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The Willamette National Forest surrounding Lowell, Oregon provides multiple campground options along the Fall Creek Reservoir and nearby waterways. Cascara Campground offers tent and RV sites with swimming access, while Fisherman's Point serves larger groups with more extensive facilities. Dolly Varden Campground provides a more remote experience with nearby hiking trails and waterfalls. The mix of public forest service campgrounds and private RV parks like Dexter Shores accommodates various camping styles, from basic tent sites to full-hookup options for recreational vehicles.
Many campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, typically from May through September, with limited winter access. A recent review noted, "Beautiful about 30 min away from groceries and stores. Came in late to this campground. No reservation needed." Road conditions vary by site, with some campgrounds accessible via paved roads while others require travel on gravel forest service roads. Visitors should prepare for limited cell service throughout the region. Several campgrounds, including Cascara, feature swimming areas and docks when reservoir water levels are sufficient, though reviews indicate water levels can fluctuate seasonally, impacting recreation opportunities.
Waterfront camping ranks highly among visitors to the Lowell area, with several reviewers specifically mentioning swimming holes and water access. One camper shared, "Nice campground and great swimming, but there is no drinking water and very little parking." Fall Creek sites remain particularly popular for cooling off during summer months, though campgrounds can fill quickly on weekends. Tent campers have noted that while sites may lack privacy, the natural setting compensates with scenic views. The area's relative proximity to Eugene (approximately 20-30 miles) makes it convenient for weekend trips while still providing a forest retreat atmosphere. Train and highway noise affects some campgrounds near transportation corridors, so location selection matters for those seeking quiet surroundings.
"The site we’ve always stayed at is huge, way far from any other sites, and has a neat little trail between the parking spot and camping spot."
"Avoid the spots right near the entrance as the highway sound is pretty loud. Spots 20-40 are near the river and you can either see/hear at most spots."
from $26 - $115 / night
Check Availability"Easy to find from I-5 and very close to Costco. Quiet location away from the road noise and has nice walking path along the McKenzie River."
"Tent sites shady and away from RV sites, with access to a path to walk down to (fast flowing) river (far enough walk not to be too concerning for children if they don’t stray out of sight)."
from $20 - $39 / night
Check Availability"Nice that Cascara is close to so much to explore. Found a place to dip into the water, to shoot, and exploring the forest roads was a fun afternoon in general."
"About 30 min away from groceries and stores. Came in late to this campround. No reservation needed. Lucky they had a couple of tent sites open. We ended up staying an extra day."
"I had an easy stopover here on the way to Eastern Oregon. I didn’t want to use my tanks, so I used their restrooms. They were warm, clean, and well-lit."
"We got a lakeside camp site which made it a simple walk down to the lake where we could swim and fish. The camp ground had a pretty big bathroom and separate shower room."
"We chose this location for a few reasons. We could see the lake from our site.
- We could leave our kayaks on the shore and just hop right in and paddle if we wanted.
- Our dog loves to swim, so having"
from $20 - $75 / night
Check Availability"We were lucky enough to rent a space at Deerwood for two months while we escaped the heat of Arizona and visiting our kids in Oregon."
"One star off for highway noise. Looks like many longer term campers here - flower pots, table cloths, decorations, mostly 5th wheelers."
"One of the standout features of this campground was its ideal location. Situated in a breathtaking natural setting, it provided easy access to various outdoor activities, including cliff jumping."
"Schwarz campground is located just past Cottage grove, right on the Row river. I hadn't realized, until I took a nice little walk, it's located just below Dorena reservoir."
from $24 - $150 / night
Check Availability"Perfect location and great amenities. Right next to river. Has showers, restrooms, pool, quite, WiFi, and even $1 self serve ice cream."
"We were able to maneuver our 5th wheel to position it around a large shade tree so we could get our slide and awning out plus have the utilities more centered on our rig."
from $48 - $54 / night
Check Availability"The proximity to the river can't be beat! However, it can be a bit crowded in the summer, and there is not a lot of privacy between sites."
"Some sites had access to the river but its a bit of a drop (7-30ft)."
from $40 / night
Check Availability"Trails to walk and see the waterfalls. Very easy to moderate trails that have been pretty kept up by forestry workers and the community."
from $18 / night
Check Availability
LegendI've been trying to get a good video of an eagle or osprey, with moderate success getting a decent one of either. Got close here... just wasn't fast enough. But they're here. Luv that there's disc golf. Wish I still played. okay for a country campground and the river is pretty inviting.
