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Best Campgrounds near Seneca, OR

193 Reviews

Dispersed camping and established campgrounds surround the small community of Seneca in eastern Oregon's Grant County. The area includes a mix of Forest Service campgrounds, RV parks, and primitive sites where visitors can experience the natural beauty of the Malheur National Forest. Timbers Inn and RV Park provides full hookup sites within Seneca itself, while dispersed options like Fawn Spring offer free camping in more remote forest settings. Nearby developed campgrounds include Starr Campground, Wickiup Campground, and Oregon Mine Campground, most offering basic amenities for tent and RV camping. Several historic guard stations, including Murderers Creek, are available as rental cabins for those seeking rustic accommodations with more shelter.

Camping seasons typically run from May through October or November for most established sites in the region, with winter closures common due to snow and freezing temperatures. Forest roads accessing dispersed camping areas may become impassable during wet spring conditions or winter months. Many campgrounds feature vault toilets but limited drinking water access, requiring campers to bring their own supply. The Malheur National Forest and surrounding public lands contain numerous primitive camping opportunities, but visitors should check current fire restrictions during summer months. One camper noted: "We ended up at this spot after finding roads closed by snow farther up the hill. It got very cold at night. We were fine in our bus, but our traveling partner had his water bottle freeze in his tent."

Campgrounds near Seneca provide varied terrain and experiences based on elevation and location. Lower-elevation sites along creeks offer fishing opportunities and shade trees, while higher forest sites provide cooler temperatures and proximity to mountain recreation. Several visitors mention wildlife viewing as a highlight of camping in this area. Starr Campground receives positive reviews for its accessibility and quiet atmosphere, though some mention its proximity to the road. According to reviews, Murderers Creek Guard Station cabin offers a unique experience with propane heat and a kitchen, making it suitable for off-season stays. The cabin "comes with propane heat and powered appliances, so no need to sacrifice meal quality or comfort," according to one review. Fawn Spring dispersed camping area offers solitude but has mixed reviews regarding access and conditions.

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Best Camping Sites Near Seneca, Oregon (91)

    1. Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site Campground

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

    $26 - $32 / 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. Starr

    4 Reviews
    Seneca, OR
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 575-3000

    "Nice area close to the road. Plenty of room for my small trailer. Though it was close to the road it wasn’t very noisy. I camped in site 9 so 1/4 mile away from the road. Only issue last role of TP."

    "great location. sites 1-6 are pretty close to the main road, but tidy little sites, a pit toilet. no running water."

    3. Wickiup

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

    $6 - $9 / night

    4. Timbers Inn and RV Park

    1 Review
    Seneca, OR
    0 miles
    +1 (541) 542-2609

    5. Fawn Spring Dispersed Camping

    3 Reviews
    John Day, OR
    11 miles

    "Good little tucked away site with spring water, fire pits and lots of empty space for my truck. Make sure to stop at the sign, we went about 2-3 extra miles looking before we came back lol"

    "It’s a bit of an uphill drive off 15, but it’s a pretty good gravel road. There was a fair amount of litter from what looked like a hunting group when we arrived, but we took it with us."

    6. Grant County RV Park

    8 Reviews
    John Day, OR
    20 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"

    7. Murderers Creek Guard Station

    3 Reviews
    Mount Vernon, OR
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 820-3800

    $50 / night

    "In the spring, I imagine you can fish the creek behind the cabin.

    The Wildlife

    If you hike a little off trail, there's plenty of wildlife to be seen."

    "The area is beautiful  but the creek  is so very tiny and back behind the cabin. It has a vault toilet that was very clean but we may have been  lucky  since it is not cleaned between guests."

    8. Strawberry Campground

    6 Reviews
    Prairie City, OR
    20 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."

    9. Idlewild Campground - Malheur

    8 Reviews
    Burns, OR
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 573-4300

    $50 / night

    "We ran across this nice little campground (CG) looking for a place to walk our pups.  Idlewild is located an easy 30 minute drive north of Burns, OR. "

    "This is a basic USFS campground north of Burns, Oregon off of 395. There are few campgrounds off this highway so we always camp here. The fee is $10."

    10. Oregon Mine Campground

    2 Reviews
    Mount Vernon, OR
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 575-3000

    "There are toilets but no water (there’s a creek so boil or treat the water there), close to the road, and a good basecamp for hiking or horseback riding in the area."

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Recent Camping Photos near Seneca, OR

30 Photos of 91 Seneca Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Seneca, OR

193 Reviews of 91 Seneca Campgrounds

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 7, 2025

    Sagehen Hill Road

    Quiet, peaceful

    Primitive camp. Nice views, pull in is flat enough, and there is 0 road noise.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 2, 2025

    Sagehen Hill Road

    High Desert Peace

    We came out in the dark, so didn’t get a prime spot. There are several areas to camp. We passed 2 other campers in our way in. There is a place to camp on the left, in the trees before the gps coordinates and many beyond the coordinates.

  • 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

  • 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.

  • GThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 13, 2025

    Quail Ridge RV park

    Great Place to Stop

    The first reviewer nailed it with the basics:  about two acres of crushed gravel (like a parking lot), no green. But if you need a break from the drive for a night or more, this is the place. Food and other resources are nearby, some walking distance (food). I'm staying three nights to recover from driving fatigue. I'm in no hurry to get anywhere, so that helps. For one night or more, rest, freshen up, full hookups, cheap, yeah, this is it.

    It's surprisingly empty, for a Saturday (see pic). The few that are here seem to be long-term, as the size of their propane tanks demonstrate. But that's only a few and the camp has many, many more open spots. I didn't have a reservation until the day of, then once here, extended another two days.

    Internet is available, but slow, maybe the time of day (early, mid, late evening). Works though, just wait a bit. Off Highway 20 one block, enough to cancel traffic noise. Restrooms and showers are clean, really clean, almost brand new.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Stephanie F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 22, 2025

    Billy Fields Forest Camp

    Smalll camp, too many mosquitoes

    It’s only two free camp sites unless there’s more up the road I didn’t check. There was too mosquitoes for me, probably because there is a stream next to sites. It seemed clean and quiet though, the sound of stream was nice, and one vault toilet was there, no AT&T cell service. We saw a garter snake near the stream. Theres also a caution sign for ticks. I didn’t end up staying though because of the bugs. I ended up going to Big Bend Campground which was nice and by the river didn’t have trouble with bugs there. $5 though.

Guide to Seneca

Camping near Seneca, 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 nearby, especially along the John Day River. One camper mentioned, "Enjoyed the river trail along the John Day river. Perfect to cool off in during the hot summer months" at the Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site.
  • Fishing: Many campgrounds are near water, making it easy to cast a line. A visitor at Unity Lake State Recreation Area noted, "The fishing looked great," which is a good sign for anglers.
  • Wildlife Watching: The area is home to various wildlife. One camper at Strawberry Campground shared, "We even got a visit from a few deer every night around dinner time."

What campers like

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. A review for Burns RV Park stated, "Showers clean and nicely fitted out," which is always a plus after a long day outdoors.
  • Privacy: Many campgrounds offer spacious sites. A visitor at Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site mentioned, "Lots of shade, lawn, and hedges that offer privacy between the large camp sites."
  • Quiet Atmosphere: Campers enjoy the peaceful surroundings. One reviewer at Idlewild Campground said, "It’s a great CG if you want to get away from it all."

What you should know

  • Mosquitoes: Be prepared for bugs, especially in summer. A camper at Chukar Park Campground warned, "We were swarmed by mosquitoes," so bring repellent.
  • Road Conditions: Some campgrounds are accessed via rough roads. A visitor to Strawberry Campground noted, "A bumpy gravel road might not work for sedan always, but worth a try."
  • Limited Amenities: Not all campgrounds have full facilities. A review for Idlewild Campground mentioned, "There are vault toilets and seasonally a camp host with firewood," so plan accordingly.

Tips for camping with families

  • Bring Activities: Keep kids entertained with games and bikes. One camper at Strawberry Campground suggested, "I was thankful I brought our bikes and games."
  • Choose Safe Sites: Look for spots away from steep drops or water. A visitor at Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site advised, "Keep an eye on kiddos or pick a site farther away from the creek if you’re worried about that."
  • Pack Extra Layers: The weather can change quickly. One camper at Strawberry Campground mentioned, "We didn’t realize it was still so chilly at the end of May."

Tips from RVers

  • Check Hookups: Make sure your site has the necessary hookups. A reviewer at Grant County RV Park noted, "Spaces were all level and gravel with full hook-ups."
  • Be Mindful of Noise: Some campgrounds are near highways. A visitor at Burns RV Park mentioned, "A bit of road noise," so consider that when choosing a site.
  • Plan for Trash Disposal: Not all campgrounds have trash services. A camper at Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site reminded, "Trash is available, but be sure to pack out what you bring in."

Camping near Seneca, Oregon, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

What amenities are available at the Seneca RV park?

The RV park near Seneca offers essential amenities for travelers. At Burns RV Park, you'll find full hookup spots, though spaces can be somewhat limited in size. For those looking for alternatives in the region, Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site Campground provides clean showers, restrooms, large campsites with privacy hedges, and access to walking trails along the river. Most RV parks in this region are well-suited for big rigs and typically provide water, electric, and sewer hookups.

Where is the Seneca campground located in Oregon?

Seneca is a small community in eastern Oregon, located in Grant County along Highway 395. While not a campground itself, several camping options are available in the vicinity. Timbers Inn and RV Park is situated near Seneca, offering a convenient base for exploring the area. The surrounding region includes the Malheur National Forest which contains numerous camping opportunities like Murderers Creek Guard Station, a short drive from Seneca.

What camping is available near Seneca, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, Seneca, OR offers a wide range of camping options, with 91 campgrounds and RV parks near Seneca, OR and 4 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Seneca, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Seneca, 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 Seneca, OR?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 free dispersed camping spots near Seneca, OR.

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