KOA Lemolo Lake / Crater Lake North

 A campground with full hookups, clean bathrooms& showers& access to a very nice lake. Off the beaten path-you're camping in the pines of South Central Oregon. Yes, it's dry& dusty, but it's summer& they're in a drought. We were in site 28, which is by the bathroom. Convenient for us, since we have no shower in our trailer. Laundry has 2 washers& 2 dryers, both worked while we were there. There's cabins for rent as well.

  The tent sites by the lake looked outstanding! If I was tent camping I'd totally want one. There's also some tent sites at the main campground facing the woods. This is an old fashioned campground. There's no jumping pillows. Swimming is done in the lake. The kids camping next to us entertained themselves. There's a boat ramp, fishing& a very small camp store.

 When they say you're "away from it all", that means stock up on supplies BEFORE you get to your campsite. There's restaurants at Crater Lake& I think Diamond Lake. 

The worst thing I can say about this campground is that I hated the tokens. The girl who registered me told me the reason & I understand it. The tokens for the showers are free to registered campers & given out every day for the asking. This campground sits alongside a Forest Service campground within easy walking distance. No showers or laundry there. Maybe a business opportunity for the KOA? $5 for a shower for the unregistered & stinky? I wish there was a way though to insert the tokens INSIDE your shower so you don't have to trot back to your shower wrapped in a towel!

My husband & I liked this campground very much. I would recommend it if visiting Crater Lake& the surrounding National Forests.

If you are a tent camper and want to camp here, be sure to get walk in sites 30-32 for an enjoyable stay. If you do, you'll enjoy your own private beach secluded from any neighbors on any sides. Swatches of forest separate you from the nearest site and you'll have and expansive sandy beach all to yourself. We stayed in site 30 and loved it. It was amazing to step out of my flip flops and onto my paddleboard on my own private beach and paddle in the early mornings and at dusk. And site #30 features a beautiful view of Mt. Thielsen (I don't think 31 & 32 had this feature). 

However, if we had not reserved far in advance and had to stay in the "tent village," we most surely would have been disappointed. Plan ahead because it seems the secret is out - these sites fill up 2 months + in advance. The RV sites seem ok but none of them are lakefront. The general vibe of the KOA is good, the store has some pricey supplies. I would recommend having everything you will need for your trip because the closest grocery store is 60 miles away. 

The only downside for the walk-in sites is that the bathroom is far away; it's maybe an 8 minute walk to the flush toilets and showers. They put portapotties near these remote sites but by the end of our few-day stay the smell of the portapotty chemicals was really starting to bother us. But overall, we will definitely return for one of the walk-in sites, and would consider renting one of the lakefront cabins as well. 

Cell service - AT&T had full bars. Note: it's a very short walk down a steep little hill from where you park you car to this site.

This campground is very family friendly. The lodging is definitely built for RVs. For this quick trip, I decided to use our tent because it was only a three day visit to Crater Lake. The tent sites are nice, and they have a very outdoor rustic feel. Upon arrival, we will be given a spot that is completely dirt, and covered by high desert pines. Our site was large. Some sites are not that large, and they are situated within 10 feet of other campers. We were so close together, I could hear our neighbor snore the entire night. I think he needs to get sleep tested for sleep apnea. If you camp here, be prepared for neighbors right outside your tent. The managers are awesome and the staff are extremely helpful. The bathrooms are okay. There are two showers and it is pretty clean. The bathroom counter height is tall, so my five-year old son struggled to use the sinks. The store is well stocked, and the cell reception for AT&T is great. There is no WiFi. I heard. Verizon works well too. If you choose to stay here, bring all necessary supplies and food. The nearest store is about an hour away.