Best Cabin Camping near Fossil, OR

Started our recent road trip with 3 nights at Cottonwood Canyon State Park in the Lone Tree Campground. Best time to be here! So much green and great weather. A bit of rain but plenty of pleasant sunshine! Large sites, generously spaced. Would perhaps prefer the sites around the perimeter but all we’re fine. No hookups. They have cabins as well. There were several possible walks and hikes at varying levels of difficulty. Lots of stars at night. Great area and reservable!

Date Stayed: July 11th 2019 Campsite:#18 needed 1 inch lift to level left side. Price:$10 no electricity Dump Station: No Altitude: 577 ft Camp Host: Didn't meet Ease of Access: Right off hwy 206, our 28 ft travel trailer easily fit with room to spare. Entry to park is level and paved. Once entering campsite area pavement turns to gravel. Weather: Days sunny upper 80's nights low 60's. Very breezy during the day, once the sun went down, the breeze stopped. Noise: None, far enough from hwy, no noise, a very quiet park. Activities: Geocaching cache five within a couple of miles. Park provided free single gear mountain bikes to use, wife and I went for an evening bike ride. Many trails to walk around the park and along the John Day river. Free showers too, good hot water, showers are a 5 minute walk from the campground. Wife and I enjoyed the campground, we stayed one night as we traveled home from John Day Fossil Beds.

Anson Wright Park Campground was a very challenging campground to review, and that's because depending on what section you are in really affects the rating.  I gave it an overall score of 3, but be warned sections can run from zero stars to five stars.  So this will be a detailed review rating almost campsite by campsite.  To start the host of this campground was supper friendly, the campground has play ground and large grass area that the kids can play at.  A small fishing pond is at one end of the campground.  The campground has showers.  Use the restrooms at the "visitor center"  or at the ADA site, do not, and I mean do not attempt to use the outhouses.

The break down by sites.

Sites D1 and D2, the end of the campground near the fishing pond.  These two sites are on a hill above the fishing pond and have lots of room, no to little grass and dusty, picnic tables and fire pits - 3 stars

Site D3 just below D1 and D2, small area next to BBQ area, no fire ring, has a picnic table small parking area, site is right along the campground road. Site is not flat and is bumpy 2-stars.

Site D4, not sure where this one is, should be next to BBQ area, no sign indicating the site, no clear parking area, not flat, no fire pit. 1-star.

Site D5, marking parking area, no fire pit, not table, no place to place a tent except on the edge of the gravel road, OK for an RV. 1-star

Site D6, No clear parking area, grass area for a tent, no fire pit or table, right next to welcome sign. 2-stars

D7, No clear parking area, no fire pit, no table, grassy area for a tent. 2-stars

D8, never found it, 0-stars

D9, just up from the visitor center, decent spot.  Fire ring and table 3-stars

F7 though F10 get a 2-star.  F8 & F10 have tables, F10 and may F9 have fire rings.  F7 & F8 listed a ADA site, but not really, no fire ring or table.

F11 good campsite 4-stars

Cabin A - 5 stars

F6 - not level 3 stars

D13 Table, no fire ring, 3 -stars

D14 good site 4-stars

D10 decent site 3.5-stars

D15 unable to find 0-stars

D22 just a table in the grass, no parking area 1-star

D11 is marked as D20 on a tree, noting but a big grassy area 1-star

G2 and G3, decent sites but right on top of each other, table and fire ring, 3-stars

F5 and G1, right on top of each other, only one has a fire ring but can't tell which site it is for. 2- stars

F12 Big spot all by its self 4-stars

F13 through F19, pretty much just a gravel parking area with tables and fire rings 2-stars

F20 at the edge of the area for F13-19, but it has lots of grass, 3-stars

D23 through D25, grassy area with one table, no clear area to park, not really marked 1/2-star

D17 though D21, a Big negative star rating, do not reserve these, no access, overgrown, only one table in area, unable to find where the sites are, not maintained and appears to be area used to burn brush.

The 5-star sites are sites numbers F1 though F4, these are large roomy drive through sites, you got an RV then these are the sites you want, up on hill above everyone.

Would I stay here again, yes, but only if i knew I could get a good site, otherwise I will head down the road.

Wow!!!! That seemed to be a word I used constantly during my 3 day stay at this wonderful new park. I wasn't sure what to expect at this high desert park, but situated deep in a canyon on a once working cattle ranch, this park is poised to become one of Oregon's top state parks. Whoever has done the design and development of this location should be praised. They're working with the natural features and old ranch buildings to give campers a feeling of history while they enjoy the remote locations typical of Eastern Oregon. Loads of wonderful trails, free use of mountain bikes, an information center, wonderful, huge sites......all added up to an amazing stay. Yes, it's dry camping so plan ahead. There is potable water on site. The bathrooms are super clean. I stayed there during a full moon and the night lighting of the surrounding hills and rocks was outstanding....not to mention star gazing as there's no peripheral lighting.

