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

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".

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.

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!!

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.

We were so glad we kept driving down this road until the very end. Along this road (Lower Deschutes Access Road- which is pretty bumpy but we did fine with our camper) you will pass several other campgrounds- Twin Springs, Jones Canyon, Beavertail Recreation Site, Rattlesnake Canyon- and then at the very end of the road, you will find Macks Canyon Recreation Site. 

It was fairly empty when we arrived and we got an awesome site along the river, site 11. The view of the river was amazing and we watched lots of fishing boats and rafting boats go by. There is also a railroad track across the river and it was fun to watch the trains go by. No AT&T phone service here. 

The only negative is that it can get super windy. At one point we were frantically trying to get our awning down from the Cricket and things were flying everywhere. The wind lasted about an hour and then things calmed down again. 

From the end of the Lower Deschutes Access Road just above the campground, you can hike along the old railway line. Again, amazing views of the Deschutes and the canyon. We did about 5 miles road trip but you could go further.

One of my new favorite places to camp in Oregon!