Planning a dispersed camping trip near Idanha? Dispersed camping is an excellent way to get away from it all and to disconnect. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campgrounds for your Oregon camping adventure.
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.
Guide
Open grounds away from everything. There was a dirt square right off the dirt road we parked in. The only noise was the power-lines close by, which weren’t bad. Decent stargazing and had no issues. Just a little muddy and a little clearance on your car would be helpful. Really close to the highway. It’s all free dispersed camping so there is no development besides the dirt road
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.
Traveler
Maybe 15min outside bend, a little hard to see the turn off in the dark, but once we did it was easy to find a spot and set up camp! We only stayed one night and were car camping so it was perfect!
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.
Guide
This is a large, paved parking lot with a stream nearby. Has a good view of Mt. Hood and vault toilets, so that's a positive. The downside is that it's not level. Trailers shouldn't have a problem, but even with several blocks under our tires, our 39ft Class A was still un-level.
TravelerSuper easy to find and nobody around. Easy to jump back on the hwy in the morning.
Guide
Its a big lot area with a view of the river close to the dam. Theres a day use area and resort campground down the road which I asked the hosts there about the dispersed camping and they gave me an attitude saying that because its a state site that the sheriff may come check to ask me to leave. I told that that made no sense as its on usa owned land but they insisted not to park there. I believe they were just jealous because almost noone was at their campground. The day use area is small and watch for the tire strips. The parking area up the hill (at these coordinates) is a bit trashy but its a good spot for walk or bike.
Traveler
Maybe if you’re in a pinch this place would work for the night but definitely not somewhere I’d stay longer than that.
GuideLove this dispersed campsite! So much wife open space. We were the only campers here last night. So quiet that you can hear a pin drop. Oh, the 360 views are fantastic! A little bumpy ride for regular cars as it is in a dirt road; an AWD preferred.
Traveler
Closed due to fire damage
TravelerVery small maybe 4 spots. Definitely not worth the drive. Small pond not really a lake.
Guide
EDIT: We had a park ranger stop by and inform us that this location is closed to passenger vehicles. No passenger vehicles are allowed past the boulders. We are currently parked at the one and only camp slot that passenger vehicles are allowed, so this is a 99% dispersed camping location that you have to walk to your camp site location. The Park Ranger also reminded me that all BLM land is a 14-day stay for recreational camping only, and if you are living out of your RV, you are liable to be harassed more often then others.
Original Review: We parked in a space close to the main road. Minus the sounds from it, the place is very peaceful. There's lots of sage bushes, and trees are plenty but not clustered. There is a lot of wildlife in the area if the animal bones are anything to judge by. There are a lot of ant colonies and other burrowing creatures in the area as well. If you choose to walk off designated paths, watch your step, or you might end up in a shallow hole like I did. Some spots are more solar friendly than others, but none of the trees are overbearingly tall to completely block out the ability for it. Flies aren't too bad compared to other places, and honestly, I'm not sure if the ones we are dealing with are from here or left over from our 1 night stay at another location. The river is only a shortish walk away, and field mice do live in some of the boulders in the area.
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
Guide
This spot is pretty nice, feels very secluded despite White River being close enough to use the restroom if you want. Access to a stream down the hill if you need to filter water, and it sounds very pleasant at night. Lovely trees, plenty of room for a couple of small tents among the trees, plus a ton more out on the gravel. Established fire pit, for the 2-3 days a year that's legal to use.
We got in at 5pm on a Friday in summer; I think four more cars came down to see if the spot was free before 9pm.
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
Guide
Easy access and larger camp spots. We were there during a few events hosted by the Sisters Rodeo and got to listen to the events.
A lot of horse trailers come into the dispersed camping area to park and ride their horses, and I've seen a lot of larger bog rig horse trailers parked at the camp sites near the front. Every single one that came in was respectful and kind. A couple of the trainers even allowed my oldest onto their horses with permission after she asked.
There were a couple of long-time stay campers that kept to themselves. We didn't have any issues with leaving our campsite unattended, even with our cook stove, propane, and ground solar equipment out in the open.
Great for solar. Just if you don't have it set on top, you will have to move it throughout the day.
