Are you planning a tent camping trip to Fort Rock? We've got you covered. The Dyrt can help you find the best tent campsites for your next trip. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your Oregon tent camping excursion.
Featuring panoramic views of the lava flows, cinder cones, and the desert landscape of the Fort Rock and Christmas Valley area of central Oregon, the Green Mountain Campground offers a remote camping experience perfect for photography, solitude and stargazing. Whether using it as a basecamp for exploring nearby attractions like Crack-in-the-Ground and the Four Craters Lava Field, or simply seeking an out-of-the-way site with stunning sunrises and sunsets, visitors willing to brave its rough access road will not be disappointed.
Open Season Green Mountain Campground is open YEAR ROUND. Four-wheel Drive Vehicles Recommended. Access is via rugged dirt roads that may be impassable at times. 6 primitive campsites with picnic tables and fire grates; first come, first serve. Vault Restroom. No Drinking Water available. Pack Out Your Trash. The Nearest Services are in the nearby towns of Christmas Valley Oregon. BLM___s Crack-in-the-Ground Trailhead located nearby.
There is an active fire lookout atop nearby Green Mountain that is staffed from June through October.
Crack-in-the-Ground is an ancient volcanic fissure over 2 miles long and up to 70 feet deep. Normally, fissures like this one are filled with soil and rock by the processes of erosion and sedimentation. However, because it is located in such an arid region, very little filling has occurred and Crack-in-the-Ground exists today nearly as it did shortly after its formation thousands of years ago. An established 2 mile trail along the fissure’s bottom offers a unique hike, where the temperature can be as much as twenty degrees cooler than at the surface. Know Before You Go: Open Season Crack-in-the-Ground is open YEAR ROUND. Trail Difficulty is moderate, with a 70’ elevation gain and sand and rock surface. Universal Access Restroom available. No Drinking Water available. Trail Open to foot travel only. Motor Vehicles, Mountain Bikes, and Equestrians are PROHIBITED. Access is via rugged dirt roads that may be impassable at times. Four-wheel drive vehicles are highly recommended. Facilities at the Green Mountain facilities include 6 designated campsites, a vault toilet, picnic tables, and fire grates. This is a primitive campground so please pack out all of your trash. The fire lookout atop Green Mountain is manned from June through October. The nearest services are in Christmas Valley, Oregon. Point of Interest: A trail along the fissure's bottom allows for visitors to hike the crack’s length - and cool off, due to a temperature up to twenty degrees lower than the surface. ADA Access: Restroom
Upper Buck Creek is your destination for rustic seclusion in a high mountain setting. Located 35 minutes southwest of Silver Lake, Oregon, ponderosa, lodgepole pine trees, aspen, and willows co-exist with open meadows and marsh land. This quiet forest camp is a great place to relax, fish, walk along the creek, and enjoy nature. Upper Buck Creek features five campsites with picnic tables, and fire rings, and two vault toilets. Remember to park your vehicle at least 200 feet from the creek. There are no garbage receptacles, so remember to “pack it in, pack it out.” There no potable water. Visitors need to pack plenty of water.
This sno-park offers access to both motorized and non-motorized winter recreation activities. It can also be used as a base for summer hiking/biking ventures. View a winter snowmobile trail map here .
A quiet campground dominated by beautiful lodgepole and ponderosa pine trees and predominantly used by the ATV and hunting communities. This site is located on the southeast edge of the district, bordered by state land.
Two 8' x 12' covered shelters, approximately 300' apart on a north-south line, permit silent human observers to spy upon thirsty animals. Each blind has a small concrete basin that puddles water piped nearby water collection aprons and storage tanks. Veiled wall openings allow viewing and photography from a distance of 15-20 feet. A barbed-wire fence surrounds the lower site and a pole fence surrounds the upper site. Be sure to browse the registry for its decades-long, international record of human and wildlife visitors. There is a picnic area nearby. Caution: Such close proximity between observer and wildlife demands absolute silence, so keep your dog or cat away. Bring a filled water container to replenish the drink-basin in case the supply system is disabled. You can leave your fishing rod and boat at home because the "lake" dried centuries ago.
Trapper Spring Forest Camp offers rustic campsites.
