Best Tent Camping near Chemult, OR

Our first time here at East Lake Campground in the last week of September 2023 just 1 day before the park closed for the season. Because East Lake Campground is 6500 feet in elevation the nights were very cold, from 44 to 31 degrees but normally the days were in the morning windy and about 62*. The camp has 29 sites and NO hookups.

There is flush toilets, NO showers, but had drinking water. East Lake also had 1 boat launch but the water was very low, some 40' down from the edge of the bank to the water. Great fishing and a great place for kayaks. Each site has a picnic table and fireplace. Most Sites on the lake side has pull-thru that were about 50' long. Some back-in sites were only 35'. Very quite campground and not too close to each others camp site. We camped at East Lake Campground in a Travel Trailer.

Restrooms Flush toilets, faucet water. No hookups, No electric, No water hookup, No sewer hookup. You can fill your water tank FREE at the ($10) Dump Station so you don't have the weight in your rig. Dog-friendliness Lots of space to run and play.

We spent a full day exploring Crater Lake and needed a place to stay for the night.  Since the campgrounds within the national park were closed for the season, we searched The Dyrt for a nearby place to set up camp before dark, and found nearby Annie Creek Sno-Park. It's a big parking lot with a vault toilet, a warming station with indoor picnic benches and a few fire rings outside.  There are also a few spots down by the creek, which might be fine for tent camping, but not suitable for larger vehicles.  There were several other campers when we stayed in early October, and we enjoyed watching shooting stars and roasting marshmallows together around a campfire.  Convenient location and perfectly fine for a night.

This campground is an excellent choice for an overnight stay when visiting Crater Lake National Park. The sites offer flat ground, making it easy to set up a tent. Although it is close to the road, it is secluded enough to provide a peaceful night's sleep. Be aware that during our visit, we encountered many hungry and persistent mosquitoes, so I highly recommend bringing insect repellent and other mosquito-prevention measures.

The tent sites can be found by following an unpaved road downhill from the large parking lot. There are two basic restrooms located at the entrance, but there is no potable water available, so be sure to bring your own. If you don't use the entry restrooms, please practice Leave No Trace principles to keep the area clean and natural. The proximity to Crater Lake allows for convenient early morning starts to explore the park. Overall, it's a great spot for both solo travelers and families looking for a comfortable camping experience.

I've been to Odell twice but always seem to pick a weekend with weather that makes you want to stay in your sleeping bag!

The campsites at Odell are a little on the smaller side and may not have the trees your looking for to hang a hammock. Not that you should if you're camping any time earlier than July!

The southeast side of Odell can be subject to cold winds coming off the lake, so be sure to keep that rain fly up on your tent and a fleece handy. If you're feeling a little too chilly, the resort keeps a fire burning in the den.

There are plenty of snowshoe trails around Odell as well as some hiking trails in the Diamond Peak wilderness that also connect to the PCT. The trail we took did give us a bit of elevation gain and later some nice views of the smaller peaks in the area.

If you're planning to camp here, bring warm clothing and rain gear! It may be a bit chilly, but the nice hikes in the area make it all the more worth it to get up and get moving.

This CG is right on Paulina lake in the middle of Newberry Crater. There are 50 sites along the shoreline. They all have the standard picnic table and fire ring. We had the first site on the left as you enter the CG. It had a great view of the lake and surrounding ridgeline and Paulina Peak. It also allows for a wonderful sunset.

The campground is generally crowded. The sites are decent but you will have other campers relatively close, The CG is easily accessed by foot, car or boat. It does have a boat ramp. RV's / Campers can get into most sites. There are 5 Vault toilets, drinking water, no showers, no hook ups. each site is in close walking distance to the lake. The CG is accessible to various trails in the area including the Big Obsidian Flow trail. A bonus hike should be taken to the Paulina Lake hot springs on the north side of the lake. You can also get to the hot springs by boat.

General: Located just across the street from the North Umpqua River, there is a mix of:•

* petite RV sites (RVs up to 20’ with FHU 20-30 amp- 3)

* deluxe RV sites (RVs up to 29’ with FHU 30-50 amp- 5)

* Super RV sites (RVs up to 60’ with FHU 50 amp- 7)

* glamping tents (7)

* cabins with heat and A/C(4)

* a cottage

* a tiny home

* camper

* retro bunkhouse

* retro RV 

Site Quality: We were in a deluxe RV site that had a level gravel camper pad, electric hookup, fire ring, and picnic table. Unlike most RV parks, there was a decent amount of foliage between most sites to provide a measure of privacy. 

Bath/Shower House: Two toilets, two sinks, and two showers. Clean but limited privacy for the toilets with just a curtain. Bench and hooks are outside of showers with no other separation so there is a lack of privacy there as well (did not use the shower so I cannot comment on how well it worked, although they looked nice). 

Activities/Amenities:

* Guided and Self-guided hiking tours

* Guided and self-guided mountain bike tours

* a full-day waterfall tour ($75 pp, with 24-hour advance notice)

* whitewater rafting tours

* Stream and river fishing holes

* Fly fishing and hunting

* Kayak rentals on Toketee Lake (We had hoped to do this, but the weather had other plans)

* Wi-Fi is available for $2.99 per 24-hour period per device but it was flaky at best

* There is a store with ice, firewood, food, beer, and wine, apparel, propane, diesel, and gasoline, rafts, and sleds. 

We arrived later than planned (just before dark) and it was cold and rainy the next day so we were not able to take advantage of the many nearby recreation activities but the staff recommended a nearby waterfall hike that we could do in inclement weather. We would definitely consider returning during better weather.