GuideReally lovely campground with helpful and kind hosts. Some sites are closer together than others, but lots of trees and greenery help make each site feel relatively private. Public river access is available and some sites have their own river access as well. A few first-come-first-served sites but reserve a site to be sure you can stay here!
Legend2nd stop on quartzville road dispersed was just as cool as the 1st. I just wish people would pack out their shit.
LegendAfter looking for a spot on a Saturday proved difficult, I landed one with an awesome swimming hole just yards away.
ScoutWe had the furthest site from the main office and their WIFI was still strong enough for both of us to work our remote jobs all day.
Bonus - large fenced in dog park
A lot of permanent RVs and some RV storage on the perimeter sites. The sites are VERY tight. But the staff was very accommodating with our last-minute reservation change.
It has everything we need - FHU, clean bathrooms and showers, trash, propane, & dump station.
Can't beat the price and proximity to Eugene.
TravelerCamp sites along this road for a couple miles open for use. Just over half of them were full this time early august. Entire dispersed strip was mostly clean, all with their own fire rings & plenty of room. Some pulled off away from the street but mostly all by a generally busy mountain road. People would fly by at all times of day & night. Entire strip is also on a cliff with direct access to river. I wasn’t too thrilled to be so close to the road, however the adventure I had exploring this unique river with all the cool climbs, water falls & wildlife.. it proved to be well worth the experience. Got great exercise and made amazing memories & even new friends!
ScoutIt's a great base for biking and hiking along the McKenzie River. We spent one night on 08/01/26 in a camper van. The shady campground is well-kept, mostly flat, and along the river. We stayed in a small pull-through site with a picnic table and fire pit with water and vault toilets nearby. Camp host sells wood. We walked ~200 yards to a small rocky eddy that was suitable for a dip in the refreshing river. Camp was quiet and dark at night. We didn't notice road noise. First day we did a fun 15-mile peddle out&back upriver. Drove 15 min. to hike the Tamolitch Falls/Blue Pool Trail the next day.
ScoutWe love bringing the RV here with the pups. We come at least monthly. The sites are nice, and some are quite private. It’s a short walk to a swimming beach, which isn’t too busy during the week days and is perfect for a pup swim (even with one reactive little guy)
GuideSome real high points, but some real low points too. We got there late on a Friday, in the dark. Some of the spots are tight and it wasn't fun backing the trailer into the spot in the dark. As we were trying to get set up, we had to deal with apocalyptic levels of bugs swarming any/every light source. We woke up to a beautiful site and view (on the water), and thankfully no bugs. However, the wind picked up in the early afternoon, and it was cold. Way colder than it should be in late July! We eventually escaped the wind by taking a drive. The wind was still blowing in the evening, but not quite as hard. Still cold. On the plus side, tons of bats come out of their roosts at dusk and it's really cool to watch them before it gets dark. The next was was a carbon copy. Finally, the vault toilets are kind of gross and horribly designed. I'm not sure if they're trying to emulate old-school outhouses, but the interior design is incredibly uncomfortable and awkward to use, and they were almost always a mess. And they smelled worse than most. Oh yeah, the toxic algae blooms in the lake weren't great either. In the end, it was nice to try a new campground, but I don't think we'd stay here again.
The Lowell area provides camping options within the Willamette National Forest at elevations ranging from 700-1,200 feet. Summer temperatures typically reach 75-90°F with overnight lows around 50-60°F. Fall Creek and its reservoir form the recreational centerpiece, with water levels that fluctuate significantly between early summer and fall.
Hiking to waterfalls: Several trails near Dolly Varden Campground offer access to falls within easy walking distance. "So relaxing and many swimming holes. Trails to walk and see the waterfalls. Very easy to moderate trails that have been pretty kept up by forestry workers and the community," notes Angelina S.
River activities: Fishing, swimming and floating are popular at Black Canyon Campground, which sits along the middle fork of the Willamette River. "The river is the real attraction here. When we were here in June it was low enough to wade and swim, and there were families hanging out in chairs along the gravel bars and floating in the river," reports Todd M.
Boat access: For those interested in lake recreation, Baker Bay Campgrounds & Marina offers boat rentals and launch facilities. "The concession stand is currently under construction however there is plenty of green space for picnics. There is a large play structure, horseshoes, and a sand volleyball pit," explains Jill T.
Riverside campsites: Spots along the water are consistently rated highest. At Black Canyon Campground, "Every site is gorgeous, lots of forest in between so you have privacy. All of the best spots along the river with a view are first come first serve," explains Kiri D.
