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Best Tent Camping near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland

1,299 Reviews

Dispersed tent camping options dominate the landscape surrounding Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests in central Oregon, with several primitive sites accessible via Forest Service roads. Dispersed Rock Quary offers open spaces suitable for tent camping across from Sunriver, while Steelhead Falls Trailhead & Campground provides free tent sites near Crooked River. The Badlands Rock Camping area, approximately 20 minutes east of Bend, features multiple secluded tent sites surrounded by juniper trees and sagebrush, though recent reports indicate vehicle access may be restricted.

Most dispersed tent sites in this region lack amenities, requiring campers to pack in water and pack out waste. Fire regulations vary seasonally, with complete bans common during summer months when wildfire danger is high. Forest Service Road 1514 offers tent camping on flat terrain with established fire rings, though the area becomes dusty in summer months. According to one visitor, "Late night hikes to the warming hut" are possible from the Meissner Sno-Park during winter months for those prepared for cold-weather tent camping. Several sno-parks in the region serve as trailheads with access to primitive tent sites during snow-free months.

The walk-in tent sites at Todd Lake Campground require approximately a mile hike from the parking area, offering a more secluded backcountry experience. These designated sites are located at the northwest corner of the lake next to marked posts and provide excellent views, though facilities remain at the parking lot. Sites along Harrington Loop Road offer flatter terrain and established camping spots with fire rings, making them popular for tent campers seeking easier access. A recent review described one site as having "Luxury camping" with "manicured grounds" compared to other primitive options. For tent campers seeking solitude, sites farther from main roads provide better isolation, with coyote howls occasionally breaking the nighttime silence at Badlands Rock Camping area.

Map showing campgrounds near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland, OregonExplore the Map

Best Tent Sites Near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland (71)

    1. Dispersed Rock Quary

    7 Reviews
    Sunriver, OR
    9 miles

    "One of the few places near Bend that was actually open for disperse camping in the winter. We stayed in a nice sight just across from the quarry, right by the turn around area."

    "Plenty of areas to set up camp with an RV or tent, but obviously you won't run into any other amenities."

    2. Meissner Sno-Park/Trailhead

    3 Reviews
    Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland, OR
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 383-5300

    "There is dispersed camping around the area. We found a site that was shaded by trees with no neighbors."

    "Luckily we already had an Oregon sno-park permit so we were able to put it to good use in this area."

    3. Smith Rock State Park Campground

    36 Reviews
    Terrebonne, OR
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 548-7501

    $8 / night

    "The Climber's Bivouac is a walk-in campground located on a rim next to the Crooked River right in the heart of Smith Rock State Park."

    "Walk-in site (the Bivy) is chill. walk-in, pitch tent, done. Yeah you have a lot of neighbors, but people are nice and the price is right ($8 per night for up to two weeks)."

    4. Badlands Rock Camping

    7 Reviews
    Bend, OR
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 416-6700

    "Woke up to a beautiful sunrise and fire in the fire ring with wood another camper had left. The perfect pit stop going into the city!"

    "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."

    5. Swampy Lakes Sno-Park/Trailhead

    1 Review
    Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland, OR
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 383-5300

    6. Harrington Loop Rd - Dispersed

    4 Reviews
    Cloverdale, OR
    18 miles
    Website

    "There are fire rings at some sites. Plenty of room for a larger 5th wheel as well. It can get pretty dusty though when the wind picks up."

    "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."

    7. FS Rd 1514 Dispersed camping

    3 Reviews
    Sisters, OR
    18 miles

    "We spent some time driving around the Sisters area looking for a spot with a view.  Found a beauty!  The area is large enough for several rigs, including large ones. "

    "Great view of the mountains with access to other view points. Only issue is the provided GPS coordinate isn't correct. It send me close by but down a long awful gravel road."

    8. Todd Lake Campground

    1 Review
    Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland, OR
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 383-4000

    "They are located at the northwest corner of the lake, next to designated campsite markers. If you didn't know they were there, you would probably miss them."

