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Best Campgrounds near Prairie City, OR

242 Reviews

Several campgrounds around Prairie City, Oregon provide access to the wilderness areas of Eastern Oregon's Blue Mountains, with camping options ranging from developed RV parks to primitive sites. The Strawberry Mountain Wilderness southeast of Prairie City hosts Strawberry Campground, which accommodates tent and RV camping with limited amenities. Depot Park operates as an in-town option with electric hookups and standard facilities, while Magone Lake Campground offers a lakeside camping experience with toilet facilities and trash service. Lunch Creek provides free dispersed camping opportunities for those seeking more primitive experiences.

Road conditions and elevation significantly impact camping accessibility near Prairie City. Many campgrounds sit at higher elevations, which may require careful driving on forest roads. A reviewer noted, "As the road turns to a forest road, it gets a bit adventurous, but we just kicked it into 4 wheel drive and had no trouble getting there." The camping season typically runs from May through October, with several sites closing during winter months due to snow and cold temperatures. Depot Park operates from May to October, while Magone Lake Campground is available from late May through early November. Cell service varies throughout the region, with better coverage in established campgrounds closer to town.

The Blue Mountain wilderness areas surrounding Prairie City attract campers seeking natural scenery and outdoor recreation. Forest Service campgrounds in the area typically include picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets, though drinking water is not always available. A camper wrote, "We chose a site that sat a bit downhill from where our car was parked but was a really lovely spot. Absolutely beautiful area with wild strawberries and blueberries and salmon berries, currants and more." Wildlife viewing opportunities include deer, which frequently visit campsites during evening hours. Campers should secure food properly to prevent wildlife encounters. The region experiences temperature variations, with cooler nights even during summer months, making proper gear essential for comfortable camping experiences.

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Best Camping Sites Near Prairie City, Oregon (117)

    1. Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site Campground

    27 Reviews
    Mount Vernon, OR
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 932-4453

    $26 - $34 / night

    "This is always such a great place to stop when traveling between Idaho and western Oregon. It has lots of shade, lawn, and hedges that offer privacy between the large camp sites."

    "In general, Oregon State Parks are great. This is another nice one with plenty of tent and RV sites available. Bathrooms and showers on-site."

    2. Strawberry Campground

    6 Reviews
    Prairie City, OR
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 820-3311

    "Off the beaten path, but we'll worth it! Dropped 20 degrees from the hot valley floor. Around 8 spots, first come, but a few other spots on the way up, for dispersed."

    "Nice sites with lots of separation and easy access to a trailhead. Multiple vault toilets available as well as water taps that I don’t think are potable but good enough to rinse dishes."

    3. Grant County RV Park

    8 Reviews
    John Day, OR
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 575-1900

    $15 / night

    "After a full day, driving, we were having trouble finding a place to stay near John Day, Oregon. All of the very few campgrounds available we’re already full."

    "Stream running next to the sites. Close to town. It is next to the fairgrounds, but very quit when no events. Good place to spend the night while traveling through"

    4. Depot Park

    3 Reviews
    Prairie City, OR
    0 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 820-3605

    5. Dixie Campground

    2 Reviews
    Prairie City, OR
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 575-3000

    "We chose Dixie because it was a little closer to civilization than Yellow Pine, Wetmore & Oregon campgrounds further east on Hwy 26."

    6. Magone Lake Campground

    3 Reviews
    John Day, OR
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 820-3800

    $25 - $60 / night

    "The Magone Lake campground was great! It is a nice sized lake and campground but not overwhelming or too busy."

    "Great lake for swimming, paddling and walking. Ponderosa forest, osprey hunting every evening and resident beavers."

    7. Bates State Park Campground

    5 Reviews
    Prairie City, OR
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 448-2585

    $7 - $11 / night

    "We were looking for a campground to stay at on our way from eastern Oregon to the John Day wilderness area."

