Best Dispersed Camping near Kimberly, OR

Dispersed camping near Kimberly, Oregon concentrates around the Painted Hills area and along the John Day River, with several BLM-managed free camping zones. The Painted Hills Dispersed area and Priest Hole Recreation Area represent the most established options, while additional sites exist along Gable Creek Road and Bridge Creek Road. These primitive sites provide access to the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and surrounding high desert landscape without developed facilities.

Access roads to most dispersed camping areas require careful navigation, with many visitors noting bumpy, rutted conditions even in good weather. The Priest Hole Recreation Area features a switchback road descending into a canyon that leads to riverside camping, accessible to standard vehicles though high clearance is beneficial. A visitor noted, "The road is bumpy but does not require 4WD or high clearance." At Painted Hills Dispersed, several reviewers caution about inaccurate GPS coordinates and recommend following specific directions. Most sites lack amenities with no drinking water, restrooms, or trash service, requiring campers to pack out all waste. Fire restrictions frequently apply during summer months.

The camping experience varies significantly by location. The Painted Hills sites offer proximity to the colorful geological formations and hiking trails, while the Priest Hole area provides direct river access for swimming and cooling off. A camper described the John Day River as "crystal clear" with "perfect temperature for swimming." The areas generally provide quiet, secluded experiences with minimal crowds, though Priest Hole has reportedly undergone recent improvements with fire rings and defined sites. Cell service remains limited throughout the region, with most reviews mentioning spotty coverage at best. Wildlife viewing opportunities and stargazing are frequently highlighted as standout features, with minimal light pollution enhancing night sky visibility.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Kimberly, Oregon (8)

    1. Painted Hills Dispersed

    17 Reviews
    Mitchell, OR
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 573-4400

    "We stayed at Priest Hole, which is a few miles past the Painted Hills visitor center on dirt roads. We saw a few vans and a pop-up trailer, but no RVs."

    "We spent a weekend in June celebrating our anniversary in this stunning location. The Painted Hills are so beautiful. The hikes and trails are so well thought out and maintained."

    2. Priest Hole Recreation Area

    8 Reviews
    Mitchell, OR
    31 miles

    "These upgrades were done over the past several years according to BLM Prineville staff."

    "Getting to camp you drive into a “canyon”, switch backs most of the way down. The road is bumpy but does not require 4WD or high clearance."

    3. Painted Hills South Camp

    3 Reviews
    Mitchell, OR
    33 miles

    "Coordinates take you to a location for four-ish spots on the right side of the road.  If you drive a little bit further, there are another two spots on the left. "

    "This site is on the far end of the painted hills park, just outside of the gate. "

    4. Gable Creek Road Dispersed Camping

    1 Review
    Mitchell, OR
    31 miles

    "This dispersed spot was a nice one-night stopover. It’s pretty close to the main road (26) on a pretty good gravel road."

    6. Fawn Spring Dispersed Camping

    3 Reviews
    John Day, OR
    48 miles

    "It had plenty of fairly flat ground for our 26” skoolie. There was a fire ring, but we didn’t use. It got very cold at night."

    "Good little tucked away site with spring water, fire pits and lots of empty space for my truck. Make sure to stop at the sign, we went about 2-3 extra miles looking before we came back lol"

    7. Little Hay Creek Rd Dispersed

    1 Review
    Prineville, OR
    48 miles
    Website

    "the road once you pass the bridge here, but the roads were too pot holed and rough for us in our 26ft class c, and seeing as how we only needed a place for one night we decided to just stay in the big flat"

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Recent Free Dispersed Camping Photos near Kimberly, OR

21 Photos of 8 Kimberly Campgrounds


Dispersed Camping Reviews near Kimberly, OR

29 Reviews of 8 Kimberly Campgrounds


  • Corinna B.
    Oct. 1, 2017

    Painted Hills Dispersed

    Absolutely the Best. And free!

    This was by far my favorite place we stayed on our entire 4000+ mile road trip…. and it was free! We stayed at Priest Hole, which is a few miles past the Painted Hills visitor center on dirt roads. We saw a few vans and a pop-up trailer, but no RVs. The road was okay but not great, so not sure if regular RVs would make it or not. Fine for cars, trucks or vans.

