Best Dispersed Camping near Fort Klamath, OR

Recent Dispersed Reviews near Fort Klamath, Oregon

79 Reviews of 29 Fort Klamath Campgrounds

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 11, 2021

  Hyatt Reservoir BLM Dispersed

  Loud and Poopy

  Not far from Ashland and right past the Hyatt Lake Resort are some dispersed spots on BLM land near the lake. The lake level is very low so at this time you could drive quite close to it but it gets really muddy so watch out because it looks grassy and deceivingly dry. 

  There is road noise but quiets down at night. 

  Also there is a large flock of geese that honk all day and night and there is goose poop everywhere! 

  The site we stayed at had a stone fire pit and not very level but we made it work. It is a good spot for a night or 2 and we would stay here again if passing through. There are no amenities so bring water and pack in and out all trash. The resort nearby has a restaurant and small store. No service from ATT and TMobile but Verizon had 1-2 bars of LTE roaming.

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  May. 18, 2022

  Thousand Springs Sno-Park

  Very Handy

  These sno parks that are available for boondocking throughout Oregon are so handy!  Sno park is maintained by the Rogue Snowmobilers.  Free boon docking during off season (May to October). Otherwise you need a permit (November to April).

  There is a huge lot that would fit many RVs, easy turnaround and plenty of room to spread out.  It is right on 62 so you'll hear cars go by but traffic was really light in May, and quiets down significantly overnight.  

  In mid May there was a ton of snow at Crater Lake but only minimal snow on the ground here, and the weather was cool but not freezing, and was above freezing temps overnight.

  There are restrooms and a really nice warming room, with firewood and wall plugs (that I didn't test).  I didn't see any garbage bins (though I didn't look inside the bathrooms).

  Zero cell service anywhere in this entire area.  Crater Lake visitor center had good wifi for free though.

• R

  Reid

  Guide

  

  Aug. 9, 2023

  NF 2612 Dispersed Camping

  Good open area dispersed camping

  We picked this dispersed camping near Lemolo Lake since it was an open area that we could run our Starlink. There was also some cell service. Lemolo lake also has several Campgrounds to choose from if you want to pay. In the area we visited Lemolo Falls and Warm Spring Falls. We weren't disappointed. The area does have mosquitoes to contend with. Where we camped there was a picnic table and rock fire ring. Be mindful of the no fire season.

• 

  Daisee Mae S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 28, 2022

  Thousand Springs Sno-Park

  Great Hiking Area

  1,000 Springs Sno-park

  We hiked to this spot from Union Creek Trail about a week before staying here.

  Right off of Crater Lake Highway. There looks to be about 3 or possibly 4 spots to camp. Easily pull-in spots for larger campers and tent camping.

  There is a large shelter house with a door on one end and wind flaps on the other. Two trash cans inside, two very large round wooden tables and an iron stove for heat. There is also a solar panel for lights and such.

  We only stayed two nights as apposed of the 14 you can stay. Very spacious spots but not far enough away from each other. The second night we were kept awake by the people staying in the shelter, having a party and disco lights and loud music.

  Two pit commodes are in the center of the camp. That meant a lot of traffic throughout the day and into the night by people stopping to use it, so the TP didn’t last long. Definitely bring your own just in case.

  The road up to the spots from the parking area are dirt and wood chips. The stir up a lot of dust when people drive through, even if they aren’t going at a fast speed.

  There are a few trails that go for miles and are very lovely to walk, or even take an OHV on.

  We opted to stay the night here because we are traveling across country to DISPERSED camping areas. Would have stayed in the dispersed camping by Crater Lake but it was a $30 fee/ day to enter the park. So that’s not actually free.

  If we head back up to Crater Lake in the future we may stay here again. It’s a very lovely spot, but do note that after Nov. 15th there is a fee in this Snow Park.