Scout
Great spot for cost effective camping just a few minutes from fort rock
Traveler
Camped in a tent, beautiful scenery
Traveler
My wife I have been trying to go camping once a week this summer and it's been awesome. This was one of our stops! We went to the tent camp sites, I believe we picked spot 14 and were first blown away by the view. You're right on the water and overlooking the entire lake. We set up camp and the only big bummer for us the whole trip was there wasn't really a spot that we could find to avoid the huge number of ants! They didn't really bother us and our stuff but they were everywhere.
Also I'm a huge fisherman so Crane Prairie was also picked for the fishing AND the camping. But this is a very large lake so unless you have a boat the shore fishing is a challenge. I was able to pull a few off the point we were camping at but it's just so sad seeing a whole lake you cant fish because you don't have a boat.
We still had a blast, the bathrooms were conveniently located close to the tent camping but not to close. The spots were plenty far apart that if we had had company or would have been no bother.
All in all we would love to come back but the lost of other camping spots is so long its gunna be a while.
Traveler
I stopped here on my motorcycle and got one of the 4 tent sites that the park has to offer. The tent sites are at the front of the park and very close to the bathroom/shower building. The showers and bathroom were very clean and there is WiFi available to guests. The tent sites are close to the roadway so there is a lot of truck noise through the night. The tent area is flat with picnic tables. The tent sites were $20.00 + tax.
Scout
I know this is an RV resort, but tent camping wasn’t like I expected. If you are tent camping you are relegated to the “tent area” which is ok, near the bathrooms so that’s a plus, but also just an open area you share with all other tent campers. They do have some ok amenities, like the pool and activities, so that may make up for the lack of privacy for some. Everything is fairly clean, and well kept up. All together not a bad spot, but I think next time we will find a campground more friendly to tent campers.
Traveler
Beautiful lakeside camping. A light breeze during the day helps to moderate warm days. Quiet camping. This campground is best suited for RV's with fewer sites that work well for tent camping.
Ranger
Back in July 2019, my buddy and I rode our motorcycles to this camp/hot spring. I had heard of this place from another friend on Facebook & this was our destination. A wonderful ride to this easy-to-find site. Everything from full-service cabins to rent and RVs, down to what we used, tent camping. Beautiful but spartan tent camping area, portable toilets (clean), and cable spools used as tables. The hot springs were WONDERFUL, with both indoor (bathhouse) and outdoor pools. If I recall. clothing optional after 9pm. The operators of this facility are extremely "green" in thinking, with the re-use of most building materials, etc. Their website is excellent and gives more details. Highly recommend!!
GuideIt was just two of us in a tent. We were put in a open lot (like a field). No trees. The nearest bathroom wasn’t even enclosed, so it was like an large outhouse. I paid way too much. I just checked the website and it’s $46 for a tent site! Man, I am Cheap!
Guide
This is one of the better campgrounds I’ve stayed in. It cost $18 per night for a tent site. The site we stayed in was next to the bathroom and wasn’t too close to other sites, but it would’ve been nice to have some more space between sites.
The bathroom had a flushing toilet and a sink with water. Toilet paper was stocked daily as well. Very well maintained and kept clean.
Tent site was decent sized. We had a large cabin tent. There was no problem finding a spot big enough to set it up. We were also able to find plenty of trees to hang up our hammock.
The site had a picnic table that was in excellent condition. The fire ring was about half full of ash, but nothing to complain about.
The only negative comment I have is that the camp host wasn’t able to give change for fees. However they were polite about waiting for us to leave to the nearest store to obtain change.
Traveler
This is a really clean, pleasant site Can hear the train. Bathrooms are beautifuly updated an clean!! We rode in late and was not a problem welcomed us like family! Tent site was rustic and had a spigot near by! Plenty of sites for a group. Pet friendly. Grass at RV sites.
ScoutAwesome little campground. We came in on motorcycles & stayed overnight in tents. Owner was friendly & very accommodating, all around nice guy. Park was in process of expanding, adding a more RV hookups, a couple more tent sites, & hopefully another shower house. Would absolutely recommend if you are in Crescent, OR area, it's close to Bend, & has a couple of good restaurants close by. Will definitely be back.
Ranger
A gravel road takes you to Miller lake where this campground is nestled. The lake is beautiful and campsites are available with a great view of the lake. Bathrooms and trash cans are available. It is well maintained and in a neat location. I think there are rv/trailer hookups but I was tent camping. The lake is perfect for activities like fishing and kayaking. There are also hiking trails to do a little exploring.
