Looking for the best options for tent camping near Island City? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Island City's most popular destinations.
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.
You can't camp many places in Oregon that the general public is not allowed. You can here. Behind a locked gate, no public access. A permanent pit toilet is onsite. Pricing includes one camping unit (tent you supply)
$29 / night
The Blue Mountain North/Grande Ronde River Basin Area is situated north of the Anthony Lakes Highway (Forest Road 73) to the Mount Emily area. It includes all of the developed recreation sites and trails in the northern Blue Mountains and those found in the Grande Ronde River Basin west of La Grande, Oregon. This area is mainly administered by the La Grande Ranger District although some of the area north of the Anthony Lakes Highway is administered by the Whitman Ranger District. Popular recreation areas include the Oregon Trail Interpretive Park at Blue Mountain Crossing, Mt. Emily, Spring Creek Recreation Area, Ladd Canyon, and Beaver Creek. Local communities that have a variety of services (i.e. fuel, lodging, stores and/or restaurants) are LaGrande, Island City, Elgin, Imbler, Cove, Richland, and Baker City . These communities are within one hour of this area.
Located above Cove, Oregon, the Moss Springs Campground lies on a ridgeline within view of the Eagle Cap Wilderness__and is next to Moss Springs Trailhead.__This popular campground was constructed to accommodate visitors with packstock,__riding stock and campers bound for the__wilderness. The site also has 3 accessible campsites and toilets. Trails from the campground drop steeply into the Minam River drainage or follow Grande Ronde Ridge.
Located along the Hurricane Creek riparian area, this Hurricane Creek Campground offers 3 tent/small trailer sites and 8 tent-only sites. Three of the campsites are now accessible for people with disabilities. The access road to this campground is rough and not recommended for low clearance RVs and trailers. Please click this link to proceed to the Hurricane Creek Trail #1807 webpage.
The West Eagle Meadows Trailhead is one of the__'late season' trailheads__to open in the early summer due to the area's heavy snow accumulation and high elevation. Located near West Eagle Creek and meadow, this site is__frequented by hikers and equestrians alike who want to enjoy a day or extended trip into the Eagle Cap Wilderness area. The combination trailhead and equestrian camp__offers parking facilities for both stock and non-stock users, and has hitching rails, a loading ramp and feed bunks.The West Eagle trail provides access to Echo, Traverse, Diamond and Tombstone lakes as well as a beautiful trip along the Minam River. You can also access many other destinations in the wilderness from this trail. Fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities abound as you travel through diverse landscapes of meadows, lakes, and mountains.Adjacent to the trailhead is the West Eagle Meadows Campground__with tent and walk-in campsites and a picnic area.A printable map and additional information about the area.
The Williamson Campground is one of the larger campgrounds in the Lostine River Canyon. Situated along the Wild and Scenic Lostine River, the campground has lots of shady pine and fir trees which makes it popular for summer and fall campers enjoying the canyon or adjacent Eagle Cap Wilderness. The facility offers 8 tent/trailer sites and 5 tent-only sites which located below the campground road. Some of the favorite sites during weekends and holidays are next to the river.
The Walla Walla Forest Camp is one of several small campgrounds located along the Wild and Scenic Lostine River. Tucked alongside the river in a cool fir and pine tree forest, the campground is popular during the summer for local and regional campers visiting the Lostine Canyon and Eagle Cap Wilderness.
Grande Ronde Lake Campground is one of three campgrounds in the Anthony Lakes Recreation Area. Located above Grande Ronde Lake in the cool pine-fir tree forest, it offers picturesque views of the lake and meadow. Popular activities include fishing, canoeing, day hiking, and outdoor photography. This campground offers 8 tent/trailer sites, 3 of which are accessible.
Traveler
We tent camped here for 2 nights with 2 kiddos and it was a great experience. Come prepared to deal with mosquitoes - they are very prevalent. Staff were all great and very helpful. Hot springs are amazing and were the perfect temperature.
