Best Tent Camping near Redmond, OR

Several tent campgrounds surround Redmond, Oregon, providing access to the dramatic landscapes of Central Oregon. Smith Rock State Park Campground offers walk-in tent sites with views of towering rock formations and the Crooked River. Steelhead Falls Trailhead Campground provides primitive tent camping in a more remote setting, while dispersed options like Harrington Loop Road offer free tent camping with fewer amenities in the nearby national forest lands.

Tent sites throughout the area vary significantly in their amenities and accessibility. Smith Rock's tent camping area features communal cooking areas, free hot showers, and dishwashing stations—unusual luxuries for a tent-only camping area. Many dispersed sites require visitors to bring all supplies, including water, as drinking water is rarely available outside established campgrounds. Campers should note that fires are prohibited at Smith Rock and several other tent camping areas, while dispersed sites like Harrington Loop Road typically allow campfires with proper precautions. Most established tent campgrounds offer vault toilets, but dispersed sites require visitors to follow Leave No Trace principles for waste disposal.

The tent camping experience near Redmond provides exceptional access to outdoor recreation. Tent sites at Smith Rock place campers within walking distance of world-class rock climbing routes and hiking trails, including the challenging Misery Ridge Trail. The walk-in nature of these tent sites creates a more communal atmosphere among campers, particularly appealing to hikers and climbers. Dispersed camping areas offer greater solitude but require more self-sufficiency. As one visitor noted, "The campsite is right by the trails to get into the park. There are bathrooms and designated cooking areas. The sites are dispersed so you should not have trouble finding at least a place for your tent, but could be crowded."

Best Tent Sites Near Redmond, Oregon (77)

    1. Smith Rock State Park Campground

    36 Reviews
    Terrebonne, OR
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 548-7501

    $8 / night

    "The Climber's Bivouac is a walk-in campground located on a rim next to the Crooked River right in the heart of Smith Rock State Park."

    "Walk-in site (the Bivy) is chill. walk-in, pitch tent, done. Yeah you have a lot of neighbors, but people are nice and the price is right ($8 per night for up to two weeks)."

    2. Steelhead Falls Trailhead & Campground

    19 Reviews
    Terrebonne, OR
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 416-6700

    "No water or vault toilets, only by the day-use area/trailhead.

    We camped on SW Steelhead Falls Dr."

    "There aren't a ton of free camping options near Redmond. This is a great option. Only 2-3 spots for vans/small RVs. The other spots are clearly for tent camping."

    3. Harrington Loop Rd - Dispersed

    4 Reviews
    Cloverdale, OR
    15 miles
    Website

    "There are fire rings at some sites. Plenty of room for a larger 5th wheel as well. It can get pretty dusty though when the wind picks up."

    "Plenty of places to park and car camp or set up a tent. Lights from a nearby building keep most of the area somewhat visible, but not enough to disturb you while you sleep."

    4. Palisades Campground

    7 Reviews
    Prineville, OR
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 416-6700

    "Sites are well spaced, many with excellent access and views of the river a few feet away. Cleanest vault toilets I’ve ever seen. Can barely hear the few cars that do go by."

    "They have good spacing and require very little leveling.  Many are pull through, a few back in.  I camped before Memorial Day, so it was very quiet. "

    5. Henderson Flat Staging Area

    1 Review
    Terrebonne, OR
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 383-4000

    6. Chimney Rock Campground

    4 Reviews
    Prineville, OR
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 416-6700

    "If you need firewood be sure to grab it in town, there is no gathering of sticks or wood for burning allowed. We came from south through Bend but I believe Prineville is the closest town."

    "Right on the crooked river and near chimney rock trail. Perfect get away location for fishing"

    7. Cove Palisades Lookout Dispersed

    4 Reviews
    Culver, OR
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 546-3412

    "The tent site area wasn't where we stayed but there are 3 cabins just above the boat docks that have the most beautiful view to wake up to in the morning."

    8. Rimrock Springs Trailhead

    1 Review
    Culver, OR
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 475-9272

    "This little loop is very beautiful and worth a quick stop to walk the 1 1/4 mile loop. There’s a view point at about half way with a great view of the wetlands."

