Best Tent Camping near Prairie City, OR

Recent Tent Reviews near Prairie City, Oregon

212 Reviews of 39 Prairie City Campgrounds

• 

  Quinn Z.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 16, 2020

  Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site

  Convenient, kinda...

  This really is an RV spot. Yes, you can tent camp here but it's expensive ($24 for Oregon residents, $34 for out of staters) and it's right next to the road. It's loud. Really loud. Wake you up when you're sleeping loud.

  That said, it does have all amenities: good Verizon service, firewood for sale, hot showers, tables, fire pits with grills, etc. And it's close to town. So for that it could be the right fit for people needing all that.

  For me, I'd skip it, especially if you're in a tent.

• 

  Boondocks H.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 9, 2018

  Union Creek Campground

  Recommended. RV/Boat Focused, but good tent sites.

  Strolled in on a Thursday eve and got a tent site w/o issue. Amenities as listed are accurate: flush toilets, drinking water, no showers. Water level in reservoir was very low (early-Sept.) We had no mosquitos - mega bonus.

• 

  Ann W.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 16, 2024

  Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site

  Quiet State Park

  We were surprised how quiet this state park was during our visit. Very clean and beautiful green grass through campground. Enjoyed the river trail along the John Day river. Perfect to cool off in during the hot summer months. Mosquitoes definitely come out at night and we were tent camping. A little highway noise at night but not bad.

• S

  Sonia B.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 24, 2018

  Driftwood

  Nice and quiet!

  This 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!

• S

  Sherrie B.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 24, 2018

  Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site

  Good spot if you're passing through

  Between the John Day River and the highway outside of John Day, this campground is beautifully maintained. The lawns are green, the bathrooms spotless. There are full hookup rv/trailer sites, tent sites, and hiker/biker sites. The restrooms include free individual shower rooms. There is some traffic noise but it isn't too bad. This is a first-come campground so no reservations are available. Get there early during the summer months.

• 

  Rebecca W.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 29, 2019

  Union Creek Campground

  Large campground with creekside sites

  Loved the campground. Little spendy @ 22 a night & 10 a night for extra vehicle, but the bathrooms were super clean and not fly infested for vault toilets. Lots of sites are creekside, ours was one. Tons of exploring opportunities. Sites vary in size from single small tent sites to large/ group size sites. Upper Rogue River Trail is right by the campground. Short walk to Union Creek store, cafe, and ice cream shop.

• S

  Spencer K.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 10, 2019

  Umatilla National Forest Winom Creek Campground

  Groups Galore

  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.

• 

  Kate W.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 1, 2018

  Depot Park

  RV Park primarily

  a couple tent spots. sub-par for tents, not scenic. but clean, bathrooms, fresh water. rv hook ups, some nice shade and a play area for kids. in the town of prairie city, with good coffee

• K

  Kiri

  Guide

  

  Aug. 16, 2021

  Dixie Campground

  Great low key spot

  We chose Dixie because it was a little closer to civilization than Yellow Pine, Wetmore & Oregon campgrounds further east on Hwy 26. There is no host, it’s at a higher elevation and it is a little off the highway. The loop is kind of on two levels so some spaces are well spaced out. Vault toilets distributed around the loop. The one we used was clean and supplied. There were only 2-3 other sites occupied and no one near us when we stayed. No reservations. We chose a site that sat a bit downhill from where our car was parked but was a really lovely spot. We didn’t mind hauling our stuff down. The wind picked up the first afternoon we were there and we actually saw a tree fall in the distance which was a little disconcerting. Just be aware of where you place your tent and the trees around you. Absolutely beautiful area with wild strawberries and blueberries and salmon berries, currants and more. Loved the peace and tranquillity of this campground but close enough to Prairie City which is where we got firewood (from Mountain View mini mart, no wood at Huffman’s Market & no wood at Austin House market at the top of the pass). We visited the little Sumpter Railroad interpretive site and Bates State Park both great for walking around with kids. Would definitely come back and do more hiking in the Blue Mountains.

