Best Tent Camping near Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland

This tent-only site is often overlooked because it does not really have any amenities.  It is super cheap though, and gives the vibe of a backcountry experience while still having tent sites a short walking distance from your car.  This is a perfect spot if you want to catch a stunning sunrise!

One of The nicest glamping trips I have had! the cabins were amazing and the tent sites looked great too. stay in the cabins on the hill above the lake! seriously! The past k even has a amphitheater and cabins with workshops for kids. Fishing at the lake too!

There aren't a ton of free camping options near Redmond. This is a great option. Only 2-3 spots for vans/small RVs. The other spots are clearly for tent camping. Would definitely recommend for a few days. I will say the vault toilets are disgusting- so plan accordingly. The hike is a great combination of short and pretty :-)

GPS: 44.410140, -121.293505

Nice campground shaded by tall ponderosa pines. We stayed at a drive in non electric site. Tents are close to our neighbors. Ground cover is pine needles and dirt. Has decent WiFi and cell coverage. Showers are cleaned daily by to our surprise they are quarter operated. I missed this info in all publications. Very nice creek runs along one side of campground with walk up tent camping along the banks. Wildfire smoke was minimal while are were here.

Nice campground with yurts, trails, an amphitheater, playground, and a nice, clean bathroom. It has outdoor sinks by the bathroom for doing dishes and plenty of tent sites. The day use area across the street has a nice little creek also! Sites aren’t very private but they’re nice and flat. Ada camping was all paved

Cute small campground on a little hill overlooking a lake.  Tent sites by the lake's edge. 
Very Clean bathrooms with code for campers. Pits for public areas. 
Since there are no RV services be prepared to hear some generators running occasionally.  Quiet hours 10PM-7AM.  Water is available but may not be close enough for a hose to your RV.  Most sites have good Starlink view of skies.

The tent site area wasn't where we stayed but there are 3 cabins just above the boat docks that have the most beautiful view to wake up to in the morning. The cabins shared a fire pit between the 3 cabins and the cabins were close together but far enough apart for privacy. Tbey each had their own private bathrooms also so no walking in the dark to the bathrooms at midnight

Great campground with boat access and cabins. They have the best fishing dock and cleaning station that I have yet to see. We had great luck catching many crappie here which made great fish tacos for our Camp dinner. Not all cabins and tent sites are open year round. The rangers were great and very helpful. Make sure to look at a map before headed out because Gps will take you on a dirt road adventure to your campsite.

I’ve never stayed at a KOA before but it was close to the rock ranch we were going to so it was really convenient. The tent sites are close to one another but every one was cool and respectful and friendly.

The picture is a glo-lite parade they had for the littles Saturday night- very cute.

Nice pool, little store in the office, clean bathrooms- I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again although I prefer more rustic, private and treed sites.

Smith is awesome for climbing, hiking, slacklining, and generally enjoying being outside. The bivy site has real bathrooms with running water, charging stations, showers, and a sink for dishes. Communal cooking area near the parking and scattered tent sites make for a great way to meet other campers but less ideal for large groups hoping to stick together. Smith has gotten way more popular over the last few years, so the campsites and parking often max out on weekends, holidays, and great weather days.

Me and my girlfriend rolled into this free public campsite around 10pm and easily found a spot to set up camp. It seemed pretty good and safe as there were multiple other people RV/Tent camping. But at about 1:30am in the morning someone near us starting screaming at a person to get away from his campsite and was clearly in a great deal of panic. We decided during that incident to pack up and leave in the middle of the night because we felt unsafe and was worried someone might lurk into our campsite like what happened to the other fella. Be cautious because it is public and unguarded.

There are two campgrounds here: Crooked River Campground (E Loop mid-February through mid-December.) 91 electrical sites with water Flush toilets/showers and Deschutes River Campground (A, B, C Loops - mid-May through mid-September) A and C Loop: 87 full hookup sites B Loop: 93 tent sites with water nearby Flush toilets/showers

There are 3 places to launch a boat - Lower Deschutes, Upper Deschutes and Crooked River The Marina also rents boat moorages, boats, water toys, and Houseboats. The marina also includes a café and store that sells fuel and a few small items.