    9. Badlands Rock Camping

    7 Reviews
    Bend, OR
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 416-6700

    "Woke up to a beautiful sunrise and fire in the fire ring with wood another camper had left. The perfect pit stop going into the city!"

    "This is about 20 minutes east of Bend Oregon. You have a number of options here. Right off the road there is a lot where I saw an RV camped. I’m sure there would be some road noise there."

    10. Jasper Point Dispersed

    5 Reviews
    Prineville, OR
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 416-6700

    "There is a gate you have to open and close behind you that will look questionable. Do not let this stop your journey but so close the gate behind you."

    "This spot is great for watching a meteor shower, gets a little windy and not too much shade during the day."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 77 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Tent Camping Reviews near Redmond, OR

1214 Reviews of 77 Redmond Campgrounds


  • Robert D.
    Sep. 30, 2023

    East Lake Campground

    A great camping spot by the lake.

    Our first time here at East Lake Campground in the last week of September 2023 just 1 day before the park closed for the season. Because East Lake Campground is 6500 feet in elevation the nights were very cold, from 44 to 31 degrees but normally the days were in the morning windy and about 62*. The camp has 29 sites and NO hookups.

    There is flush toilets, NO showers, but had drinking water. East Lake also had 1 boat launch but the water was very low, some 40' down from the edge of the bank to the water. Great fishing and a great place for kayaks. Each site has a picnic table and fireplace. Most Sites on the lake side has pull-thru that were about 50' long. Some back-in sites were only 35'. Very quite campground and not too close to each others camp site. We camped at East Lake Campground in a Travel Trailer.

    Restrooms Flush toilets, faucet water. No hookups, No electric, No water hookup, No sewer hookup. You can fill your water tank FREE at the ($10) Dump Station so you don't have the weight in your rig. Dog-friendliness Lots of space to run and play.

  • Mavrick S.
    Oct. 5, 2019

    Scott Lake Campground

    Stunning!

    So when I first found this campground I wasn't sure what to expect being as reviews and info were sparse so I'll do me best to sum it up. Things to know that arent stated. It is free may require NW forest pass. It's a drive, hike, bike and walk in. I didn't see any spots big enough for RV but there is space to park that isn't officially a site.

    Location: Beautiful sits about 5,000 feet right off McKenzie Pass Road (closed from November to June)

    Sites: I saw 6 drive in with fire ring, picnic table also 2 vault toilets.... There's more walk/ hike in but we had to much gear to do that.

    Directions: Very easy to find spots all along lake and Google maps took us right to spots.

    Activities: Great! Had a kayak/boat launch also had the Scott Mountain TH right there within 1/4 walking distance on dirt road. It seems that a forest fire was pretty recent ontop but the grounds seemed kind of untouched

    Warnings: This was my first time up this pass. Elevation is very high which means incremental weather. Aka woke up in October with snow which happened to us.

    Overall 5 stars must visit. We will be coming back next year when less snow and road reopens

  • Karma S.
    Aug. 19, 2018

    Crane Prairie Campground

    beautiful views! dispersed camping

    beautiful views of the cascade mountains, gorgeous reservoir. free camping. dispersed, first come first serve. no amenities. LEAVE NO TRACE!!!!

    road is a bit rough but I made it in with a Honda Accord though I wouldn’t recommend for low clearance vehicles.

    fire rings available during burn seasons. plenty of fire wood. please do not burn during no burn/dry seasons. the forest is very dry!

    bring plenty of water during the summer it’s very hot and dry. you can probably drink the reservoir water if you bring a good filter.

  • Pat S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 28, 2019

    Little Crater Campground

    Right on Paulina Lake

    This CG is right on Paulina lake in the middle of Newberry Crater. There are 50 sites along the shoreline. They all have the standard picnic table and fire ring. We had the first site on the left as you enter the CG. It had a great view of the lake and surrounding ridgeline and Paulina Peak. It also allows for a wonderful sunset.

    The campground is generally crowded. The sites are decent but you will have other campers relatively close, The CG is easily accessed by foot, car or boat. It does have a boat ramp. RV's / Campers can get into most sites. There are 5 Vault toilets, drinking water, no showers, no hook ups. each site is in close walking distance to the lake. The CG is accessible to various trails in the area including the Big Obsidian Flow trail. A bonus hike should be taken to the Paulina Lake hot springs on the north side of the lake. You can also get to the hot springs by boat.