    9. Steelhead Falls Trailhead & Campground

    19 Reviews
    Terrebonne, OR
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 416-6700

    "No water or vault toilets, only by the day-use area/trailhead. We camped on SW Steelhead Falls Dr."

    "The sites on the West side, nearest the river are "walk in" but if you're able-bodied it's a short distance to lug gear. Nothing difficult or time consuming."

    10. Upper Three Creek Sno-Park

    1 Review
    Sisters, OR
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 549-7700

    "This is a large lot with access to trails. Came here during the summer so there was no snow, and the lodge was closed. But it’s a good quick stopover place with bathrooms available."

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland

28 Photos of 71 Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland

1299 Reviews of 71 Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland Campgrounds

  • Robert D.
    Sep. 30, 2023

    East Lake Campground

    A great camping spot by the lake.

    Our first time here at East Lake Campground in the last week of September 2023 just 1 day before the park closed for the season. Because East Lake Campground is 6500 feet in elevation the nights were very cold, from 44 to 31 degrees but normally the days were in the morning windy and about 62*. The camp has 29 sites and NO hookups.

    There is flush toilets, NO showers, but had drinking water. East Lake also had 1 boat launch but the water was very low, some 40' down from the edge of the bank to the water. Great fishing and a great place for kayaks. Each site has a picnic table and fireplace. Most Sites on the lake side has pull-thru that were about 50' long. Some back-in sites were only 35'. Very quite campground and not too close to each others camp site. We camped at East Lake Campground in a Travel Trailer.

    Restrooms Flush toilets, faucet water. No hookups, No electric, No water hookup, No sewer hookup. You can fill your water tank FREE at the ($10) Dump Station so you don't have the weight in your rig. Dog-friendliness Lots of space to run and play.

  • Rick L.
    Feb. 13, 2018

    Odell Lake Lodge & Resort Campground

    Cold Spring and a Great Hike

    I've been to Odell twice but always seem to pick a weekend with weather that makes you want to stay in your sleeping bag!

    The campsites at Odell are a little on the smaller side and may not have the trees your looking for to hang a hammock. Not that you should if you're camping any time earlier than July!

    The southeast side of Odell can be subject to cold winds coming off the lake, so be sure to keep that rain fly up on your tent and a fleece handy. If you're feeling a little too chilly, the resort keeps a fire burning in the den.

    There are plenty of snowshoe trails around Odell as well as some hiking trails in the Diamond Peak wilderness that also connect to the PCT. The trail we took did give us a bit of elevation gain and later some nice views of the smaller peaks in the area.

    If you're planning to camp here, bring warm clothing and rain gear! It may be a bit chilly, but the nice hikes in the area make it all the more worth it to get up and get moving.

  • Mavrick S.
    Oct. 5, 2019

    Scott Lake Campground

    Stunning!

    So when I first found this campground I wasn't sure what to expect being as reviews and info were sparse so I'll do me best to sum it up. Things to know that arent stated. It is free may require NW forest pass. It's a drive, hike, bike and walk in. I didn't see any spots big enough for RV but there is space to park that isn't officially a site.

    Location: Beautiful sits about 5,000 feet right off McKenzie Pass Road (closed from November to June)

    Sites: I saw 6 drive in with fire ring, picnic table also 2 vault toilets.... There's more walk/ hike in but we had to much gear to do that.

    Directions: Very easy to find spots all along lake and Google maps took us right to spots.

    Activities: Great! Had a kayak/boat launch also had the Scott Mountain TH right there within 1/4 walking distance on dirt road. It seems that a forest fire was pretty recent ontop but the grounds seemed kind of untouched

    Warnings: This was my first time up this pass. Elevation is very high which means incremental weather. Aka woke up in October with snow which happened to us.

