Searching for a tent campsite near Pilot Rock? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Pilot Rock with tent camping. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
Dispersed camping is a popular camping method for many visitors to the Forest. Choosing to camp along a stream or adjacent to a meadow where there are no picnic tables, toilets or firerings allows campers to enjoy a more primitive experience.
It is recommend that dispersed campers keep to traditional campsites off of established 'two-track' vehicles routes which have been used in the past. Most of these routes are less than 300 feet from a designated open road.
There are some areas on the Forest that are closed to dispersed camping. These include administrative site, special use permit area, or sensitive areas for archeology or wildlife.
Please remove all temporary structures before you leave such as meat poles, toilets, furniture, and ditches around your tents. To find out more about minimum impact camping please visit our outdoor ethics section. Some general rules of use and restrictions also apply to visitor using dispersed camping sites. These include regulations like forest-wide camping stay limits; use of camp fires, firearms, and fireworks; and controlling pets.
You can't camp many places in Oregon that the general public is not allowed. You can here. Behind a locked gate, no public access. A permanent pit toilet is onsite. Pricing includes one camping unit (tent you supply)
$29 / night
The Blue Mountain North/Grande Ronde River Basin Area is situated north of the Anthony Lakes Highway (Forest Road 73) to the Mount Emily area. It includes all of the developed recreation sites and trails in the northern Blue Mountains and those found in the Grande Ronde River Basin west of La Grande, Oregon. This area is mainly administered by the La Grande Ranger District although some of the area north of the Anthony Lakes Highway is administered by the Whitman Ranger District. Popular recreation areas include the Oregon Trail Interpretive Park at Blue Mountain Crossing, Mt. Emily, Spring Creek Recreation Area, Ladd Canyon, and Beaver Creek. Local communities that have a variety of services (i.e. fuel, lodging, stores and/or restaurants) are LaGrande, Island City, Elgin, Imbler, Cove, Richland, and Baker City . These communities are within one hour of this area.
The Umapine Campground is located west of Vey Meadows between Squaw and Umapine Creeks in a ponderosa pine forest. It offers 3 group sites (including one pull through site) and 5 single sites. The rustic campground is a central staging area for the Winom-Frazier OHV trail areawhich gives off-road riders access to more than 140 miles of challenging trails.
This is a peaceful campground set in an open Ponderosa pine stand along the Wild and Scenic North Fork John Day River. Gold Dredge features 7 campsties and 1 accessible vault toilet. There is no potable water or garbage service, so please pack your garbage home. Attractions in this area include photography, swimming, non-motorized boating, and fishing. Water levels are low in mid to late summer, which can impede use of boats. The campground provides good access for big game hunting. In addition, the Oriental Trailhead is about 6 miles west, providing access to both OHV and wilderness trails.
Fall asleep to the sound of crickets and frogs chirping and croaking and wake up to Blue Gill and Rainbow Trout jumping at the bit. This campground is set on the shore of Penland Lake, which also abuts private land and land owned by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). Penland is popular on summer weekends and offers access to fishing, boating, and swimming opportunities. There are seven campsites and two vault toilets on the National Forest portion of the campground, with more campsites located on the adjacent ODFW property. There is also a boat ramp, fishing dock, and benches located on the dam. Picnic tables are available for Day Use on the lakefront as well. There is no potable water or garbage service; please pack out all garbage and dispose of it at home.
Camping is now 'group camping' only, and requires a permit
Big Creek Campground is small and increasingly popular with OHV recreationists, located just off the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway. It also provides access into the North Fork John Day Wilderness and there is ample parking for truck and stock trailers at the trailhead. It is set in a riparian area, so surrounding areas can be quite wet well into June. It features 3 campsites and an accessible vault toilet. There is no potable water or garbage service, so please pack out all garbage and dispose of it at home. Trail access: This campground contains a trailhead into the North Fork John Day Wilderness that accesses Big Creek Trail #3151 to the south. There is nearby access to Tower Mountain Trail #3156 to the north of Forest Road 52 that also accesses the North Fork John Day Wilderness where Wilderness regulations apply. There are three OHV trails that connect into the campground: Tower Loop Trail #3040, Meadow Creek Trail #3193, and Christensen Trail #3185. Attractions at this campground are wilderness hiking, hunting, fishing, and OHV trail access. If you like to drive, you can pick up the Ukiah-Granite Roadside Geology tour brochure at the Ranger District and take a day trip to Granite. Huckleberries abound nearby in mid August.
