Best Dispersed Camping near Powers, OR

Recent Dispersed Reviews near Powers, Oregon

40 Reviews of 16 Powers Campgrounds

• 

  Quinn Z.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 29, 2020

  Elk River "Stony Beach" Dispersed Camping

  Wonderful and free dispersed camping right on the river.

  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.

• b

  bridge R.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 10, 2024

  Elk River "Stony Beach" Dispersed Camping

  Dispersed camping!

  Elk dispersed camping starts 8 miles up elk river rd. Everything past the fish hatchery is fair game. We found a great pull off that led under a bridge. Beautiful spot and no bothersome traffic

• 

  Bobby J.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 18, 2024

  Canyon Gulch by Eight Dollar Moutain

  Not really dispersed camping

  There was a few pullouts on the road and I wouldn’t exactly call it dispersed camping. I parked in what I think was a road for fishing access. Only positive was the river was right there

• 

  Cass G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 26, 2024

  Burma Pond BLM

  Off the grid just enough

  We needed a place to set up for a quick sleep on our way down to Yosemite from Washington. I navigated using Google Maps due to other reviews saying Apple made it confusing. This led us right to the pond/camp sites. The road is a little rough with potholes but it’s not terrible if you just drive slow over the holes. There is a few split offs/2-way roads along this dirt road, the last one being a tree with a smiley face and an arrow leading you where to go. Didn’t get lost at all and it was already dark when we got there. No one was there, it was peaceful, clean and quiet. There is a pit toilet/bathroom with toilet paper. No trash cans so you’ll have to pack out your trash. I recommend this spot for anyone willing to drive 10-15 minutes off the freeway for some dispersed camping.

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 4, 2021

  Rocky Riffle

  Hot, Dusty and Nice (and Free!)

  This BLM area is a quick turn off the main road.  Take a right or left to start the loop and you’ll find various spots for dispersed camping. The road is mostly ok with some areas of high rocks but we made it in our 26ft Class C with only one ding on the steps. Larger vehicles might have problems along the lower half of the loop, but the upper half was doable.  There are some spots close to the river and others up above it more with nice views as well as shade.

  There are a few “long term residents" here.  One was right on the water with a big mirror and a homemade sign warning of “thieves among us." The sheriff and ranger came by the next day and left citation on his camp. Nothing scary nor anything that made us feel unsafe at all. 

  This is a dry camp with no amenities. Tent/car campers welcome but must have port-a-potties. You must pack out your waste and trash. We found several trash piles which we cleaned up. There are NO fires allowed at this time. Also be aware that there is a lot of poison oak around. 

  Also there were unleashed dogs, one in particular that wandered into our camp site every morning. A lot of rafters and kayakers, especially on weekends, but they stay mostly on the water but can become quite loud at times. River access in this area is available in a only few spots that you have to walk to. There is no real shoreline to hang out in unless someone is not camped right in those areas. 

  Zero cell reception from ATT, verizon and TMobile in this whole area.

• G

  Glenn

  Traveler

  

  May. 4, 2021

  Elliott State Forest Dispersed

  Nice secluded separate areas to camp with gorgeous views

  You have to drive some winding forest service roads to get to a spot then find one on or near the road but there's a couple good camp spots.

• 

  Leah W.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 26, 2018

  Elliott State Forest Dispersed

  Review of Matador Freerain 24 at Elliott State Forest

  Dispersed camping is allowed in all state forests within Oregon. https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Recreation/pages/Camp.aspx

  We found an awesome spot along Marlow Creek Road, about 4 miles into the forest (coming in from Allegeny). There are plenty of pull outs all along the way, with room for 2-3 cars, as well as full tents and chairs set up. The road follows a babbling creek which was amazing to sleep next to. There are no amenities, follow any postings about campfire restrictions. (When we went- no fires were allowed). This is a logging forest, so we had huge logging trucks roll by in the morning - because of this, it may not be the best spot for kids or off leashed dogs. The trucks went by very quickly, stirring up a lot of dust- keep your car windows shut and use a pot while cooking breakfast! We had very few mosquitos or bugs, and loved being encompassed by the mossy trees!

  Ranger Review of the Matador Freerain 24 L Backpack

  https://matadorup.com/products/matador-freerain24-backpack?variant=47744934037

  As a Ranger, I occasionally get the chance to test out gear in the field. I was really excited about trying out this pack, as I do a lot of canyoneering, and dealing with waterproof bags inside of soggy backpacks is always a hassle. Or you have to figure out a way to secure a typical waterproof bag to you. The bag is made of a lightweight rainjacket-like material, and has a roll top to it’s main compartment. I took the bag on a 3 mile hike to some waterfalls, where I could test out it’s waterproofness. At home, I went to a nearby lake to try submerging it.