Shaded settings: Dense tree cover provides relief during hot summer days. Schwarz Campground features "outer [sites with] a little more privacy and tons of shade from the oak and pine trees. There are many sites with riverfront views and a couple have private access," according to Tj B.
Group accommodations: Fisherman's Point Campground specializes in larger gatherings with spacious facilities. "This is a very big size camp it is reserve camp for group camping," notes Jessie S., while another camper mentions, "Fisherman's Point is a family favorite, and I'll always remember the great times we've had there."
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds fill quickly during summer weekends. For Cascara Campground, Tiv P. shares: "Beautiful. About 30 min away from groceries and stores. Came in late to this campground. No reservation needed. Lucky they had a couple of tent sites open. We ended up staying an extra day. About $21 for a night with a car. Extra vehicle extra $7."
Noise considerations: Train tracks and highways border several campgrounds. At Black Canyon, "The train tracks are literally across the river. Maybe 200 ft away. The train runs all day and sadly all night. If you fall asleep easily to the sound of a train horn and train cars along a track then you'll love it here," warns Ryan C.
Water level fluctuations: Reservoirs may have significantly reduced water levels late in the season. Rose B. notes about Cascara Campground: "This used to be one of my favorite spots, and it's still a great little campground, but you used to be able to jump off the dock right into the reservoir, and now the level is kept so low that much of the recreation is no longer accessible."
Swimming spots: Several campgrounds feature designated swimming areas with amenities for children. At Cascara Campground, "The camp sites were decent size and they have life jackets for little ones," shares Jessie S., while Michael notes it has "a dock/swimming area [that] can be kind of noisy and crowded."
Kid-friendly activities: Look for campgrounds with playground facilities. Baker Bay offers "a large play structure, horseshoes, and a sand volleyball pit. Great site for families with kids," according to reviewers.
Spacing between sites: Privacy varies significantly between campgrounds. Justin S. observed at Cascara: "Sites are decently taken care of, pretty basic setup. Not much privacy at all between spots, though there were a couple larger ones on the edge of the loop that were tucked in away from others."
Pull-through availability: Casey's Riverside RV resort offers some of the best RV accommodations in the area. MickandKarla W. shares: "The pull through was plenty long. We were able to maneuver our 5th wheel to position it around a large shade tree so we could get our slide and awning out plus have the utilities more centered on our rig."
Road conditions: Access varies significantly between campgrounds. One camper notes that "The campground roads can be tight if you have a big rig so be careful," while another mentions, "Road is narrow and winding, larger rigs have issues with staying on path."
Hookup options: Full hookups are limited in the area. Dexter Shores RV Park gets positive reviews for its facilities: "Clean. Long pull throughs. Quiet. Pride in ownership for sure," according to Butch S.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the campgrounds near Lowell, Oregon?
Lowell, Oregon offers several nearby camping options. Armitage Park & Campground is located near I-5 with nicely spaced sites featuring trees for privacy and shade, plus walking paths along the McKenzie River. For those seeking a more secluded experience, Black Canyon Campground in the Willamette National Forest offers spacious tent sites with river access. Other options include Dolly Varden Campground directly near Lowell and Fisherman's Point Group Campground in the Fall Creek State Recreation Area. The region provides access to various outdoor recreation opportunities within the Willamette National Forest.
Are there any free camping sites near Lowell?
Yes, there are affordable and free camping options near Lowell. Lund Park Forest Camp is a budget-friendly option located on Brice Creek Road past Dorena Lake, costing only $8 per night with walk-up availability. While it offers minimal amenities (just pit toilets), it's ideal for those seeking solitude. For true free camping, Quartzville Recreation Corridor offers dispersed camping opportunities along the roadside. The area features beautiful mountain landscapes and a large lake, though facilities are limited and the road can be narrow and winding.
Can you camp at Lake Lowell and what amenities are available?
There appears to be some confusion regarding Lake Lowell in Oregon. The reviews don't reference a Lake Lowell campground directly near Lowell, Oregon. However, nearby lake camping options include North Waldo Lake, which offers peaceful tent sites directly on the water with lake access and hiking trails. Another option is Edgewater RV Resort and Marina at Foster Lake near Sweet Home, featuring clean facilities and well-maintained RV spots. For specifics about camping at water bodies near Lowell, checking with the Willamette National Forest Service is recommended as regulations may change seasonally.
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