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Best Tent Camping near Camp Sherman, OR

1,460 Reviews

Tent campsites around Camp Sherman, Oregon range from established campgrounds to remote backcountry sites within the Deschutes National Forest. Steelhead Falls Trailhead & Campground offers free dispersed tent camping with sites scattered among ponderosa pines, while Smith Rock State Park Campground provides a walk-in bivouac area specifically designed for tent campers. Round Lake offers multiple dispersed sites with picnic tables and fire rings, providing a more primitive tent camping experience within driving distance of Camp Sherman.

Most tent camping areas feature minimal amenities, with vault toilets available at some locations but drinking water rarely provided. Campers should pack in all water or bring filtration systems for nearby water sources. Sites at Steelhead Falls are first-come, first-served with no reservations accepted. The terrain varies considerably, with some areas offering flat, shaded spots under pines while others provide more exposed sites with views of surrounding rock formations. Fire restrictions are common during summer months, particularly at Smith Rock where cooking is restricted to a communal area away from tent sites. High-clearance vehicles may be necessary to access more remote tent camping locations.

The walk-in tent sites at Smith Rock State Park provide a unique camping experience with showers available for a small fee. Tent campers can pitch directly along the fence line for spectacular views of the Crooked River and surrounding rock formations. Areas farther from established campgrounds offer deeper seclusion but require more self-sufficiency. At Steelhead Falls, tent sites on the west side nearest the river are walk-in only but provide excellent proximity to the Deschutes River canyon. A camper noted, "First come first serve, primitive and private. Felt like we were the only ones there." Pamelia Lake offers backpacking opportunities with spacious tent sites about 2.4 miles from the trailhead, though permits are required through a lottery system.

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LOCAL FAVORITES PRESENTED BYToyota Trucks
Lower Canyon Creek Campground

Lower Canyon Creek Campground

20 min away

NF970 - Brassuer's Butte

NF970 - Brassuer's Butte

38 min away

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Best Tent Sites Near Camp Sherman, Oregon (81)

    1. Steelhead Falls Trailhead & Campground

    19 Reviews
    Terrebonne, OR
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 416-6700

    "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."

    2. Round Lake

    5 Reviews
    Camp Sherman, OR
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 549-7700

    "Multiple dispersed sites with fire rings and picnic tables. Not much shade at sites, can be dusty. Lake is great for swimming and floating."

    "Flat spots some large Weymouth for small RV/camper trailers."

    3. Smith Rock State Park Campground

    36 Reviews
    Terrebonne, OR
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 548-7501

    $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)."

    4. Jack Lake Campground

    2 Reviews
    Camp Sherman, OR
    8 miles
    Website

    $5 / night

    "Lots of primitive caming right off the road. Beautiful views. Great hikes. Definitely a personal favorite."

    "Shallow, swimable lake for when youre done hiking. Love it here"

    5. Marion Forks Campground

    10 Reviews
    Idanha, OR
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (503) 854-3366

    "Located off Hwy 22, past the fish hatchery, far enough that you can’t hear road noise. Less than 20 sites total, all first come first serve, $12 a night or $6 with interagency pass."

    "The campground is right next to a fish hatchery, which is really interesting and worth a visit. However, most of the sites have pretty strict boundaries."

    6. Pamelia Lake

    4 Reviews
    Idanha, OR
    17 miles
    Website

    $6 / night

    "We decided to hike to Pamelia lake as a labor day backpacking trip, and this trip did not disappoint! One of our friends was a beginner, so we decided to tailor the trip to his experience."

    "This is a hike in only spot (3miles) and special permits are required but it is a beautiful lake with great fishing."

    7. Harrington Loop Rd - Dispersed

    4 Reviews
    Cloverdale, OR
    16 miles
    Website

    "There are fire rings at some sites. Plenty of room for a larger 5th wheel as well. It can get pretty dusty though when the wind picks up."

    "Plenty of places to park and car camp or set up a tent. Lights from a nearby building keep most of the area somewhat visible, but not enough to disturb you while you sleep."

    8. Maxwell Sno-Park

    3 Reviews
    Camp Sherman, OR
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 225-6300

    "Some ants on the edge of the parking area. Moved further in on the pavement. No ants. Some noise from the road. Not.bad though. Still sleepable."

    "The spot was beautiful, with access to awesome trails right off of the forest road. We hiked up to some lakes. Having access to the bathroom at the sno-park was really great. "

    9. FS Rd 1514 Dispersed camping

    3 Reviews
    Sisters, OR
    17 miles

    "We spent some time driving around the Sisters area looking for a spot with a view.  Found a beauty!  The area is large enough for several rigs, including large ones. "

    "Great view of the mountains with access to other view points. Only issue is the provided GPS coordinate isn't correct. It send me close by but down a long awful gravel road."