No facilities are provided nor is this area maintained. It is truly for the camper wanting to rough it. Check with La Grande Ranger District office for more ponds to fish in the Blue Mountains.
This fairly secluded campground is near the end of Forest Road 5506 along the Wild and Scenic North Fork John Day River. It features 8 campsites and 2 accessible toilets. There is no potable water or garbage service, so please pack your garbage home. Large vehicles, trailers, and low clearance vehicles are not recommended due to poor access road and limited turnaround capability. This campground offers fishing, swimming, non-motorized boating, hiking, OHV riding, horseback riding, sight-seeing, and photography. Water levels are low in mid to late summer, which can impede use of boats. The campground also provides good access for big game hunting. Near Oriental Creek is the start of the River Trail #3043 , an OHV trail accessing the southern end of 100 miles of trail. Three miles down the closed portion of Road 5506 is entry to the North Fork John Day Wilderness with access to the North Fork John Day River Trail #3022 , Big Creek Trail #3151 and Corral Creek Trail #3009.
Traveler
We tent camped here for 2 nights with 2 kiddos and it was a great experience. Come prepared to deal with mosquitoes - they are very prevalent. Staff were all great and very helpful. Hot springs are amazing and were the perfect temperature.
The tent sites are next to the canal so you hear lots of birds and frogs.
The bathrooms have recently been updated and were very nice.
Guide
We stayed here in a tent site (no hookups) on our way back to Portland from Nevada. As an overnight cut-off campground, it’s lovely: Nice-sized sites set in beautiful Oregon forest (we’d been out of state for a couple weeks and REALLY appreciated the trees); clean bathrooms and showers; long “tent” sites that allowed us to back in our 18ft trailer without uncoupling for the night.
However, it’s right on the interstate. While you kind of tune it out after a while, the road noise is constant and definitely interferes with any sense of “wilderness”.
Traveler
Easy to pull into tent camping spots. Recommend if traveling and need an easy sleep spot.
TravelerVery nice facility. We stayed in a tent, the tent sites are away from the RVs. Nice setting across a creek and in the trees. Beautiful starry sky at night, and we woke up to an impressive amount of birds singing. Take bug spray!! Mosquitoes were awful in the evening before we got spray on.
The bathrooms and showers are clean and nice. They have a pool and soaking tubs from the natural hot springs (unfortunately we didn't get time to check these out thoroughly, they look nice though!) Bit of a walk to the restroom from the tent sites, but there is a portapotty closer if you prefer.
TravelerPretty place to camp. Tent sites were relatively close together, but all along a small river that you can fish. Great stop.
GuideMainly for rv's but they do have yurts available and nice tents spots. Very clean bathroom and shower, nice place all around. The tent sites are away from the rv's so the view is spectacular.
ScoutThis place is beautiful! Mountain views in the distance, quiet safe camp sites, great amenities (washer, dryer, sink to wash dishes, clean new bathrooms and showers and soaking pool). We tent camped with our two young kids. Would definitely be back!!
GuideThis is where we start our camping season...on Mother's Day weekend! This is a small campground. Has a vault toilet but no potable water so bring your own. Each site does have a fire ring. Site 1 can hold about 2 RV's or 4 tents and possible 10 people. Site 2 is good for 1 RV or tent, Site 3 is closest to the river, tight fit for a RV but a small pull behind fits nice - could fit 2 tents. Site 4 and 5 is small. Site 6 can fit 4 to 5 tents or 1 RV/trailer. Taking a "Sunday drive" up and around is amazing! Great area if you have OHV's!
RangerWe spend a night there in July on our way to Boulder Colorado. The campground is quite nice and bathrooms were clean and providing all needed functionality. Large and tall trees provided a very welcome shade during the heatwave we were going through. The only issue was that, we were tent camping and being close to the highway it was quite noisy.
RangerTent camping is away from the RVs at this site. Comfortable, clean grounds with included hot springs pool access, indoor store, and full bathroom facilities. We loved it so much that we stayed here two nights. Beware of ticks near the grass area. Cool off with ice cream and cold drinks at the store. Everyone was wonderful to work with and speak to.
RangerTerrible tent camping experience. This campground is TOO close to the highway and too noisy even with ear plugs or music. We could barely sleep nor have a conversation while sitting across each other for breakfast. I would advice to only stay here if you have an RV camper. The bathrooms were very clean, great trails and the interpretive center was very educational. No complaints there.