    It's Bureau of Land Management land, which means all camping is free. We camped right on the banks of the John Day River and it was amazingly beautiful. The water was the perfect temperature for swimming and crystal clear. There were people a couple hundred yards from us on either side, so not too crowded. We were there on a Thursday and pulled right up to an empty spot.

    Only vault toilets. Bring your own water. No showers, picnic tables, etc. The only drawback, besides lack of a nice bathroom and not much natural shade, was quite a few earwigs and other bugs attacking the outside tent at night when we had our light on. Not the worst thing, but slightly annoying for the kiddos.

    When the river is higher (sometimes in the winter) there's a large grassy area in the center of the area for tents, but a bit far away from the water. But in the summer when the river is lower you can camp in any of the rocky dry stream beds and be safely right on the water.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 8, 2025

    Priest Hole Recreation Area

    Recent Upgrades to an already beautiful area

    First time we have stayed here. Spent two nights along the river. Quiet, serene and peaceful. Each campsite had recently been upgraded with heavy duty Pilot Rock fire pits, fresh gravel,restrooms were clean. These upgrades were done over the past several years according to BLM Prineville staff. Maintenance of this nice area will be difficult since temporary staff and seasonal help have been reduced from 20 employees down to 2. Pack it in and pack it out. Appreciate and protect what these public lands have to offer.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 4, 2023

    Painted Hills Dispersed

    Amazing campsite, coordinates NOT correct

    We spent a weekend in June celebrating our anniversary in this stunning location. The Painted Hills are so beautiful. The hikes and trails are so well thought out and maintained. The camp spot that’s described in other reviews is the best we found. The coordinates however are not accurate. Pass the last parking area (Red Scar Knoll trail) on the main road, cross a cattle gate, and it’s on your right. If you have higher ground clearance you can go through the main camping area and take a dirt road just a bit further to a single spot that’s flat and shaded. We rented an off-road teardrop so this was super easy. Here are the correct coordinates to that single spot: 44.637881 -120.296011

  • Michael F.
    May. 16, 2024

    Priest Hole Recreation Area

    Great camping right on the John Day River

    Getting to camp you drive into a “canyon”, switch backs most of the way down. The road is bumpy but does not require 4WD or high clearance. Once you get to the bottom of the canyon, the road will pass by a vaulted toilet. You continue down the road and a bunch of campsites pop up that line the river. Great space for big groups, dog friendly, all around great hang!

  • Amanda K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 11, 2025

    Painted Hills Dispersed

    Peaceful spot!

    We put Red Scar Knoll into our navigation and it took us to a private ranch with no trespassing signs. We couldn’t see other ways to get there. We used the coordinates named by a previous reviewer instead and found the spot and it was great. I would not recommend for vehicles larger than a van or after heavy rain as it was a bumpy ride down. We could see that other people had camped here previously as there were fire pits. There was a beautiful little creek next to the spot. There was some noise from the road but there was minimal traffic. I could get about one bar of AT&T service. It is only 11 minutes from painted hills overlook. No amenities. Great for a night among beautiful surroundings:) quite a few bugs at night. There was little to no service on the way there so make sure to save the coordinates/map

  • Eva W.
    Jun. 19, 2015

    Painted Hills Dispersed

    Otherwordly campsite

    Good note: You can camp on BLM and Forest Service lands without a permit! This place is amazing. It's no wonder it's one of the seven wonders of Oregon. It's a quick drive from Bend, and to see the Wallowa burn aftermath is humbling.

  • mThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 28, 2024

    Priest Hole Recreation Area

    We have gone here the past 3 years!

    Mostly gravel road, high clearance is not necessary but there are some pretty big holes in the road, made it in a Toyota Corolla just fine but have gone in larger vehicles and tends to be a little less risky.

    Not a ton of camping spots near the water but plenty of open spaces elsewhere. Pretty spaced out if you choose the right spot.

  • R
    Jun. 18, 2022

    Painted Hills Dispersed

    Stream access

    This site is just off of the main road to the Painted Hills area. There are no restrooms or facilities of any type. We had the furthest most spot from the entrance off of the road and had great access to a small stream that we could sit in and cool off.

  • d
    Jun. 22, 2021

    Fawn Spring Dispersed Camping

    Not a campground

    This place is on private property and has gates all around the area. Maybe it was once a campground but surely not anymore.


