Looking for the best options for tent camping near Diamond? Find the best tent camping sites near Diamond. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
South Steens Campground is located in the heart of Steens Mountain. Visitors will find picnic tables and grills at 36 family campsites amid juniper and sage. The equestrian site, designed specifically for horse users, is directly adjacent to the family campground. Recreational stock (horses, mules, llamas, goats, etc.) are not allowed in the family portion of South Steens Campground, but are welcome and comfortable at 15 equestrian sites complete with tie posts and small corrals.
The typical season of use at South Steens Campground is mid-May through mid-November.Vault restrooms and drinking water are available.The use of pelletized or certified weed-free hay is required on all BLM public lands in Oregon and Washington.
South Steens Family and Equestrian Campgrounds are close to the Historic Riddle Brothers Ranch, several hiking trails, and the Little Blitzen and Big Indian gorges. South Steens Campground Brochure
Overview: Located below the east face of Steens Mountain, Mann Lake attracts anglers as much for its remote, rugged splendor as for its abundant Lahontan cutthroat trout. These trout are supremely adapted to survive alkaline desert waters and without them fisheries like Mann Lake could not exist. The lake was named for an early rancher and has satisfied fishers for over forty years. Anglers converge as early as March and into October. Shallow throughout its 200 acres, the lake features extensive weed beds and great shorelines for wading. Know Before You Go: Aside from two vault restrooms, Mann Lake offers no amenities. Bring your own shade, shelter and water and tie everything down. Swift winds are common, and weather conditions are often unpredictable. Two, eight-inch minimum length trout per day limit; artificial flies and lures only. Point of Interest: Aside from fishing, visitors enjoy camping, hiking, viewing wildlife such as pronghorn antelope, quail and chukar, and rock hounding for thunder eggs and agates in the area. Mann Lake Brochure
Jackman Park Campground is located on the flanks of Steens Mountain, within the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protective Area (CMPA). This area encompasses an extraordinary landscape with deep glacier carved-gorges, stunning scenery, wilderness, wild rivers, a rich diversity of plant and animal species, and a way of life for all who live there. At 7,800-foot elevation and set among aspen stands, Jackson Park Campground offers some of the best fall color viewing on Steens Mountain. Know Before You Go: Open Season Jackman Park Campground is open mid-June through October. High clearance vehicles recommended on some portions of the Steens Mountain Loop. 6 Campsites with picnic tables and fire grates; first come, first serve. Universal Access Restroom available. Please pack out your trash. Mountain weather can be unpredictable and change suddenly. Ticks, mosquitos, and rattlesnakes may be present during summer months. The nearest services are in the communities of Fields, Frenchglen, Crane, or Narrows, Oregon.
The Jackman Park Campground is located near the Kiger Gorge Overlook with views of the Gorges glacially-carved, U-shaped valley and, if you are lucky, its famous herd of wild horses.
Camp Sites 40 for 2 people $15 per extra people 8 Camp Sites Available Soaking & Private Road Access to Desert are both including in camping rates. Dogs are welcome on leash in the campgrounds. They are not allowed at the soaking pools. Soaking - $10 per person per visit Children under 12 and ALL US Military (former and active) w/ID - Soak Free Private Road Access to the Desert - $10 per vehicle per day You can call the office for further information or to make a reservation. Please let us know if you have any further questions. (541) 589-2282 or (541) 589-2123 If you prefer you can now make your reservations online.
$5 - $30 / night
Legend
Free BLM camping. Camped here on Oct 1, 2024. About 10 campsites scattered about the area. Some with metal firerings, others with rock firerings. One vault toilet; clean & supplied with tp, but full of flies. Sites are level and have a dirt surface; can get muddy & slippery when wet. Access from Fields-Folly Farm Rd not too bad. Very quiet. Coyotes crying at night. Sites appear to be level; large. One site had a picnic table. No cell service. Set well off of Fields-Folly Farm Rd; no road noise. Lake is full of waterfowl. Good overnight stop. Would stay here again. Bird photographers would enjoy this location.