The tent sites are next to the canal so you hear lots of birds and frogs.
The bathrooms have recently been updated and were very nice.
Traveler
We were able to find an available spot on Labor Day weekend 2021. Most campsites between the town of Lostine and Irondyke campground were taken by 7pm on Friday. The access road was narrow and in pretty rough shape, lots of horse trailers hauling livestock up and down the road. The road remained busy until late at night and during the weekend with other campers and day hikers… we stayed in a tent camp site that allowed horses, so it was ample with a clearing that provided sunny areas. Picnic table and rock fire pit were available at the site. A toilet is Located on the opposite side of road and shares with other 4 or 5 sites. If you want a quiet, peaceful camping spot, this is not for you!
Traveler
Good views of the mountains. Beautiful lake. Impressive marina for those who are trailing boats. Emphasis on RV camping rather than secluded tent camping and I prefer tent camping. Bathrooms clean.
Guide
We stayed here in a tent site (no hookups) on our way back to Portland from Nevada. As an overnight cut-off campground, it’s lovely: Nice-sized sites set in beautiful Oregon forest (we’d been out of state for a couple weeks and REALLY appreciated the trees); clean bathrooms and showers; long “tent” sites that allowed us to back in our 18ft trailer without uncoupling for the night.
However, it’s right on the interstate. While you kind of tune it out after a while, the road noise is constant and definitely interferes with any sense of “wilderness”.
TravelerVery nice facility. We stayed in a tent, the tent sites are away from the RVs. Nice setting across a creek and in the trees. Beautiful starry sky at night, and we woke up to an impressive amount of birds singing. Take bug spray!! Mosquitoes were awful in the evening before we got spray on.
The bathrooms and showers are clean and nice. They have a pool and soaking tubs from the natural hot springs (unfortunately we didn't get time to check these out thoroughly, they look nice though!) Bit of a walk to the restroom from the tent sites, but there is a portapotty closer if you prefer.
TravelerPretty place to camp. Tent sites were relatively close together, but all along a small river that you can fish. Great stop.
GuideMainly for rv's but they do have yurts available and nice tents spots. Very clean bathroom and shower, nice place all around. The tent sites are away from the rv's so the view is spectacular.
ScoutThis place is beautiful! Mountain views in the distance, quiet safe camp sites, great amenities (washer, dryer, sink to wash dishes, clean new bathrooms and showers and soaking pool). We tent camped with our two young kids. Would definitely be back!!
GuideThis is where we start our camping season...on Mother's Day weekend! This is a small campground. Has a vault toilet but no potable water so bring your own. Each site does have a fire ring. Site 1 can hold about 2 RV's or 4 tents and possible 10 people. Site 2 is good for 1 RV or tent, Site 3 is closest to the river, tight fit for a RV but a small pull behind fits nice - could fit 2 tents. Site 4 and 5 is small. Site 6 can fit 4 to 5 tents or 1 RV/trailer. Taking a "Sunday drive" up and around is amazing! Great area if you have OHV's!
RangerTent camping is away from the RVs at this site. Comfortable, clean grounds with included hot springs pool access, indoor store, and full bathroom facilities. We loved it so much that we stayed here two nights. Beware of ticks near the grass area. Cool off with ice cream and cold drinks at the store. Everyone was wonderful to work with and speak to.
RangerWe spend a night there in July on our way to Boulder Colorado. The campground is quite nice and bathrooms were clean and providing all needed functionality. Large and tall trees provided a very welcome shade during the heatwave we were going through. The only issue was that, we were tent camping and being close to the highway it was quite noisy.
RangerTerrible tent camping experience. This campground is TOO close to the highway and too noisy even with ear plugs or music. We could barely sleep nor have a conversation while sitting across each other for breakfast. I would advice to only stay here if you have an RV camper. The bathrooms were very clean, great trails and the interpretive center was very educational. No complaints there.