  Might be a nice place to stay for a night, if you don’t like your privacy being invaded i’d suggest going down the road to Union Creek Trail :D

• 

  Nicholas R.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 3, 2021

  Millsite Forest Dispersed Camping

  It’s is an assortment of campsites that all have fire pits. There are picnic tables at some, but not all. There are vaulted toilets in the center of the grounds. If you pick a spot towards the eastern edge, you can hear the creek run by as you sleep.

  If you love boondocking and wilderness trails. This is a must stay place. 20 minutes from hot springs and waterfalls. Tons of fishing spots near bye. Hundreds of miles of OHV trails.

• J

  Jeffery T.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 6, 2023

  NF-70 Dispersed Camping Near Crater Lake NP

  Right outside the park

  Plenty of different types of camping spots: trailer and RV to serious offroad spots. I found a very secluded place with my 4by4 down rough road but plenty of other options. Best thing about it was I was able to be in the park to watch the sunrise.

• 

  Aliza N.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 26, 2022

  NF-70 Dispersed Camping Near Crater Lake NP

  Awesome sites in ponderosa forest

  Lovely big boondocking spaces with plenty of room. Close to Crater Lake NP. Road in is excellent, passable by any vehicle when we were here in late October. Mostly flat sites with varying privacy. The further you drive in the more privacy you will get. No service as this is just a spot to park for the night but perfect for self contained folks or hardy tent campers. It snowed when we were here in late October! At around 5,000ft elevation

• 

  Patricia N.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 26, 2024

  Prospect OHV Dispersed Camping

  Perfect place for OHV riding

  We absolutely loved camping here. During our off season stay it was fun and with all the ATV trails it was our favorite place to camp.

  Our neighbor campers decided they could ride the trails without helmets and found out the hard way that is is a no no. They were brought back to the camp without their bikes and in the back of a National Forest Service Enforcement vehicle. After being spoken to about the importance of following the rules of the trails, they were left at camp and had to find their own way back to their motorcycles.

  Fortunately we did not have the same experience. It can get very dusty so just be prepared for that. The trails are absolutely great and access to the Rogue River is just icing on the cake.

  It was so nice to have areas provided for unloading bikes and ATV's so folks could safely load and unload their toys.

• 

  Crystal C.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 9, 2020

  Mount Thielsen Wilderness

  FREE, Quiet & Close To Crater Lake National Park

  CLICK HERE For Full Video Review

  When it comes to camping you simply can’t beat FREE!!! But often times it is hard to find a good campsite which is close to some of the larger National Parks that is not overrun with people. 

  When I visited the Crater Lake area, I was well aware that finding last minute accommodations was difficult to impossible. Hotels in the area charge high premiums and depending on when you visit the campground is typically booked well in advance or even closed due to weather. It just so happened that I arrived late in the season, campground was already closed and I was wondering just what else would be out there for me as a tent/car camper. 

  I found a small forest road, FR960 and took my chances driving down a few hundred yards before realizing that there were a few established campaigns for dispersed camping. My signal with AT&T was sparse so finding this site was strictly by chance(the Dyrt hadn’t yet released their offline PRO Version just yet). 

  Driving down the road it was gravel and had a few small ruts here and there but nothing so serious I couldn’t make it down the path taking it at a slower pace. I discovered a small pull out right at the beginning of the roadway which looked to be about the size of a small RV, very level and established with a fire ring. As I continued onward a small campground road spurred off to the right with what looked to be several sites alongside it as well. I opted to keep going as there were already a couple people there and the beauty of forest camping is that you don’t have to be right on top of your neighbors unless you want to. 

  Further down the road pull offs to both the right and left with spaces perfect for large rigs and smaller ones as well. The one on the left seemed to be calling my name as I noticed it was almost a cove of trees which would serve as a great protectant and blockade to the crisp night winds which I knew were coming this time of year. I settled in and explored the remainder of the camp on foot including a small climb which went to a few spaces with amazing views of the peaks above but looked pretty exposed due to new growth trees and low laying shrubs being the only vegetation. Sure this looked beautiful but I knew it would be cold!! 

