Best Tent Camping near Camp Sherman, OR

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.