Join the fun near Antelope. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Antelope is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
"CONS -
Cant get anywhere near the river now, and walking access is sparse unless you want to hop the big guardrail and blaze the bushes. ""Getting to camp you drive into a “canyon”, switch backs most of the way down. The road is bumpy but does not require 4WD or high clearance."
$8 / night
"The Climber's Bivouac is a walk-in campground located on a rim next to the Crooked River right in the heart of Smith Rock State Park."
"Walk-in site (the Bivy) is chill. walk-in, pitch tent, done. Yeah you have a lot of neighbors, but people are nice and the price is right ($8 per night for up to two weeks)."
"No water or vault toilets, only by the day-use area/trailhead.
We camped on SW Steelhead Falls Dr."
"The sites on the West side, nearest the river are "walk in" but if you're able-bodied it's a short distance to lug gear. Nothing difficult or time consuming."
"Awesome spot on the river, clean spots, with fire rings and picnic tables. Spots are located all along the BLM road and are marked. Easy access to the river for fishing."
"Great spot just outside the Painted Hills National Monument park. Easy to miss as there are no signs and it is an abrupt turn off. Had the whole place to ourselves for one night."
"Be ready for potential wind. Lots of space and very easily accessible but make sure to fuel up before you go it’s a bit of a drive."
$8 - $35 / night
"We went during weather transition from rain to clear. The result, high winds in the canyon. This only lasted the one night. Fantastic weather the rest of the time. A slight bit of small trash around."
"We were so glad we kept driving down this road until the very end."
"We stayed in the big open field next to it.
I don’t think this is technically an “official” campsite but it has a lovely composting toilet that smells like fresh cedar."
"Bike-packing Campground Review:
The lower Deschutes River from Pelton Dam to the Columbia River, goes about 100 river miles along the water and was designated an Oregon Scenic Waterway in 1970."
"We found several walk in tent spots, nothing for Van's, trailers. The river invited us down...beautiful swimming space. After cooling down and finding a spot under a tree, we decided to stay."
"This little loop is very beautiful and worth a quick stop to walk the 1 1/4 mile loop. There’s a view point at about half way with a great view of the wetlands."
TravelerThis campground in along the John Day River with access to the river from the campground but no water views. Most sites have a pergola over the picnic table for shade and a sturdy wooden fence, I assume for wind protection. The sites are nicely spaced but the wind, blowing dust and heat made it pretty uncomfortable to be outside. The river here is broad and shallow so not deep enough for watercraft. The water was pretty warm. There are several hiking trails along the river.
ScoutThis campsite was easy to spot from the road, although navigation such as Google maps does not have the gravel road leading off into it. The campsite situated below the road in the valley surrounded by towering hills on either side. There are ample trees and the possibility of hammock camping if you can find the ones close enough. Each campsite has fire rings and wood or metal picnic tables. Water spigots with potable water are scattered every few sites. There are lovely vault toilets as well with air fresheners and toilet paper.
The campsite I stayed at was near the small creek offering a serene sound of water trickling while I slept. There was a bridge the crossed the creek further west of my site which is recommended as the creek is muddy and not easy to cross by foot unless you want to get your shoe stuck in the mud (I was blessed to do this while looking for firewood on the other side).
There is plenty of deadfall scattered around that can be used for the campfire rings set up in the sites. Across the creek, there were lots of bigger hunks of firewood but the fierce mud crossing claimed my shoes. Thankfully, I was able to wash them off and use the heat of the fire to slowly dry them out.
Overall, this is a nice campsite for overnighting as you continue exploring the surrounding area. If coming from Portland, it is about a 3-hour journey. I first trucked around to the John Day Fossil Beds and looped around on the 26 to the Painted Hills before heading back north on the 207. There are lots of fun activities in the vicinity that you can explore and hike in 2 days before carrying on to another area.
RangerWe were the only ones camping here for a night in October 2020. Sites are OK, some pull-throughs, some tent sites, too. Each site has a fire ring, picnic table. Pit toilets were dirty. Good location outside Fossil but kind of expensive at $20 for no hookups and dirty toilets, plus it’s right next to road so there’s some road noise.
LegendAshley here with The Dyrt! We want to welcome this property owner to our platform. "Camp beside a private spring fed lake. You’ll have this high desert oasis all to yourselves. This is a leave no trace camp site, pack it in pack it out. Fishing is NOT included in your stay. You can inquire about fly fishing rates." Book your stay today and leave them some love!
LegendWe 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!
