The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Salem. Salem is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Discover great camping spots near Salem, reviewed by campers like you.
The main campground has tent sites, RV spots and cabins. Bring your horse and stay in the horse campground.
Campground Book sites at oregonstateparks.reserveamerica.com. Reservations can be made 6 months in advance. Reservations are required for cabin stays.
48 electrical sites with water (18+ sites open year-round) 43 tent sites with water nearby (seasonal May–Oct.) 14 cabins (7 pet friendly, open year-round) Flush toilets and showers Universal Access: Campsites B2 and B4, four cabins, and campground restrooms/showers are accessible. Howard Creek Horse Camp (seasonal May–Oct) 5 primitive sites with horse stalls Group site for 24 people and 12 horses
People call it the “crown jewel” of the Oregon State Parks system, and once you visit, you know why. Silver Falls State Park is the kind of standout scenic treasure that puts Oregon firmly onto the national—and international—stage.
Camping: The main Silver Falls campground has tent sites, RV spots and cabins. Bring your horse and stay in the horse campground. If you need an area for many people, the park also has group tent and RV camps, and the historic Youth Camp for up to 250 campers.
Waterfalls: Where else can you walk behind a waterfall? Check out the famous South Falls and see what a 177-foot curtain of water looks like from behind. It’s part of the Trail of Ten Falls, a spectacular, nationally recognized hiking trail that weaves through a dense forested landscape. The trail passes a series of breathtaking waterfalls along a rocky canyon, and descends to a winding creek at the forest floor. This 7.2 mile loop is considered to be a moderate hike, with an overall elevation change of 800 feet. Several connecting trails with separate access points make shorter routes. For everyone’s safety— absolutely no pets allowed on the Canyon Trail. Pets on leash are allowed on all other trails.
Boots, bikes, paws, hooves: The park offers more than 35 miles of backcountry trails for mountain biking, hiking or horseback riding (see guided ride info below). Bears and cougars live in the more remote park areas.
Daytime activities: The South Falls Day-use area has spacious lawns, barbecue stands, picnic shelters, tables, a playground, horseshoe pits, an off lead area for dogs, and a charming creek. Ever since the opening day in 1933, visitors have been using these grounds for potlucks, family reunions and weddings.
The Silver Falls Lodge and Conference Center offers a variety of amenities. Relax and enjoy comfortable lodging within the wooded setting, or feast at the many catered specialty events. Enjoy a preordered meal at the historic dining hall or order a box lunch to take on a hike or to your campsite. They also specialize in hosting special events! Visit silverfallslodge.com or call 866-575-8875.
Guided horseback rides: Silver Falls Riding Stables at Howard Creek offers five horseback rides daily through Sept. 29. Advanced reservation recommended. Visit silverfallslodge.com for times and rates.
$28 / night
Champoeg State Heritage Area features a rare combination of history, nature, and recreation. Situated south of Newberg along the scenic Willamette River, Champoeg's forests, fields, and wetlands recreate the landscape of a bygone era.
This is the site where Oregon's first provisional government was formed by a historical vote in 1843. A thriving town of 200 was established, only to be washed away during a great flood in 1861. This rich history earns the park’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places.
A diversity of activities await. Enjoy walking or biking on the paved trails that pass historical landmarks and hug the river. Play the 18-hole disc golf course under the oak trees, relax at the multitude of scenic picnic areas, or fish or kayak from dock on the Willamette River. For RV's there are 21 full-hookup sites and 54 electric sites with water.
The ecologically rich landscape is home to more than 130 bird species, including seasonally nesting western bluebirds and acorn woodpeckers.
$5 - $72 / night
Camp•hub, real cuisine, and BnB outdoor boutique hotel.
Immersing yourself into the outdoors, if only for a drizzly afternoon stroll, is not simply refreshing—for Oregonians, it’s practically fundamental to experiencing a flourishing life in the Pacific Northwest.
Setting out on the trail or sleeping under the stars can be the restorative breath of fresh air that can completely transform a mindset. That transformation in mindset could have significant impacts on the climate of surrounding environment + the local community, and that's not something to take lightly.
