Searching for a dispersed campsite near Gates? Dispersed camping is an excellent way to get away from it all and to disconnect. Each dispersed site offers quick access to one or more of Gates's most popular destinations.
Parking area for 4-5 vehicles overflow on the Highway 224. Alder Flat Trail #574. Link to Trail Description and Map
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means there are no toilets, no picnic tables, no trash cans, no treated water, and no fire grates. If you are dispersed camping in the winter, recognize that the Forest Service does not plow or maintain Forest Roads in the winter, so plan your trip accordingly.
Typically, dispersed camping is NOT allowed in the vicinity of developed recreation areas such as campgrounds, boat ramps, picnic areas or trailheads. There are extra responsibilities and skills that are necessary for dispersed camping. It's your responsibility to know these before you try this new experience.
If you are going to an area where others have camped before, pick a site that's been used before. Plants, soil and wildlife are impacted by new campsites, so using existing ones will minimize your impact on the forest. If there is no existing campsite, then follow these Leave No Trace guidelines:
Camp on bare soil if possible, to avoid damaging or killing plants and grass. Do NOT camp within 200 feet of any water source, plants near water are especially fragile. Don't camp in the middle of a clearing or meadow. Make your campsite less visible so that other visitors will see a "wild" setting. Don't try to level or dig trenches in the ground at your campsite. Select a campsite with good natural drainage. Visit the Leave No Trace website for more information.
Campfires Campfires are allowed when you are dispersed camping UNLESS there are fire restrictions in effect due to high fire danger conditions. It is YOUR responsibility to know if fire restrictions are in effect before you go camping.
Mirror Lake offers a few sites for overnight camping. The hike to the lake is one of the most popular hikes on Mt Hood. While the vast majority of hikers only visit during the day, a few primitive sites are located just above the lake.
When I refer to primitive sites, that is what they are. There are no facilities here. No picnic tables, and no toilets. A few fire pits have been fashioned out of rock and you may also find a makeshift bench. But for some this is an ideal camping experience. By day Mirror lake can get crowded. It is surrounded on three sides by mountains and it can get loud here. But at night it is as peaceful as you could ever want. Views of Mt Hood and Tom Dick and Harry Mountain are all outstanding.
Dispersed camping, or camping outside of designated campgrounds, can be a great way to experience the forest- as long as everyone follows some rules and guidelines to protect forest wildlife, plants, water quality, and the health of others.
Dispersed camping is not for everyone- and that's fine as the Mt. Hood National Forest has over 70 designated campgrounds. Camping outside of campgrounds means no toilets, no drinking water, no metal fire rings, and no trash service. You are responsible for leaving the site cleaner than you found it and learning the skills of Leave No Trace camping before you head out.
Basic Rules & Guidance Some areas are closed to dispersed camping, such as within developed recreation sites, along certain roads, and particularly sensitive areas. Contact your local Ranger District for more information. You may camp on the forest for only 14 consecutive days. Please choose an existing site rather than create a new campsite. Camp at least 100 ft. away from streams, rivers, and lakes. If you didn't bring firewood and intend to build a campfire only collect already down wood. If your campfire is too hot to touch with bare hands- it's too hot for you to leave! Bring plenty of water and a shovel to help you put out your fire. Check in advance if there are any fire restrictions in effect. Treat or filter any stream water you collect for drinking, or bring water from home. Your group must be under 75 people. If it larger you must obtain a (usually free) permit in advance from the local Ranger District. When Nature Calls Be prepared for your own sanitation! To dispose of feces, dig a hole 6” deep at least 100 feet away from any water source. When you're done, fill the hole with the dirt you dug up and take your toilet paper with you to dispose of in a proper waste container. Never defecate or leave toilet paper on top of the ground. Animals might eat it, it could easily get into the local water source and contaminate it, and plus it's just gross. Leave No Trace Pack out everything you brought with you! Dispose of your garbage properly off the forest. Leave No Trace is a framework minimum impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors. They apply to virtually every recreational activity and help increase your safety and enjoyment of the forest. Learn more about the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace. The Mt. Hood National Forest belongs to all Americans- including those who will come long after us. Do your part to keep the forest clean every time you visit.
Scout
Such an awesome find! The first campsite is small and perfect for a couple tents. The second site could easily fit 3 or 4 tents and has plenty of additional space for parking, kitchen set-up, etc… both sites also have really nice fire pits. Also don’t let the Trillium Lake camp hosts scare you. They told us the gravel road to access the sites was “rough as hell” and were completely wrong. Nothing more than a few potholes. Any vehicle could make the trek.
Guide
Ok site. Not especially scenic, but good outdoor space with lots of owl and bug noise at night.
Right next to road. Cars come by somewhat regularly, at some speed, kicking up dust.
There is an open spot suitable for solar and starlink.
Traveler
Closed due to fire damage
ScoutI didn't want to destroy the rating, but currently closed as of August 14th
Guide
Awesome little cliff jumping swimming spot to teach the kids how to swim
Scout
There's lots of other pull outs on the drive into this spot which are nicer. The road is in bad shape so v slow and not really suitable for cars. Quiet and private. Some trash around
ScoutRight off the road... but a quite one. You can't see the vehicles. Wonderful trees for the hammocks. Not a lot of space for cars, but the ground is pretty level. A great escape.
ScoutI stopped for the night while traveling and found a huge dispersed camping area right off the road. Unfortunately, some disgusting, disrespectful, immature family left a ton of garbage and feces all over the site. There were three sites with piles of feces and toilet paper right on the camp site. Not 100 feet away, not buried. It was disgusting. This makes me lose faith in humans.
