plenty of spots to pull off plus multiple bathrooms! got super chilly even in august but was very cozy in sweats & under a few blankets in the rooftop tent. would definitely stay here again and it's a good option for vehicles w/ low clearance or non off roading folks.

We arrived on a rainy day and pulled our van into a great spot overlooking the creek below. While eating dinner a car pulled up and told us we were in his "spot" although it is first come first served, because he and others had tents along the creek below. Since it was raining and there were other spots, we chose to move rather than cause a fuss. The road had many sites that seems to be occupied by those staying a long while- more than just 2 weeks, judging by their set up. It was convenient to Government Camp and Portland, and the view was great. I imagine on a nice weekend- this could be very busy and full.

This is a decent choice for tent camping. Most spots are just off the road. Park on the side of the road and pack your tent into the trees. Camping on both sides of the road. The east side of the road has a creek running through it Very beautiful. 

Multiple sites. Nice fire bits and private.

Nice spot. The creek is nice and loud. Not a lot of mosquitos.

There are 2 summer camps on this road. Not a good place to camp.

Loved it. Cell reception was 2 bars max. I went a little further down the road than the coordinates and found the perfect spot for my 31 foot trailer.

We camped here in our travel trailer for one night and it was gorgeous. We arrived at the location around 11:30pm and first thing we noticed was how pitch black it was and how loud (in the best way) the adjacent Zigzag River was. Several people were car camping along the road as we got to the location and a couple of tent campers were nestled in a spot right beside this camp area. One portapotty was present as well as some picnic tables but no tent camping or fires are allowed in the actual camp spot. This is at a trailhead and we did a small portion of the hike in the morning- beautiful. You will be serenaded by coyotes calling in the distance. Perfect spot for us

I'm always a bit hesitant with the side of the road sites, but need not for this one. The road is paved and there are a number of spots, some literally just a big shoulder, others with plenty of room to park; our van had plenty of room, and I think a big rig would be fine, but the bigger spots obviously filled up faster. Even in chilly October there were a number of other cars, so I imagine it's quite busy in warm weather and can be harder to find a spot. We went a bit past the GPS coordinates on here and enjoyed the night next to the babbling brooke.

Finding a spot to camp on the road is pretty straightforward, it's right off the highway so you won't be able to miss it. There's plenty of sites, most of which were taken when we got there. It looks like the first few campsites on the road are the best-bigger space, more privacy, nice views.  As you drive more you'll find smaller and more exposed camp sites. 

There is a trail at the end of the road, so there were a lot of cars driving in and out of the place. If you're wanting to stay for a few days and want some privacy I would recommend somewhere else but it's perfect if you're passing though and just want to stay for the night. 

We got out there late Friday evening and managed to find a spot that was pretty hidden. There was a group that camped on the side of the road so there is always that option.

This was right off the road we got there in the dark and still found a spot. It was super busy though and lots of trash around sadly!

Several campsites off Kiwanis Camp Road with some next to a stream. Just a few cars passing after Sundown, but generally quite and peaceful.

Got here Saturday and passed by quite a few cars to find a spot on the road. Little did I know I was parking next to a rushing creek and beautiful moss! Knock on wood, no rangers have passed by to ask me how long I’m staying or have been here. Exactly one hour from Portland and 2 bars of phone signal on T mobile. It does get quite cold here at night so make sure to bundle up.

The snow is still to deep.

Cozy little pull off sites along a two mile road right off 26. Quiet and scenic, easy for our small RV to find several good spots late in the day on a Saturday in late September. Mostly seemed to be used for day use hiking or as a place to park for backcountry campers. Convenient and easy to find. Would use again!

On the way to Kiwanis Camp by the road there are spots and as far as we understood, those are for camping, though there was no sign for them. It's at a really great location as it's 3 minutes to Little Zig Zag Falls path also fairly close to Government Camp

Huge areas of vacant sites. Just gotta look for little turn outs on the side of the road

Great spot for free car camping! On the way to the Kiwanis campground, lots of spots right off the road. Right by the creek so you can’t hear campsite neighbors even if they’re close by. Zig zag falls and hidden lake trailheads are walkable.

Off Kiwanis Road in Mt. Hood National Forest there are roughly 8-10 free pullouts. On the south side of the road, the pullouts are alongside a peaceful little creek. By the time we got there (around 5pm on the 4th of July), there was only one site left on the north side of the road, but it was lovely. The fire ring was set about 100 feet back, so we carted our camp chairs from the van to the fire pit.

There seems to be an old fire road that goes through this campsite, so hiking (or trail running) is completely doable from camp. We stayed here for about 14 hours (midweek trip!), and it was literally the perfect escape. The Zig Zag river flows behind the campsite as well, which our pup Nala was pleased about.

If you're pitching a tent in this particular site, there's not much for even ground, but where there's a will, there's a way. Plenty of trees to hang hammocks from, and minimal traffic.

Pros:

• Great midweek escape from Portland
• Free!
• Plenty of trees, and a nearby river

Cons:

• First come-first serve
• Uneven walk to the firepit

RANGER REVIEW: humangear GoToob+, Flexibowl, GoBites (Uno & Trio) (5 Stars!)

humangear GoToob+

A few years ago I purchased a few original GoToobs from humangear at REI and absolutely love them. I used them for shampoo and conditioner while traveling and camping and they work like a charm. No spills, easily refillable, and super easy to clean. The GoToob+ ups the ante. It continues to shine in the ways the original GoToob did, but now has an additional (patent pending) LoopLock that ensures no spills no matter what. With a wider mouth, the GoToob+ is even easier to fill, and the added contour on the bottom keeps it steady while adding contents. We made our Pad Thai sauce ahead of time and stored it in the 3oz Toob and were able to squeeze out the very last drops for a tasty dinner.

humangear FlexiBowl

According to humangear, "FlexiBowl is the packable, stuffable, foldable bowl for eating on the go." The FDA food safe silicone bowl is sturdy enough to hold dinner, and smooth enough to clean out residue with the sweep of a paper towel. At the crease, you can fold the bowl down to make a wider opening. With the crease up, you can prevent spills if the bowl tips. I loved how compact the bowl is. I threw it in my backpack and didn't have to worry about it taking up a lot of space or breaking when I dropped my pack mid-hike.

humangear GoBites

humangear is reinventing the spork with their three GoBites options: uno, duo, and trio. For backpacking trips, I'd recommend the Uno. On one end of the Uno is a spoon and the other, a fork. The fork had a nice bowl-like curvature to it to easily grab and hold your food. If you're less concerned about ounces, the Duo is a great option for backpacking as well–the spoon and fork can be used as one unit or two. Simply snap the two together to make a longer, telescoping-like contraption. Perfect for eating Mountain House meals!

Lastly, I'd recommend the Trio for car camping, or taking in your lunch to work. The trio comes with it's own case and provides a spoon, fork, knife, bottle opener, and toothpick. They're all super sturdy, and I loved how all the pieces fit together perfectly in the carrying case.

humangear GoTubb

We were sent the 14cc GoTubb which we used to storing spices. You can open the tubs by squeezing the sides, so they're super easy to open with one hand. Since they require a squeeze to open, they won't accidentally lose their lids while you're traveling from point a to point b. We fit the perfect amount of minced garlic and ginger in the two GoTubbs.

Overall, the humangear we tested was top notch. I love that they're made from silicone which is good for the environment, easy to clean, and not chemically harmful! I think they're the best silicone travel bottles on the market.