    10. Sisters Cow Camp

    1 Review
    Sisters, OR
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 549-7700

    "The campground is about 5 miles away from the town of Sisters and so remote and beautiful. There are only 5 spots and a beautiful pond."

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Camp Sherman, OR

35 Photos of 81 Camp Sherman Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Camp Sherman, OR

1460 Reviews of 81 Camp Sherman Campgrounds

  • Mavrick S.
    Oct. 5, 2019

    Scott Lake Campground

    Stunning!

    So when I first found this campground I wasn't sure what to expect being as reviews and info were sparse so I'll do me best to sum it up. Things to know that arent stated. It is free may require NW forest pass. It's a drive, hike, bike and walk in. I didn't see any spots big enough for RV but there is space to park that isn't officially a site.

    Location: Beautiful sits about 5,000 feet right off McKenzie Pass Road (closed from November to June)

    Sites: I saw 6 drive in with fire ring, picnic table also 2 vault toilets.... There's more walk/ hike in but we had to much gear to do that.

    Directions: Very easy to find spots all along lake and Google maps took us right to spots.

    Activities: Great! Had a kayak/boat launch also had the Scott Mountain TH right there within 1/4 walking distance on dirt road. It seems that a forest fire was pretty recent ontop but the grounds seemed kind of untouched

    Warnings: This was my first time up this pass. Elevation is very high which means incremental weather. Aka woke up in October with snow which happened to us.

    Overall 5 stars must visit. We will be coming back next year when less snow and road reopens

  • Karma S.
    Aug. 19, 2018

    Crane Prairie Campground

    beautiful views! dispersed camping

    beautiful views of the cascade mountains, gorgeous reservoir. free camping. dispersed, first come first serve. no amenities. LEAVE NO TRACE!!!!

    road is a bit rough but I made it in with a Honda Accord though I wouldn’t recommend for low clearance vehicles.

    fire rings available during burn seasons. plenty of fire wood. please do not burn during no burn/dry seasons. the forest is very dry!

    bring plenty of water during the summer it’s very hot and dry. you can probably drink the reservoir water if you bring a good filter.

  • CJ S.
    Aug. 22, 2024

    Meditation Point Campground

    Beautiful, Private, Remote

    Stayed just one night in site 1, which was the only one available. It’s very private being far from the trail and has good access to the shore but is very shady at all times, although also sheltered from the wind. There was a fire ring (although no fires allowed) and a table. Several viable tent spots on the site. The toilets were closed and, unfortunately, previous campers weren’t so great at “leave no trace” because we found a bunch of dog and human feces around.

  • K
    Apr. 11, 2021

    Allen Springs Campground

    Loved this spot!

    Beautiful, peaceful campground open year round on the Metolius River, about 15 mins. from Camp Sherman store. Only a few sites are large enough for smaller trailers/RVs (7,11,12,9 &13). It’s mostly tent spots. No Verizon service but a 5 min drive back up the road to the view point gave me 2 bars to check in with family. Hiking trails start along the river from the campground. For a day hike I drove 40 mins from camp to Black Butte trailhead and hiked to the top. Amazing hike with epic views of the Cascade mountain range, although the trail was still pretty icy/snowy(bring yaks). I also drove to the Head of Metolius for a short stroll down to the river on the paved path. The camp ground water hadn’t been turned on yet and the vault toilets were well maintained. Fee was $19 per night.

  • Stephanie Z.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 23, 2016

    Riverside Campground

    Wake Up on the Rivers Edge

    Riverside is a "primitive" campground directly on the banks of the Metolious River in the Camp Sherman area-- but I'd categorize it as primitive with convenience. The campground is just a few miles off of HWY 22, and about 10 miles away from Sisters (if you want to brunch while camping). The Camp Sherman General Store which is one of the greatest camp stores on the planet is a 20 minute walk from the campground on a riverside path (if you need an icecream sandwich, or a latte, or gluten free brownie mix). The sites are walk-in, but the car parking is about 50 yards from the sites -- so you can still easily access you car.

    Each site is equipped with a picnic table, and fire ring. There are 2 pit toilets for the 16 campsites, and a 3rd at the Metolious Head a short walk away (the most primitive part about the experience). They were a bit smelly on our visit. There is access to a water pump for drinking water.