From the outset, our mission at Silver Falls Hospitality has been to learn firsthand from the very nature of the wilderness, and directly from those who have been stewards of the land before us. As a small business and as a blossoming cohort of creatives and a "boots-on-the-ground" team, we aim to convey the resilience that we have gained & have continuously learned from, and hope to instill those values into the hearts and minds of the sojourners, friends, locals, and families that we are honored to host.
$89 - $250 / night
Situated along the scenic Clackamas River, Milo McIver State Park is only 45 minutes from Portland. This beautiful park provides a variety of outstanding recreational opportunities. You can spend a day or a week exploring the river, forest and fields.
Seasonal Camping (Mid-March – Oct. 31)
44 electrical sites with water (one accessible). Nine tent sites with water nearby Hot showers and flush toilets Three reservable group tent camping areas with water, flush toilets and fire rings Three hiker/biker campsites with water, lockers, solar charging station and fire pit RV dump station Click here to see a campground map. Water Play
River lovers can challenge the sometimes wild (but always picturesque) Clackamas River with rafts, canoes or kayaks. For fishing enthusiasts, Estacada Lake offers a boat ramp and an ADA fishing dock, and the Clackamas River has steelhead and Chinook runs.
The Clackamas Fish Hatchery is located at McIver Park, and self-guided tours of the hatchery guide visitors through the life-cycle of Chinook salmon and steelhead.
SUP and Kayak Rentals Rentals and guided tours are offered by Clackamas River Outfitters at Estacada Lake through contract with Oregon State Parks. Information: 503-586-3241 or clackamasriveroutfitters.com
Land Play Prefer to stay dry? You can hike or ride your horse over miles of trails. (Bicycles are allowed only on paved trails and roads, for the safety of all.)
Milo also sports a world-class, 27-hole disc golf course at the Riverbend Day-use Area. Discs are available at the park office to rent or buy.
$18 - $75 / night
Fishermen's Bend Recreation Site has limited day use open. No camping or dump station is available.__ $5 passenger vehicle (up to 9), $10 non-commercial vans (10-19 passengers), $20 non-commercial bus (over 19 passengers), $30 Northwest Oregon District Annual Day Pass for passengers vehicles only, America the Beautiful Interagency Passes and Golden passes are also acceptable for day-use fees Cottonwoods Shelter rental $110 per day, does not include vehicle day-use fees
Day use only until further notice. Expanded opened area includes River Loop only. Group picnic shelter, Cottonwoods, is reservable 7 first come-first serve individual picnic sites some hiking trails around River Loop and to the fishing overlook boat launch river access
porta potties, picnic sites with picnic table, parking, and barbecue grill, hiking trails, boat ramp, camp host, fishing overlook
North Santiam State Park is next door, with more great water and hiking opportunities. Scenic John Neal Memorial County Park is less than 15 minutes away. Silver Falls State Park is 45 minutes from Fishermen's Bend, with 10 majestic waterfalls, ranging from the grand 177' South Falls, to the delicate 27' Drake Falls.
For facility specific information, please call (503) 375-5646.
Standard fees apply and are non-refundable. Visit https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies for more information.
