Best Campgrounds near O'Brien, OR

The O'Brien area in southwestern Oregon features several established campgrounds offering diverse accommodation options ranging from basic tent sites to full-service RV hookups and cabin rentals. Laughing Alpaca Campground and RV Park along Redwood Highway provides camping facilities within easy reach of the Illinois Valley. Lone Mountain RV Resort in O'Brien itself accommodates tents, RVs, cabins, and glamping setups with amenities including electric hookups, water connections, and shower facilities. Vertical Horizons Treehouse Paradise offers a unique lodging experience with cabin accommodations tucked into the forested landscape approximately 4 miles east of O'Brien.

Access to campgrounds varies seasonally, with many facilities operating year-round due to the region's relatively mild climate compared to higher-elevation areas of Oregon. Most established campgrounds maintain accessible roads suitable for standard vehicles, though some forest service sites may require high-clearance vehicles during wet weather. Many campgrounds in the area provide fire rings and picnic tables, though seasonal fire restrictions may apply during summer and fall months. Visitors should check current fire regulations before planning campfires. Cell service can be inconsistent throughout the Illinois Valley region. A visitor to nearby Grayback Campground noted, "Nice National Forest Campground. Can have camp fires within the metal fire pits even though there were two fires happening close by."

Campers frequently mention the region's proximity to natural attractions as a significant benefit. The Illinois River provides opportunities for fishing and swimming at several nearby recreation sites. Lake Selmac County Park, located approximately 12 miles north of O'Brien, receives positive reviews for its lakefront camping with both tent and RV sites available. The area serves as a convenient base for exploring nearby destinations including the Oregon Caves National Monument, the Redwood forests along the California border, and coastal access points. According to one visitor's experience at nearby Grayback Campground, it offers "a walking trail that crosses the creek about 1/2 mile" from the campground. Most established campgrounds provide basic amenities including drinking water and vault toilets, with several offering full hookup sites for RVs.

Best Camping Sites Near O'Brien, Oregon (267)

    1. Laughing Alpaca Campground + RV Park

    8 Reviews
    Cave Junction, OR
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 592-2656

    "Level with gravel drive and grass."

    "We will def be back when we are around the area."

    2. Harris Beach State Park Campground

    108 Reviews
    Brookings, OR
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 469-2021

    $24 - $67 / night

    "Just outside of Brookings,Oregon on Rt. 101, this well kept campground was a welcome two day layover during the rainy weather that’s typical of the PNW during mid-November."

    "This is one of the prettiest State Park campgrounds along Oregons Southern Coast! Just off Hwy 101 and less than a mile north of Brookings, OR."

    3. Cedar Bloom

    7 Reviews
    Cave Junction, OR
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (808) 346-3253

    $60 - $95 / night

    "The children running around were so happy here - it feels like a safe place to be, tucked away in a private area of Cave Junction."

    "Experience the great outdoors in style with a the amenities in short distance"

    4. Jedidiah Smith Campground — Redwood National Park

    56 Reviews
    Hiouchi, CA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 444-7275

    "One of the best parts of this campground is its proximity to the Smith River, which is gorgeous. There are scenic trails that connect to the campground as well as several near by."

    "The campground is beautifully situated among the majestic redwoods, and the flora and fauna that so brilliantly thrive under their canopy."

    5. Panther Flat Campground

    19 Reviews
    Gasquet, CA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (707) 457-3131

    $15 - $30 / night

    "Very quiet (it's a little remote) but pretty accessible to California Redwoods. I would recommend it for a place to stop in between the Oregon and California coastline."

    "Close to the Redwood Forest 🌳 we stopped here for a night 🌃on our road trip through California. The sites were nicely sized, though the showers are coin 👛operated."

    6. Grayback Campground

    8 Reviews
    Cave Junction, OR
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 618-2200

    "Can have camp fires within the metal fire pits (even though your between two fires happen close by). Grounds of hwy 46 that head to the Oregon Caves National Monument between mile post 11 and 12."

    "We stayed in site 37 next to the River. You will not be disappointed here. Drive 12 miles up on Hwy 46 from Cave Junction to the Oregon Caves."