    8. Slide Creek Campground

    1 Review
    Malheur National Forest, OR
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 820-3311

    9. Middle Fork

    3 Reviews
    Prairie City, OR
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 575-3000

    "The sites are nicely laid out and are a fair distance from each other. Although the campground is adjacent to a paved road, there was little traffic during our two night stay."

    "You are surrounded by large pine trees."

    10. Lunch Creek

    1 Review
    Prairie City, OR
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 575-3000

    "We walked along the path to check it out before attempting it in our 26ft class c and I’m glad we did. The path was too narrow for us, and the road rose up a bit too high along the middle."

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Recent Camping Photos near Prairie City, OR

41 Photos of 117 Prairie City Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Prairie City, OR

242 Reviews of 117 Prairie City Campgrounds

  • Lawrence M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 25, 2025

    Gold Rush RV Park

    Awesome stay, near semi goast town of Sumpter, Or.

    Full hookups. 30/50 amps power. Camp area clean. Large sites.

  • GoldDust D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 24, 2025

    Mtn View RV Park

    A stay back in time....

    This park is in Baker City and close to many restaurants as well grocery stores. This unique park is well kept and had a store which was a plus! The bathrooms and showers were clean and , and had wonderful water pressure! The pool was refreshing and had plenty of space. The staff was so helpful and allowed us to change spots as the spot that we originally had was on one side of the park that had a little bit too much action and noise from the business behind the fence. We consider ourselves modern day pioneers, so it was nice to be in a park that kept true to the Pioneer era feel and you have to go to the office at night to see all the stuff that they did to add to the spark of this park.

  • K
    Jul. 18, 2025

    Olive Lake Campground (Or) — Umatilla National Forest

    Nice

    Campgrounds nice, unfortunately a good chunk of the sites are reservation only and you don't have service up there so picking a site when you get there can be hard. The first come first serve sites are nice but some are close together, and some were left in poor condition with food all over the ground. Lake is very peaceful and still, nice to swim in! Overall nice but plan ahead well and go on an off day it was still very full on a Sunday afternoon into Monday

  • Joy M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 15, 2025

    Ukiah-Dale Forest State Park and Campground

    Beautiful hidaway

    This is easily accessible from the hwy. Easy to pull into with a trailer. There are several spots by the water (camas creek). We had everything one would need. There are water spouts nearby, the perfect trees for hammock, shade trees, and bathrooms. The onsite staff was super friendly and informative. There were crawdads, fish and even a beaver damn nearby. It was not crowded and the staff said it never gets that full so we easily got a dove without having to worry about reservations

  • Kim G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 14, 2025

    Fish House Inn and RV Campground

    Lovely grassy site near National monument

    We stayed here as we had plans to visit John Day Fossil Beds National Monument the next day. We pulled our class B onto a lovely grassy FHU site. It was right next to the bathrooms but that was ok for us. The hot showers were lovely. The camp host was super nice. We enjoyed sitting outside on a hot evening. There is even a laundry. The only reason for not giving 5 stars, is that the neighbor’s rooster woke us up at about 4:30 am. If you are not a light sleeper you’d be fine here. We’d stay again if we were passing through but may use ear plugs.

  • Les G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 5, 2025

    Grant County RV Park

    Comfortable overnight stop over

    Nice little park with full hookups! Very clean and Green

  • Les G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 5, 2025

    Grant County RV Park

    Very pleasant stop over

    Comfortable park near the river in John Day for and overnight stop over.

  • Just K.
    Jul. 1, 2025

    Ukiah-Dale Forest State Scenic Corridor

    Pretty quiet place to be

    This is a typical roadside campground.  It not only is a campground but a bathroom rest stop on Hwy 395, so there is a small amount of drive through traffic to the restrooms.

    Sites at well set with water and waste water features.  I did see a couple electrical capable sites but I am self contained.  The stream going by has a decent flow but it is mid summer and slowing down.  I did not have a mosquito problem but black jackets and hornets were present.  Found no rattlesnakes, there is a bear a cougar warning sign posted but that the normal for the Blue Mountains.

