Best Dispersed Camping near Ashland, OR

Not far from Ashland and right past the Hyatt Lake Resort are some dispersed spots on BLM land near the lake. The lake level is very low so at this time you could drive quite close to it but it gets really muddy so watch out because it looks grassy and deceivingly dry. 

There is road noise but quiets down at night. 

Also there is a large flock of geese that honk all day and night and there is goose poop everywhere! 

The site we stayed at had a stone fire pit and not very level but we made it work. It is a good spot for a night or 2 and we would stay here again if passing through. There are no amenities so bring water and pack in and out all trash. The resort nearby has a restaurant and small store. No service from ATT and TMobile but Verizon had 1-2 bars of LTE roaming.

This was quite a way in on a fairly smooth but steep dirt road. Along the road were random deep pot holes so be aware they sneak up on you when the road is shadowed. The last .3 miles was steep and though we made it in 26ft rig I would not attempt it again. I could see major problem if rain was expected. 

The pond was peaceful and so beautiful with a couple of level options to set up. The area as a whole is very small though, so if someone else is already there when you arrive it’s going to feel very cozy and/or awkward. 

There was a handicap accessible bathroom with pit toilets that someone shot up the lock (boooo) so at the moment is open despite the "closed for covid" sign. There was a pile of garbage near the garbage cans. Bullet casings littered the ground as well.

 The fish were jumping and the water clear. Overall nice, just wish people would respect public lands more and not trash these areas so much. The road is narrow with very few turn arounds. The way down I was in 1-2 gear riding the break on some of the hills. Good place to let the dogs run and swim. If we had a smaller rig we would come here again. Very weak / unusable Verizon service, no service with TMobile or ATT.

We needed a place to set up for a quick sleep on our way down to Yosemite from Washington. I navigated using Google Maps due to other reviews saying Apple made it confusing. This led us right to the pond/camp sites. The road is a little rough with potholes but it’s not terrible if you just drive slow over the holes. There is a few split offs/2-way roads along this dirt road, the last one being a tree with a smiley face and an arrow leading you where to go. Didn’t get lost at all and it was already dark when we got there. No one was there, it was peaceful, clean and quiet. There is a pit toilet/bathroom with toilet paper. No trash cans so you’ll have to pack out your trash. I recommend this spot for anyone willing to drive 10-15 minutes off the freeway for some dispersed camping.

We absolutely loved camping here. During our off season stay it was fun and with all the ATV trails it was our favorite place to camp.

Our neighbor campers decided they could ride the trails without helmets and found out the hard way that is is a no no. They were brought back to the camp without their bikes and in the back of a National Forest Service Enforcement vehicle. After being spoken to about the importance of following the rules of the trails, they were left at camp and had to find their own way back to their motorcycles.

Fortunately we did not have the same experience. It can get very dusty so just be prepared for that. The trails are absolutely great and access to the Rogue River is just icing on the cake.

It was so nice to have areas provided for unloading bikes and ATV's so folks could safely load and unload their toys.

Take the River Bridge turn off from Highway 62 and follow the road which turns to gravel, potholed and some washboarded road. Stay on the main road until you pass the actual campground and go over the bridge. 

We did drive through the River Bridge campground which was $15/night but opted for the free version across the river. There are multiple spots to camp for free just past the River Bridge Campground across the one lane bridge. You can take a right or left after the bridge to find a spot. We took a right and found multiple sites to pull into right off the main forest service road. Accessibility is dependent on your rig but we found several spots easily accessed by our 26ft class c.  The road itself is gravel with pot holes but otherwise doable in most rigs. There appears to be some long term somewhat sketchy residents here so be aware. We stayed twice in 2 different spots but did not feel unsafe at all. The sites are fairly level with mix of sun and shade and stone fire pits and a short walk to the river. Its a nice place to let the dogs run free but there can be quite a lot of cars driving up and down the 62 road and and an occasional dirt bike. Very quiet at night and lots of roads to hike on or if you’re into fishing the Rogue River is very close.

 No amenities, pack in and pack out, no bathrooms; and for the love of god please bury your TP waste! 

There is zero cell reception from ATT, T-Mobile or Verizon in this entire area.

Found this spot on our way down to California. Not a bad spot to camp, it’s very quite and we were the only ones there.

Getting there is pretty easy, we made it a lot more difficult by going down a bunch of roads. Stick to the main road, the road to the campsite is on the right and has a tree that’s spray painted with a stick figure. It’s very steep like the other review said but isn’t too bad for a truck.

There aren’t a lot of spots here. We parked right by the lake, there was another spot in the middle of the loop, and a few others.

It looks like there’s a trail that goes around the lake. We found some ticks on the dogs immediately so we didn’t end up exploring it. Overall a nice spot, it’s right off the highway so you don’t have to worry about driving deep in the mountains.

Title refers to the potholes. Lots of potholes! But the sites—aside from one, which was practically a crater—were awesome from what I could tell. Like Laura suggested, these are the free versions of River Bridge campground. Cross the river and go to the right. The campsite I chose is on a portion of the road beyond what Google Maps has, so it's really off-grid. 😜You could fit two vehicles. I needed something that could put me close enough to Crater Lake NP (the official campgrounds were booked). I don't think it felt like an hour; I was distracted by the beautiful forest. I slept in my car and I think it was the best sleep I've had on this trip. Cool at night, the only sound I heard were the occasional and distant 4th of July fireworks.