GuideThis place is great!!! They were so friendly! The tent sites are large and grassy with plenty of shade! You even get WiFi at them. They have a pool and hot tub that is heated by the hot springs! Fairly priced and fun! Bathrooms were nice and clean. There is a gravel road if you go in one way so take the next exit.
Guide
The campground is somewhat primitive. There are flushing toilets on the lower loop, vault toilets on the upper loop. no showers, but you can refresh in the lake. The nights get chilly, so be prepared with warm socks and a beenie, especially if you’re tent camping.
There are no power boats allowed on the lake, so it is raft, kayak paddle board friendly.
The path around the lake is an easy walk, just don’t expect to sit on a bench and enjoy the view of the lake, the trees have grown up.
Guide
I was very disappointed with this camp site. The one positive note is that there are a few campsites further away from the water so you're not so crowded. The campsites near the lake are tent sites with a parking area. Unfortunately, there were rvs parked in the parking area which took up most of the parking space. The tent sites were extremely close to each other and the water so I would image, come evening the mosquitoes would be awful! If you go further into the campsites area you will find a dirt road and a few more campsites near the water. Very tight and looks difficult to get an rv in, but there was a small one parked there. There was another site that looked like it had long term residence with trash and alcohol bottles spread out around their place. We found a nice place to wade our feet in the water and play fetch with the puppers. It smelled awful and wasn't really the ideal wading water but we made it work. Unfortunately, when we got out of the water we found leeches attached to our feet. So I would say this water isn't really meant for swimming and more for fishing and boating/floating. Then while we were cleaning our selves of the leeches, someone asked if they could have our spot since we were only day visiting. Made it awkward and felt like we had to leave.
Traveler
This site as a primary function: OHV camping.
Which makes sense as it sits at the heart of a designated OHV area, with hundreds of miles of trails connecting campgrounds to the north, east, and west.
Three large group sites are the main draw for most people, with plenty of room for RVs, trailers, and extra vehicles. 1 or 2 other spots are secluded enough for tent camping, but even then you won’t avoid the presence of roaring engines and mini tours around the park.
All in all, a wonderful site in the heart of the Umitilla Forest, but beware the motored groups if it’s not your cup of tea.
ScoutMy husband and I love this campground. It's close to the mountains without being too far away - about an hour and a half from us living in Tri-cities. There are showers and water spickets, room for horses, and great hiking trails. There is room for both tent and RV camping. We have only ever gone tent camping, and the size of the campgrounds for us has been great. There is room to set up hammocks and chairs.
The only unfortunate aspect about this campground is that it is somewhat close to the highway. After the first weekend we spent there, we got somewhat used to the sound - it can sometimes be soothing. It's also a good idea to bring something to provide added shade to either the tenting area or sitting area as it gets quite sunny in the morning.
ScoutA group of friends and I went and tent camped in spot 14 for a couple days and had a great time. The site was fairly trashed when we got there so we did some cleanup but besides that it’s surrounded by a beautiful forest and even on a 95 degree day the shade is perfect and the water was refreshing to swim in. I liked the spot we stayed in, it was spacious enough for 3 tents (10 person, 5 person, and 2 person tents) it was shaded and fairly spaced out from other spots. The lake was pretty busy and there were lots of people but it’s easy to find places on the water to have to yourself. There was also an awesome rope swing maybe half a mile from the camp site, super fun!
GuideVisiting in April on a Sunday to do day use has defined my idea of heavenly. The snow-covered peaks, the clean air, the sounds of the spring birds, and the silence are magical. The hot tubs are small, but it really doesn't matter if no one is there. They are pool noodle friendly when it's not high occupancy. The Verizon signal is strong. Day use is open until 5:00 p.m. and next door there's a lodge that has even more hot springs that I'm going to have to visit sometime. The setting is pretty incredible with views all around of lovely Eastern Oregon mountains and valley. Spring green is abundant and it is an enchanting time. Very cute tent campsites, as well as a variety of lodging. This place is wonderful.
Guide
We tent camped for the weekend in mid-July. The plan was to camp at Jubilee Lake, but it was full when we arrived Friday evening. Target Meadows is just a short drive from the lake, but there were plenty of sites available. The campground is heavily wooded with beautiful evergreens. Sites are private and well spaced. This is a rustic campground, so there is no water or power. Amenities include (very clean!) pit toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits with cooking grates. There is a lot of dry timber on the ground, so it is easy to collect your own firewood. There is easy access to hiking, including Burnt Cabin trailhead. Most campsites are trailer friendly, including a few with drive-through access. We really enjoyed the area and will be back again!