    7. Lake Selmac County Park

    9 Reviews
    Selma, OR
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 474-5285

    $20 - $35 / night

    "We were down in Southern Oregon for the Caves. We stayed in the Heron loop which was the smallest and most primitive, It was wonderful and we had the whole south of the lake to ourselves."

    "we love coming to lake selmac to use the yurts for winter camping. theyre heated and cozy. weve probably camped here a half dozen times or so over the past couple years, including standard tent sites."

    8. Lone Mountain RV Resort

    2 Reviews
    O'Brien, OR
    0 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 596-2878

    10. Vertical Horizons Treehouse Paradise

    1 Review
    Cave Junction, OR
    6 miles
    Website

    $180 - $380 / night

    "This location is a labor of love and such a unique experience! This area offers ponds, catch & release fish. Come and book your stay and leave them some love here!"

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Recent Reviews near O'Brien, OR

1015 Reviews of 267 O'Brien Campgrounds


  • Imerie T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 10, 2025

    Panther Flat Campground

    Wonderful campground

    It was such a beautiful campground. Not loud at all. It stayed dark at night because of the trees which we love. And the weather was amazing. Will def stay here again

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 9, 2025

    Redwood Meadows RV Resort

    Right next to the Redwoods

    Nice staff, full hook ups, the sites were reasonable. All the tiny houses are cool to see. The location is great, just minutes away from the national park

  • H
    Oct. 8, 2025

    Ruby VanDeventer County Park

    Great Spot

    Great little spot right by the river. The woods do get dark much quicker than the spots on the edge of the river (45min ish) so just be aware.

  • S
    Oct. 7, 2025

    Harris Beach State Park Campground

    Nice and clean campgrond, a bit noisy from 101

    Nice and very beautiful campground, close to the beach. The only downside is that you do get a bit of noise from the 101 highway nearby.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 6, 2025

    Florence Keller Campground

    Nice, minimalistic campground

    Campground is beautifully carved out in a redwood forest. There are lots of spots nestled in the forest, and pullout spots to accommodate large RVs.

    The upsides: spots are spacious and private, there is one bathroom (and several supplemental porta-potties), potable water spigots, and it’s only $20/night.

    The downsides: lots of road noise from the adjacent highway, zero electricity (the outlet in the bathroom doesn’t work), and there’s no hot water.

  • Mo The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 6, 2025

    Clifford Kamph County Park

    Easy spot to catch some zzzzz

    Stayed here the whole night no issues, you can hear the cars driving by at night but no issue for me, bathroom is fairly clean

  • Imerie T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 3, 2025

    Little Falls Campground

    Tiny but cute

    This campground is a paid campground, 10.00 a night without National park access pass. There is only 4 spots here Two you have to park in. Overflow and walk to your site. One is a small back in, camper van, suV, truck. The other is a double site, good for small 10ft less RV. We have a 5x8ft CcT so we fit amazingly in the double site. It’s quiet and clean. So close to Grants Pass and to Cave Junction. There is also tent only campground across the river.

  • Imerie T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 2, 2025

    Forest Road 25

    Pretty

    We stayed up the road from this spot but I wanted to leave a review so there is a spot here could fit a 25ft rv. I would definitely park my CCT & Jeep here. Beautiful view The road down past it would be amazing for Jeep/truck/suv tent camping. This area is so peaceful


Guide to O'Brien

The O'Brien area sits in the Illinois Valley of southwestern Oregon at approximately 1,300 feet elevation. Campers find relatively mild temperatures compared to higher mountain regions, with summer highs typically reaching the 80s-90s F and winter lows rarely dropping below freezing for extended periods. The area serves as a convenient base for exploring both the Oregon Caves National Monument to the east and the redwood forests along the California border to the south.

What to do

River access for swimming: Lake Selmac County Park offers shoreline swimming opportunities about 12 miles north of O'Brien. According to one visitor, it's "a popular place for locals in the summer and popular for birthday parties and events. Lake is large and fishing, canoeing are some fun things to do here." Camping spots include lakefront options with views across the water.

Smith River exploration: Panther Flat Campground in nearby California provides access to the Smith River, which one camper describes as "amazing land CLEAN. Please respect it and keep it that way." Another visitor notes that "Smith River is amazing land CLEAN. Please respect it and keep it that way. Sunscreens contaminate the rivers."

