Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

They have a dog park, plenty of trails, several different areas to go down to the river, frisbee golf, area for horses. Good showers. There’s a great view point to see Mt. Hood. It really is a nice place.

We've been here longterm since July 2020 and have had a great experience. It's definitely costs more to stay here but we've found the location to be exceptional being close to most things but rural and quiet. It's conveniently close to the fairgrounds so lots of places to walk the dogs etc. They do tout that they are a "resort" but really no amenities to live up to that. They have a nice laundry facility and showers but no dog park (just an area designated to let them do their "business") but no pool, picnic area, etc. They have had on site management here at times but it's very sporadic, but the people they have had when here are very helpful and friendly. I did have a water leak that I reported both using their online report and followed up with a phone call which apparently went unnoticed or unheeded. I only know this because it was mentioned by someone who came by to record our water usage seemed surprised by the leak. (Hey, I did all I could do!) Overall this is a clean and well kept safe location that I would recommend to anyone traveling through, especially with large RV's and although expensive it's been perfect for our longterm situation. Just don't expect a "resort".

Clean Friendly Pet friendly

This campground is fabulous. Some spots are a bit small but we didn't mind because we didn't spend much time in our spot. The grounds are pet friendly so we also had the dogs with us. 

We spent much of our time fishing and rafting on the lake, feeding seeds to squirrels, letting the dogs run in the off leash area, and just hiking around the park. It's big, so most times we had to get in the car to drive to a separate area for each activity but that wasn't a problem for us. 

Bathrooms we're clean and relatively close with easy access, although it was just a tad uneven so for anyone with mobility issues, they might want to verify that it is accessible for their needs.

Pros: Good lake to swim in, smaller state park so not too busy, kayaks you can rent, small playground if you have kids, pet frIendly cabIn I stayed In was faIrly secluded Cons: because it’s smaller, kids on bikes were on the road often so you have to be aware, only one shower stall in the restrooms

I went here a couple summers ago with a group of friends and it was a gorgeous spot. Small campground, right on the river. Short drive back into town if you need anything, but far enough out that you're actually the forest. Be careful and watch small kids and pets closely, the river moves really fast in this area.

Update: As of June 2018, the RV park is under new management. I was recently quoted $85 for one night for a mid-sized RV. For that price, I'd expect an ocean view and a hot tub, certainly not a parking lot in the middle of Vancouver, Washington. For about half the price I'd suggest any number of nearby parks instead, including Tri-Mountain, Jantzen Beach, or Columbia River RV Parks.

Original Review: This is basically a cement parking lot for RVs off an ugly busy road in Vancouver. Large roads and several large pull-through spots make parking for RVs easy. Spots closer to the entrance are larger (and more expensive), while spots toward the back are often smaller and sometimes have grass and/or large bushes between sites. Bathrooms were clean, though the trash dumpsters were completely overflowing and there were signs threatening a $25 fine for each bag left outside the dumpster. A tiny spot for dogs is in a corner, while a somewhat larger grassy area is marked as "no pets."

Tips: Only Cash and Checks taken. No credit cards.

No wifi, 1 shower, washer and dryers broken, garbage everywhere, 300 cats

The park just added two nature playgrounds that are pretty fantastic. One of the new playgrounds, right before the boat launch, features a trail with a mud kitchen, two a-frame tents and a big area where you can use fallen logs and branches to build shelters.

The other nature playground is right across from the old playground (still in use) and has a wooden water course with a hand pump and an elevated wooden plank course.

Camping can be a little loud since it's a popular spot and there are no pets allowed, but it's barely 30 minutes away from Portland and right on the Sandy River.

I love the name of this campground- Lazy Bend Campground. This is definitely a place to come if you want to lay back and relax, but they also have great activities for those who want to be more adventurous. It sits right next to the Wild and Scenic Clackamas River, which is great for swimming, fishing, kayaking, and rafting. My family brought some tubes, tied them to a tree, and just relaxed in the water for a few hours. It was great. It is also within the Mt. Hood National Forest, so there are some great hikes nearby. My family and I stayed here 3 nights, and we hiked every morning. We saw some huckleberry bushes that we wish would have been ripe when we were there. I am assuming around September they would be ready to pick and eat. The campsites were good. Just your basic campsite with a table and fire ring. I would advise to bring your own grate to put over the fire ring if you plan to do any cooking over the fire. We brought our own and did breakfast/dinner over the fire. They have tent sites, and a few RV sites as well. They don't have hookups, though. There was a small store a few miles before that we stopped at to get snacks for the weekend. There was a biking trail that looked fun, so if you like to bike I would recommend bringing your bike! Pets are also allowed, which was great because we have 2 dogs. Overall, I would probably come back here- but there are so many other campgrounds to visit in Oregon!!

