Campsites near Colton, Oregon sit within the Cascade foothills, with elevations ranging from 400 to 800 feet. The area experiences warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters typical of the Willamette Valley climate zone. Most campgrounds remain open year-round, though facilities may be limited during winter months when temperatures can drop below freezing.
What to do
Disc golf courses: Milo McIver State Park Campground features two championship-level disc golf courses. "Milo McIver may be best known for it's twin 18 hole disc golf courses, or single 27 hole layout when tournaments aren't in progress. Home of the annual Beaver State Fling, a PDGA sanctioned National Tour event," explains one visitor.
Water recreation: The Clackamas River provides swimming and fishing opportunities at several campgrounds. At Armstrong Campground, "River is easily accessible from most riverside sites. Hiking trails nearby (I enjoyed the Fish Creek trail just up the road)." Another camper notes that Armstrong has "a flat part of the river that everyone brings their camping chairs to in order to sit in the river."
Adventure activities: Camp Dakota offers activities beyond standard camping. "We enjoyed disc golf, archery, axe throwing, a fun general store and an escape room. We came in thinking it was a little on the spendy side, to ending up thinking it was a bargain." The camp also features "treetop canopy obstacle" courses and zip lines that visitors describe as "a blast for our family."
What campers like
Heated accommodations: Champoeg State Heritage Area Campground provides comfortable glamping options. "The yurts are heated, and a couple of them are pet friendly, which is great for us! There is a small table in each yurt. There's a couch and a bunk bed for sleeping arrangements, with the lower bunk larger than the top bunk," states one reviewer.
Waterfall access: Silver Falls State Park Campground offers proximity to natural features. One visitor shared, "The cabins are small but comfortable with heat, lights, and beds. Covered porch is nice to sit and listen to the rain." The park contains a famous waterfall loop trail that takes "about 3 hours to hike," though dogs aren't permitted on this trail.
River views: Many campsites provide direct water access. At Metzler Park, sites are "along Clear Creek. My site was just above the creek and I fell asleep to its calming sound. There were huge playing fields in the sunshine, trails to explore with the kids and the creek has a swimming hole!"
What you should know
Seasonal limitations: Some amenities aren't available year-round. At Promontory Park, "the website doesn't say the fish can't survive in the pond during the hot summer months." The stocked kids' fishing pond is only viable "from October to April (the fish can't survive once the water temperature rises too high)."
Reservation requirements: Most sites require advance booking, especially during summer. "Check in time is 2pm and sites are $22 (There are 67 sites)" at Oxbow Regional Park, which fills quickly on weekends when "nearly all the sites had reserved signs."
Campsite proximity: Site spacing varies significantly between campgrounds. At Promontory Park, one camper noted, "the one and only thing that we did not like was how on top of each other the camp sites are." Others mentioned that at Armstrong Campground, "the campsites are mostly private with decent spacing between them."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly programs: Oxbow Regional Park offers supervised activities. "The recent upgrades to playgrounds are awesome for the kids and the new welcome center makes check in a breeze," reports a regular visitor. The park spans 1,200 acres with trails and river access.
Swimming access: Look for campgrounds with safe water entry points. Metzler Park has "a great creek to play in" and a designated swimming hole that's "wonderful, versatile" with "big sites for RV's or tents, beautiful creek, swimming hole, suspension bridge and lots of options for kids."
Educational activities: Several parks offer learning opportunities. At Camp Dakota, "once we got the wristbands on the kids, they went off and explored and had a lot of fun. The staff is #1 safe, then #2 they are super fun." Champoeg offers historical exhibits where "the farmhouse fascinated my boys... they got to water the garden with a water pump and buckets!"
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Mt Hood Village Resort provides full-service sites. "The full hook up sites are in old growth timber giving each site a feeling is seclusion. The lodge, pool, hot tub and saunas are in good condition." Another RVer noted it's "easy to access, even for larger rigs. We stayed in 39 foot 5th wheel. Plenty of pull thru spots, full hookups, regularly spaced bathroom/showers."
Seasonal access: Year-round RV camping is limited to certain sites. Mt Hood Village Resort "features multiple accommodation types including yurts and glamping cabins, operating year-round with full hookups and amenities like a market for supplies." One visitor described it as having "decent RV camping" that's "very family friendly" with "nice indoor pool and hot tub."
Size limitations: Some glamping sites near Colton restrict large vehicles. At Camp Dakota, sites are "not for huge trailers and coaches, but you can get a 30' in there just about anywhere." Armstrong Campground accommodates medium-sized RVs: "It's a big car but there was no problem maneuvering it through the campground or parking it at our site."