Guide
Great campground! Spaces are large, but kind of close together. Larger size campground on the lake, just across from the resort. Plenty of trees to hang hammocks! $18 per night for a tent site. Campground has a boat ramp and dock as well.
I took one star off due to the bathroom situation. For some reason their bathrooms are out of service at the moment. However they do provide porta potties.
GuideI tent camped here for 4 days w my family and 3 dogs in September during labor day weekend. It was a nice really decent size campsite with plenty of space and privacy from the surrounding campsites. The only negative experience was the irritating noise from the RV generators all night long, and the guy who wouldn't give up the bongo playing and go to bed. The camp host was helpful and friendly. I would stay here again, but not during a holiday weekend.
Traveler
We stopped here for a quick overnight on a road trip (Labor Day weekend) and were pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous views from our lakeside tent site (spot #70) of Crescent Lake and Diamond Peak. Not all sites have views, but the forest setting is very nice. The camp host was friendly and the facilities (pit toilets) were clean. There are water spigots and grates for washing dishes.
LegendTent camping next to beautiful Paulina Lake. RV spots also available. Short walk to Paulina visitor center with fun exhibits and ranger programs.
Campground has flush toilets, boat launch. Great location to explore all around Paulina Lake including hiking trails and activities.
Camp sites spacious but most of the campgrounds at East and Paulina Lakes are often busy and can be loud with boats, RVs and general camp traffic.
Shoreline is not a beach, but more of a boat launch. There's better swimming nearby in other areas of the lake.
Traveler
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
Nice place for the night! The two smaller lakes were great for kayaking and fly fishing on! There is a nice store at the campground across the road and the camp has fire rings, wooden tables and drinking water. Cold showers are free and hot showers are $1.50. Laundry machines close by. We tent camped and the fire was a nice place to be in the evenings and mornings, as it was plenty cool. The whole lake is surrounded by a beach and a gravel road. Dispersed camping (free) is available around the lake down from the campground but $5 a night was worth it for amenities.
Guide
This little campground was a simple, but peaceful place to call home for a weekend. It was quiet and well kept. No on site camp host or potable water. It did have vault toilets though. Seemed to be a popular place for fisherman in a beautiful meadow with a small river running through it. The water was ice cold, so we didn’t swim. The camp spot we stayed in was HUGE! It was also a good distance from the others, which allowed plenty of privacy from other campers. We tent camped, so I’m unsure of hook ups, but I don’t believe there were any. Pretty basic campground.
ScoutThe good: Dogs allowed, sites directly on the lake, huge site! The 5-yr-old had a great time and the geriatric dog thoroughly enjoyed the lake. Nice hiking in the park and not too far from LaPine.
The bad: The site is on volcanic land, and the campsite is are pretty heavy on fine, silt-like dirt that gets into everything. Ground vegetation is Sparse and full of ants, which is fine if you’re in an RV but not great for tent camping.
The Ugly: The lake allows motorized boats which are disruptive. The posted lake speed limit is 10mph but is not enforced. The park also ran out of annual passes (interagency) so we had to buy day passes.
GuideI stayed here one night on my way from Idaho to Grants Pass after spending the day at Lava Lands and Lava Cast Forest. It was a very pleasant and relaxing experience. Since I was traveling alone w my dog, I wanted somewhere I could feel safe and this was definitely that! Even though this is an RV camp, they have a few tent sites and they are in the process of expanding and creating more sites. The camp host is very friendly and helpful. I needed firewood and for $5 they loaded up a wheelbarrow, brought it to my site and stacked it up for me. The camp was nice and clean and plenty of space. I would definitely stay again!
Legend
Camping at Juniper Camp is free. Easy access to the sand dunes; somewhat rough road into nearby Lost Forest. Best access is from the west. One porta-potty for the whole area; pretty nasty, so best to bring your own toilet system. No designated campsites; set up camp anywhere. This is a popular OHV area. If you are into quiet, wilderness camping, this area is not for you. Very noisy, and you may have to tolerate drunken and behavior, and loud music at night. However, if you are into OHV adventuring, this appears to be a good area to explore on OHVs. Finding a level site for your rig may be challenging, but it's possible. Tent camping is definitely possible. Not enough trees together for hammock camping. No water. Some sporadic T-Mobile service, but good AT&T service.
