Best Equestrian Camping near Portland, OR

We tent camped two nights at Silver Falls. Tree lined campgrounds were well maintained. Sites are close together and the grounds are very social (which we like). Ranger led evening program was educational and interactive. The highlight of the trip was the 8+ mile hike to explore 10 different waterfalls. The hike was easy enough for our seven year old to complete, but tough enough to wear us out. We very much enjoyed a swim with other families in one of the final falls. The drive from Portland was gorgeous! It was nice to get a glimpse of rural Oregon.

Battleground is a nice and well loved state park not far from Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. The part itself centers around a clear caldera lake with tent camping, RV camping, cabins, trails, group sites, and the like. The lake is also frequently stocked, and fishing is popular. Not motorized boats, but plenty of kayaks and rafts. There is a small camp store with snacks and fishing supplies on-site. Campground is well appointment with showers, water, etc.

Hiking around the lake is fun. And well a crowded park, it is easy to sneak away to a quiet spot. Some cabins and campsites have nice views overlooking the lake. The town of battleground is nearby with restaurants, grocery stores, and any you might have forgotten.

The park just added two nature playgrounds that are pretty fantastic. One of the new playgrounds, right before the boat launch, features a trail with a mud kitchen, two a-frame tents and a big area where you can use fallen logs and branches to build shelters.

The other nature playground is right across from the old playground (still in use) and has a wooden water course with a hand pump and an elevated wooden plank course.

Camping can be a little loud since it's a popular spot and there are no pets allowed, but it's barely 30 minutes away from Portland and right on the Sandy River.

Husband and I spent this past weekend camping in Oxbow Regional Park and thoroughly enjoyed it! Given it's late October and a bit chilly out, the campground was pretty quiet with only a few other campers around. We were able to hike the area and enjoy a serene weekend in nature. Clean campsite with the basic amenities, conveniently only a 30-minute drive from Portland (but doesn't feel like you're near the city at all when you're there). Because of COVID, the facilities (e.g. Welcome Center, restrooms, showers) were all closed, but that was okay for us given the short weekend trip. Overall had a great weekend!

This is a great park to visit and camp at- it's far enough away from Portland to allow for peace and beautiful stars at night, yet close enough to be a quick trip back to civilization. I stayed here for 2 nights while visiting Portland. I found this to be the closest campground to Portland that wasn't specifically for RV's. I stayed on a Thurs& Fri night in September and it wasn't crowded at all- most sites were empty. The bathrooms here are really clean and warm, they have showers with hot water, and best of all- security at night! The park gate closes at 8pm and a security guard is on duty for the night. This level of security offers a real peace of mind. There is no service available here, allowing for true un-plugging. They also have life jackets hanging near entries to water which I found to be a nice amenity. The park itself is nice enough but my 5-star rating is really for the camping- I would certainly recommend this campground for anyone looking to camp close to Portland.