Legend
Normally don't stay in RV parks while traveling in our camper van, but we needed to do laundry, take showers, replenish our water supply, and recharge our power storage units after days of dispersed & primitive camping. We really liked this RV park. Tina, who checked us in, was fantastic - very friendly and welcoming. She even gave our dog treats! She put us in site #39 which was not next to big rigs. We used the water & electric at the site. Reasonably priced. The park was very clean. The laundry room and restroom/shower rooms were also clean. The meals at the cafe were good, along with good service. We weren't enthusiastic about staying at an RV park, but we were glad we did. Fit our needs for an overnight stay.
Legend
Syayed here on Oct 2. Paid $8 with senior pass. Nice campground. Level sites. Can accommodate all sorts of rigs, except big bus campers & long travel trailers. Trash service. Water. Clean vault toilets with tp. 2G T-Mobile service. Most sites are open with partial shade. No privacy between most sites. A few sites may accommodate hammock campers. Tent camping possible. Steens Mountain Loop Rd closed at the campground entrance.
Traveler
Needed a place to pitch a tent for the night and stopped here. The park is fairly large and has a lot of shade trees around it. Unfortunately, I guess the tent area they normally use was closed and I was directed to pitch my tent behind the front office. It was a small shaded grassy area. For $20, it worked. The only real complaint I would have was the bathroom area could have used some cleaning, both inside and out, washing and cleaning of showers, sinks, shelves, sweeping up of dirt and leaves around the building.
RangerI stayed here years ago and had a good experience so stayed again. Yes, it’s by the main road, but you’re also pretty much right out of town. Road quiets down to nothing at night. It’s still warm in September, so got a spot with shade. Super comfortable. Love all the quail, squirrels and listening to coyotes at night. Drove out to do the Steens Mountain loop, see the Round Barn, etc. Love this area and nice to come back to a comfortable site.
Scout
There is no reservation system at Page Springs Campground. Any reference to that is in errror. It is all first come first served.
Traveler
We lost our turbo about 60 miles from this site and we called to see if we could spend the night while our truck got worked on. She said yes and met us at the entrance! Beautiful view, flat camp sites, full hook ups. Will definitely stop here Again!
ScoutThe campsite was level and shady. However, there was a lot of trash on and around it. The restrooms and showers definitely needed attention. They were equipped with soap, toilet tissue, and paper towels, but had not been cleaned in quite a long time. Also, both loops were blocked with campsites, so be prepared to have to back up your trailer or camper.
Traveler
A short rough road takes you a few hundred yards of the main gravel road to the top of a ridge. Nice views , but also seclusion due to junipers. Not trailer or RV friendly.
Scout
pretty cool site in the desert with mountain ranges surrounding you. the drive in goes from pavement, to gravel, to dirt roads with some gnarly trenches at the end but it’s not too bad and definitely worth it
ScoutGreat place just minutes from diners groceries and fuel.
ScoutWebsite misled as to having a lodge. View to the southwest was very good. Water, electrical, and sewer were good. Not much else here. It’s basically a gravel parking lot with spaces set aside for campers. It was easy off and on the highway. Also easy to pull into the sites. Camp host was very responsive to our questions.