  Pros

  This bag was extremely light, small and pack-able! You have no reason NOT to bring it with you if you may be heading somewhere wet. It folds into a small drawstring about the size of a baseball.

  This bag has separate storage compartments whereas most drybags are a long tube where everything falls to the bottom. Within this bag, you have 2 water bottle holders (where I tossed things like keys), a easy access zip pocket on the front, as well as the small drawstring that the bag itself can be stored in (I put my packs of gummies in here for safe keeping).

  Cons

  The bag does not have a chest strap, so there was the potential for the backpack to slip off if you were doing strenuous activity, it also didn’t sit perfectly comfortable because of this. It does however, have adjustable shoulder straps (which I didn’t see as necessary).

  I was nervous about putting my 1 L Nalgene bottles into the water bottle pockets because of the material of the bag…with just 1, it made the bag extremely lopsided, or with 2, it seemed to put a lot of stress on the bag itself. I tossed my water inside the bag instead, which made it pretty lumpy since the packable bag doesn’t have structure.

  The front pocket is as advertised, water resistant, but definitely did not pass the waterproof test when I submerged the bag. It’s OK for waterfall mist or a light rain, but I wouldn’t keep my phone in there if we were getting dunked!

  Conclusion!

  If this bag had the chest strap, I’d be in 100% for using it for canyoneering adventures, however- since it doesn’t seem made for more rugged situations, I’m not sure why you would need such a waterproof bag. Most daypacks nowadays come with a raincover, or are made of a water resistant material to keep your goodies from getting soaked - unless you are planning a very casual dayhike where you are literally walking under waterfalls, I would most likely invest in a different daypack solution..

• 

  Caroline E.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 20, 2022

  Elliott State Forest Dispersed

  Worth the drive

  Very secluded but spacious sites. From the start of Marlow Creek Road to where I chose to camp was 8.5 miles. There are several forks in the road that you can follow to more campsites, but I opted to camp right off the main road. I was the only car out there. Really beautiful spots aside from the trash that was unfortunately scattered in several sites. Worth the long drive in.

• B

  Bob Z.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 15, 2023

  Elliott State Forest Dispersed

  Elliott Primitive Campsites

  The Elliott State Forest has more than 550 miles of roads and trails, but only a primary network has been maintained over the past 10 years since the 90,000 acre area was shut down with environmental lawsuits. Many of these roads lead to excellent camping sites, including old lookouts, fishing holes, secluded springs, and an undeveloped campground favored by local mudrunners. Met organization has worked with the local Community College the past seven years regarding recreational research on the Elliott, with our most recent (and likely final) focus being on historic trails and primitive campsites. The pandemic caused much of this work to be documented on student-level videos, indexed on YouTube: http://www.orww.org/Elliott\_Forest/Recreation/index.html and https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1JyKCHg2GmHjLtQzXXDks4Rb-LE9HoJ-

• 

  Seth M.

  Guide

  

  Dec. 4, 2024

  Forrest Road 280 near Humbug

  Many spots, a bit exposed

  At least 3 spots near or right off the road. Good road. Very windy. Secluded.

• 

  Jacky S.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 10, 2016

  Elko Dispersed Camping

  Outback camping

  Do not know if what I found was the place, but it was awesome. Creek nearby. Quiet secluded.

• K

  Kaylee T.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 12, 2023

  Elk River "Stony Beach" Dispersed Camping

  Refreshing creek and easy access

  We were looking for a last minute place to camp when our last site didn’t work out. This place was perfect! They have dammed up a bit of the creek to make a perfect deep area to take a bath. It’s nice a secluded behind trees to shield you from the other campers.

  We went on a Friday night and there were three other groups but plenty of space for a another couple of people. The road to access this is paved and very accessible BUT there is a steep gravel hill to get down into the campground. It is pitted and difficult to get up/down but we managed in an AWD Subaru crosstrek. Someone else brought down an entire trailer. I have no idea how but I guess it’s possible.

  The entrance is marked with a large rock painted red. You can’t miss it. Just put in the coordinates and you’ll take you right to it.

  Perfect secluded little campground. Highly recommend!!

• 

  Maddie

  Scout

  

  Jul. 7, 2023

  Elliott State Forest Dispersed

  Secluded and spacious

  Super large campsite! I think only one other car passed by the whole night/morning. Ground was relatively level and decently cleared.

• C

  Catey N.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 7, 2023

  Elliott State Forest Dispersed

  Beautiful spots, make sure to download a map

  Needed a last minute to car camp that was close to the coast, found these dispersed sites online and figured it try it out. There was surprisingly multiple spots that I had cell service (AT&T) so I was able to navigate myself around through a satellite map. Lots of nice spots with good views, just takes a bit of driving around to find the perfect one. Didn’t see anyone up there and I was there from Tuesday to Wednesday. Hope to return at some point! Just beware some of the side roads are a bit overgrown and can scratch up your car.

