Are you planning a dispersed camping trip to Imnaha? We've got you covered. Dispersed camping means that no facilities or amenities are provided, so that you can truly disconnect and get back to nature. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your Oregon camping adventure.
Dispersed camping is a popular camping method for many visitors to the Forest. Choosing to camp along a stream or adjacent to a meadow where there are no picnic tables, toilets or firerings allows campers to enjoy a more primitive experience.
It is recommend that dispersed campers keep to traditional campsites off of established 'two-track' vehicles routes which have been used in the past. Most of these routes are less than 300 feet from a designated open road.
There are some areas on the Forest that are closed to dispersed camping. These include administrative site, special use permit area, or sensitive areas for archeology or wildlife.
Please remove all temporary structures before you leave such as meat poles, toilets, furniture, and ditches around your tents. To find out more about minimum impact camping please visit our outdoor ethics section. Some general rules of use and restrictions also apply to visitor using dispersed camping sites. These include regulations like forest-wide camping stay limits; use of camp fires, firearms, and fireworks; and controlling pets.
Note: Directions listed here are to the park entrance. Please call 800-551-6949 for detailed directions. The walk-in, tent only campground is nestled at the base of the Wallowa Mountains and surrounded by cliffs, tall pine trees, and wildlife. Relax to the sound of the Wallowa River and a small brook that runs through the campground. Take a hike on nearby trails that lead into the Eagle Cap Wilderness or picnic at the Little Alps Day-use Area. Wallowa Lake State Park is north of the campground.
Seasonal Camping
10 walk-in sites are first-come, first-served. Potable water available from spigots in the campground. Park overnight at the Little Alps Day-use Area. $10 per night. Pay at the self-pay station. Cash, check, and credit cards welcome. Firewood is available for $5/bundle. Two vault toilets located in the campground and a full restroom located just north of the campground in the Little Alps Day-use Area.
Numerous dispersed campsites are located around the Lost Valley Reservoir. __No amenities available.
Traveler
Aneroid Lake is one of my favorite locations in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. The dispersed camping for backpackers is on the North side of the lake, whereas the South side is private property (Camp Halton). The lake is stocked every few years with rainbow trout, and has a good supply of brook trout.
The water is very cold but worth the dip if it's a hot summer day.
Traveler
We arrived on a Thursday afternoon in October. There were many spots available along the road leading up to this site. But they were close to the road and we wanted to be off the road. We ended up at the last spot on the road right before the interpretive trail at the end. This spot was tucked into the trees. And once we got our camper backed in, we didn’t even know the road was there. And the VIEW! Wow!! Looking across the lake with the most beautiful sunsets. We stayed for 3 nights. We set up Starlink so we could work on Friday and had no issues with the connection.
TravelerThis is a little pullout off route 95. Has about 10-15 feet of separation from main road, which gives privacy and protection from cars. The surface is a gravel and can fit a fairly decent amount of vehicles. The sign says you can camp up to 10 days consecutive, we only stayed for the night and continued on. This is also right on little salmon river.
TravelerThis camp site was popping with people who are definitely staying a while. These people let us camp near them but idk if they’d let us stay that long. Good for one night! Neighbors kind of loud but sooo pretty by the river!!! Easy to get in and out. Porta potty’s available
Guide
I recommend this section of Wallowa-Whitman NF Rd 46 (4600) between Thomason Meadow Guard Station and Buckhorn Lookout because it is grazed less than surrounding areas, and thus has more plant diversity--i.e. great WILDFLOWER BLOOM in the spring. At 5000 feet, June to early July is a peak bloom time.
This is the top of the Imnaha River breaks, and you can see fully down into the BEAUTIFUL canyonlands of the Imnaha and Snake. Birdwatching was good for us out here too, especially raptors. One of the trailheads to the historic Nez Perce Nee -Me-Poo Trail is near this "Camp-1" dispersed spot.*
*One of our maps calls the marked spot "FSR 46 Camp-1," but the dispersed camp sites are all along NF Rd 46 from here north to Buckhorn.
The drive up to this area is well-maintained gravel, and an SUV with decent tires can do it. (We did it with a truck hauling a toy-hauler trailer). Bring all the water and supplies and tools you need--this area is REMOTE.
Take Crow Creek Rd off of Hwy 82 (btwn Enterprise and Joseph). All is paved until your intersection with Zumwalt Road, where you veer R to stay on Zumwalt (aka Zumwalt-Buckhorn Rd). It's gravel after that intersection.
Follow signs to Zumwalt Prairie or Buckhorn Lookout.
Crossing over Zumwalt Prairie is a GORGEOUS drive. The Nature Conservancy has their Zumwalt Prairie Preserve here, and it's a great side trip from the camp spot.
This section of NF-46 road is extremely quiet. Only the occasional ranch vehicle travels through. In fall this is a popular camp area for hunters.
I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because of zero water, zero data, the ecosystem/soil that has been abused in the past (not wilderness), the 50-minute drive to WiFi/ restaurant/ water refill/ black water dump. But if I was comparing primitive camping to primitive camping, this would be a 5 of 5.
I would go back here (in late spring or early fall) in a heartbeat.
Traveler
until the late 1980s my family and I camped here with our RVs all the time but a chipmunk they have been trying to save since( they are everywhere...) has resulted in the campgrounds being closed for vehicle use. great place to take a tent and a six pack! little store 3 miles down the road.
Traveler
This is a great overlook on Hell Canyon and awesome dispersed overland camp spot.
GuideGreat spot tucked into the trees. Some sites are a bit cramped, but enjoyable. Cool trails and nearby water to keep the kids occupied. The road is tight but you can get a fifth wheeler in. Every spot looks very easy backing in. No sharp corners, no sacrifices were made in order to back in.