Wonderful overnight experience in Lonetree campground in Cottonwood Canyon State Park. Campground is relatively new and has scenic canyon views. Provides a nice change from other parts of Oregon. We camped in site 6 with the pergola that provided much needed shade during the 100° weather each day. Camp site was just a short walk to the John Day River that provided the kids with wading, floating and cooling opportunities. Love to come back again in fall and spring. Some nice amenities include solar USB charging stations, potable water, free bikes to use and free fishing poles to borrow.

Ccottonwood Canyon State Park Campground is a lovely, remote primitive camp experience. For the uninitiated, this means no electric sites, no running water, no flush toilets. Its also a rattlesnake habitat in Eastern Oregon's high desert biome, within 30 miles or so of The Dalles, a city marking the change in the Columbia River Gorge from high desert to wooded mountainsides. This camp ground us located deep in a canyon 15 miles from Wasco, Oregon. Before descending into the canyon, you'll see Eastern Oregon's classic golden wheatfields, then a wind farm, with scores of white windmills. The evening I arrived was the night before a full moon, so the setting sun over the canyon and the waxing moon gave a lovely glow to the sights. Unfortunately, my camera phone and photographer skills are lacking; sorry. If you love truly getting away from it all, as I do, you'll appreciate the absolute peace at Cottonwood Canyon. We arrived at dusk, late in July, and as is typical for the region, it was still 90 degrees. Fortunately, my summer tent is mostly screen, allowing the cool canyon breeze in, and it erects quickly and easily. It was full dark by the time I'd pitched it, and outfitted it with my airbed. Because of all the rattlesnake warning signs, I kept my dog leashed or tied out on a campsite-length cable. We parked across the campground from the pit toilets, which were not lighted, so bring a flashlight, cell phone, or lantern for inside the biffy. If this kind of camping appeals to you, you'll be rewarded with a quiet night of no traffic noise, only the sound of the nearby murmuring creek and the breeze in the trees. The other campers here were very quiet and respectful of the rules. The beautiful moonlight set one side of the canyon aglow and the clear sky was filled with stars. I didn't need my rain fly, so could enjoy finding the constellations as I lay in my tent. In the morning, I awoke just before dawn when my dog sat bolt upright and intently watched with me as an elk cow walked through our campsite. The fee here is $10 a.night, and worth every penny!

Here is the one caveat: as of this writing, (late July 2018) the loud diesel pickup truck that came through to empty trash bins at 6am was jarring. It was followed by the back-up beeping of heavy machinery by 6:30am, as work on a new building commenced near the campground. This was so unfortunate, and I pity the folks that had hoped to sleep in.

This beautiful campground was loaded with amenities. The gorgeous John Day River, was perfect for fishing, swimming, floating. There was several trails within the campground as well as trailheads around the perimeter. We brought our own bikes but if you don’t bring yours, they offered loaner bikes and there were little bike workstations on the grounds. Pet friendly! Including a fenced in dog area (about an acre) and doggie poo bags readily available. We have a truck with camper but the tent sites each had a solar panel to provide electricity for charging the essentials. The grounds must have been a farm originally and the campground designers did an awesome job of using the existing structures to add to the rustic nature and maintain the land’s historic relevance. Cottonwood Canyon surpassed our expectations, especially considering the very low price tag. I cannot recommend highly enough.

This campground in along the John Day River with access to the river from the campground but no water views.  Most sites have a pergola over the picnic table for shade and a sturdy wooden fence, I assume for wind protection.  The sites are nicely spaced but the wind, blowing dust and heat made it pretty uncomfortable to be outside. The river here is broad and shallow so not deep enough for watercraft.  The water was pretty warm.  There are several hiking trails along the river.

I wanted to camp somewhere that would actually have sunshine on my birthday, and this was the closest place I could think of. I was here a few years ago with Kevin and Sarah! :)

I forgot that the last week in March is spring break, so the campground was more crowded than I thought. But the ranger was nice and opened up a spot that they had closed off for restoration. We were right along the river next to the group spot, which was empty, and a good distance away from the other sites. My biggest complaint was RVs and their generators, but that's often the case at campgrounds like this. Other than that, beautiful river and beautiful sky!

Lovely area with hiking and a great waterway for boating, trails aren’t too hard and the water is pretty calm. Feels pretty remote, but it’s not too far from Portland or the 84/82 junction. The campground is called Lone Tree and it’s fairly small, very open, but worth staying at. The stargazing is really nice and we saw some interesting birds and lizards around the campsite. You can’t rent any boats here but there’s still a lot to do if you don’t have your own watercrafts. Just simple vault toilets and a water spouts, no reservations!