  After settling in for the night in my site I was able to cook dinner on my camp stove and cozy down. Due to the winds getting a bit high I was a little hesitant to use the established fire ring because this area in particular is very prone to forest fires, something which can be seen quickly driving through camp with residual charring and many new growth trees in place of old forest. 

  By dawn, ice lined my windows of my car and snow capped the distant peak, the one which I would have been camping by had I have stayed up at the higher elevation campsite. But there was a sense of quiet which is unmatched by the commercial campgrounds in the area where you will find slamming doors and the sound of people moving around to get their day started. Though many were nestled into the campsites in various cubbies and enjoying their time at the forest camp, the feeling of solitude was still abundant. 

  There were no frills with this campground other than the location itself. No restrooms, no running water, nothing!! You as a camper have to plan if you are visiting this location and be able to be off grid safely and responsibly. If you are choosing to stay here remember the Leave No Trace principles and make sure you fully extinguish your fires. 

  The campground itself is only a few miles away from the northern most entry of Crater Lake. No reservations are accepted and no supplies are available without driving in to the neighboring communities of Crescent or Chemult.

• M

  Matthew S.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 16, 2024

  USFS Rogue River Dispersed

  Off the beaten path

  We had to go in a ways before finding a suitable spot, but it was very secluded. We camped near the road but nobody came through the whole night we stayed. An owl swooped right through our camp site and scared the crap out of us. Easy route in and out.

• R

  Raquel

  Scout

  

  Jun. 23, 2021

  Mount Thielsen Wilderness

  Beautiful Free Camping Just Minutes from Crater Lake NP

  Stayed here for 3 nights while visiting Crater Lake NP and it was the perfect basecamp.

  Easy access to the Forest Road off 138 with lots of open camp spots. More private spots further up the hill — I didn’t venture too far but if you have AWD it shouldn’t be an issue.

  I had no trouble finding a spot on Thursday afternoon, though there were definitely other campers around. Seemed pretty popular by the weekend though there were still unclaimed spots tucked away on Saturday afternoon.

  Bring bug spray and make sure you’ve got screen window covers if car camping — otherwise a beautiful stay. Ten minute drive to the North Entrance of Crater Lake and about 20 minutes away from town with truck stop with showers and wifi.

• 

  Michelle B.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 29, 2020

  Mount Thielsen Wilderness

  Great distance from Crater Lake!

  Drove to the top around 8 pm with our small hatchback 2WD, no big issue. Crowded closer to the top, this spot doesn't seem to be a secret on a Saturday night in July. Buses and sprinter vans have no issue reaching the top either so beware of large parties. Cool rocky features, and more camping in the woods where you drive in from. Great spot, free, and accessible. Our camp site did have a trash bag hanging from a tree from previous campers, though :(.

• T

  Treavor U.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 6, 2021

  USFS Rogue River Dispersed

  Bump bump bump like that B2K song

  Title refers to the potholes. Lots of potholes! But the sites—aside from one, which was practically a crater—were awesome from what I could tell. Like Laura suggested, these are the free versions of River Bridge campground. Cross the river and go to the right. The campsite I chose is on a portion of the road beyond what Google Maps has, so it's really off-grid. 😜You could fit two vehicles. I needed something that could put me close enough to Crater Lake NP (the official campgrounds were booked). I don't think it felt like an hour; I was distracted by the beautiful forest. I slept in my car and I think it was the best sleep I've had on this trip. Cool at night, the only sound I heard were the occasional and distant 4th of July fireworks.

• 

  Eric L.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 5, 2018

  Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site

  Tucked Away and Serene

  Day 2 - Pacific North Quest (Crater Lake) 🏞

  After sleeping in our cars at the bottom of Lassen Peak, we were excited to find this tucked away and relaxing spot just off of the road before Crater Lake.