Visit Redwoods National Park: Just 45 miles southwest of O'Brien, Jedidiah Smith Campground offers camping among ancient redwoods. As one camper notes, "This is a surreal place. Stayed 2 nights. Tent camping spots were great everything was nicely maintained... To stand amongst this beautiful trees it is very breathtaking."

What campers like

Riverside sites: Several camping spots near O'Brien provide water access. At Laughing Alpaca Campground, one visitor mentioned, "Our spot on the river was cool. We saw river otters!" Another camper at the same location noted that "our site had a view of the water. Sites are close but in grass, not concrete. Lots of trees and shade."

Amenities: Cedar Bloom campground provides unexpected comforts in a rustic setting. According to one camper: "The communal kitchen was perfect for prepping breakfast, lunch, and dinner - and the staff was sanitizing all the commonly touched areas." Another visitor mentioned, "You can start your morning with a shower over looking the river or enjoy the zen sauna."

Privacy between sites: Grayback Campground provides secluded campsites despite being only 12 miles from Cave Junction. A visitor noted, "We stayed in site 37 next to the River. You will not be disappointed here." Another camper mentioned, "Most campsites were shaded majority of the day," providing natural separation and comfort.

What you should know

Seasonal considerations: Many campgrounds in the O'Brien area remain open year-round due to the region's mild climate. At Lake Selmac, one camper mentioned, "We love coming to lake selmac to use the yurts for winter camping. They're heated and cozy." However, summer brings higher visitation and some facilities like Grayback Campground operate only from May to September.

Cell service limitations: Connectivity is spotty throughout the Illinois Valley. A visitor to Town and Country RV Park noted, "WiFi works but a bit spotty at times." At Panther Flat Campground, visitors mentioned "only extended cell service which doesn't work well," advising campers to prepare for limited communication options.

Weather variability: Summer temperatures can reach into the 90s F, making water access important. One visitor to Panther Flat campground warned that "it can get HOT in the Summer." During spring and fall, temperatures fluctuate significantly between day and night, requiring campers to pack layers.

Tips for camping with families

Water activities: The Illinois River provides cooling recreation during summer months. At Town and Country RV Park, one family reported, "Our kids enjoyed the river and used the park's kayaks and paddle boards (for free!)." Another family mentioned, "I love the customer service! They greeted us right when we arrived... they let us use their paddle board."

Kid-friendly hiking: Grayback Campground offers accessible trails suitable for younger hikers. As one visitor described, it has "a small hiking trail that is kid and wheelchair friendly." Another visitor mentioned the campground provides "a walking trail that crosses the creek about 1/2 mile" from the campsite.

Off-season family options: For winter family camping, Lake Selmac provides heated accommodations: "We love coming to lake selmac to use the yurts for winter camping. They're heated and cozy. The kids enjoy the fishing and I love the view across the lake."

Tips from RVers

Site sizes and access: Lone Mountain RV Resort in O'Brien accommodates various RV sizes with level sites. The campground offers "clean pay showers" according to one RVer, though visitors should "bring quarters" for shower use. Full hookup sites are available for extended stays.

River view sites: RVers at Town and Country RV Park appreciate the riverside locations. One visitor mentioned, "Great host, they upgraded us to a river front space. Trees and shade on most spaces. Full hook ups and Wifi. Level with gravel drive and grass." Another noted that "some sites back up to the Illinois River with a filtered view through the trees."

Road access considerations: When traveling to camping spots near O'Brien, Oregon, RVers should note that some access roads may require high-clearance vehicles during wet weather. While many established campgrounds maintain paved roads, forest service sites often have gravel or dirt access roads that can become rutted after rain.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near O'Brien, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, O'Brien, OR offers a wide range of camping options, with 267 campgrounds and RV parks near O'Brien, OR and 26 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near O'Brien, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near O'Brien, OR is Laughing Alpaca Campground + RV Park with a 4.6-star rating from 8 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near O'Brien, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 26 free dispersed camping spots near O'Brien, OR.

What parks are near O'Brien, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 16 parks near O'Brien, OR that allow camping, notably Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Redwood National Park.