$110 / night
In the summer months, Detroit Lake Campground, a 3,500-acre, 9-mile long lake in the Cascades below Mt. Jefferson, is a popular recreation area for fishing, boating, water skiing, swimming, camping, and picnicking. The U.S. Forest Service and Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation and operate numerous boat ramps, Detroit Lake Oregon Camping and day-use areas around the lake. Two privately owned marinas are located near the town of Detroit. Both Detroit and Big Cliff lakes are located 43 miles southeast of Salem on the North Fork of the Santiam River. They are operated by the Corps of Engineers as part of a system of thirteen multi-purpose dams and reservoirs that make up the Willamette Valley Project. These dams and reservoirs work together for the purposes of flood damage reduction, hydropower generation, irrigation, recreation, fish and wildlife enhancement, and downstream water quality improvement within the Willamette River drainage system.. To learn more about the lake and construction of the dam visit the Army Corps of Engineers website at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/ In late summer, early fall through spring, the water levels on Detroit and Big Cliff lakes are frequently drawn down to the point where boat launches are no longer available. Reservoir and river level information is available from the US Army Corps of Engineers here. Watch for obstructions near the shoreline such as submerged stumps, logs and rocks. Small craft should stay out of open waters when it is windy since dangerous waves can build up suddenly. Fish Your National Forests: This site can be accessed by Passenger Car; Fish available include: Trout, Native Trout; Types of fishing available include: Shore, Motorized boat, Float tube, Fly, Spin, Bait; ADA Accessible fishing access with fishing pier, boat launch, and fish cleaning station View more Popular Lakes & Rivers
The Silver Spur is a 196 site RV Resort located just on the outskirts of historic Silverton, OR. We offer 50 amp, 30 amp and 20 amp electric service, water & sewer connections, and cable TV at every site in the park. Wave Wireless internet is also available for each guest. Our main lodge has a small store for most RV needs and is also equiped with a beautiful game room that has a full sized slate pool table, air hockey, foosball , big screen tv's and video games! A stocked, catch and release fishing pond is located in the center of the property for all guests to enjoy. Our brand new Pool and Jacuzzi are open 7 days a week for you to soak in and are located right next to the area of our newest edition of 5 TiPi camp sites! We serve Saturday breakfasts throughout the summer months and have in house catering available for groups, parties, reunions or gatherings of any kind.
The main campground has tent sites, RV spots and cabins. Bring your horse and stay in the horse campground.
Campground Book sites at oregonstateparks.reserveamerica.com. Reservations can be made 6 months in advance. Reservations are required for cabin stays.
48 electrical sites with water (18+ sites open year-round) 43 tent sites with water nearby (seasonal May–Oct.) 14 cabins (7 pet friendly, open year-round) Flush toilets and showers Universal Access: Campsites B2 and B4, four cabins, and campground restrooms/showers are accessible. Howard Creek Horse Camp (seasonal May–Oct) 5 primitive sites with horse stalls Group site for 24 people and 12 horses
People call it the “crown jewel” of the Oregon State Parks system, and once you visit, you know why. Silver Falls State Park is the kind of standout scenic treasure that puts Oregon firmly onto the national—and international—stage.
Camping: The main Silver Falls campground has tent sites, RV spots and cabins. Bring your horse and stay in the horse campground. If you need an area for many people, the park also has group tent and RV camps, and the historic Youth Camp for up to 250 campers.
Waterfalls: Where else can you walk behind a waterfall? Check out the famous South Falls and see what a 177-foot curtain of water looks like from behind. It’s part of the Trail of Ten Falls, a spectacular, nationally recognized hiking trail that weaves through a dense forested landscape. The trail passes a series of breathtaking waterfalls along a rocky canyon, and descends to a winding creek at the forest floor. This 7.2 mile loop is considered to be a moderate hike, with an overall elevation change of 800 feet. Several connecting trails with separate access points make shorter routes. For everyone’s safety— absolutely no pets allowed on the Canyon Trail. Pets on leash are allowed on all other trails.
Boots, bikes, paws, hooves: The park offers more than 35 miles of backcountry trails for mountain biking, hiking or horseback riding (see guided ride info below). Bears and cougars live in the more remote park areas.
Daytime activities: The South Falls Day-use area has spacious lawns, barbecue stands, picnic shelters, tables, a playground, horseshoe pits, an off lead area for dogs, and a charming creek. Ever since the opening day in 1933, visitors have been using these grounds for potlucks, family reunions and weddings.
The Silver Falls Lodge and Conference Center offers a variety of amenities. Relax and enjoy comfortable lodging within the wooded setting, or feast at the many catered specialty events. Enjoy a preordered meal at the historic dining hall or order a box lunch to take on a hike or to your campsite. They also specialize in hosting special events! Visit silverfallslodge.com or call 866-575-8875.