• 

  Heather B.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 1, 2018

  Strawberry Campground

  Nice, quiet and secluded

  This was a great little campground for getting away from the Memorial Day crowds. Over the weekend we stayed, there were only 2 or 3 other campers as well.

  Just south of Prairie City, this was a good location to explore the surrounding Strawberry Mountain wilderness and John Day Fossil Beds. As the road turns to a forest road, it’s gets a bit adventurous, but we just kicked it into 4 wheel drive and had no trouble getting there. We picked a site next to the creek in the back and it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. We even got a visit from a few deer every night around dinner time. They kept their distance but still came within 20 feet to check us out.

  From the campground, you can take the trails to the lake, which was a fun hike. The vault toilets were clean and the Ranger came around every day to check in. The only thing I would change is the temperature. We didn’t realize it was still so chilly at the end of May and we’re thankful for our extra layers and warmer sleeping bags we packed just in case.

  Tips for camping here:

  *I had my 9 year old nephew with me for this trip and was thankful I brought our bikes and games. Since the campground wasn’t busy, there weren’t other kiddos for him to play with so we needed some fun stuff to do between hikes and outings.

  *There’s a steep drop off next to some sites that goes right into the creek. Keep an eye on kiddos or pick a site farther away from the creek if you’re worried about that.

  *The campground was a bit dusty so bring stuff to wash up when needed.

  *Lots of wildlife in the area so make sure to keep your food and other items locked up so the critters don’t get into it.

  *Bring your own firewood, as there isn’t a camp host to buy it from.

• 

  Brian C.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 1, 2017

  Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site

  Great State Park Near Painted Hills

  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. The park sits nestled in a picturesque treed area, near the Painted Hills. Great location if you are wanting to get to the Painted Hills area of central Oregon.

• 

  Greg B.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 13, 2020

  Unity Lake Dump Station

  Beautiful, well-established, spot...

  Touring through Oregon with my buddy on motorcycles, we had finished a great day of riding. Wanting to use his Oregon State Park benefits, we pulled into this spot. Although rather full, we found a great spot at the end of the ‘second loop’. Flat grass & plenty of room to pitch our tents far apart (he snores), gave me a great night’s sleep. Stunning sunset & lake views were gorgeous. Restroom & showers were clean!!

• 

  Jeff D.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 28, 2020

  Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site

  Nicely maintained CG on OR Hwy 26

  We hadn’t planned to stop here but with the day quickly disappearing on us we pulled in to the Clyde Holliday SP campground and had a very good night. Beautifully maintained grounds with nicely spaced sites. Easy to pull in and set up the tent. Mostly RVs but a handful on tent campers too. Clean, and free, showers which we really needed. It is right on Hwy 26 so the traffic noise is an issue, but otherwise a quality spot.

• 

  Shayla J.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 19, 2021

  Wetmore Campground

  National Forest camping

  One vault toilet, nice padded tent spots, access to water, $5 a night. Nice little paved hike that is wheelchair accessible and let's you see some nice big trees. Very quiet on a Friday night in June.

• 

  Erin N.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 27, 2022

  Mccully Forks

  Small but quite

  This campground has 8 sites all but the first site have easy creek access, sites are large and can fit a few tents! 7 has a direct path to the restroom.

• S

  Scott L.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 23, 2019

  Union Creek Campground

  Enjoyed the quiet night

  Enjoyed a last sunny weekend home at this campground. I am a tent camper and enjoyed the weekend. Quite and clean. Alot of spaces for larger groups and elbow room between most spaces.

• 

  allison B.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 20, 2023

  Anthony Lake Campground

  Beautiful, campground, clean lake and kind camp host

  It’s absolutely beautiful, campsites are pretty private and it smells so fresh! They sell firewood and have great area for tents in each campsite with a fire pit.

• 

  Christopher H.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 28, 2021

  Grande Ronde Lake

  Small wooded campsites

  USFS Campground for small trailers and tents. Has good access to Anthony Lakes area, but is much quieter than main campground. Lake is small, with small rainbow trout stocked annually. Fun to paddle and watch the osprey and bald eagles fishing.