The camp hosts were excellent! Extremely nice and knowledgeable. This is a newer campground so the ammenties were still in great shape. However, because it was so new the trees were still saplings and provide no shade from the hot sun or protection from the wind. There is one big tree with a picnic table right next to the river. Great for fishing but not a lot of hiking.

July 2020 - We stayed one night on our way to another campground. We were pleasantly surprised. All the campsites with drive up parking were taken so we stayed in the hiker's/backpacking area. There is a parking lot with wagons to haul your stuff to and from the campsite. There was also a small bathroom and trash can. These sites did not have their own campfire but it looked like there were shared areas for the fires. It is a great spot for star gazing and overall beautiful.

Some friends and I decided to camp during our time off from college. We decided to head to Cottonwood Canyon State Park, and I am definitely glad that we did. This area is really cool, and has an almost "desert" kind of feel. The canyons are really pretty!! This park is very open- all you see are canyons, hills and mountains all around you. It doesn't get much better than this. The only downside I would say is because it has that desert feel, you definitely have to lookout for snakes. This was my biggest fear, and we ended up seeing a few on our hikes. There are some really great hikes you can do nearby. We did the Pinnacles Trail and Lost Corral Trail. Both of these hikes were "moderate/difficult." They were both a little over 8 miles roundtrip. The scenery is gorgeous on both hikes- you follow along the river (John Day River). We also saw some bikers on these trails too, so if you like to bike I would definitely recommend bringing them! There are about 20 different campsites, and they were pretty large which was nice. There are also toilets on site, too.

Very nice place to camp with the family. Exceptionally clean facilities for bathrooms and showers. Great bike trails too.

First come first serve sites with fire rings. There is overflow camping in the lawn without a fire ring but with a picnic table. Restrooms are very clean and campground is well maintained. Winds can pick up in the canyon so be sure to have strong tent stakes. Right next to the John Day River great walking path along the River. Fenced dog park for your pet and free bicycles for use.

Came through CC by chance. Intended on staying at DeSchutes River but they were full. Paid 10 bucks for a night. Several pit toilets throughout the area. Sites were adequate with privacy barriers for those close to each other. Appeared to be a swimming area on the river close up the camp (didn’t check it out).

Be prepared for some wind due to topography.

There are about two trees in the entire site so don't expect much privacy. Had open sites even on a late summer friday night. There is faucet with potable water and decent pit bathrooms (no showers). Access to the John Day River is just steps away and has great areas for floating down the river (with or without a boat). Good fishing too from what I've heard. Great change of scenery from the usual deep forests of the PNW. Beautiful river and good hiking nearby.

amazingly clean. fresh water, bike repair supplies, covered picknic area with grills, happy bike camping. quiet space. separate rv camping, pit toilets near camp sites and full bathrooms near the visiting center. cleanest bathrooms I’ve ever visited at a state park. trail up the John day river is maintained and flat. good for bikes and walking.

I personally really enjoyed this campground. Still thinking about the natural beauty and quiet/peacefulness. Loved that it is within striking distance of Portland. Spots are a great size, plenty of distance between your neighbors and yourself. My only complaint is that it would have been nice to have shade structures at EVERY site, not just most of them. No worries, I’ll bring my pop up next time. I will be back.

A new park just beginning to develop and build. I look forward to visiting it and watching it fulfill its potential. Fantastic hosts.

This is a great new state park, that will be fantastic in a few years. Not too far from I-84 and the Portland area, the park sits down in Cottonwood Canyon. The campground was at the end of the road near the Pinnacles trailhead. The wind in the area is strong, but the park has built walls to block your tent from the wind. The trees are still small, but when they get big all of the spots will be nice and shaded. Some of the spots have covered tables to block the sun. The spots were large and not too close to other campers. There is new construction happening and it looks like eventually there will be more camp spots, a bike path running along the entire state park, and more bathrooms maybe even a shower house. Near the entrance was a large grass area with a barn, a horseshoe pit, and a picnic/day area. There was even free bikes that anyone could borrow to cruise around the park. The Pinnacles trail was a flat 8.6 trail running alongside the John Day River. I recommend starting early and enjoying a sunrise hike, I started at 0445, because there is no shade along the trail. I was able to finish the hike just as the sun came over the mountain, and before it got too hot. I would recommend this campground.

Cottonwood Canyon is a beautiful, well-maintained state park. We have not camped here because it is not our camp vibe (too developed), but I just want to clarify that there is NO dispersed camping here. This page incorrectly states there is dispersed camping in Cottonwood Canyon SP. There are a handful of what the park has called “hiker” spots, which are about 25 feet from a parking lot. Campsites on literally on top of each other. Camping is prohibited essentially everywhere else on park land, which is frustrating because it’s over 800 acres and there’s plenty of room to accommodate the handful of adventure seekers to disperse. Piggybacking what others have said: canyons get very windy and tent camping can be tricky in these conditions.

Overall, a lovely campground for families and campers who prefer less primitive amenities.