Guided horseback rides: Silver Falls Riding Stables at Howard Creek offers five horseback rides daily through Sept. 29. Advanced reservation recommended. Visit silverfallslodge.com for times and rates.
$28 / night
Champoeg State Heritage Area features a rare combination of history, nature, and recreation. Situated south of Newberg along the scenic Willamette River, Champoeg's forests, fields, and wetlands recreate the landscape of a bygone era.
This is the site where Oregon's first provisional government was formed by a historical vote in 1843. A thriving town of 200 was established, only to be washed away during a great flood in 1861. This rich history earns the park’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places.
A diversity of activities await. Enjoy walking or biking on the paved trails that pass historical landmarks and hug the river. Play the 18-hole disc golf course under the oak trees, relax at the multitude of scenic picnic areas, or fish or kayak from dock on the Willamette River. For RV's there are 21 full-hookup sites and 54 electric sites with water.
The ecologically rich landscape is home to more than 130 bird species, including seasonally nesting western bluebirds and acorn woodpeckers.
$5 - $72 / night
Camp•hub, real cuisine, and BnB outdoor boutique hotel.
Immersing yourself into the outdoors, if only for a drizzly afternoon stroll, is not simply refreshing—for Oregonians, it’s practically fundamental to experiencing a flourishing life in the Pacific Northwest.
Setting out on the trail or sleeping under the stars can be the restorative breath of fresh air that can completely transform a mindset. That transformation in mindset could have significant impacts on the climate of surrounding environment + the local community, and that's not something to take lightly.
From the outset, our mission at Silver Falls Hospitality has been to learn firsthand from the very nature of the wilderness, and directly from those who have been stewards of the land before us. As a small business and as a blossoming cohort of creatives and a "boots-on-the-ground" team, we aim to convey the resilience that we have gained & have continuously learned from, and hope to instill those values into the hearts and minds of the sojourners, friends, locals, and families that we are honored to host.
$89 - $250 / night
Situated along the scenic Clackamas River, Milo McIver State Park is only 45 minutes from Portland. This beautiful park provides a variety of outstanding recreational opportunities. You can spend a day or a week exploring the river, forest and fields.
Seasonal Camping (Mid-March – Oct. 31)
44 electrical sites with water (one accessible). Nine tent sites with water nearby Hot showers and flush toilets Three reservable group tent camping areas with water, flush toilets and fire rings Three hiker/biker campsites with water, lockers, solar charging station and fire pit RV dump station Click here to see a campground map. Water Play
River lovers can challenge the sometimes wild (but always picturesque) Clackamas River with rafts, canoes or kayaks. For fishing enthusiasts, Estacada Lake offers a boat ramp and an ADA fishing dock, and the Clackamas River has steelhead and Chinook runs.
The Clackamas Fish Hatchery is located at McIver Park, and self-guided tours of the hatchery guide visitors through the life-cycle of Chinook salmon and steelhead.
SUP and Kayak Rentals Rentals and guided tours are offered by Clackamas River Outfitters at Estacada Lake through contract with Oregon State Parks. Information: 503-586-3241 or clackamasriveroutfitters.com
Land Play Prefer to stay dry? You can hike or ride your horse over miles of trails. (Bicycles are allowed only on paved trails and roads, for the safety of all.)
Milo also sports a world-class, 27-hole disc golf course at the Riverbend Day-use Area. Discs are available at the park office to rent or buy.
$18 - $75 / night
Fishermen's Bend Recreation Site has limited day use open. No camping or dump station is available.__ $5 passenger vehicle (up to 9), $10 non-commercial vans (10-19 passengers), $20 non-commercial bus (over 19 passengers), $30 Northwest Oregon District Annual Day Pass for passengers vehicles only, America the Beautiful Interagency Passes and Golden passes are also acceptable for day-use fees Cottonwoods Shelter rental $110 per day, does not include vehicle day-use fees
Day use only until further notice. Expanded opened area includes River Loop only. Group picnic shelter, Cottonwoods, is reservable 7 first come-first serve individual picnic sites some hiking trails around River Loop and to the fishing overlook boat launch river access
porta potties, picnic sites with picnic table, parking, and barbecue grill, hiking trails, boat ramp, camp host, fishing overlook
North Santiam State Park is next door, with more great water and hiking opportunities. Scenic John Neal Memorial County Park is less than 15 minutes away. Silver Falls State Park is 45 minutes from Fishermen's Bend, with 10 majestic waterfalls, ranging from the grand 177' South Falls, to the delicate 27' Drake Falls.