  The campgrounds is dotted with tall pine trees and sits next to a gorgeous river that comes out of the hillside just a short walk away. I’d imagine getting here early during peaks season would be key as there are only a handful of campsites. Early in the season however, it was uncrowded and an easy jump off point for our afternoon/evening ski mission to hike into and ski The Watchman Crater Lake.

  Check out the three other campgrounds we visited (Prairie Campground, Smith Rock State Park, and Trillium Lake), on our Pacific North Quest summer ski touring trip and download the Snowledge App to see some incredible photos, along with touring stats and maps from each mission.

• 

  Juliana R.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 1, 2024

  Millsite Forest Dispersed Camping

  Open, empty, very quiet

  This was a lovely place to camp for the night. There were probably 10-15 campsites, and I was the only one there when I showed up. Campsites have picnic tables and fire pits and there is a pit toilet. Many trees which provide shade. Some mosquitos but not too bad. Very easy to find with the directions and it was also on GAIA GPS.

• 

  Matthew

  Guide

  

  Oct. 6, 2020

  Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site

  Small nice campground

  I stayed here 1 night a few years ago, the campground is small with a handful of sites.  Just a short walk from the campsite you get to see the wood river headwaters, gorgeous, crystal clear water.

• 

  James W.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 1, 2020

  Mount Thielsen Wilderness

  I loved the trails and options to camp.

  I drove 4 hours to camp (dispersed) near Crater Lake. Well worth the drive and this place was prefect. The trails were pretty cool. Not tons of trails, but enough to explore. I took my lifted Suburban on some narrow trails and recieved some extra pin striping. That's what I have it for. You can bring a car, but not recommended. I went in late October and it got down to 14 degrees at night. It was not snowing. But, do pack snow gear for that weather and have hot coffee for the morning. Excellent scenery in this area. Perfectly quiet. Will be back again and again.

• K

  Kai K.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 30, 2024

  Mount Thielsen Wilderness

  Great spot but nails in the road

  BE CAREFUL got a nail in the tire here. Ended up with a flat giving me a headache 😒. Otherwise the campsite was amazing, would have been 5 stars if not for the nail.

• G

  Grace

  Scout

  

  Jun. 26, 2022

  Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site

  Awesome and Spacious Campsite

  This campsite was great! All the spots were very spread out and offered a lot of space. One thing… TONS of mosquitos. Absolutely swarmed. Bring bug spray like crazy. Otherwise it was a perfect place to stay! Stayed on 6/22

• 

  Sara R.

  Ranger

  

  Nov. 13, 2020

  Great Meadow Sno-Park

  Not bad for a free site

  We ended up here because we couldn’t get a spot at any of the campgrounds nearby. Sounds like that’s a pretty common problem in the area, so I would recommend it in a pinch. PROS: free, plenty of space, overlooks a pretty meadow, nice trail CONS: next to the road, felt a little exposed, extremely buggy at dusk

  Know before you go: this is not a campground. In the summer, back country ski / snow sport parking lots are open for free overnight parking. There are vault toilets bout they were closed due to COVID.

• M

  Michael and Karen M.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 27, 2023

  Auger Creek Dispersed

  Down a Canyon - Not good for RV Travel

  This campsite is dry camping.  Silver Creek may be dry, as it has been since 2021.  No facilities other than a picnic table.  No Cell, No WiFi, etc.  If you like totally 'being away from it all,' this is your place, if you can get there.

• 

  Rosealine F.

  Scout

  

  May. 24, 2024

  Dispersed Site - just a great place off the highway

  Easily Accessible

  Needed a place stay for just two nights. This spot was not too far off the road, there were some bumps getting there but my Chevy Trax was able to get there just fine. The area was flat and no one else was there. Our T-Mobile phones had a small amount of Service in our campsite but not on the road to get there.

