Searching for a tent campsite near Malheur National Forest? The Dyrt is an easy way to find tent camping spots near Malheur National Forest. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Malheur National Forest, Oregon's most popular destinations.
Strawberry Campground is located at the edge of the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness. Set amongst ponderosa pine in a beautifully wooded area, the campground is an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to hike, hunt, fish or simply relax. Strawberry Basin Trailhead is located at the campground. Strawberry Basin Trail #375 connects to other trails in the wilderness allowing for day hiking or backpacking trips.
Trout Farm Campground offers opportunities for picnicking, pond/stream fishing, and hunting. This nice little campground is ideal for families, or the fishing enthusiast. This campground offers a nice pond for fishing with an barrier free path along the pond as well as a barrier free pier. Trout Farm Campground also has a newly renovated covered picnick shelter and running water. A great place to visit near the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness.
Near the North Fork Malheur Wild and Scenic River, the campground provides opportunities for hunting and stream fishing. This small rustic campground is popular durning hunting seasons. A great area to camp that is easy to reach during the summer months allowing for a great get away for those looking for a more secluded space. 5 sites available.
This small campground along the Scenic Middle Fork of the John Day River set back amongst beautiful ponderosa pine trees is a great spot for fishing and viewing spawning steelhead in the fall. The campground is a good starting point for hunters, hikers and those wishing to see beautiful scenery, wildlife and wildflowers. The campground sets just off of the county road allowing for easy access to all variety of vehicles and bicycles.
Adjacent to Murderer's Creek, this little campground is a great base camp for hunters. The campground is a nice area for those wishing to horse camp, a buck and pole corral is located adjacent to the campground. Visitors to the campground can enjoy bird watching, hunting and fishing in near by creeks. Hikers have options in the Cedar Grove Botanical area and Fields Peak trail. Visitors may get the opportunity to see one of the beautiful wild horses that reside in the area.
Located near the old Canyon Meadows Reservoir, opportunities at this site include hiking, hunting, this rustic campground sets at the edge of the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness . The reservoir no longer holds water. The campground has wood picnic tables and older fire rings.
On Crescent Creek, this site offers opportunities for fishing and picnicking. The campground is rustic, with older facilities. The campground is a great base for those wishing to visit the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, hike, hunt or just explore. Wildlife viewing is excellent at Crescent campground from small creatures such as chipmunks and squirrels to larger animals such as deer coming to the creek to drink. Many varieties of birds are seen in the area as well as beautiful wildflowers during late spring and early summer.
This Oregon State Sno-Park is the hub of the hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails and access to ungroomed areas on the Forest. There is a cozy warming hut with fireplace and a restroom as well as a large, plowed parking area suitable for vehicles with trailers. It is maintained in partnership with Grant County Snoballers and Grant County. Please show your appreciation for their efforts by respecting the property and helping to keep it in good condition.
Guide
Campground is very well maintained. Excellent tent sites and bathrooms.
Ranger
This really is an RV spot. Yes, you can tent camp here but it's expensive ($24 for Oregon residents, $34 for out of staters) and it's right next to the road. It's loud. Really loud. Wake you up when you're sleeping loud.
That said, it does have all amenities: good Verizon service, firewood for sale, hot showers, tables, fire pits with grills, etc. And it's close to town. So for that it could be the right fit for people needing all that.
For me, I'd skip it, especially if you're in a tent.
Guide
Strolled in on a Thursday eve and got a tent site w/o issue. Amenities as listed are accurate: flush toilets, drinking water, no showers. Water level in reservoir was very low (early-Sept.) We had no mosquitos - mega bonus.
GuideWe were surprised how quiet this state park was during our visit. Very clean and beautiful green grass through campground. Enjoyed the river trail along the John Day river. Perfect to cool off in during the hot summer months. Mosquitoes definitely come out at night and we were tent camping. A little highway noise at night but not bad.
Legend
Free camping in sno park parking lot in Malheur National Forest between May and October. Huge parking lot, accessible for any giant RV. Lot is flat enough, not totally flat but good enough for the night.
There’s an accessible pit toilet here but it was locked when we stayed here in July.
We had the whole lot to ourselves for the night. Very peaceful and quiet, very minimal traffic and road noise. Nice forest roads to walk along. Lots of green grass and trees when we came in July.
No amenities here at all, please pack out your waste and keep it clean. Zero cell reception here in this entire area with Verizon or ATT but the lot is in a big clearing with no trees around so I’m guessing starlink would work well here.