For facility specific information, please call (503) 375-5646.
Standard fees apply and are non-refundable. Visit https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies for more information.
$110 / night
Great location as it is across the street from the beach. It is as simple as the other two next to it and half the price! Bathrooms are clean and showers are decent. Nice helpful camp host.
Friendly, helpful staff. Clean and modern bathrooms. Great location on ocean with great sunsets. Oy negative is spotty internet (Tengo).
This is a nice, small, well maintained RV park near town. Foster Lake is just across the road and is beautiful with a decent trail along the lake. The road can get very noisy as it’s popular with motorcycles.
Camping along side gravel road some spots better than others. Gets really busy on major holidays so go claim a spot early.
We stayed at what is now Cascadia County Park (per signage at the park) at the beginning of September. Monday and Tuesday night there were only a couple of other campers in the park. Needless to say it was very quiet.
Our first day we noticed a man without a shirt sitting, leaning against the bathroom exterior wall for a least an hour or so. Later that day we saw a couple who appeared to be homeless using the shower on the premises. Neither of these people caused any problems nor interacted with any camper as far as I could tell. Near the entrance at the picnic area there is a sign warning visitors to lock their cars.
This is a beautiful park, densely forested, bordered by the Santiam River. We stayed in one of the pull though sites, number 4. It was more private than most sites. We were happy to stay here to escape the smoke in Central Oregon were we live. We had reservations at Little Crater Campground, but choose not to stay there as the there were fires nearby and the area had an Evacuation Advisory - Level one and there is only one way out of the area.
I dove thru. Told not welcome. 2+ year wait list to live there. Asked if I could just pay to park somewhere safely in there as a single woman, in her 40's, just to stay in my car and watch TV on my own cell service in my car? I was told no. I told them I didn't want to live there tonight, I was looking into rv living and feeling out what the lifestyle is about. Currently just a "leave no trace overnight sleep".
Nope.
Met a couple residents and park attendant/host and this is NOT A PLACE TO STAY.
Looks like some kind of laundry area and possibly 1 shower stall. CHeesy (some kind of 1/4 height saloon town cutouts) hostile, rude, unfriendly, and discriminating. Best to move straight past it.
No. 100% no. Just want to make sure people know NOT to go there like I did. THE WORST experience I have had ever in all of my exploring!
We camped where the road was blocked and it was great. Saw a cougar as we were leaving, though! Luckily we were all in the car, so cool to see, but be aware!
Stayed 3 nights and the host allowed us to park 2 cars on a tent site. Facilities are clean and showers are hot and free
Great when you can get the hole camp to your self
Jim did a great job of communicating and was attentive to all the campers, but they ended up overbooked so we were moved away from the river and into an open field. With no hookups and lacking riverfront, the night seemed over-priced. With van life on site and a full campground, it didn’t have the quiet feel we expected.
Narrow sites. Old bathroom features. Cat poop everywhere. Even in the middle of the roads and around the fish cleaning station. Saw cats pooping under rvs. The rabbits are long gone, replaced by loose cats. Mostly long term folks. People at end of row E argue loudly at night. No wifi code given if you arrive after hours nor code to the bathrooms. Nice dog yard which is the best feature.
Had an amazing day at the beach. Can’t beat the view. The walk on the beach is great. There is WiFi if needed. Really enjoyed our stay.
Web site claims "Drinking Water" is available. However, the water coming out of the tap was brown, probably full of rust and minerals. The host told us not to drink the water, only use for toilet flushing and maybe shower. The county claims it is safe, I don't believe them.
The road was blocked off so there was no way to access this site.
