P
Petey C.
Traveler
TravelerPriest Hole Recreation Area
No shade trees but good clear spots
Great summer camping if you have air conditioning. Starlink only. Great beach and great tubing the river, tons of Burrs which is bad for dogs
Dispersed Camping near Kimberly, OR
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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 are among the most sought-after dispersed campsites in the region, 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 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 Campgrounds near Kimberly (8)
1. Painted Hills Dispersed
"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
"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. Bridge Creek Road
"Towing a trailer solo so I’m keeping an eye out for quick overnight stops that are easy to pull through or turn around. This is great for that."
"Short drive into Painted Hills fossil monument to view at sunset. Some cattle around and a handful of other campers."
4. Painted Hills South Camp
"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. "
5. Gable Creek Road Dispersed Camping
"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
"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
"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"
8. Crystal Creek Campsite
Drive Time
- 2 hrs 20 min from Bend, OR
- 2 hrs 26 min from Kennewick, WA
- 2 hrs 59 min from Walla Walla, WA
- 3 hrs 29 min from Yakima, WA
Recent Free Dispersed Camping Photos near Kimberly, OR
23 Photos of 8 Kimberly Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Dispersed Camping Reviews near Kimberly, OR
29 Reviews of 8 Kimberly Campgrounds
- MMark W.
GuidePriest Hole Recreation Area
Mixed bag after improvements
BLM improved this area recently.
CONS -
Cant get anywhere near the river now, and walking access is sparse unless you want to hop the big guardrail and blaze the bushes.
The flow is backwards, and for the sites along the river you now are forced to face away from the painted hill and wildlife in the area.
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.
PROS -
Nice sites with table and fire ring - although even with the fire ring you still can't have fires during most of the good weather.
Some improvements on road in in case you get caught with an oncoming vehicle (I'm sure as heck not backing up a winding one lane road)Whoever designed this upgrade had obviously never stayed at the park. It's nicer in a way, but also a bit less special than it was before. Still a good spot and is still free for the moment, but I hear they are putting in a pay station eventually.
Isabelle K.
LegendPriest Hole Recreation Area
Burning sun and bees
If we had checked the forecast, we probably wouldn’t have camped here. However when we arrived at 6 pm and it was 100 degrees, we were far enough off the beaten path that we decided to sweat it out and spend the night. We stayed in site 12 which also had absolutely no shade and tons of bees, which didn’t help our situation.
All that aside, we are so happy we did spend the night here! 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! The campground itself is clean and well appointed.
- MMeatball W.Guide
Painted Hills Dispersed
Favorite so far
I LOVE. This spot is awesome- it’s beautiful and just around the corner from some short hikes through the painted hills. It’s pretty remote, and there’s no service but that’s kind of the charm of it. Only saw one other person drive in while I was there.
The dirt road to the campsite is bumpy and rutted but I made it just fine with my Tacoma and off-road trailer (and it’s a really short distance once you’re off the gravel road). At least to the first spot- there’s about 3-4 other spots past that one but the road does get progressively worst.
Only stayed one night, but would’ve stayed longer had it not rained. I wouldn’t trust the road in the rain, it looks like it turns into a mud pit.
Super pretty. Highly recommend🤠
Callie S.
ScoutPriest Hole Recreation Area
Priest Hole Oasis
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. If you bypass that area and keep going along the gravel/dirt road you’ll find more pull out spots that are more secluded.
Amanda K.
RangerPainted 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
- RRon C.Guide
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.
- ddeniseScout
Priest Hole Recreation Area
There’s been updates!
We visited this spot 4/3/25. It was amazing with only one other guest. I’ve never been here before but I believe there has been changes. They are cleaning it up with nice tables and fire pits at each spot. There are also pull-through spots. From what I read (I’m adding the poster) there were alot of people not doing their due diligence when it comes to dispersed camping. It’s been closed and the renovation wasn’t supposed to be complete until May 1, 2025. We just lucked out that it was open! They will start charging a fee in the future according to the poster.
Shelby S.GuidePainted Hills Dispersed
Perfect ✨️
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
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?
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?
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.
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