Best Glamping near Crescent, OR

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.

Tumalo State Park gets only 3 stars from me because it was hot and crowded. Since its only 4 miles North of popular Bend, Oregon, its a convenient stop... but what I consider "pit stop camping," on my way to quieter destinations. They have good campground amenities for this: flush toilets, running water, showers. Its a pretty location, near many fun outdoor activities near and in Bend, but the sites were too crowded together for my taste. Note that, as in most of Oregon in high summer, open flames and camp fires are prohibited. It is a Red Flag zone, meaning there is a high danger of wildfires. In fact, as of last week (late July, 2018) you could see the smoke from several fires in the surrounding forests.

We booked site 30, which is up a hill away from the water with a few other sites (27, 28, 29). The site was rated for 32 feet and we were able to comfortably fit our 31 foot trailer and long bed truck. We did have to pull in way too close to the fire pit to make this work but there is a burn ban so we would not have been using it anyway. It would have been nice to know that we were up a hill since we have a toddler, but it wasn’t a huge deal.

The trailer took up the vast majority of the level space available at the site, but otherwise it would be a nice space for a tent and chairs around the fire.

Be aware that the wind picks up around noon and goes super strong until after you go to bed. It’s great for not getting any mosquito bites but it is not a mild breeze!

The lodge staff weren’t overly helpful but not hostile either. I’m sure they are understaffed and annoyed by tourists just like everyone else. They had live music Saturday night and we would have loved to go if our little one wasn’t asleep.

The area has so many hikes and bike trails so close by that you could spend weeks there and not get bored.

Campground Review:

We arrived late Friday night to this quiet campground and couldn't really see what we got ourselves into. A tent from a neighboring site was fairly close to our space so we built a quick fire, pitched our tents on semi-level areas, and turned in early. When we awoke the next morning, we were pleasantly surprised!

Our site was very well maintained, with a wide parking space and solid picnic table. There were no tent pads, but flat ground could be found fairly easily for our small tents - though this would have been a struggle for anything much larger. The fire pit's movable grill was very handy. We found water spigots close-by that had clear, cool water running through them. Trash was centrally located, though no recycling was indicated. Restrooms had vault toilets that were smelly, but maintained, just remember to bring your own hand sanitizer!

Though our site (#21) was close to road noise, the sounds didn't bother us, even in the quiet campground. Firewood can be purchased onsite for $6 a bundle. Mosquitos stayed away and our fellow campers were very respectful.

Sunset Cove is right off of Odell Lake and water access was easy to find. A trail marked with blue arrows took us from our campsite and brought us to a day-use area with a jetty, multiple picnic areas, and a beach! We enjoyed dinner and sunset there on our last night. We also found great activities nearby during the day like Crescent Lake and Moon Falls. Protip: the closest store is the Odell Sportsman Store though it felt like a convenience store for us. If you can take a little drive, we recommend Rays in Oakridge for food and supplies.

Gear Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. For the last few weeks, I have been testing the Tracker FG hiking boots from Vivobarefoot.

Even before I made my choice of which Vivobarefoot shoes would be best for me, I was apprehensive. I have flat feet and their "Firm Ground" barefoot sole didn't seem like it would be very helpful for me. But after encountering toe pain and shin splints from a high-arch boot, I decided to give the Tracker FG's a try.

On first impression, the look is great. The red detailing and age-friendly, waterproof vegan leather made me really excited. I did notice that my feet look a little different in these shoes, though that's normal. The wide toe is meant to allow room for your piggies to move around and get strong on their own, but it looked a bit like I had slippers on at first. I quickly got over this. More than anything, I was curious how long it would take for me to feel the benefits of this new shoe style.

Vivo recommends working with the shoes to build foot strength for long hikes in the future, so I did just that. I wore my shoes around town, to work, and on trails close to home. I never felt the need to do any extra breaking in however - in fact, I actually felt ready to wear them on my longest hikes because they made my feet and legs feel that much better. Within days of walking at least 4 hours in the shoes, my shin pain was almost completely eliminated. The long-term pain in my big toes and balls of feet was gone within 3 weeks. After a month of use I was able to complete a 12 mile hike over rocks, fallen trees, and streams with ease.

The Tracker FG boots fit me like a cozy sock from the start, and provided all the support I needed in every environment. Their smooth thermal insole came in handy on cold morning hikes yet weren't too stuffy when I wore them for 18 hour days while camping in and around Sunset Cove. The sole's lugs gripped terrain of all types while also keeping me steady in the mud. Though I did find my footing less secure when descending on ultra-smooth surfaces, I experienced less slippage than my friends when hiking beside a powerful waterfall. My feet stayed nice and dry as well!

Quick tips and full disclosures:

• Order a size up
• Wear during daily activities to get used to "barefoot" feel on your soles first
• Don't switch laces - these ones are perfect
• Meant for dry environments; other Vivo shoes are better for water adventurers
• Shoes appear to age quickly but don't lose quality

If I had to choose my favorite time of year to camp at Diamond Lake I guess it would have to be Winter.

For many years my family rented a cabin a year in advance and we stayed there from December 23- January 2 with a very large group of our friends.

It was totally luxurious!

You can also rent a hotel room there.

Going down the inner tube slide was a blast, also hanging out in the lodge getting warmed by the fire.

They also have a huge market on site - almost like a mini Department store. You can buy warm clothing and other supplies there.

Fishing is kind of a big deal at Diamond also- which we did as a family.

I remember riding a snow mobile to this Pizza Chalet and getting hot pizza in the middle of nowhere!!

Such a cool place. Definitely going there this winter to play in the snow ❄️ ⛄️

I better reserve now !!!!