• 

  Aidan D.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 2, 2024

  Thousand Springs Sno-Park

  Great spot

  This is a good campsite to stay to look at Crater Lake. It is about 15 minutes to the south entrance of the park and then another 15 minutes to the Rim Village. Huge thanks to the Rogue Snowmobilers who make this site so great. There was a rec area we ate dinner in and played cards. The only issue with the site is the mosquitos. Make sure to have bug spray and make a fire

• 

  Heather M.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 31, 2020

  Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site

  Hidden Gem

  This spot was perfect for the one night I was there. Campsite was pretty quiet and had a handful of open spots upon arrival. Don’t let the many cars turn you away! It seems like most people use this as a put in spot and then caravan back from a second destination.

  The water was so quiet and peaceful and there was just a few other people around. I had so many people wondering where this was after sharing photos because it was so beautiful!

• W

  Wanderfalds L.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 23, 2020

  Jackson F. Kimball State Recreation Site

  BEAUTIFUL

  Gorgeous primitive campground nestled among the tall pines. Sites have picnic tables and fire rings, but no electric, water or sewer onsite. There’s no potable water so make sure you bring what you need. There are two vault toilets. Campsites will fit a variety of needs, including longer campers, though only a couple of sites would fit the “big guys”. Sites are first come, first served. Note we had zero cell service on both Verizon and AT&T. Very pretty, clear river runs through the campground and is a popular spot for kayakers/paddle larders and fishing.

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 11, 2021

  USFS Rogue River Dispersed

  Beautiful But Be Aware

  Take the River Bridge turn off from Highway 62 and follow the road which turns to gravel, potholed and some washboarded road. Stay on the main road until you pass the actual campground and go over the bridge. 

  We did drive through the River Bridge campground which was $15/night but opted for the free version across the river. There are multiple spots to camp for free just past the River Bridge Campground across the one lane bridge. You can take a right or left after the bridge to find a spot. We took a right and found multiple sites to pull into right off the main forest service road. Accessibility is dependent on your rig but we found several spots easily accessed by our 26ft class c.  The road itself is gravel with pot holes but otherwise doable in most rigs. There appears to be some long term somewhat sketchy residents here so be aware. We stayed twice in 2 different spots but did not feel unsafe at all. The sites are fairly level with mix of sun and shade and stone fire pits and a short walk to the river. Its a nice place to let the dogs run free but there can be quite a lot of cars driving up and down the 62 road and and an occasional dirt bike. Very quiet at night and lots of roads to hike on or if you’re into fishing the Rogue River is very close.

   No amenities, pack in and pack out, no bathrooms; and for the love of god please bury your TP waste! 

  There is zero cell reception from ATT, T-Mobile or Verizon in this entire area.

• 

  Ray & Terri F.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 27, 2021

  NF-70 Dispersed Camping Near Crater Lake NP

  Nice large site just a mile off of OR-138 on NF-70

  We are full-timers and have a 36 ft Class A with a Cherokee Trailhawk tow and had scouted the area before arriving with the RV. NF-70 is gravel and in pretty good shape, i.e., no potholes, but is heavily washboarded. This wasn’t an issue for the Cherokee, but with a stiffer suspension, I had to limit the RV speed to less than 7 mph to keep from shaking it apart. We found a nice large and level site(43.0722212,-121.9514206) just off of NF-70 and there were a few other dispersed sites near there as well. We stayed for 3 days in late September and had the place to ourselves. There was no one else with in miles of our spot and only saw 2 or 3 cars each day on NF-70. There were a few 9mm bullet casings on the ground, so locals probably use the spot to camp and target shoot. One of the tree stumps was riddled with bullet holes. AT&T service was fair with 1-2 bars of LTE and speeds up to about 7 MB/s. We were able to get DISH coverage on one of the western satellites at our site through a gap in the trees. There were no OTA channels to be had with our fixed omni antenna.