    The sites are huge, and you can pay for additional tents and cars if you bring more than the max (I believe it was 6 campers and 1 car). We easily had 4 tents and 6 hammocks in the site with plenty of room.

    Each site has a path to the river (which is freezing) and even though you can't see the river from your site, you can hear it all night long. You may also hear the coyotes.

    From Riverside you're close to all the Camp Sherman hikes (it's also a hot spot for biking) as well as to Black Butte and Suttle Lake (warm enough for swimming). The campsite is dog friendly.

  • Jill T.
    Sep. 5, 2019

    Piety Island Boat - In Campground Boat Landing

    Island camping

    Top reasons I love this campground: 

    - It’s an ISLAND! How cool is it to camp on an island! 
    - Beautiful views from the middle of the northern end of Detroit Lake. 
    - Great for swimming, boating, exploring, hiking, and fishing. 
    - I bet it’s amazing to stay there over the 4th of July. 
    - The firework display from the other side of the lake should be spectacular! 
    - Cheap-$10. 
    - Only 22 sites. 
    - I had cell service with AT&T. 

    **Things to note: **

    - This should be obvious but, you’ll need a boat to get to and from the island. It’s a quick canoe from either side. 

    - The vault toilets are maxed out. Hopefully, they will be serviced SOON! 

    - No drinking water, no shower, and no guarantee for the serviced toilets. 

    - Bring water and TP. 

    - Fires are allowed and there are several picnic tables.

  • Kimberly C.
    Aug. 29, 2019

    Ice Cap Campground

    Perfect basecamp

    Friendly and knowledgeable camp hosts. Vault toilet, mix of tent sites including some walk-ins that are up against the reservoir- you can hear the peaceful running water all day and night. Brand new picnic tables, brand new fencing, and excellent trails. Perfect mix of sun and shade for many of the sites. We stayed at 15 and I can’t wait to go back. Very spacious sites can hold multiple tents of all sizes. Beautiful drive to and from campgrounds- the McKenzie River area is definitely worth exploring!

  • Thomas B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2021

    Deschutes River Overlook Dispersed Camping

    Handy Stopping Point

    We 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!

  • Kelly N.
    Sep. 25, 2018

    Yukwah Campground

    ADA access camping sites and great day use area

    Yukwah campground is found along hwy 22 East of Salem along the Willamette National Forest in Linn County. Most of the sites along this stretch are first come, first serve walk up sites - but you can reserve by connecting with Linn County Parks and Rec (see photo for info) for $18/night plus $5 additional vehicle fee and reservation fee. This campground has ada access camp sites and tent sites. Most of the RV sites along the Willamette National Forest can be used for tent camping. The day use area at this site is great for swimming, fishing, and possibly a small hike. I advise camping near the day use area (#3) if you have a large family or kids for larger sites and easy access. Yukwah is near wagon wheel bridge with access to trails for those wanting to hike while camping. Vault toilets are available (bring soap) - there are no showers or additional amenities. There is access to potable water at this location.

Guide to Camp Sherman

Tent camping near Camp Sherman, Oregon, offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying a variety of outdoor activities and amenities.

Explore the Great Outdoors with Local Activities

  • The Deschutes River Campground — The Cove Palisades State Park is a prime spot for water sports, with easy access to the river for kayaking and fishing.
  • At Steelhead Falls Trailhead & Campground, you can enjoy short hikes that lead to stunning views of the falls, perfect for a day of exploration.
  • Pamelia Lake provides a serene hiking experience with trails that lead to breathtaking mountain views, ideal for both novice and experienced hikers.

Tent Campers Appreciate These Amenities

  • Marion Forks Campground features clean vault toilets and picnic tables, making it a comfortable choice for tent campers looking for basic amenities.
  • Jack Lake Campground offers a picturesque setting with fire pits and a beautiful lake, perfect for evening gatherings around the campfire.
  • Clear Lake Resort provides access to drinking water and trash disposal, ensuring a hassle-free camping experience.

Discover Local Attractions

  • The Cove Palisades Lookout Dispersed area boasts stunning views of the lake and surrounding cliffs, making it a great spot for photography enthusiasts.
  • Koosah Falls is a must-visit for its breathtaking waterfalls and scenic hiking trails, providing a perfect backdrop for a day trip.
  • Jefferson Park Area - Mt. Jefferson Wilderness offers incredible views and a variety of trails, making it a popular destination for backpackers and nature lovers alike.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Camp Sherman, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Camp Sherman, OR is Steelhead Falls Trailhead & Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 19 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Camp Sherman, OR?

TheDyrt.com has all 81 tent camping locations near Camp Sherman, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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