  • Thomas B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2021

    Deschutes River Overlook Dispersed Camping

    Handy Stopping Point

    We kind of stumbled into this free spot while heading to a more formal campground near Pelton Dam. As the daylight faded I spotted a pullout/turnaround area which then led to a rather private loop with a great view of the Deschutes River and Lake Simtustus. I had to confirm with the Dyrt BLM map overlay, but I was glad to find myself on public land. It’s not really a place I’d choose to spend more than one night, since it doesn’t really connect to any trails or walking areas, but it was a handy en-route overnight spot, complete with a nice view and bright sunset. It’s only a few miles off Rt. 26, following signs to Pelton Dam. There was plenty of room to turn around my 26’ skoolie. However, I didn’t really see a good place for a tent, but I didn’t look very hard. There were signs of previous users, including a fire ring (which I didn’t use). Since it was the eve of Earth Day, I did collect a bagful of empty cans and trash. Leave no trace, people!

  • Kimberly C.
    Aug. 29, 2019

    Ice Cap Campground

    Perfect basecamp

    Friendly and knowledgeable camp hosts. Vault toilet, mix of tent sites including some walk-ins that are up against the reservoir- you can hear the peaceful running water all day and night. Brand new picnic tables, brand new fencing, and excellent trails. Perfect mix of sun and shade for many of the sites. We stayed at 15 and I can’t wait to go back. Very spacious sites can hold multiple tents of all sizes. Beautiful drive to and from campgrounds- the McKenzie River area is definitely worth exploring!

  • Laura I.
    Jul. 22, 2021

    Paradise In Oregon

    Great spot

    I had read online that this camp ground had a really bad bug problem but I hardly saw any. Especially for being next to the river. My campsite (48) had a short path down to the river. Current is strong but could easily soak feet.

    My biggest complaint was that the picnic table was really close to the bench. A bigger person like myself can’t sit there. But I just pulled a camp chair up to the edge.

    Restroom was clean, even though I could see one of my camping neighbors there was plenty of space.

    Camp is very dusty.

  • E
    Nov. 8, 2022

    Marion Forks Campground

    Quiet campground

    Located off Hwy 22, past the fish hatchery, far enough that you can’t hear road noise. Less than 20 sites total, all first come first serve, $12 a night or $6 with interagency pass. Mostly full on a Friday night. Clean vault toilets, picnic tables, fire pits, trash, but no water. Nearby trail leads to Marion creek.

  • A
    Mar. 22, 2021

    Dispersed Rock Quary

    Nice Site

    One of the few places near Bend that was actually open for disperse camping in the winter. We stayed in a nice sight just across from the quarry, right by the turn around area. It was great for tent camping. Just beware that this is higher elevation and colder than Bend. We were unexpectedly snowed on in March! Also beware that some people use the quarry as a shooting range in the mornings, about 8am (safe distance away), but it's a good alarm if you're not already awake!


Guide to Redmond

Discover the beauty of tent camping near Redmond, Oregon, where stunning landscapes and outdoor adventures await. With a variety of campgrounds offering unique amenities and activities, you'll find the perfect spot to pitch your tent.

Tent campers should check out Smith Rock State Park Campground

  • Enjoy a low-key camping experience at Smith Rock State Park Campground, where you can pitch your tent for just $8 a night and take advantage of free showers and flush toilets.
  • Located just minutes from world-class climbing, this campground is perfect for those looking to combine outdoor activities with a comfortable stay.
  • The campground features a communal vibe with plenty of space, making it an ideal spot for families and groups.

Some prices for tent camping range from $8 to $0

  • At Steelhead Falls Trailhead & Campground, you can find free camping options, although amenities are limited, making it a great choice for budget-conscious campers.
  • For a well-reviewed experience, Chimney Rock Campground offers a peaceful riverside setting with no fees, perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle.
  • If you're seeking a unique experience, Harrington Loop Rd - Dispersed provides free dispersed camping with plenty of space for tents, though amenities are minimal.

Local activities to enjoy while tent camping

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Redmond, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Redmond, OR is Smith Rock State Park Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 36 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Redmond, OR?

TheDyrt.com has all 77 tent camping locations near Redmond, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.