Legend
This review is based on an overnight versus destination campground (CG). We followed our RV GPS to Harney County Fairgrounds. We saw the fairground entrance sign, turned into the main fairground area, and stopped in front of the office. We had called the fairground office about a week prior and left a message to call us back, which was quickly returned. The nice lady on the phone said camping was first come, first serve, and if there was no one in the office and it was normal work hours, a worker on the grounds would help us. She also said that there was nothing going on that week, so come on in. No one was at the office, so we proceeded straight into the fairgrounds. We came upon a worker, and he came over and led us to the new full hook-up area, which is in the southwest corner of the grounds. The gentleman could not have been nicer, giving us a rundown on the fairgrounds and camping areas, including opening up the new bathhouse/restroom that is located in the 30-site fenced FHU area. There was no one camping at the time, so he told us to pick any site and either pay him (cash or check) or put the payment in the slot at the office. That evening another camper came into the FHU area and another into the water and electric sites, which are at the end of the office road where you curve around and head to the FHU area about 150 yards further down the road. We chose site 18 as it had the lowest sewer connection, as most were 4 to 6 inches or more above the ground. The water, which we were told was very good/clean water, had water pressure at about 60 PSI, so we used a reducer. The pads are not marked, but you can figure out how they are laid out. Depending on how busy the FHU area might be, you could be parked very close to each other. There are a few street light poles. Overall, the FHU area is just a big parking lot but worked well as an overnighter. There are huge areas to walk or run your dog. We had stayed in the area before, and the fairgrounds are a bit cheaper than the other campgrounds in the area, but you don’t get a picnic table or other amenities other than the bathhouse. Call 541-573-6447 after hours or if no one is around to check in. Highly recommend that If it's your first time, don’t come in after dark as the sites are not well marked, and you could run over the FHU area utilities. Take a right out of the FHU area, as that road is the recommended exit. Though on the pricey side for what you get, we’d rather have the privacy and spaciousness to let our dogs run.
ScoutWhat a joke! This is a gravel parking lot with 10 packed in spaces. The “view” the describe is a car junkyard on one side and a shed dealership on the other. The lodge they show on the website is a private residence with signs all around saying to keep out. There is literally nothing here but hookups. So the price at 40 a night is reasonable because you would only stay here if you need a place to rest on your travels. The website should be upfront about what this place really is - a parking lot on a hill.
GuideEasy off and on US Route 20. Easy to maneuver on the property, into and out of the sites. Sites are spacious. Yet close together. Baby trees will provide shade one day. Property is on a hill. View of the valley, and there's a nice breeze when the wind blows.
GuideEasy pull-through, good size, level, clean, good water pressure, and electric. There are young trees between each site. It will be a couple more years and some pruning before they can provide a reasonable amount of shade. Park is up on a hill with a great view, close to the highway, but quiet. The camp host was friendly. Hope they reopen their restaurant someday. Plenty of places to eat in town. The town has all the amenities one may need.
TravelerGreat little spot at the start of the Steens Mountain loop. A bunch of open spots on a Wednesday evening. Some nice shaded spots or full sun, your choice. Clean and well maintained. They did up the price to $16 a night in April. Plenty of mosquitoes so bring your spray.
LegendBottom line. Would totally recommend this place. Would stay here again without hesitation. Nice open gravel sites. There is a restaurant attached with the park. However it has not been open since the vid. The staff here are awesome.
Scout
We had RV spot #20 in the newer section and away from the lodging area. I think we would choose one closer to the pond next time so that we can get in more often! The pond is beautifully landscaped and clean, and everything is very clean. There are quite a few "rules", and the texts seemed a bit rude....but all of that resulted in a quiet, pleasant stay. A few up charges to watch for: $20 per extra guest $2 towel rental $10 per person early arrival charge. Great place. We'll stay again next year!
GuideCrane hot springs is beautiful and has a lovely soaking “pond. The campground isn’t fancy, but the spots are close to the water and campers have 24 hour access to the pond.
LegendGeneral: To say there are not many choices to camp around here would be an understatement! Fortunately, our stay turned out to be decent. We were greeted cheerfully by Tina (she and her husband Scott own the park). This place mainly attracts birders in the spring, hunters in the fall, and people passing through (this was us). There is a mix of back-in and pull-through sites. The back-in sites are along the east and north sides of the property with the pull-throughs in the center. There is a coin-operated laundry, store/gift shop, and restaurant. We didn’t eat in the restaurant but did indulge in Tina’s delicious homemade fruit turnovers!
Site Quality: All sites are level on gravel. Each site has a nice patio with a plastic picnic table, fire ring, and bbq platform. There are some trees scattered throughout but when we were there, they had not quite bloomed yet. Our site (34) was at the end of the row which gave us privacy on one side. Backs up to a fence and you will hear some road noise from the road behind it, but it is minimal.