    Overall 5 stars must visit. We will be coming back next year when less snow and road reopens

  • Karma S.
    Aug. 19, 2018

    Crane Prairie Campground

    beautiful views! dispersed camping

    beautiful views of the cascade mountains, gorgeous reservoir. free camping. dispersed, first come first serve. no amenities. LEAVE NO TRACE!!!!

    road is a bit rough but I made it in with a Honda Accord though I wouldn’t recommend for low clearance vehicles.

    fire rings available during burn seasons. plenty of fire wood. please do not burn during no burn/dry seasons. the forest is very dry!

    bring plenty of water during the summer it’s very hot and dry. you can probably drink the reservoir water if you bring a good filter.

  • Pat S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 28, 2019

    Little Crater Campground

    Right on Paulina Lake

    This CG is right on Paulina lake in the middle of Newberry Crater. There are 50 sites along the shoreline. They all have the standard picnic table and fire ring. We had the first site on the left as you enter the CG. It had a great view of the lake and surrounding ridgeline and Paulina Peak. It also allows for a wonderful sunset.

    The campground is generally crowded. The sites are decent but you will have other campers relatively close, The CG is easily accessed by foot, car or boat. It does have a boat ramp. RV's / Campers can get into most sites. There are 5 Vault toilets, drinking water, no showers, no hook ups. each site is in close walking distance to the lake. The CG is accessible to various trails in the area including the Big Obsidian Flow trail. A bonus hike should be taken to the Paulina Lake hot springs on the north side of the lake. You can also get to the hot springs by boat.

  • Brandie W.
    May. 13, 2019

    North Davis Creek Campground

    Nice lake to kayak on

    Campground is a more rustic/primitive camping experience. It does accommodate small to mid -size rv but there is no hookups. Drinking water faucets, vault toilets, picnic tables, and firepits are the only available services. Quiet and flat lake for kayak,canoe, and fishing. Nice beach area for kids to play. Close to Crane Prairie Resort if you need supplies or showers.

  • Kimberly C.
    Aug. 29, 2019

    Ice Cap Campground

    Perfect basecamp

    Friendly and knowledgeable camp hosts. Vault toilet, mix of tent sites including some walk-ins that are up against the reservoir- you can hear the peaceful running water all day and night. Brand new picnic tables, brand new fencing, and excellent trails. Perfect mix of sun and shade for many of the sites. We stayed at 15 and I can’t wait to go back. Very spacious sites can hold multiple tents of all sizes. Beautiful drive to and from campgrounds- the McKenzie River area is definitely worth exploring!

  • Laura I.
    Jul. 22, 2021

    Paradise In Oregon

    Great spot

    I had read online that this camp ground had a really bad bug problem but I hardly saw any. Especially for being next to the river. My campsite (48) had a short path down to the river. Current is strong but could easily soak feet.

    My biggest complaint was that the picnic table was really close to the bench. A bigger person like myself can’t sit there. But I just pulled a camp chair up to the edge.

    Restroom was clean, even though I could see one of my camping neighbors there was plenty of space.

    Camp is very dusty.

  • A
    Mar. 22, 2021

    Dispersed Rock Quary

    Nice Site

    One of the few places near Bend that was actually open for disperse camping in the winter. We stayed in a nice sight just across from the quarry, right by the turn around area. It was great for tent camping. Just beware that this is higher elevation and colder than Bend. We were unexpectedly snowed on in March! Also beware that some people use the quarry as a shooting range in the mornings, about 8am (safe distance away), but it's a good alarm if you're not already awake!

Guide to Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland

Tent camping near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland in Oregon offers a variety of scenic spots for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Some prices for tent camping range from $0 to $30

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • Paulina Lake Lodge Cabins features drinking water, electric hookups, and picnic tables for a more comfortable stay.
  • At Six Mile Sno-Park, you'll find clean restroom facilities and easy access to trails, making it a convenient choice.
  • FS Rd 1514 Dispersed camping is big rig friendly and allows campfires, perfect for those looking to enjoy a cozy evening under the stars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland is Dispersed Rock Quary with a 4.4-star rating from 7 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland?

TheDyrt.com has all 71 tent camping locations near Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests & Crooked River National Grassland, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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