Guide
This spot has easy access to a clean creek for wading pools. Very clean area with some road traffic noise.
GuideNice little spot just off the road, there appears to be a very narrow double track road that goes a little deeper in, but driving back there would have come at the cost of the landscape and the paint on my van. Aside from the fact that the USFS likely doesn't allow motor vehicles down that path. I parked in a way that blocked that double track after verifying there was no one else there, which added to my privacy from the main road. No vehicles drove by Saturday night and only 2-3 the next morning. Very quiet and peaceful.
Guide
A lot of the trash has been cleaned up, we only saw a little bit in a couple of spots. Some spots have 2 or 3 fire rings per pull out and would be good for a small group. Fishing is OK year round in the river at these spots.
ScoutThese coordinates get you the Kiwanis camp, other than that I wouldn't say a great dispersant camping spot, area is nice though.
ScoutI would just like to thank whomever originally uploaded this site! We used it this weekend and it was perfect for us!! We will definitely be using it again next summer! Best camping trip of the season!
Traveler
I arrived about 7pm on a Thursday night. I loved it here, nothing but nature sounds and sights. it was very clean with small remnants of previous campers. I will say once you are off the main road it got pretty dicey (I drive a lower riding sedan, any suv or 4 wheel drive would be just fine) It was definitely worth it though! not a ton of bugs but definitely be prepared for that. overall a great place to stay for a night on a road trip, would stay again if in the area!
ScoutAccidentally stumbled upon this site after visiting Trillium Lake. There were lots of spots, but this is a very exposed campground. There was decent Verizon service here. There were a decent amount of sites. We were able to get a spot arriving around 9pm.
ScoutNice forest service camping area. There are plenty of spots, but it can get pretty crowded on weekends. There is a beautiful view of Mt. Hood down the road and a nice hiking path to Trillium Lake. Short drive to shopping and restaurants.
ScoutIt's a good spot. T.P. is visible, I wish people would bury it better! But the site is great and really accessible.
ScoutMosquitos are a bit much at dusk so ensure to bring spray. Dispersed camping outside improved areas are the best bet on weekends as this site seems to be very popular. Once outside improved areas, seclusion is easy to obtain. Water access is limited once off the paved road due to steep rocky drops.
Overall, this site is beautiful! The water is crystal clear and is ideal for swimming, fishing, kayaking as well as boating.
GuideSo much trash thrown off the sides at each camp spot. Why would anyone do that to such a beautiful place?? I don't get it.
GuideFS Rd 2656 across from Trillium Lake Campground. Follow 2656 up a couple miles. Turn left on porcupine Trail. There is one small campsite on your left approximately 100 yards. Then a larger one at the end of porcupine Trail. This one is much larger and will accommodate four people. 
Scout
Closed, no access
ScoutThis area is at the Trillium Lake turn off of highway 26. Very easy to get to and the road is paved until you near the area that you can begin camping. I would say smaller/lower vehicles will have to drive slowly and carefully, but most compact SUVs and larger can make it just fine. You can’t hear any traffic out here—just nature. Keep in mind that this area will be closed to vehicle traffic when the Trillium Lake gates close for the snowy season.
There’s a large gravel area that’s higher up and it’s nice to watch the sunset there. If you don’t plan to camp, the drive back to 26 isn’t creepy at all in the night. It’s dark, but not scary, and the road isn’t lighted but there are scattered reflectors on the trees.
I have T-Mobile and I had full 5G service out there. (I don’t know how to submit that info anywhere else, haha)
LegendWe went looking for the other campgrounds on this road that we’re closed so we were disappointed. We didn’t leave our van due to rain but we had a nice little pullover. No fires allowed due to recent fires on the area
ScoutA lot of back roads some very rocky, some paved roads. We were able to find the best spot at like 2 am away from everyone.
Scout
This gorgeous trail and dispersed camp is so unrecognizable from the 2021 fires that there is no turn off. May we remember it’s memories!
GuideI camped on another spur road off of FS 2656. Definitely download the mvum from Avenza beforehand to make things easier. Peaceful, quiet, and I had cell signal. Road can be rough in some places but 4WD not necessary. Not many pull-in camping spots so you’ll have to search around. Overall decent spot and close to Trillium Lake
LegendWe were looking for a dispersed camping site on Forest Service land outside of cell range so we used The Dyrt PRO maps to help us find this spot. It is just off of paved roads on a smooth gravel road that our RV easily handled - it is a pull off from Whiskey Jack road and has room for 1 RV or several tents on flat land with some soft ground cover from grass and pine needles. There are no services so this is dry camping and you’ll need to be self sufficient. There is a fire pit circle but with recent fires we wouldn’t use it and it may be prohibited. I am sure this road could be snowed in in winter months but was dry and clear in June. We picked the spot with fewer trees as we were testing out a Starlink satellite dish on our RV to see if we could get internet access deep in the woods. Lots of ponderosa pines, manzanita bushes, and chirping birds in warm weather days and cool nights. There is some traffic passing the site during the day but there is a road that a 4 wheel drive could travel if you wanted to get away from the road for some extra privacy and quiet. Overall a classic Oregon Cascades mountain meadow location that is only 10-15 minutes off highway 20 and makes you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere to rest and rejuvenate!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Gates, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Gates, OR is Quartzville Recreation Corridor with a 3.6-star rating from 5 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Gates, OR?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 dispersed camping locations near Gates, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