Quiet out of the way campground right by the water. Limited trees. No cell service. Camp host was super nice! It was fairly empty on a Tuesday, but host did say that it get popping on the weekends.
Right on the Molalla river. Great campground. Vault toilets aren’t great, but they are useable. The water pump has bacteria warnings so bring plenty of water.
Our GPS gave us good instructions to the adjacent golf course. There wasn’t any signage until we got to the golf course. We saw the RV campground (CG) and headed to the left up a hill to a building we later found out housed the bathhouse and laundry. There was a sign to“Detach Your Tow Vehicles Here.” Then another sign stating to call a given phone number to assist with registration. We called the number and they gave us our site number and told us to come by the golf course pro shop later to register. We walked into the small CG to find site 14 and look at the best route to this pull-through with FHUs. Site 14 was an easy pull through and we positioned our rig to facilitate our hookups. The utilities were placed in the middle of the pad, which was plenty long enough for our rig to include putting our back patio down. We had a minor issue with the Oregon-required spigot regulator leaking water. They do have good water pressure at about 50 psi. We reported the issue to the RV manager, Jeff, when we checked in at the clubhouse and they sent someone over the next day to fix the leak. Our nightly rate reflects their golf package for 2 golfers for 2 weeks without cart. Their free Wifi worked much better than most CGs this size. We got 3 bars on Verizon. There are mature trees but we were able to position Starlink to get a strong enough signal for our needs(internet access and streaming). They have cable but admittedly, they are not doing much maintenance as most people don’t use it. The sites here are close together but have a little yard so you are not sitting on the next site’s sewer. Everyone who stays at this RV CG has to have some sort of golf package. Our Vilano Okie Friends came to visit for three nights and had to buy at least one golf round. Our golf package paid for the golf but for a powered cart you have to pay$20 per person for 9 holes or$30 for 18. There’s a mixture of pull throughs and back-in sites in this CG. Some of the back-in sites would be difficult backing for larger rigs due to the limited road width. We suggest calling and talking to the RV manager to discuss which of those sites will fit your rig. One thing we really liked was that after golfing and taking the cart back to the CG to unload our clubs, one of the employees came up around 3:30 PM each day to fetch the carts back. We enjoyed our stay and especially the golf.
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Awesome little cliff jumping swimming spot to teach the kids how to swim
Spent a lot of time up there tent camping on the weekends. Randy was the camp post. The grounds were always kept clean and improved every week. Great summer spot for steelhead fishing before the state screwed up that also.
Love the water access here, it’s a beautiful view. Saw a downed tree that looked like a dragon! There’s also stuff for frisbee golf and some other outdoor activities.
If you’re camping during the summer, this is the WORST campsite we have ever encountered. There is no shade or breeze, and directly next to the main road to Sisters/Bend with significant road noise. We booked two nights and ended up just leaving because of the unreasonable noise and heat.
It's really a beautiful area a nice place to stay people are awesome really pretty the got everything,
This was one of my favorite established campgrounds I stayed at on my roadtrip through Oregon. The big trees are perfect shade and beautiful. The roads are perfect for biking and there’s a bike trail in the campground that leads you straight to the park. Bathrooms and showers are clean and well taken care of. There is an incredible trash and recycling center at the front of the camper ground. Campsites can be decently close to one another, so not secluded but that wasn’t an issue for me. Obviously with family’s there’s going to be noise early in the morning and late at night so just be aware of that. But I didn’t mind, and wish I could have stayed here one more night. Something I was also pleasantly surprised by was how the trees blocked excessive heat. There was a heat wave going on during the time I was there but I didn’t have a problem at all here. It was such a relief.
Camping near Salem, Oregon, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly spot or a peaceful getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Salem, Oregon, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Salem, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, Salem, OR offers a wide range of camping options, with 195 campgrounds and RV parks near Salem, OR and 13 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Salem, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Salem, OR is Silver Falls State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 71 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Salem, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 13 free dispersed camping spots near Salem, OR.
What parks are near Salem, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 21 parks near Salem, OR that allow camping, notably Foster Lake and Fern Ridge Lake.
