Best RV Parks & Resorts near John Day, OR

We had reserved a site here and upon arrival, pulled in among all the large RVs, where our campervan was dwarfed. Spaces were all level and gravel with full hook-ups (20/30/50 amp). Large picnic table but difficult to determine which one was ours as the sites are close together with no privacy between them. The sites in the row we were in were all pull-throughs and the John Day River was just beyond the road which was nice. 

The most welcoming part of the park was the sign on our site otherwise it was dismal (the overcast weather didn’t help). We later heard from someone that there had recently been some thefts at the park. 

The bathhouse is accessed by walking through a grassy area and was pretty basic but clean. We chose this campground based on the reviews and I realize our opinion may be in the minority but we just didn’t get a good vibe here. If we had a large RV, we might have felt differently. We stayed for about 45 minutes debating what to do but in the end, left and found a space at the state park about eight miles away that better suited our needs.

Date Stayed: July 7th& 8th 2019 Campsite:#25 was level Price:$26 electrical Dump Station: Yes Altitude: 2875 ft Camp Host: Didn't meet Ease of Access: Very easy, our 28 ft travel trailer fit with room to spare. Easily circled campground once to find a space. Weather: Days sunny low 80's nights upper 50's Noise: Site#25 backed up to hwy 26; daytime passing vehicle noise could be loud. Night vehicle noise wasn't an issue. Activities: Geocaching cache in the park, a couple within one mile. John Day Fossil Monument 30 minute drive away. Wife and I enjoyed the campground, it was park like and very green due to water sprinklers. Well maintained grounds and the hot showers were free. Showers had one button operation which ran for 2 minutes per press. We walked along the river and found the mosquitoes, thank goodness for mosquito repellent.

This campground is about 20 miles southwest of Baker Or. Hundreds of miles from Crator Lake or Prospect that the other reviews said were close...must be another Union Creek Campground over there.

Excellent campground. About 50/50 reservable vs first come first serve. Good space between sites. Elec and water hookups...a few have full hookups. Dump on site. Cell service and over the air TV....surprisingly.  Some sites have lake (reservoir) view. Mixed shade sites.

We intended to stay 2 nights but stayed 4 because of great weather and campground.

General: 31 site state park that does not take reservations. There was plenty of availability at 4 pm on a Friday in April.

Site Quality: Sites are all level with paved pads, ranging in length from 37 to 84 feet. Good separation between the sites and some have foliage providing some amount of privacy. A large picnic table, fire ring, electric hookup, and wastewater drain complete each site. There are also two teepees. Sites along the river are better; road noise would obviously be louder at the sites that back up to the road. 

Bathhouse: Up to many Oregon State Park standards with hot water, soap, utility shelves, and paper towels. Clean. Showers are free ($2 for non-campers) but did not use so cannot comment on their quality. 

Activities: Not too much to do but there is a nice nature trail about a half-mile long that meanders along the John Day River. It forks a couple of times and if you keep to the left each time, you will eventually end up at a fence at the boundary of private property, but it is easy enough to loop around and return to the campground. 

Although this campground is close to the road and you will hear road noise, it was also peaceful and quiet during our stay.

On the banks of the North Fork John Day river. Five sites with picnic table & fire ring. River was high with the spring mountain runoff mid May. Nice respite for 2 days and close enough to explore and hike around the area.

Large open gravel area when you drive in with sites along the river edge with some shade trees. 

Nice visit down the road by Kimberly of Apricot Apiaries and picked up some of their honey. Trail above the campground and across Rt402 up the mountain right above.

Clean campground & pit toilet.

It's right below  Rt402 which has low traffic and none at night. Low traffic noise with the roaring river and roadway high above site.

This is always such a great place to stop when traveling between Idaho and western Oregon. It has lots of shade, lawn, and hedges that offer privacy between the large camp sites. Super clean showers and restrooms, dog friendly, and a nice trail to walk along next to the river. Yes, the sites closer to the road are noisier due to traffic, while the ones closer to the river are the buggiest in the summer, but if you want hook ups, easy access, and an RV dump and don't mind paying for all these amenities, this is the place. We stayed in site 9, which has a super long paved and level driveway giving you lots of peace and quiet.