• J

  Judy W.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 29, 2023

  Olive Lake Campground (Or) — Umatilla National Forest

  Beautiful Olive Lake

  Beautiful and peaceful stay. We were able to snag a first come first serve campsite just before the 4th. Cons: Most sites are simple turnouts, more suitable for tents. No ATV use so our mobility was limited. There are a few sites to back a camper off the road. Pro: nice boat dock and access for swimming.

• 

  allison W.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 23, 2022

  Depot Park

  Quaint but pricey

  This is basically a little RV park adjacent to a museum and playground. Points for character. It’s off the main drag and there are not a lot of choices in the area. Big lawn is well watered. However, I can’t get behind the prices. $14 just to pitch a tent is steep. Bathrooms are filthy, shower (behind a ragged shower curtain) is not worth paying for.

• 

  Mike E.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 27, 2021

  A-Frame RV Park

  Full service stop over RV Park

  Great stop over RV Park in the mountains between Idaho and Oregon in Baker City oregon. Full hookups pull throughs a small shop and a great little town. Well managed and clean. Large dog run. Great views.

• L

  Lindy B.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 12, 2020

  Baker City Motel & RV Center

  Quiet motel with RV spaces

  This is a quiet motel that has a nice grassy lawn for a night to pitch a tent. Clean bathrooms and showers. Coffee was offered in the morning. All for a $10 fee. RV resident welcomed us with a couple adult beverages. Train across road but not bad. I’d stay again.

• 

  Mike E.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 12, 2021

  Southwest Shore Campground

  Quiet beautiful campground near the Lake

  Philip's lake is a delightful small Lake in the hills near Baker City Oregon and Sumpter Oregon. Is generally great weather and beautiful surroundings make this day wonderful small campground to relax and enjoy nature. There are only 13 campsites.. Non reservable. It is operated by the Anthony Lakes the Anthony Lakes management company. Not maintained in the winter but open and free. 15 spots available in this campground. 3 bars of Verizon cell service.

• 

  smittie

  Guide

  

  Sep. 26, 2020

  Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site

  super nice state park

  this is probably the nicest state park that we have ever camped in. we will definitely be coming back. it has large rv/tent spaces with grass and trees everywhere. next to a small stream with biking and nature hiking all around. the showers are huge, everything is clean and tidy and the hosts were very friendly

  be aware that this park is first come, first served. we were in september but i would expect that it fills up early in the summer.

• 

  Annell N.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 22, 2020

  Union Creek Campground

  Union Creek Campground

  May 17-26, 2019 Very nice campground. Site C6 walk-up site had electric and water. Park has dump station, Restrooms had flush toilets but no hot water and no showers. Elevation 4,097. Verizon had 2 bars 4G.  Address: 17564 Sumpter Stage Highway, Baker City Oregon 97814. Hike 16 mile trail around the lake. Legally sale cannibus in Sumpter - 10 miles from the park. Enjoyed D&J Taco Shop restaurant downtown. No sales tax in Oregon.

• A

  Anand

  Guide

  

  Jul. 12, 2021

  Union Creek Campground

  Union Creek Campground (south of Baker City)

  Note this is NOT the southern Oregon campground near the Rogue, this is on Phillips Reservoir lake in eastern Oregon.  Nice campground, some sites with hookups.  Sites are nicely spaced and private enough, and the basic facilities are clean.  Nice atmosphere.  Minimal cell service on Verizon.  I'm giving 4 stars ONLY because with the current drought the reservoir itself was unusable, which was the main attraction for us picking it in the first place, but not a fault of the campground itself.

• 

  Mary G.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 10, 2017

  Yellow Pine Campground

  Kinda creepy...

  It had been about 25 years since I stayed at Yellow Pine Campground. Unfortunately, my memories did not match today's reality. Yellow Pine is a large campground that sits close to Highway 26. Today it looks like it is not often used. There was a lot of undergrowth that would have made setting up a tent difficult. As I drove through the empty campground, I came upon the campground host's site. Their "stuff" was spread out over a few campsites. I must confess, their presence did not instill confidence in me. In fact, it seemed kinda creepy. Sooo...even though the sun had begun to set. I made a speedy exit in search of a pleasant and safe campground.