Best Tent Camping near Port Orford, OR

Had an amazing time at the beach. The breach access is a one lane curvy road kind of scary to drive down. The camp host was very helpful. We visited the historic Hughes house that is on the park grounds. It was built in 1898 and they have tours. The lighthouse is the oldest on the Oregon coast and you can get a tour of it. There are a bunch of trails for people and horses. There are 4 rustic cabins and 58 camp sites. The horse camp has 8 spots. It is 9 miles from Port Orford and 28 miles from Bandon. The camp area is in the middle of large trees so the wind doesn't really hit you. We were a long ways away from the bathroom but it was extremely clean. It is a first come first serve campground except for the cabins. Park in the spot you want them go pay the camp host. www.oregonstateparks.org

The weekend we spent at Sunset Bay was busy with limited availability. In our group was my mother-in-law who requires ADA facilities, and a potty training toddler. All of the designated ADA sites were full. Standard sites require an extensive, uneven, walk to the restroom, a problem for those needing ADA facilities, potty trainers, and middle of the night restroom users. The only play area is across the street (there is a path that crosses under the road) it provides only horseshoe toss pits, beach volleyball nets, and a basketball hoop. We stayed in A loop which is along the road and adjacent to the ranger station/entrance. There were limited barriers resulting in loud road noise, car lights at all hours, and a lot of wind. Tent sites, yurts, motor home sites, and dedicated hiker/biker sites are available, though tent sites are not level. Included in the cost of the camping fee is entrance to the botanical gardens with your vehicle permit, guided hikes to the tide pools, and educational events, such as animal lectures, in the amphitheater.

Wile road tripping to oregon from Los Angeles, we stopped here for the night. Relatively affordable, very clean, and not busy (at least while we were there). You can walk down to the river to fish, where there were also RVs camping on the beach. Tent camping is limited to very few sites but it looked like there was plenty of rv space. We set up for the night at the tent sites where we had a nice dinner with a beautiful night sky above us. The river is a good fishing spot, according to some local fisherman we met in the morning following our stay. There were bathrooms but they were locked. We had good service though. The site we chose wasn't particularly hidden or private, so anyone driving in or out of the road to the river, whether that's someone launching a boat or a ranger checking fishing licenses, they will have a full view of your entire site, something to consider if you require privacy.

I stumbled on this site accidentally back in early August when en-route to some of the official campgrounds on the Elk River that were just a bit further down the road. Wasn't too impressed with those, so on the way back toward Port Orford I decided to pull off at this spot to see what might be found as you can find dispersed camping spots up and down the river. So glad I did.

The area is a large stony beach, hence the name I made up when I created this listing. It's good for cars and smaller campers / RVs. I'm not sure big RVs would be good for this setting. The dirt path from the main road down to the beach is very short but a bit steep and with some big dips when I was there so very low-clearance vehicles might have an issue getting in and out. For tents, the beach would likely be uncomfortable given its rockiness, but that's OK because there are a few places just off the beach that have dirt and tree-cover and are perfect for tent camping. I found a great spot with good shade, a well-made stone firepit, and an easy place to hang my hammock. Loved it so much I decided to hunker down for four days and just settle in.

The river is crystal clear and was refreshing in August. It gets deep on the left side of the beach area so you can properly swim if you want to (see my silly "let's test out my new GoPro" video to see what I mean). That area is popular with locals for day-use so you'll often see more people during the day then at night. Only had a few other campers staying the nights, and we had enough space between us. Privacy wasn't an issue. No toilets though, so you'll need to get creative with that.

For camp fires, make sure to check the local regulations. When I was there they had a burn ban and the forestry guys came through somewhat regularly to check. They will ticket you if you break the rules. $250 fine I believe.

The drive to Port Orford, the closest town, is about 30 minutes each way. Not too bad, but if you want to settle in and not move for a while, you'll want to stock up. No cell phone reception either, at least for me on Verizon, but I got to the point where I really appreciated that. This is a damn fine spot to really unplug. That said, there are some great hikes around Port Orford (check out Humbug Mountain if you want a proper workout) so there are more reasons than just supply runs to go out and return.

All in all a phenomenal free dispersed camp site that I would 100% recommend and return to.

I have been camping at Cape Blanco State Park for years. This campground is located on the Southern Oregon coast outside of Port Orford, OR.

The campground does not take reservations and can have low availability during peak summer season. Cabins are available to reserve. The campground has free showers, flush toilets, sinks, firewood for sale, and beach access. The sites have full hookups, fire pits, tables, and very long paved drives. A bikers' camp, group camp, and horse camp are also available.

It is very windy here, but the plants surrounding the sites keep out most of the coastal wind and also provide plenty of privacy from other sites. Be prepared for cold weather and misty air. Dump station is under construction and not open for use right now.

Bluebill is a wonderful little spot to camp, hike, explore, fish, and enjoy the quiet. You can hear the dune buggies off in the distance which makes it feel close to home without being disturbing.

Wild Mare camp is next to Bluebill Campground so you may hear an occasional horse whinnying, also makes it feel close to home without being disturbing.

Bluebill Lake is a wonderful hike with a great trail to the water if you want to do some fishing.

The Pacific Ocean is less than a mile away, with a gorgeous view from the top of the trail.

My only confusion was the information board said to check in with the camp host, there isn't one there. Obviously, a volunteer position, but the park rangers should be more involved in the campground. Stayed four days, never saw a ranger.

No internet at all, spotty cell service at best. No electricity. No hook ups. No showers. Be prepared to be self contained.

It was clean, quiet, and comfortable. Other campers followed the rules.

Check out is 1pm, check in is 2pm.

Wonderful spot to camp.