Want to go dispersed camping near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland? Dispersed camping gets you off the grid so you can disconnect from the hecticness of everyday life. From secluded to easily reachable, we offer dispersed campsites near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland just for you.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means there are no toilets, no picnic tables, no trash cans, no treated water, and no fire grates. If you are dispersed camping in the winter, recognize that the Forest Service does not plow or maintain Forest Roads in the winter, so plan your trip accordingly.
Typically, dispersed camping is NOT allowed in the vicinity of developed recreation areas such as campgrounds, boat ramps, picnic areas or trailheads. There are extra responsibilities and skills that are necessary for dispersed camping. It's your responsibility to know these before you try this new experience.
Picking a Campsite If you are going to an area where others have camped before, pick a site that's been used before. Plants, soil and wildlife are impacted by new campsites, so using existing ones will minimize your impact on the forest. If there is no existing campsite, then follow these Leave No Trace guidelines:
Camp on bare soil if possible, to avoid damaging or killing plants and grass. Do NOT camp within 200 feet of any water source, plants near water are especially fragile. Don't camp in the middle of a clearing or meadow. Make your campsite less visible so that other visitors will see a "wild" setting. Don't try to level or dig trenches in the ground at your campsite. Select a campsite with good natural drainage. Visit the Leave No Trace website for more information.
Campfires Campfires are allowed when you are dispersed camping UNLESS there are fire restrictions in effect due to high fire danger conditions. It is YOUR responsibility to know if fire restrictions are in effect before you go camping.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means there are no toilets, no picnic tables, no trash cans, no treated water, and no fire grates. If you are dispersed camping in the winter, recognize that the Forest Service does not plow or maintain Forest Roads in the winter, so plan your trip accordingly.
Guide
Open grounds away from everything. There was a dirt square right off the dirt road we parked in. The only noise was the power-lines close by, which weren’t bad. Decent stargazing and had no issues. Just a little muddy and a little clearance on your car would be helpful. Really close to the highway. It’s all free dispersed camping so there is no development besides the dirt road
Guide
EDIT: We had a park ranger stop by and inform us that this location is closed to passenger vehicles. No passenger vehicles are allowed past the boulders. We are currently parked at the one and only camp slot that passenger vehicles are allowed, so this is a 99% dispersed camping location that you have to walk to your camp site location. The Park Ranger also reminded me that all BLM land is a 14-day stay for recreational camping only, and if you are living out of your RV, you are liable to be harassed more often then others.
Original Review: We parked in a space close to the main road. Minus the sounds from it, the place is very peaceful. There's lots of sage bushes, and trees are plenty but not clustered. There is a lot of wildlife in the area if the animal bones are anything to judge by. There are a lot of ant colonies and other burrowing creatures in the area as well. If you choose to walk off designated paths, watch your step, or you might end up in a shallow hole like I did. Some spots are more solar friendly than others, but none of the trees are overbearingly tall to completely block out the ability for it. Flies aren't too bad compared to other places, and honestly, I'm not sure if the ones we are dealing with are from here or left over from our 1 night stay at another location. The river is only a shortish walk away, and field mice do live in some of the boulders in the area.
Guide
Easy to get too. BLM Land. Many spots in the area. Flat spot for our tent. Our spot already had a fire pit and we definitely made use of it! It was a Great Find! A lil noise from trucks but not a big deal.
Scout
Great dispersed camping spot, close to Bend with full cell service. 25 mins to jump into Bend for breakfast on the way back to Portland. Loud Coyotes.
GuideIt’s free camping so who can complain! Pull off from the main road onto a dirt single lane road. Many “campsites” along the road. No amenities. Quiet place.
Traveler
Dispersed National Forest
Scout
Great spot for dispersed camping! Very secluded and quiet. There are lots of spots. The dirt road getting to the different roads to turn on is a little bumpy, so we took it slow. Definitely would stay here again!
Traveler
Beautiful trip. Breathtaking drives and not hard to find with given coordinates. Dirt roads are not too hard to drive but during the dry months it is extremely dusty. The campground on the trailhead is nice but a little too close for dispersed camping. Trail is not too long to a waterfall. You can fish and jump off the rocks into the water. We stayed one night at the designated camp site but ended driving about 10 minutes down a dirt road next the the campground entrance that is actual dispersed camping. Really enjoyed that spot with a trail down to the river and 2 drive in spots and multiple walk in campsites along the cliffs. 
Guide
14 day free camping
Guide
Great secluded dispersed camping. It was obviously meant for folks with horses, but I was the only one there, so there were no horses in sight. The road getting there entailed about 5 miles of bumpy, windy dirt roads. Not totally worth it for a one night stay in a van, but might be for a 4wd car.