TravelerFirst come first serve sites with fire rings. There is overflow camping in the lawn without a fire ring but with a picnic table. Restrooms are very clean and campground is well maintained. Winds can pick up in the canyon so be sure to have strong tent stakes. Right next to the John Day River great walking path along the River. Fenced dog park for your pet and free bicycles for use.
TravelerCcottonwood Canyon State Park Campground is a lovely, remote primitive camp experience. For the uninitiated, this means no electric sites, no running water, no flush toilets. Its also a rattlesnake habitat in Eastern Oregon's high desert biome, within 30 miles or so of The Dalles, a city marking the change in the Columbia River Gorge from high desert to wooded mountainsides. This camp ground us located deep in a canyon 15 miles from Wasco, Oregon. Before descending into the canyon, you'll see Eastern Oregon's classic golden wheatfields, then a wind farm, with scores of white windmills. The evening I arrived was the night before a full moon, so the setting sun over the canyon and the waxing moon gave a lovely glow to the sights. Unfortunately, my camera phone and photographer skills are lacking; sorry. If you love truly getting away from it all, as I do, you'll appreciate the absolute peace at Cottonwood Canyon. We arrived at dusk, late in July, and as is typical for the region, it was still 90 degrees. Fortunately, my summer tent is mostly screen, allowing the cool canyon breeze in, and it erects quickly and easily. It was full dark by the time I'd pitched it, and outfitted it with my airbed. Because of all the rattlesnake warning signs, I kept my dog leashed or tied out on a campsite-length cable. We parked across the campground from the pit toilets, which were not lighted, so bring a flashlight, cell phone, or lantern for inside the biffy. If this kind of camping appeals to you, you'll be rewarded with a quiet night of no traffic noise, only the sound of the nearby murmuring creek and the breeze in the trees. The other campers here were very quiet and respectful of the rules. The beautiful moonlight set one side of the canyon aglow and the clear sky was filled with stars. I didn't need my rain fly, so could enjoy finding the constellations as I lay in my tent. In the morning, I awoke just before dawn when my dog sat bolt upright and intently watched with me as an elk cow walked through our campsite. The fee here is $10 a.night, and worth every penny!
Here is the one caveat: as of this writing, (late July 2018) the loud diesel pickup truck that came through to empty trash bins at 6am was jarring. It was followed by the back-up beeping of heavy machinery by 6:30am, as work on a new building commenced near the campground. This was so unfortunate, and I pity the folks that had hoped to sleep in.
TravelerCame through the area planning to camp before exploring the fossil beds and painted hills nearby. Campsite is secluded from the main road, and only had one other camper while we were there (we stayed Monday night through Tuesday morning). There was a single Vault toilet that was fairly clean minus some Archaeology Today magazines, and someone came by in the morning to restock toilet paper.
Be forewarned that the right hand entrance of the road loop that goes to each site is pretty rough! Deep potholes and tree branches leaning into the road which scratched our vehicle. Next time we will only drive through the left side which was smoother and branch-free.
Each site had a basic fire ring(made with stones with a small metal grate that flips over the top) as well as a picnic table. Our site was next to a trail entrance, which crosses a cute little bridge/creek and heads up into the hills where a beautiful sunset over the valley could be seen. Lots of evidence of cows on the road leading up to the campground as well as on the hiking trail, but none in the actual campsites. Deer and chipmunks aplenty though! Some sites had better flat spots for tents while others seemed better suited to campers. Our spot was without large lumps or rocks in the ground but slightly slanted on a hill. We made it work okay though!
We have Verizon and had zero cell service both in the campground as well as the surrounding areas, took a good 15 minute drive or more down the highway to get even a bar of service to show up again, so be warned!
Would definitely stay here again if in the area: beautiful, clean, and private!
GuideSearching for a spot on Saturday during Memorial Day weekend was probably not the best idea, but we were able to land a decent space in this BLM rec area.
Priest Hole has a few kinds of spots, some at the banks of the John Day River, some in the hills and some in the open. The riverside areas are really rocky and would be hard pressed to ground tent there, but trailer mounted and RV’s would do fine (assuming you can get them there).
We stayed on the bluff overlooking the River and hills. No shade, so we had to make our own, as it was pretty hot. This created another problem when the wind howled down the canyon, kicking up dust and rolling tents and anything not staked down!
The River is a few hundred yards away, and the single vault toilet was close by.
After exploring the area we did discover many more areas for dispersed camping, and will be back to try some of those!
Campfires may or may not be prohibited, or may have modified rules, so be sure to check the board for updates.
Tent camping near Antelope, Oregon offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and outdoor adventures, perfect for nature enthusiasts looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Antelope, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Antelope, OR is Priest Hole Recreation Area with a 4.7-star rating from 7 reviews.
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