Bathhouse: Three all-in-one units with a code to enter. Entering was a little tricky until we got the hang of it but once in, the units were clean. Showers take quarters.
Activities: Not much for us as we were passing through but a nice haven for birders (the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is close by) and convenient for hunters. Note that on GPS it looks like Mudd Lake is fairly close by, but the lake has been dry for at least 10 years according to Tina! Again, this was a pleasant stay for us as we were traveling through.
ScoutWonderful hot springs! Included in camping fee. We are dry camping but the do have full hookups. Beautiful night sky.
Scout
The camp ground was great. It has the basic needs for most camper trailers. There are a few sites there with shore power but I didn’t see any water hook ups. There is water there if you need to fill up jugs, tanks or water bottles. There is a single flushing toilet that is available for overnighters as well as small store with food and drinks for sale. The staff was very nice and helpful. Be aware of the wind! Our first night in our teardrop was pretty rocky. Almost lost our awning because the gusts were at or above 60mph. We talked to the staff and they said to orient the trailer front towards the mountains. It seriously helped a lot. If you tent camp, I would recommend some sort of windscreen or just use your vehicle to block it somehow. Overall the scenery is majestic and is worth the drive out there. 10/10
Legend
We camped 3 nights with a group, with our hot air balloons. But a great time! Flew balloons and a drone, road ATV's, watched a plane fly in and flip over on landing (a bunch tipped it back over and off he flew) and, OH, the stars!
Hot in the summer, beware of the mud after a rainstorm, but otherwise an amazing experience!
Legend
We stayed here on our way to camping on the Alvord. Very convenient spot from which to explore Steens Mountain , French Glen and the Malheur Wildlife refuge.
Campground was well maintained. Friends had trouble with the washboard road knocking their medicine cabinet off the wall, but we took the road more slowly and had not trouble. The very next morning the road had been graded, so going back to French Glen was no issue. Sites were fine. Sanitary dump was uphill so we used their communal dump on the way out. All was well. We did check out a little late and there was an extra fee, but we were fine with that!
We'd stay again.
TravelerThis is a pretty good spot for a tiny town. I think it’s a bit of expensive at appx. $50/night. My daughter and I went to take a shower, and found 2 frogs in the showers, but other than a that it was a pretty quiet and generally located spot.
Scout
Chalk one up for private enterprise: The Alvord Ranch (which also owns the Alvord Hot Springs) is charging $60/night to camp at Pike Creek with no amenities other than open-air vault toilets (be sure to bring your own toilet paper!) I like the idea of paying for a campsite on private land to show the owners that there is intrinsic value in land in its natural state and that you can make money off your land without exploiting it. However, this land owner is trying to have it both ways, because the cows are not fenced out of the campground land (there was cow manure in our campsite.) Also, if you are going to charge for camping, you need to do some work on the land to make it into a campground and maintain it, such as: make it clear where the campsites are (there are no signs or markers), block off unnecessary side roads causing devegetation and erosion, make it clear where day-use hikers should park (they parked in our campsite), fix the road (2WD low clearance vehicles would have difficulty), provide level areas for tents (I saw only 2 places), provide picnic tables (there are none), and pick up litter (there was used toilet paper in our campsite.) The camping fee includes access to the hotspring, but when we drove there, both pools were totally full of people so we didn’t go in. We would rather have the option of paying less just for the campsite, or else let us reserve a time to use the hotspring and set a reasonable limit on the number of people in the pools at one time. The camping fee also includes access to the Indian Creek Canyon trail, but hiking the Pike Creek trail takes all day so we didn’t have time for another hike. The camping fee also includes the use of their private road to the playa, but you can drive onto it for free at Frog Springs just down the road, which is where we camped the night before. The gate to the campground is supposed to be locked, but both times we drove up, the lock was open. There are 2 locks on the chain and they only give you the combination to one of them, so whoever is using the other lock could accidentally lock you in or out. The Pike Creek trail is great and we enjoyed listening to the creek gurgling, the crickets singing, and the coyotes howling.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Diamond, OR is South Steens Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 10 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Diamond, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