Ranger
The water is no-joke cold. Fantastic nine-mile hike into the forest. Stayed two nights. Elevation is ~8,000 feet. Got altitude sickness on day two.
No fires allowed. No amenities. Back-country hikers only. No cell service. Perfect getaway.
TravelerJust came back from my second week long trip in 3 weeks there. Camped right on the water! I usually go up on Monday stay till Saturday, one of the benefits of being retired! Definitely going to go one more time, maybe two this summer. Very very scenic.
Guide
This is not an official campground. There is a lot of space for campers, though, and it is not heavily trafficked. The trek to Echo Lake is about 8 miles (one-way) from the start of the Hurricane Creek Trail. When you arrive at Echo Lake, beauty awaits you! This location is a remote and peaceful retreat. The lake is so clear and serene. The views of the mountainside are breathtaking. This is a great site for groups and there is enough space to spread out. The stars are vivid and you can see the movement of the stars and moon along the mountains. The trek to the lake is SO WORTH IT! This is probably one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been to. It gave me the wilderness escape that I needed. It is a hidden gem! Whenever you visit, leave your stressors behind you and enjoy the preserved beauty. The lake is very cold, but I definitely enjoyed the shock after the hike in!
The hike into Echo Lake is an intense incline! We tracked about 3,500 feet of elevation gain in about 5 hours during our hike in. The way back only took us about 3.5 hours and is mostly downhill. I would not recommend this hike for a beginner hiker/backpacker. I carried 60 lbs on my back up and down this trek and it was A LOT for me as a relatively new backpacker (with endurance conditioning). It is a hike that one should work towards, for sure! This trek is would be great crosstraining for an endurance athlete (like me!). At times, the incline felt like a 10-15% grade, but I do not know this for sure. It is pretty steep and challenging if you are carrying a lot of weight. I recommend going as minimalist as possible to avoid extra weight, if possible. I brought my bull mastiff dog along with me and she had a blast! I would recommend conditioning your dog for a trek like this. It can be pretty gnarly and steep at times! My dog wouldn't have made it if she had not done treks like this before. There are creeks along the route to the lake and I would bring extra water to hydrate your dog in between water sources. As always, leave no trace and keep this spot pristine and clean :)
RangerThis backpacking trip is a very accessible hike.
The road to get to the trailhead is paved and the hike to Ice lake is 9 miles in (18 miles total)
You can add some miles (and a lot of elevation) if you add a day hike to the Matterhorn. Second tallest to Sacajawea. When I say it takes 3 hours to get up and 30 minutes to get down.. I’m not joking. Unless you’re an ultra runner who can handle high intensity at elevation, this will take some time. Well worth it for the views and ice lake will be waiting for you at the bottom.
Photos are from August 2018 and July 2019... notice the snow in July. Couldn’t do the added day hike that time.
TravelerThere are some seriously beautiful spots to camp here. Another review says that it’s $10 to camp, but that is in the actual campground. Instead of turning right to get into the campground, keep driving straight and you will find the dispersed camping. Perfectly secluded and beautiful views of the water.
GuideOne of the few dispersed areas I’ve visited with multiple bathrooms.
Stunning views on the calm water. Bring your SUP or kayak, you’ll want to be on the water! Lots of local fishing, hiking, and MTB trails.
A really beautiful area amazing views.
RangerLiked it enough to come back. Had a huge group and multiple dogs in the group site. Very clean camp area. Extremely reasonable prices. Bathrooms are really dirty. Water for drinking is available just a short walk or really short drive. Nice fire pits. Close to water for playing in. There are some towns nearby. Would recommend just use the woods whenever possible.
RangerThere is a lot of space in each camp. Not much land in between each camp so be courteous. Good drinking water. A fairly dirty pit bathroom. I’m pretty sure it’s pet friendly. You can walk to the reservoir. The beach is very rocky.
TravelerGreat fishing, great sights. Plenty of off-road trails.
TravelerOnce you turn off Hywy 95 on to Lost Valley Reservoir Road (about 16 miles North of Council), you will reach a Y in the well kept gravel road. If you turn left, you will come to Cold Spring Campground. There are RV/trailer and tent sites available for a small daily fee. There are campfire sites, hiking trails, toilets and water from a hand pump. You will need to pack out your own garbage as there are no dumpsters. Not a bad place but you are still about 1/2 mile away from the Lost Valley Reservoir.
If you return to the Lost Valley Reservoir road, you can continue on to the Reservoir. After about 1/2 mile, you will see the lake off to your right. There are camp sites all along this stretch of the lake with direct access to the lake. A few sites have a common outhouse with no running water. Along this side of the lake there is also a boat launch area, but I believe this is a 'No Wake Lake'. Check local burn bans, and pack your garbage out.
The road continues along the lake edge and over a small dam. There are several small, dirt access roads that lead to the lakes edge with camping sites at the end of each. Several roads are VERY rough and have deep ruts in them, and I personally wouldn't risk driving them without a vehicle that has plenty of clearance.
The lake is small and as the summer progresses and water is drained from the reservoir, it shrinks. I prefer camping here until about the 1st or 2nd week of August. After this, the water levels drop drastically and green algae begins to accumulate around the lakes edge. There are small perch for fishing, but I did not catch any big enough to keep. We camped here in mid-July this year and had a campfire each night.
Beautiful views, great hiking, refreshing water, and several families had ATV's. Huckleberries are usually ripe 1st/2nd weeks of August. Very relaxing. Enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Imnaha, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Imnaha, OR is North Thomason Meadows with a 4-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Imnaha, OR?
TheDyrt.com has all 21 dispersed camping locations near Imnaha, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