    Overall a nice little wayside.  I checked online and it said $10.00 per night for no hookup sites, but the price was $22.00 per night when I got there.  I spoke to a Ranger and was advised the $22 was being increase by $12 dollars next year and then another increase above that is being touted by the socialists in Salem. That would bring the site fee for no hookup camping to around $50 to $60 a night.  You might as well go to a motel and save the headache.  

    Overall I had planned on staying six nights, but i paid for three and that was my budget.

  • Bill B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 26, 2025

    Grant County RV Park

    SO… tired….

    After a full day, driving, we were having trouble finding a place to stay near John Day, Oregon. All of the very few campgrounds available we’re already full. Even this campground, which is part of the fairgrounds, appeared to be full and it had prior reservations on to remaining Spots. As we were about to leave, the host of the campground caught up with us and said that since we had a short motorhome(24 foot) that there was one spot remaining. The people we dealt with were very friendly and helpful. I think the host realized how tired we were and made a special effort to invite us to stay.

Guide to Prairie City

Camping near Prairie City, Oregon, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and cozy campgrounds. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family adventure, there are plenty of options to explore.

What to do:

  • Hiking: There are great trails around the area. Many campers enjoy the scenic hikes, especially those leading to Strawberry Lake. One visitor mentioned, "Tons of hiking, including a closer one to Strawberry Lake with stunning views and a waterfall further if you want," at Strawberry Campground.
  • Fishing: If you love fishing, you’re in luck! Campers at Unity Lake Dump Station have reported good catches, with one saying, "The fishing looked great."
  • Exploring Nature: Many campgrounds are near rivers and lakes, perfect for swimming or just relaxing by the water. A reviewer at Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site noted, "Enjoyed the river trail along the John Day river."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. One visitor at Grant County RV Park said, "Showers and bathrooms are clean and across a grass area."
  • Spacious Sites: Many campgrounds offer roomy sites with good spacing. A camper at Southwest Shore Campground mentioned, "The sites are spacious and well separated."
  • Friendly Hosts: Campground hosts often receive praise for their helpfulness. A reviewer at Unity Lake Dump Station said, "The hosts were friendly and helpful."

What you should know:

  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Strawberry Campground, do not have drinking water or electric hookups. A visitor noted, "No water, so bring your own."
  • Seasonal Access: Many campgrounds have specific seasons. For example, Union Creek Campground is open from April 29 to September 28.
  • Wildlife: Be prepared for wildlife encounters. A camper at Elk Creek Campground mentioned, "There’s a steep drop off next to some sites that goes right into the creek."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Bring Activities: Since some campgrounds may not have many kids around, it’s good to bring games or bikes. A camper at Strawberry Campground suggested, "I was thankful I brought our bikes and games."
  • Choose the Right Site: Look for sites that are away from steep drops or water. One visitor advised, "Keep an eye on kiddos or pick a site farther away from the creek if you’re worried about that."
  • Pack Snacks: Having snacks on hand can keep everyone happy during hikes or downtime. A camper at Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site mentioned, "Super clean showers and restrooms, dog friendly."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Road Conditions: Some campgrounds have rough access roads. A visitor at Strawberry Campground noted, "A bumpy gravel road might not work for sedan always, but worth a try."
  • Look for Full Hookups: If you need full hookups, check campgrounds like Grant County RV Park that offer them. A reviewer said, "Full hook-ups (20/30/50 amp) were available."
  • Be Mindful of Noise: Some sites can be close to highways, so consider this when choosing a spot. A camper at Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site mentioned, "Very quiet even though it was close to highway."

Camping near Prairie City, Oregon, has something for everyone. With beautiful sites and plenty of activities, it’s a great spot for your next outdoor adventure!

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Prairie City, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, Prairie City, OR offers a wide range of camping options, with 117 campgrounds and RV parks near Prairie City, OR and 5 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Prairie City, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Prairie City, OR is Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 27 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Prairie City, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 free dispersed camping spots near Prairie City, OR.

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