GuideThis place is great!!! They were so friendly! The tent sites are large and grassy with plenty of shade! You even get WiFi at them. They have a pool and hot tub that is heated by the hot springs! Fairly priced and fun! Bathrooms were nice and clean. There is a gravel road if you go in one way so take the next exit.
Travelerthis campground was always my favorite growing up and it still is today! they have very spacious camp sites, lots of variety (ie tent sites and full hook up sites) that would fit anyone’s needs! There are very helpful hosts onsite campfire you can buy and a jr ranger program my kids love! They also have a playground for the kids in the heart of the park! Wallowa is well worth the trip!
Guide
The campground is somewhat primitive. There are flushing toilets on the lower loop, vault toilets on the upper loop. no showers, but you can refresh in the lake. The nights get chilly, so be prepared with warm socks and a beenie, especially if you’re tent camping.
There are no power boats allowed on the lake, so it is raft, kayak paddle board friendly.
The path around the lake is an easy walk, just don’t expect to sit on a bench and enjoy the view of the lake, the trees have grown up.
Traveler
This site as a primary function: OHV camping.
Which makes sense as it sits at the heart of a designated OHV area, with hundreds of miles of trails connecting campgrounds to the north, east, and west.
Three large group sites are the main draw for most people, with plenty of room for RVs, trailers, and extra vehicles. 1 or 2 other spots are secluded enough for tent camping, but even then you won’t avoid the presence of roaring engines and mini tours around the park.
All in all, a wonderful site in the heart of the Umitilla Forest, but beware the motored groups if it’s not your cup of tea.
ScoutMy husband and I love this campground. It's close to the mountains without being too far away - about an hour and a half from us living in Tri-cities. There are showers and water spickets, room for horses, and great hiking trails. There is room for both tent and RV camping. We have only ever gone tent camping, and the size of the campgrounds for us has been great. There is room to set up hammocks and chairs.
The only unfortunate aspect about this campground is that it is somewhat close to the highway. After the first weekend we spent there, we got somewhat used to the sound - it can sometimes be soothing. It's also a good idea to bring something to provide added shade to either the tenting area or sitting area as it gets quite sunny in the morning.
Legend
This is a nice little RV park that is close to most things in the Joseph area. There are several RV sites as well as tent sites. There are also several sites that look like full time RVer's that live in the park. The sites were a little close together, but they were able to move us after the first night so we had a little more privacy. The bathrooms and showers were clean. The campground was very quiet with great views of the mountains. There is a little store onsite that also has games and books to barrow.
ScoutA group of friends and I went and tent camped in spot 14 for a couple days and had a great time. The site was fairly trashed when we got there so we did some cleanup but besides that it’s surrounded by a beautiful forest and even on a 95 degree day the shade is perfect and the water was refreshing to swim in. I liked the spot we stayed in, it was spacious enough for 3 tents (10 person, 5 person, and 2 person tents) it was shaded and fairly spaced out from other spots. The lake was pretty busy and there were lots of people but it’s easy to find places on the water to have to yourself. There was also an awesome rope swing maybe half a mile from the camp site, super fun!
GuideVisiting in April on a Sunday to do day use has defined my idea of heavenly. The snow-covered peaks, the clean air, the sounds of the spring birds, and the silence are magical. The hot tubs are small, but it really doesn't matter if no one is there. They are pool noodle friendly when it's not high occupancy. The Verizon signal is strong. Day use is open until 5:00 p.m. and next door there's a lodge that has even more hot springs that I'm going to have to visit sometime. The setting is pretty incredible with views all around of lovely Eastern Oregon mountains and valley. Spring green is abundant and it is an enchanting time. Very cute tent campsites, as well as a variety of lodging. This place is wonderful.