GPS: 44.448114, -121.102884
Scout
Wonderful backcountry camping accessed by a mostly uphill 2 mile hike. You are surrounded by the peaks of South Sister and Broken Top and are welcomed each morning and night with the gorgeous sunsets and sunrises. These camping sites make for a perfect spot to catch some rest before making the hike up to the summit of South Sister. The lake sits below the Lewis glacier and, like many alpine lakes, the lake stays frozen for several months out of the year and the trail can be packed with snow as late as August.
Campsites are located above the lake on two sides and are under tree cover for those rainy nights. To reach the sites you will need to take a right at 1.5 miles in on the trail. There is no potable water nearby. Pack in and out all waste and everything you will need for the night. Make sure to bring bug spray as the mosquitoes love that chilly lake.
ScoutFairly accessible dispersed camping just outside of Bend. The roads are easily maneuverable in a Subaru.
RangerPretty standard dispersed camping within the Oregon badlands. Signs for the Badlands are right off the 20 then follow the road straight until you see a dirt turnoff with a sign about no shooting, this will set you right in the correct area. Some rock fire rings, dusty, but nice.
Traveler
We drove around looking for a place to boondock near Sisters for what felt like forever, but all the remote sites we planned on were taken. When we arrived at the Black Pine dispersed area, it was surprisingly empty for how busy the rest of the area was.
The sites were huge with enormous fire rings and would be ideal for groups. We just had one small van, but there was one other large party with multiple vehicles and a large camper van, and they fit comfortably in one site.
The actual sites are not very forested or private, but it still felt secluded since only two of probably 10 sites were taken. Definitely recommend this area, especially for groups!
GuideThere aren't a ton of free camping options near Redmond. This is a great option. Only 2-3 spots for vans/small RVs. The other spots are clearly for tent camping. Would definitely recommend for a few days. I will say the vault toilets are disgusting- so plan accordingly. The hike is a great combination of short and pretty :-)
GPS: 44.410140, -121.293505
Scout
Great dispersed camping. Plenty of places to park and car camp or set up a tent. Lights from a nearby building keep most of the area somewhat visible, but not enough to disturb you while you sleep.
LegendLove this dispersed camping area just south of Sisters, OR. We've camped here a few times over the years and there are never many campers around. We just camped here over Memorial Day Weekend and there was no one camping within at least a mile or two of where we were. There are lots of different areas to choose from so drive around the area until you find something you like. We were driving our Subaru with our Cricket camper attached and there's no issues with the roads.
Because this is right in a mountain biking area there are tons of trails to go explore - either hiking or biking. Some really pretty views! You will have bikers biking by your campsite from time to time but I actually like that - fun to have activity around.
This area is also just a few miles from Sisters which is my favorite little town in Oregon. Lots of restaurants, bars and shops to explore!
Be sure to check on a fire ban before having a fire.
GuideWe camped in our A liner Expedition here in late May. Unlike most dispersed camping around, the sites were well spaced, had very little trash and not full. We found a spot on a dirt road off the 4606. It had nice dispersed trees, low sand, and only a few beer cans here and there. We didn’t see another person on our “street” the whole time we were there. There are some tents and RVs in the area we passed that looked rather permanent and “methy,” so just be careful which tried out you pick.
Guide
Easy access and larger camp spots. We were there during a few events hosted by the Sisters Rodeo and got to listen to the events.
A lot of horse trailers come into the dispersed camping area to park and ride their horses, and I've seen a lot of larger bog rig horse trailers parked at the camp sites near the front. Every single one that came in was respectful and kind. A couple of the trainers even allowed my oldest onto their horses with permission after she asked.
There were a couple of long-time stay campers that kept to themselves. We didn't have any issues with leaving our campsite unattended, even with our cook stove, propane, and ground solar equipment out in the open.
Great for solar. Just if you don't have it set on top, you will have to move it throughout the day.
Verizon cell service is completely fine. No wifi, of course, but if you use a mobile hotspot like we do, you shouldn't have any issues.
We camped at 3 different spots. The first one was right as you pulled in, directly behind the rodeo gates. Large spot, 2 fire pits. Perfect for a group. The second was farther back. Only spent 1 night there cause there was a fire ant colony and we have kids. That just seemed like a bad idea for us. Spot itself was great, though. Another perfect spot for a group, minus the fire ants. The third spit was closer to the entrance, about half way in-between the other 2 we stayed at. This one had some broken glass that was buried as well as what looked like a diabetic syringe, also buried in the dirt. This was the only camp site that had any type of garbage at it. Every other one was cleaned from what we glanced at.
Rangers come through every few days to make sure everything is safe and taken care of. When it became "no fires allowed" a ranger went to every camp site with people and asked if he could leave the information papers about what would be allowed vs not allowed during the "no burn" time. He was very respectful and kept his distance. I was by myself with my 3 young kids when he stopped by, and he stayed at least 5 feet away from all of us unless I gave the okay to come closer. The Rangers also placed "no fire" flags at each of the empty campsites in the firepits in case someone came in afterward.