GuideBetween the John Day River and the highway outside of John Day, this campground is beautifully maintained. The lawns are green, the bathrooms spotless. There are full hookup rv/trailer sites, tent sites, and hiker/biker sites. The restrooms include free individual shower rooms. There is some traffic noise but it isn't too bad. This is a first-come campground so no reservations are available. Get there early during the summer months.
GuideLoved the campground. Little spendy @ 22 a night & 10 a night for extra vehicle, but the bathrooms were super clean and not fly infested for vault toilets. Lots of sites are creekside, ours was one. Tons of exploring opportunities. Sites vary in size from single small tent sites to large/ group size sites. Upper Rogue River Trail is right by the campground. Short walk to Union Creek store, cafe, and ice cream shop.
Legend
This campground is located off highway 395 in the Malheur National Forest. We camped in space 11 near the entrance after driving the loop almost back to the beginning near the single rustic vault toilet. We stayed there in late October and paid $5, ½ of the $10 camping fee. The water was shut off but the toilet was open and clean with tp. We were the only ones who stayed there that night. Several people came in during the night to use the toilets as there is another one further back, the first as you drive in.
The sites aren’t spaced too close together and the large pines create shade. Since we were there in October, we didn’t need the shade. We couldn’t hear the highway traffic as 395 isn’t that busy but during logging operations, yes, the log trucks can be heard. There is also a large timber day use structure. There are mountain bike trails nearby. If you need supplies, Burns Safeway is a good store for a small town.
GuideOur truck broke down just outside of Burns and we ended up having our travel trailer towed to this RV park, as it was the only place we could stay for the week while waiting to get our truck repaired. We had a full hookup spot, which was super nice, but the spot itself was pretty small. This is typical of many RV parks I have been too - good amenities but small spot.
There were some other spots in the park that were slightly larger and had picnic tables, but ours did not. We had only a tiny plastic table with 2 chairs, but we were so close to the RV next to us that we were basically either looking in their window or we would have to be right next to the "road'. Not ideal so we didn't spend much time outside.
There was room here for all sizes of campers - from tents (I saw I guy on a bicycle who tent camped for the night) to giant motorhomes with cars towed behind. The park hosts were all extremely nice and helpful, given our circumstances. They also gave us a military discount since my husband is a veteran.
Restrooms and showers were fairly small (only 2 toilets and 2 showers in each bathroom) but I think most folks used the facilities in their RVs. The shop/office sells propane and ice, so we were able to restock on both (plus they have wine and ice cream if you need a little splurge).
The park is right off of the highway so you may get some truck/traffic noise but it didn't seem to bother us city folks too much. :)
Wifi was fairly decent and you can get some local channels in the TV, if those things are important to you.
Dog and kid friendly, but there is really not much for either to do here.
Overall, this suited our purpose, in that we had a nice safe place to stay while our truck was repaired, but I'm not sure I would stay here just for kicks. Close to the Malheur Wildlife Refuge and a great stopover if you need a night to rest while driving through the high desert of Oregon.
LegendIn general, Oregon State Parks are great. This is another nice one with plenty of tent and RV sites available. Bathrooms and showers on-site. The park sits nestled in a picturesque treed area, near the Painted Hills. Great location if you are wanting to get to the Painted Hills area of central Oregon.
Ranger
Touring through Oregon with my buddy on motorcycles, we had finished a great day of riding. Wanting to use his Oregon State Park benefits, we pulled into this spot. Although rather full, we found a great spot at the end of the ‘second loop’. Flat grass & plenty of room to pitch our tents far apart (he snores), gave me a great night’s sleep. Stunning sunset & lake views were gorgeous. Restroom & showers were clean!!
Guide
a couple tent spots. sub-par for tents, not scenic. but clean, bathrooms, fresh water. rv hook ups, some nice shade and a play area for kids. in the town of prairie city, with good coffee
TravelerNeeded a place to pitch a tent for the night and stopped here. The park is fairly large and has a lot of shade trees around it. Unfortunately, I guess the tent area they normally use was closed and I was directed to pitch my tent behind the front office. It was a small shaded grassy area. For $20, it worked. The only real complaint I would have was the bathroom area could have used some cleaning, both inside and out, washing and cleaning of showers, sinks, shelves, sweeping up of dirt and leaves around the building.
TravelerWe hadn’t planned to stop here but with the day quickly disappearing on us we pulled in to the Clyde Holliday SP campground and had a very good night. Beautifully maintained grounds with nicely spaced sites. Easy to pull in and set up the tent. Mostly RVs but a handful on tent campers too. Clean, and free, showers which we really needed. It is right on Hwy 26 so the traffic noise is an issue, but otherwise a quality spot.