Verizon cell service is completely fine. No wifi, of course, but if you use a mobile hotspot like we do, you shouldn't have any issues.
We camped at 3 different spots. The first one was right as you pulled in, directly behind the rodeo gates. Large spot, 2 fire pits. Perfect for a group. The second was farther back. Only spent 1 night there cause there was a fire ant colony and we have kids. That just seemed like a bad idea for us. Spot itself was great, though. Another perfect spot for a group, minus the fire ants. The third spit was closer to the entrance, about half way in-between the other 2 we stayed at. This one had some broken glass that was buried as well as what looked like a diabetic syringe, also buried in the dirt. This was the only camp site that had any type of garbage at it. Every other one was cleaned from what we glanced at.
Rangers come through every few days to make sure everything is safe and taken care of. When it became "no fires allowed" a ranger went to every camp site with people and asked if he could leave the information papers about what would be allowed vs not allowed during the "no burn" time. He was very respectful and kept his distance. I was by myself with my 3 young kids when he stopped by, and he stayed at least 5 feet away from all of us unless I gave the okay to come closer. The Rangers also placed "no fire" flags at each of the empty campsites in the firepits in case someone came in afterward.
Overall, it was very peaceful and a great place to stay if you plan on going to the rodeo or an event held at Sisters Rodeo but are strapped on funds.
And of course, like all dispersed campsites, it's a "pack in pack out". No water, power, sewage, bathrooms, showers, or anything else available. You bring it in, and you take it out.
Guide
There aren't a ton of free camping options near Redmond. This is a great option. Only 2-3 spots for vans/small RVs. The other spots are clearly for tent camping. Would definitely recommend for a few days. I will say the vault toilets are disgusting- so plan accordingly. The hike is a great combination of short and pretty :-)
GPS: 44.410140, -121.293505
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.
GuideEssentially a parking lot over a very pretty view. There was a trailer that seemed to be permanently located at one end of the lot, and a local woman stopped by to ask what I was doing there. Wouldn't have stayed for more than a night, but a gorgeous view!
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.
TravelerMy wife and I came here in June of 2023. Lots of spots to choose from, flat with peppering of ponderosa pines. The sites on the West side, nearest the river are "walk in" but if you're able-bodied it's a short distance to lug gear. Nothing difficult or time consuming. These sites are a stones throw from cliffs overlooking the Deschutes River canyon. When we went, fires were allowed, and there was a residence on the road in (clearly marked) selling firewood. And they took Venmo! There is no water nearby. Closest place we found was Smith Rock day use area. Pay the day use fee and fill water jugs there. You'll want to visit Smith Rock anyway. Things to consider bringing for comfort: Shade. A canopy or whatever is reasonable for your group. It also gets hot and it's dry, so assume that fire band will be in affect the minute you leave home and plan your meals accordingly. I loved this spot. Close to Smith Rock. The falls at the campground are gorgeous and the hike is short and sweet. Close drive to other things like food carts and patio bars (reward yourself for your hiking).
ScoutBig paved lot with really well managed pit toilets. Short walk takes you to the White River, which was more of a creek when we were there, and a breathtaking view of Mt. Hood.
GuideWe did not know what to expect when we reached this site. It is just a large parking area, we found a pretty level place for our travel trailer. Only 2 other trailers and 1 tent camper during the day. A lot of van and car campers the latter the day got. Good spot to stay when checking out the area. The view out our door was amazing, when the sun was out. We stayed 5 nights, had all types of weather on our stay, from lots of rain to sun and also snow. Would stay here again if in the area. Free to stay from May 1 to October 31.
Guide
Very nice location with several options to park/camp and have some privacy. Some areas that require driving in a little further also require driving through a couple of brief rutted and rougher road sections that would limit some of the lower clearance vehicles. I suspect it could also be a place popular with teens at certain times of the year, but we had the entire area to ourselves. There's also limited Verizon reception, enough to receive some texts/emails but not quite enough to send MMS text.
Dispersed camping near Idanha, Oregon, offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. With a variety of locations to choose from, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy the beauty of the Oregon wilderness.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Idanha, OR is Quartzville Recreation Corridor with a 3.6-star rating from 5 reviews.
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