Overall, it was very peaceful and a great place to stay if you plan on going to the rodeo or an event held at Sisters Rodeo but are strapped on funds.
And of course, like all dispersed campsites, it's a "pack in pack out". No water, power, sewage, bathrooms, showers, or anything else available. You bring it in, and you take it out.
Traveler
This is about 20 minutes east of Bend Oregon. You have a number of options here. Right off the road there is a lot where I saw an RV camped. I’m sure there would be some road noise there. If you go down the road, there are some more dispersed camping sites. I parked in the one with no neighbors, and it was sagebrush and desert landscape, sagebrush, etc, with some hills and it was quite beautiful. My only complaint was, and this isn’t much of a complaint, the coyotes woke me up sometime in the night when they were very close to my vehicle and howling. Quite the experience.
LegendJust outside the cute town of Sisters is a lot of dispersed camping areas on Forest Service land. Take Three Creek Road south to BS (Brooks Scanlan)-Logging Road/FS 4606. FS 4606 is wide graveled road with washboard and potholes, and pretty terrible to drive on in an RV. It is very dusty but you’ll find multiple potential places to camp. We saw about 6 other campers along the road in various established spots.
Some side roads require higher clearance but we were able to find a nice spot in our 26 ft Class C (44.2689957,-121.5436631). There are a couple stone fire rings and the area is mostly free of litter and other debris. There are zero amenities while camping on forest service dispersed sites so pack in and pack out all trash and waste. There are multiple trails in this area for hiking or biking as well.
There was one sketchy guy walking around yelling, high on something, but he didn’t bother us and he kept on walking. We did not feel unsafe here.
Good cell reception with ATT, Verizon and TMobile.
Scout
Mosquitos are a bit much at dusk so ensure to bring spray. Dispersed camping outside improved areas are the best bet on weekends as this site seems to be very popular. Once outside improved areas, seclusion is easy to obtain. Water access is limited once off the paved road due to steep rocky drops.
Overall, this site is beautiful! The water is crystal clear and is ideal for swimming, fishing, kayaking as well as boating.
LegendThis campground was amazing. One of the best dispersed camps we’ve been to all year!
We couldn’t have a fire due to restrictions, but the Camps with marked sites you can have a fire at just up the horribly paved road and down a 4 mile stretch of car sized rutted gravel road (there are 4).
We hiked on trails for 2 days to the lake. It was worth it. Pack light. Take a lot of water. The sights along the way were breathtaking! We also hiked around the backside of this camping area. Looks like people take ATV’s up there but there is a sign at the entrance that says no off-road vehicles.
The road to the spots are not bad. Pretty flat till you get about 5 or 6 sites in.
No amenities at all whatsoever. Bury your waste and pack out your trash. There are dumpsters all over the nearby town of Sisters. And pack in as much water as you can. There is a Chevron Station in town that you can fill jugs or your rig for free.
LegendThis was our awesome spot for viewing the solar eclipse and we'll go back when we want some peace and beautiful sunsets again! Camped here before the eclipse. Drove our trailer to the top of the hill (along a fence). We were able to level up and had no neighbors until the morning of the eclipse when several people and RV's came in. Many people parked down along Holly Ln. but we took a track up the hill.
We were rewarded with a lovely sunset over the Cascade mountains the night before. Not heavily used so very clean.
Of course no services, so pack out what you bring in. Dispersed camping.
TravelerThis place was open and well maintained for a boondocking spot. Very quiet with a gorgeous sunset. We didn’t see a single person on our stay here. Convenient location, would definitely return for a longer stay in the area.
LegendThis proved a convenient spot to connect with some friends who were traveling through the area. In the pouring rain (early May) there were enough mud puddles in the roads that others had recommended here. So, we stayed a quick overnight in the parking lot to the Badlands Rock trail heads. No one else there all night and a few hikers came in the next morning. We took advantage of a nice hike and then walked around other dispersed camping sites along this gravel road. There were several spots that looked pretty cool including one here:
43°57'00.5"N 121°01'02.4"W
Strictly dry camping. Likely hot and dusty in the summer with OHV's in the area, but the wide expansive views were lovely!
GuideThe coordinates take you to right by the reservoir with one or two spots but if you keep going down the road into the National Forest/Recreation area, (not in towards the reservoir— that road is rough,) there are plenty of spots off the road to camp at. We found a spot to put our tent (right off the road) but still a safe distance away from it and was able to watch and hear this clear blue river while we fell asleep.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near the Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River National Grassland in Oregon. This area offers a variety of scenic spots for those looking to immerse themselves in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland is Oregon Badlands Dispersed with a 4.3-star rating from 19 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 55 dispersed camping locations near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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