• r

  robert M.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 17, 2024

  Burma Pond BLM

  Nice spot off the beaten path

  This is a lovely spot. Just a few campsites around a pond. Just overnighted here. Saw some folks camping and fishing. A bit of a challenge to find. Take speaker road to the end of pavement and then follow the dyrt map carefully. The correct location is pinned.

• 

  Hannah S.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 21, 2022

  Burma Pond BLM

  Nice spot to spend the night

  Found this spot on our way down to California. Not a bad spot to camp, it’s very quite and we were the only ones there.

  Getting there is pretty easy, we made it a lot more difficult by going down a bunch of roads. Stick to the main road, the road to the campsite is on the right and has a tree that’s spray painted with a stick figure. It’s very steep like the other review said but isn’t too bad for a truck.

  There aren’t a lot of spots here. We parked right by the lake, there was another spot in the middle of the loop, and a few others.

  It looks like there’s a trail that goes around the lake. We found some ticks on the dogs immediately so we didn’t end up exploring it. Overall a nice spot, it’s right off the highway so you don’t have to worry about driving deep in the mountains.

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 5, 2022

  Argo Bar

  Good and Free

  I'll add another review since we did go back there this summer and stay there for a night. But I'd check on the effects of the Rum Fire if you're planning to go to this area. Not sure what the river area looks like now. :(

  We couldn't really find a flat place to park, and so ended up parking just along the bathroom, which was rhe flattest spot here. It was a nice and peaceful stay, quiet, watching boaters and rafting companies coming and going all day. Nobody else was there at night.

  The area is beautiful but there's not much to do unless you have a boat or a car. No nearby hikes within walking distance.

  Still zero cell service. 14 day stay limit. Garbage bins and recycling and bathrooms on site. Free!

• 

  Jessica C.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 14, 2017

  Rogue River Dispersed Campsites

  Rogue River

  We stopped for the night on our way through during a work trip. We stayed in our van wick makes everything nice and easy. To our surprise we fished in the evening and in the morning without seeing anyone else. Nice quiet spots along the river. Most have camp fire rings. The Rogue River is beautiful we will be back!

• 

  Rissa P.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 18, 2018

  Rogue River Dispersed Campsites

  Rocky Point Dry Camping

  We have been camping here for years. We just spent 6 days on the roads rafting and camping. We love this place. There is no shade and no hookups. Very nice and peaceful area. We love the Galice area and will return year after year.

• 

  Hannah A.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 30, 2024

  Elk River "Stony Beach" Dispersed Camping

  Camping

  Site was very easy access after driving down a long back road. Quiet, clean, and pretty. No phone service.

• 

  Ciara W.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 8, 2024

  Elk River "Stony Beach" Dispersed Camping

  Not great for starlink

  Full time van lifers who work remote. Very dense in a valley spot, starlink would not work great for a work day. So many bugs when we arrived at night.

  Wouldn’t dare try going down the steep rough dirt road knowing internet wouldn’t be great.

• 

  Jesse Roger B.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 10, 2024

  Forrest Road 280 near Humbug

  Mountainous dirt Trail with view out over the ocean

  Nice quiet, remote Forest Road

• B

  Brian K.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 31, 2025

  Forrest Road 280 near Humbug

  Quiet with a great view

  Getting here was pretty easy. The road winds up the mountain, a bit nerve wracking on the narrow parts but overall quite an easy drive up. A couple bumps here and there but not bad. No issues for the Promaster. Great views from a couple of spots, super quiet.

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 4, 2021

  Argo Bar

  Wide Open, Right On the River, and Free

  We checked this spot out and ended up moving on to keep looking, but would come back here if ever in the area.  

  This is a recreation site / boat ramp, and it's wide open for camping as well.  When you pull in, you first see a large area that looks like a parking lot.  It wasn't until we left the spot and looked back on it from the higher road that we saw that the camp area extended a bit past the bathrooms into more camp friendly spots, with some shade and greenery.

  No cell service in this whole area.

  There is a pit toilet, and trash and recycling bins.  No fires at this time!

• j

  jason

  Scout

  

  Sep. 24, 2021

  Rocky Riffle

  Didn’t stay

  Saw lots of trash and toilet paper. Decent spot otherwise.

• L

  Linda J.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 21, 2024

  Rocky Riffle

  Area closed

  It looked like a decent place to camp with river access. I was disappointed the camp was closed due to fire. I saw a couple campers but I didn't stay.

• J

  Janine L.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 15, 2020

  Elliott State Forest Dispersed

  Great and close to bandon

  We stayed for a night on our way down the coast. Nice and close to Bandon. No trouble accessing in our midsize suv. It was muddy at the site, and unfortunately, those before us left a lot of trash. Did my best to clean up when was left behind. There was a fire pit but we did not use it due to fire restrictions. Nice misty views over the trees in the morning.