Legend
With a general store, boat launch, beach and restaurant, this quaint little "resort" is a small collection of 1960s cabins along a simple gravel parking lot/road and most either on or with a view of the lake. If you want to swim, fish, boat and hang out with family and let the kiddos run all over and get sunburned and tired, this is a pretty fun, rustic place to do so.
Rates run from the low $100s for a studio up to the high $200s for a cabin that will sleep 8 or larger. It's also a popular place for people to swing by and eat/meet up so plenty of traffic coming and going.
No TVs/wifi etc. for those who care. There's also an RV area across the street run by the same resort that is relatively new. We saw a few tent sites as well but didn't inquire about them.
Guide
The area is nice with the other lakes and trees. There were loads of chipmunks, and they were super cute, but our dog had a hard time relaxing with so many around. The reservoir was low for sure, but the campground also wasn’t full. There is a good amount of space between most sites. The nearby lakes (short drives away) were much busier and had “resorts” with different amenities. Got bit by a mosquito a few times out at one of the other lakes but not at our site in Gull Point (maybe too dry). The color of the drinking water is slightly off but it was fine. There was one older, not so great flush toilet in our loop and the rest were vault toilets scattered at regular intervals…. The main issue was they were a bit older too and needed emptying. No matter where we were, even walking the loop, we’d get a whiff that did not smell nice. Also our site had half a dozen old cigarette butts when we arrived (we tried to clean them up the best we could). We didn’t get quite enough cell service at our site (41) on Verizon but we did get enough of a signal when we walked out to the boat ramp by the reservoir in our loop. At our site there was a shallow metal fire ring and grill and an old table that has seen better days. It might be a better site for self contained RVs and trailers but I would probably not put on my list for tent camping again.
Legend
We were headed to Thompson Creek reservoir, but opted for this lovely little FS campground. We had the place to ourselves the first night and another camper came in for the 2nd. Easy pull-through site, pretty level and fit both rigs. Otherwise plenty of room between sites.
It was a bit of a trek down gravel roads to get here. Took it easy, though, and no problems.
Lovely walks and hikes to be had. Beautiful stargazing. Clean pit toilets and clean overall campground. There were corrals at one end for horse camping. No cell service. (in 2020)
4 stars only because of the sometimes-washboard road to get here.
From here we visited Crack in the ground, Cowboy Dinner Tree, The Sand Dunes, Fort Rock and Christmas Valley.
Traveler
First, the only two negatives, both very minor. Very dusty. Dust everywhere. Expect dust...everywhere. The road in the North Loop is for whatever reason bumpy with those regular bumps that just get annoying very quickly. That’s it, negatives over. Campsites are well spaced apart. Trees everywhere! If you head west from the loops and past the pet exercise area there’s a dusty (of course) road that will take you to the river. A great place to put your floaties/kayaks in and float down to the day use area. Also that same put in spot is nice for stargazing. I got a great pic of the comet! My family loved the trails for biking. We never got around to seeing the big tree, but maybe next time. Bathrooms and showers are clean and warm. Lots of cool local activities nearby as well like Twin Lakes and Fort Rock. Hole in the Ground was awesome too.
LegendWith the Deschutes River meandering through this campground, a forest of ponderosa pines, miles and miles of bike, horse and hiking trails, plus the largest ponderosa pine in the Oregon, LaPine State Park is a great place to go camping.
North Loop is best for tents and small RVs. (Only 20 amp). South and Central are better for big rigs. They also have cabins.
Showers are hot and clean. The river is right there! Don't miss the hike to Fall River Falls where the water is so clear, you can see the trout just hanging out by the shore.
At 4,000 feet, nights are cold and days clear and bright. The night sky is amazing. Lots to do in the area, or just hang out in the park.
AT&T service is better than Verizon, but both will work at various places in the park.
Tent camping near Fort Rock, Oregon offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in stunning natural landscapes while enjoying the tranquility of the outdoors. With a variety of campgrounds to choose from, you'll find the perfect spot to pitch your tent and unwind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Fort Rock, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Fort Rock, OR is Green Mountain Campground with a 5-star rating from 4 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 40 tent camping locations near Fort Rock, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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