Guide
We tent camped for the weekend in mid-July. The plan was to camp at Jubilee Lake, but it was full when we arrived Friday evening. Target Meadows is just a short drive from the lake, but there were plenty of sites available. The campground is heavily wooded with beautiful evergreens. Sites are private and well spaced. This is a rustic campground, so there is no water or power. Amenities include (very clean!) pit toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits with cooking grates. There is a lot of dry timber on the ground, so it is easy to collect your own firewood. There is easy access to hiking, including Burnt Cabin trailhead. Most campsites are trailer friendly, including a few with drive-through access. We really enjoyed the area and will be back again!
Ranger
This park accepts Good Sam discounts. There are a few full timers but are kept clean. The park is right on the edge of town. Nestled between a river and a horse farm he will hear a rooster everyday you will hear a donkey. There are wild turkey in the area but they're quite quiet. I paid just under $150 a week. Laundry machines work well there are two washers and two dryers buck and a quarter each. They have showers. They have a tent area for tent camping. There is usually no one on duty but they do have propane I just don't know how to use it or get it. There is a Wi-Fi password and the cell phone signal is not bad. I use T-Mobile. 5 minutes away from a decent grocery store. 30 minutes away from Miller's home improvement and Walmart. And did I mention full hookups.
TravelerWe spent Memorial Day weekend at this park. It was fun, the kids rode bikes, we rented a row boat (they have kayaks, SUP's, etc). The town of Joseph is about 10 minutes with a cute main street area. We stayed in A25 and I think it is the smallest tent site in the whole park (the reason it got 3 of 5 stars). We had a small creek that backed the spot that limited tent placement to one slightly sloped spot squeezed between the road and the picnic table. It was nicely treed by the picnic table which was nice. If we go back, the spot to the right of us (A26) was a really good one (would've been a five star for sure) - spacious, multi tents, etc. This end of the campground was the closest to the lake access, store and docks.
Guide
I want to start off saying that this is a park type camping site. So most things are kept up really well. The grass is well maintained and green. There's an area for day picnic use and then another area for camping. There's areas for you to park rv and vehicles and tent camping. I dont RV so I'm unsure on hook up use. This site is close to the main road so must watch kiddos and dogs at all times. It is also close to the river, so watch those kiddos. There's a wonderful trail with a wooden bridge to start off. This area is heavily used, so if you like to be alone, might not be your thing, but the site is very well taken care of and is a beautiful place to check out of the modern world and enter God's country.
ScoutExcellent 1/2 point between home in Idaho and the Oregon Coast. Tent and full hook ups with helpful campground hosts.
Yes, you can hear the freeway from the campground - so it may not be recommended for tent campers.
Guide
Hilgard Junction is a small, Riverside day use area, travel rest-stop and campground at the junction of I-84 and Highway 244 on the Grande Ronde river at the base of Mt. Emily.
This park is near La Grande, Oregon so if you are not just resting on your trip, you can run into a cute little university town to explore the Eastern Oregon local life.
Crystal clear water runs this high in the Grande Ronde, making for fun swimming and water play. Make sure to bring your gold pan to this shallow river bed, as it has been historically found all along this river. The RV park has no connections so bring your generator and solar panels with you. This is self contained type of camp, that provides two bathrooms and firewood.
It is an ADA friendly area with paved rv spots and designated well kept tent spots. Keep in mind this park is directly off of the interstate so there are a lot of random travelers coming and going at all hours of the day and night. One minor bit of awkwardness is that there is a youth correctional facility less than a mile up the road. So your traveling children maybe curious and ask odd questions if they see it.
TravelerReally cute tucked away tent spots. AMAZING VIEWS. Best restrooms and showers we’ve ever seen. Actually left later than planned as we wanted to use the showers. Only hitch to this place is the restrooms are a bit far from the tent spots. Staff was very nice.
Tent camping near Island City, Oregon offers a variety of scenic locations and outdoor experiences for nature enthusiasts. With options ranging from well-reviewed campgrounds to unique dispersed sites, there's something for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Island City, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Island City, OR is Wallowa-Whitman NF 21 - Dispersed with a 4.2-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Island City, OR?
TheDyrt.com has all 42 tent camping locations near Island City, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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