This campground is easily one of the most remote yet accessible and quiet that I have ever come across. Site staff on hand if needed but honestly the primitive sites are exactly what you are looking for: remote, spacious, quiet, fire and pet friendly and great views. The fact that this campsite is only 30 minutes from the 5, you couldn’t honestly tell. Open year around and on site water if needed, no amenities, but honestly, who cares? Perfectly spaced north of Portland and south of Tacoma/Seattle, easy access to both or in between but be warned, park access closes at dusk, and they do mean dusk. In the off season was one of maybe 10 groups in the whole park. Definitely will come again.

Read up on this location with some good info. Flat paved sites for dry camping.

Lost Creek Campground has 10 single-family campsites and is located on one of the largest pyroclastic volcanic mudflows from Mt. Hood’s “Old Maid” eruption in the 1700s. Fortunately all of the mudflows have cooled. Campsites can accommodate tents, trailers and RVs. Two yurts are also available. Campground amenities include a picnic area, drinking water and vault toilets. Firewood is also available for sale from the camp host.

Lost Creek / Mt. Hood Area Recreation

Outdoor recreation includes fishing. Visitors also enjoy fishing, hiking, mountain biking and wildlife viewing.  The Wild and Scenic Sandy River is also not far from the popular Ramona Falls Trailhead. Mt. Hood is just southeast of the campground offers visitors the opportunity for a nice a day trip.

AMENITIES

BBQ Grills

Campsite Tables

Comfort Station

Drinking Water

Fire Pit

Fire Rings

Firewood Available

Golden Age & Access Passports accepted

Grills

Pets OK

Picnic Tables

Restrooms (Vault Toilets)

ACTIVITIES

Biking

Bird Watching

Creek

Fishing

Hiking

Mountain Biking

Nature Trails

Photography

Picnicking

River

Walking Trails

Wildlife Viewing

This campground is big, with a lot of trees and a good number of sites have shade for the majority of the day (at least where we were), they have full hook ups and partial, cable with a great variety of channels, their WiFi is not good, not even by the “lounge”, tiny house and cabins available for rent (pet friendly options available) which is cool, laundry facility, cafe/bakery on site, nice store with good variety of food and drink options, DVD rental. The bakery is independently owned and opens daily, they bake cinnamon roles daily and the cream cheese is home made...OMG, worth having one or two with coffee! Gas station (72) and great grocery store (thrift away) nearby )1.5 mi away). We had a great corner site and we were not surrounded by a lot of people, there was one family at the site behind us and luckily no one to our right. The fact the campground was packed for Father’s Day and lack of cleanliness at their bathrooms and laundry facility makes me wonder how serious they are taking Covid-19. We’ve been to three campgrounds so far and two of them were taking it very seriously and keeping it clean and limiting the number of people using the laundry. Some didn’t open the bathrooms and the ones who did, kept is very clean. Not so much the case here, which was disappointing as this is a “resort”. If you are looking to spend a few days exploring MT Hood area, this is a good location, not too far out from MT. Hood, fun scenic drive to up to the lodge. We saw people skiing there! If you feel like driving an hour, make your way to Hood River, which is an adorable town, with a few clothing stores, pet store, bookstore, coffee shops, brewers and an amazing river...the Columbia River Gorge. You can take windsurfing lessons (which we did and it was super fun). Hood River is the windsurfing capital of the world. You can also take kite surfing lessons or just sit and watch all of them fly around! Across the Columbia river it is the state of Washington, and you can cross the Hood River toll bridge and explore WA. Riverside is a great Restaurant located at the Best Western Hood River Inn-they have a beet salad that is to die for. Calamari app is yummy as well as the mushroom fondue burger. Next day we had the beet salad again and two pasta dishes which were amazing (chicken Alfredo and Fregula & Sausage), they have a pressed lemonade that’s sooo yummy! Hood River is worth visiting! If it is sunny, pack up some beach towels, swimming suit and head there for a day in the water.

Oregon State Parks are the best in the west. This is yet another with full hookups and great amenities and activities– all at a great price. This is a seasonal park that closes on 10/31. If you are looking for a nearby alternative during the fall and winter months, check out Champoeg State Park which is south of Portland. Good site spacing and privacy. Clean bathrooms with decent locations A rated.  The dog run is fantastic.....almost two acres.

Beautiful campground. Amazing weather. Smells like green. Kind host. Very clean water. Dog friendly.

The place is clean and has a rain forest feel. Trees close in. Amazingly dark and quiet at night. A bit muddy for walking the dog.

Camp is well located , very clean, super great park ranger and very spacious , beautiful river bank and lots of space to walk with a dogs