Guide
We chose Dixie because it was a little closer to civilization than Yellow Pine, Wetmore & Oregon campgrounds further east on Hwy 26. There is no host, it’s at a higher elevation and it is a little off the highway. The loop is kind of on two levels so some spaces are well spaced out. Vault toilets distributed around the loop. The one we used was clean and supplied. There were only 2-3 other sites occupied and no one near us when we stayed. No reservations. We chose a site that sat a bit downhill from where our car was parked but was a really lovely spot. We didn’t mind hauling our stuff down. The wind picked up the first afternoon we were there and we actually saw a tree fall in the distance which was a little disconcerting. Just be aware of where you place your tent and the trees around you. Absolutely beautiful area with wild strawberries and blueberries and salmon berries, currants and more. Loved the peace and tranquillity of this campground but close enough to Prairie City which is where we got firewood (from Mountain View mini mart, no wood at Huffman’s Market & no wood at Austin House market at the top of the pass). We visited the little Sumpter Railroad interpretive site and Bates State Park both great for walking around with kids. Would definitely come back and do more hiking in the Blue Mountains.
TravelerRight by the freeway but super nice park. Showers, fhu, cable, wifi is really slow, tee pee, tent and RV Park.
Scout
One vault toilet, nice padded tent spots, access to water, $5 a night. Nice little paved hike that is wheelchair accessible and let's you see some nice big trees. Very quiet on a Friday night in June.
ScoutEnjoyed a last sunny weekend home at this campground. I am a tent camper and enjoyed the weekend. Quite and clean. Alot of spaces for larger groups and elbow room between most spaces.
Traveler
This campground has 8 sites all but the first site have easy creek access, sites are large and can fit a few tents! 7 has a direct path to the restroom.
LegendThis is basically a little RV park adjacent to a museum and playground. Points for character. It’s off the main drag and there are not a lot of choices in the area. Big lawn is well watered. However, I can’t get behind the prices. $14 just to pitch a tent is steep. Bathrooms are filthy, shower (behind a ragged shower curtain) is not worth paying for.
Guide
The 6-mile gravel road, while mostly level was not ideal. But plenty of spots, pit toilets and water spigots. The creek is pretty high and the current very strong and the spots next to it fairly small I didn’t even want to attempt to set up my tent down there.
Guide
Beautiful and peaceful stay. We were able to snag a first come first serve campsite just before the 4th. Cons: Most sites are simple turnouts, more suitable for tents. No ATV use so our mobility was limited. There are a few sites to back a camper off the road. Pro: nice boat dock and access for swimming.
LegendMay 17-26, 2019 Very nice campground. Site C6 walk-up site had electric and water. Park has dump station, Restrooms had flush toilets but no hot water and no showers. Elevation 4,097. Verizon had 2 bars 4G. Address: 17564 Sumpter Stage Highway, Baker City Oregon 97814. Hike 16 mile trail around the lake. Legally sale cannibus in Sumpter - 10 miles from the park. Enjoyed D&J Taco Shop restaurant downtown. No sales tax in Oregon.
Guidethis is probably the nicest state park that we have ever camped in. we will definitely be coming back. it has large rv/tent spaces with grass and trees everywhere. next to a small stream with biking and nature hiking all around. the showers are huge, everything is clean and tidy and the hosts were very friendly
be aware that this park is first come, first served. we were in september but i would expect that it fills up early in the summer.
GuideNote this is NOT the southern Oregon campground near the Rogue, this is on Phillips Reservoir lake in eastern Oregon. Nice campground, some sites with hookups. Sites are nicely spaced and private enough, and the basic facilities are clean. Nice atmosphere. Minimal cell service on Verizon. I'm giving 4 stars ONLY because with the current drought the reservoir itself was unusable, which was the main attraction for us picking it in the first place, but not a fault of the campground itself.
Legend
Philip's lake is a delightful small Lake in the hills near Baker City Oregon and Sumpter Oregon. Is generally great weather and beautiful surroundings make this day wonderful small campground to relax and enjoy nature. There are only 13 campsites.. Non reservable. It is operated by the Anthony Lakes the Anthony Lakes management company. Not maintained in the winter but open and free. 15 spots available in this campground. 3 bars of Verizon cell service.
TravelerThis camp is 6 miles off the highway along a path that is better described as a loose pile of stones than a dirtroad. The camp itself is not really set up for tents and needs some maintenance. It was buggy, but that might have been the time of year. Much more crowded than expected, entirely rvs and truck campers. The views were disappointing given that there are much more spectacular views only a few miles away. It was near the river though.
Tent camping near Malheur National Forest in Oregon offers a serene escape into nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure and tranquility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Malheur National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Malheur National Forest is Strawberry Campground with a 3.8-star rating from 6 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 33 tent camping locations near Malheur National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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