Guide to Kimberly

Dispersed camping near Kimberly, Oregon centers around the high desert terrain of the John Day River basin at elevations between 1,800-2,500 feet. The climate features hot, dry summers with daytime temperatures often exceeding 90°F while dropping below 50°F at night. Most primitive campsites lack cell service, with several campers reporting no reception at key locations throughout the area.

What to do

Swimming in the John Day River: The river provides cooling relief during summer months at Priest Hole Recreation Area, which features riverside camping spots. A camper noted, "Great camping spot along the John Day river. There's an area in the beginning with new paved out camping spots on the river and a vault toilet."

Stargazing without light pollution: The remote locations of most dispersed camping areas create ideal conditions for night sky viewing. At Painted Hills Dispersed, a camper mentioned, "I arrived midday, so I spent the hottest part of the day in my shade tent reading and then in the evening watched the fire under the stars in my hammock. Very peaceful, only saw one car drive by the whole time."

Visit geological formations: The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument sits minutes from several camping areas. From Painted Hills South Camp, "Great spot to stay when visiting the Painted Hills or passing through the area."

What campers like

Recent improvements at established sites: The BLM has upgraded certain areas with better facilities. At Priest Hole Recreation Area, a camper observed, "Each campsite had recently been upgraded with heavy duty Pilot Rock fire pits, fresh gravel, restrooms were clean. These upgrades were done over the past several years according to BLM Prineville staff."

Secluded camping options: Many sites offer privacy from other campers. At Gable Creek Road Dispersed Camping, a visitor reported, "It's got a 360-degree view of the surrounding hills. Drawbacks are that it's got limited hiking and biking options."

Cooling off in creek waters: Some sites feature stream access for relief from summer heat. One camper at Painted Hills Dispersed noted, "There was a beautiful little creek next to the spot. There was some noise from the road but there was minimal traffic."

What you should know

Road conditions vary significantly: Many access roads present challenges year-round. At Little Hay Creek Rd Dispersed, a camper advised, "There are many spots down the road once you pass the bridge here, but the roads were too pot holed and rough for us in our 26ft class c."

Download maps before arrival: Cell service disappears quickly in this region. A camper at Painted Hills Dispersed cautioned, "There was little to no service on the way there so make sure to save the coordinates/map."

Weather extremes affect access: Rain can transform dirt roads into impassable mud, while summer heat creates challenging camping conditions. One visitor noted about Painted Hills Dispersed, "I wouldn't trust the road in the rain, it looks like it turns into a mud pit."

Tips for camping with families

Swimming locations for children: River access points provide natural recreation. At Priest Hole Recreation Area, a camper described, "The river is gorgeous and perfect for swimming. The views through the canyon are incredible at sunset and the temp dropped significantly for comfortable sleeping!"

Wildlife encounters: The area hosts various desert species that can interest young visitors. A camper at Fawn Spring Dispersed Camping shared an unusual encounter: "Lots of cows… funniest thing ever! One woke me up when it was sniffing at the tents rain cover!"

Bug preparation essential: Evening insects can be bothersome, especially with tent camping. A visitor at Painted Hills Dispersed mentioned, "There was a beautiful little creek next to the spot... quite a few bugs at night."

Tips from RVers

Leveling challenges: The terrain at most primitive camping areas near Kimberly requires careful positioning. At Painted Hills South Camp, a visitor observed, "There were a few bad ruts from people traversing in the mud but still a couple of level areas."

Size limitations for larger rigs: Most dispersed sites accommodate smaller vehicles best. A camper at Priest Hole Recreation Area noted, "The road to the river sites is NARROW, and we had trouble backing in with a 22' trailer while not hitting the guard rail, but the pull through sites are a lot farther from the river."

Elevation and temperature considerations: Higher elevation sites experience significant temperature drops overnight. At Fawn Spring Dispersed Camping, a camper reported, "It got very cold at night. We were fine in our bus, but our traveling partner had his water bottle freeze in his tent."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Kimberly, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Kimberly, OR is Painted Hills Dispersed with a 4.6-star rating from 17 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Kimberly, OR?

TheDyrt.com has all 8 dispersed camping locations near Kimberly, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.