Ranger
This park accepts Good Sam discounts. There are a few full timers but are kept clean. The park is right on the edge of town. Nestled between a river and a horse farm he will hear a rooster everyday you will hear a donkey. There are wild turkey in the area but they're quite quiet. I paid just under $150 a week. Laundry machines work well there are two washers and two dryers buck and a quarter each. They have showers. They have a tent area for tent camping. There is usually no one on duty but they do have propane I just don't know how to use it or get it. There is a Wi-Fi password and the cell phone signal is not bad. I use T-Mobile. 5 minutes away from a decent grocery store. 30 minutes away from Miller's home improvement and Walmart. And did I mention full hookups.
Guide
Let's start with the positive folks. This site as an amazing parking area that is large enough for rvs and horse trailers to be able to turn around without any issues. There's a wooden pin to be able to keep horses safe and secure over night. Almost all campsites are shaded. There is a trail for either a long hike or a short one. With two littles, we did the short on which around trip was under 3 miles. It looks like if we would have kept going there is definitely an uphill climb to continue the treck, but I'm sure the few is gorgeous on top! Now is time for the negatives that really just makes this place not that great. The campsites are very close together. The ground isn't very level, so tent camping would be bumpy and on an incline. There's also little tree trunk scattered out through out the whole place so it is kinda dangerous for kids to ran around a play. Mosquitos can be murdereres so lots of bug spray! Last thing, it is rather close to the main highway so lots of noise from the traffic.
ScoutExcellent 1/2 point between home in Idaho and the Oregon Coast. Tent and full hook ups with helpful campground hosts.
Yes, you can hear the freeway from the campground - so it may not be recommended for tent campers.
Guide
Hilgard Junction is a small, Riverside day use area, travel rest-stop and campground at the junction of I-84 and Highway 244 on the Grande Ronde river at the base of Mt. Emily.
This park is near La Grande, Oregon so if you are not just resting on your trip, you can run into a cute little university town to explore the Eastern Oregon local life.
Crystal clear water runs this high in the Grande Ronde, making for fun swimming and water play. Make sure to bring your gold pan to this shallow river bed, as it has been historically found all along this river. The RV park has no connections so bring your generator and solar panels with you. This is self contained type of camp, that provides two bathrooms and firewood.
It is an ADA friendly area with paved rv spots and designated well kept tent spots. Keep in mind this park is directly off of the interstate so there are a lot of random travelers coming and going at all hours of the day and night. One minor bit of awkwardness is that there is a youth correctional facility less than a mile up the road. So your traveling children maybe curious and ask odd questions if they see it.
TravelerReally cute tucked away tent spots. AMAZING VIEWS. Best restrooms and showers we’ve ever seen. Actually left later than planned as we wanted to use the showers. Only hitch to this place is the restrooms are a bit far from the tent spots. Staff was very nice.
Guide
When you want the basics, this spot delivers. Bring water. Plenty of space for tents or RVs. Lots of shade and nearby to the Grande Ronde River.
Scout
We just needed a quick tent soot on a monday night on the way to moab. better than expected. bit muddy. some shells. but lots of space. drove in to about 45.35967, -118.30846
GuideJubilee lake is a beautiful densely forested mountain top man made lake in the Blue Mountains in Eastern Oregon. The lake water is semi murky in the muddy areas but clear and beautiful in the pebble beach areas. This body of water makes for a beautiful backdrop that glistens in the sun.
There are 53 designated campground spots with sporadic dispersed camping all over the road on the way in. The sites are non-reservable. The campground is semi primitive with some sites having basic water hookups, there are flushable and pit toilets both available.
The lake is chilly but swimmable from July - September. The camping spots are pretty spaced out and private. Some are very landscaped and fun to be in such as the dual level spots. Some spots are lake front, but most lake front is wild and picnic/day use.
This is a popular location for canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding. There is a 2.8 mile trail circling the lake with breathtaking views all along. A rope swing into the water awaits the daring, am easy 20+ ft arc with a variable drop.
2 weeks is the maximum stay, rvs and tents are both allowed inside, most spots can easily take a 32 ft trailer. Remember this is a very popular destination, so be on the look out for the spots on the way in, just in case it is full.
Tent camping near Pilot Rock, Oregon offers a chance to immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of the Umatilla National Forest, with various campgrounds catering to outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Pilot Rock, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Pilot Rock, OR is Wallowa-Whitman NF 21 - Dispersed with a 4.2-star rating from 6 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 22 tent camping locations near Pilot Rock, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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