Best Glamping near East Springfield, OR

Stayed in Yurt #2 in the Yurt village on Fathers Day weekend. There was also a fishing tournament this weekend, so the park was completely full. The Yurt Village stayed very quite. Most noise was the Trucks/Boat coming and leaving the boat ramp which is about 400yds away. 

Yurt #2 & 3 are deluxe yurts. All this means is you get a larger deck and propane firepit. To use the firepit you need to bring your own propane, large 20lb style. The Yurts have solar lights inside and out, not sure how long they run, but they lasted us a weekend with conservative use. There is 2 pit style bathrooms in the yurt village. Bathrooms are located at the parking lot.

The yurt village is a ways from the RV/Tent sites. Not a quick or easy walk. 

Parking at the yurt village is a little walk from #2 and #3. Best to bring a wagon or such to help transport. Its about 100yd walk each way. 

There are 3 beds, one full side bottom with a twin bunk on top and one full size futon. There is a dining table and 4 chairs. There is no running water, bring your own water. I saw a fountain near the parking lot, but did not test it. 

While it says no pets, one other yurt had two well behaved dogs. The park knew and didnt stop them, so make your own decision with your pets but dont ruin it for others please.

Weather was pretty good for us. No mosquitoes, though lots of nats but able to sit outside all day without being bothered too much.

I had been in Oregon for a week to burry my daughter and was hit with terrible luck... My truck had been t-boned a couple of days earlier so I admit that it looked rough.  But I no excuse for what treatment I had received by the front desk.

I had started work for one of the largest company's in the area and was broke until I was able to get my first check due to burial expenses and and the unexpected high prices here in Oregon, and had been sleeping in my truck. Went in person to get a campsite and for once have a safe place to sleep and shower, with a side of laundry. Lol... When the guy looks me dead in the eyes and said he was all booked up for the next month.  I don't look like a drugged out homeless person, because I'm not, but I was instantly judged negativity and bold face lied to.

I should add that there were several people within sight that could've been the poster children of homeless dopers that were there and had been for a very long time.

I'm not 100% sure what the GOOD SAM thing is all about here in Oregon... But this place shouldn't be allowed to display the sign.  Never been treated like that openly to my face before.  

I called a day later and made reservations for a campsite for two days.  Can't wait to hear his explanation when I show up.  And especially when I inform my boss.  He may be having a run of bad luck, as I did.  Hope Karma does him right.

Mallard Creek Golf and RV Resort is located about 3 miles from Waterloo (or 8 miles from Lebanon, Oregon and 11 miles from Sweet Home, Oregon). It is off the beat and design for those serious golfers. The RV resort is design for trailers of any size with 30 to 50 amps electric, also includes, water, sewage hook ups, cable, and a cement table. The Club House has showers, bathrooms, and laundry facility. The club house has a wonderful party space with TV, gas fireplace (no fires at sites), tables for games and social gatherings. Free WIFI, your cel phone and data plans work wonderful in this area. Dogs are allowed, but no pet area to run loose. Kids are welcome but not gear up for things to do unless they love to golf too.

Mallard Creek is gear up for the serious golfers so the summer has special packages for the RV site with golfing from Memorial day weekend to the end of September. For non-golfers the RV resort is available between October 1 to the Thursday before Memorial day.

The Baker Bay Campground and Marina is a county park outside of Cottage Grove, Oregon. It has a boat launch and boat rentals. There are several huge inflatable water structures in the bay which kids can play on for a fee. The concession stand is currently under construction however there is plenty of green space for picnics. There is a large play structure, horseshoes, and a sand volleyball pit.

Great site for families with kids.

Decent main restroom and showers however, the vault toilet near the main camping spots was the WORST I have ever been near. I can't imagine how people near the toilet could stand being there - especially in the heat of the summer.

One option when looking for a campground last minute during the summer close to Eugene, Oregon. This one is not usually very busy during peak season in my opinion.

This is a primitive campground so no hook ups for your rv. Bring the generator if your needing a power source during the day.

There are restrooms/ showers on site along with drinking water, a playground, and an rv dump station. Picnic tables and fire pits at each site. Trails are nearby along with a beach/ swimming area at Dorena Lake. Watch for signs of Algae or Swimmers Itch as it has been present the past few years at Dorena Lake.

Overall its a great last minute campground not far from town ( Cottage Grove- Eugene), but doesn't make my list of top 5 if I can make reservations a head of time.

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I have the distinct pleasure to tryout and review gear from great outdoor companies. This is my ranger review of the Primus Lite+ backpacking stove kit at Rujada campground in Oregon.

Campground review

Rujada is smaller campground located just south-east of Cottage Grove, Oregon; up Bryce creek rd.

This is a nice, well-maintained campground right on Layng Creek, in a heavily wooded area. It offers 15 campsites, some of which can be reserved online and others are first come, first served. The sites are quite unique to each other, some offering privacy, some larger and open, and a couple just off the "Swordfern trail" next to the creek. You can hear the creek's small waterfall from most of the sites, and there is even a couple of spots on the creek to take a dip; if you wish.

The "Swordfern trail" starts at the day use area; where you can find a large ball field, horseshoe pits and a tiny playground. The trail continues into the forest following the creek, until it takes a big bend back around to the campground. It is an easy to moderate 2 or so miles, that I feel is family and dog friendly, as the grounds allows pets. If you want bigger hiking payoffs, just up the road approx. 6 miles, you can find "Pinard", "Moon", and "Spirit falls". Each are around 2 easy hiking miles and worth hitting, you can easily do all three in one day. I highly recommend these falls as they are some of the better, lesser known falls in Oregon.

As for amenities; Rujada has two restroom facilities, one pit and one gender-specific flush, with sinks, located nearby the day use area. They also have trash service, recycling, water bibs and dish water troughs. There are no r.v. specific sites, so no power or sewer hookups. Each site also offers the expected firepit rings as well as awesome picnic tables made from big timbers from back in the day.`

I liked this campground overall for its small size and more primitive nature, I will return and use it for a good jumpoff point for the many beautiful hikes nearby.

Product review

Primus Lite +

https://primus.us/products/eta-lite-7?variant=17262691525

The Primus Lite+ is a great, light and well built integrated backpacking stove/pot kit from the makers of the original soot free kerosene stove back in 1892. These stoves have come a long way, now offering auto start piezo igniters, no need for manually lighting with a match.

The integrated pot system is attached with a grasp on the neoprene surround and a twist. No need to worry about your pot falling off while boiling water. If you would rather use your ol' trusty pot or kettle; it does have 3 small pegs that can be screwed into the burner to better balance your cookware. These pegs also attach to the pots strap and are at hand anytime. For more stability it also comes with two more options, one is an included tripod stand that fits 3 size fuel bottles. The other is a sweet, included hanging lanyard, so if you can't find a suitable surface, you can hang it from a nearby branch.

If you purchase the smallest size fuel canister, all items(less the tripod) will fit into the integrated pot, taking up the least amount of space possible in your pack.

This unit burns very hot, as the flame is concentrated directly on the pot and is not very adjustable. It does boil water very quickly though, 3-4 min. depending on conditions. I do feel that it might not be the best unit for cooking food as I could see it easily burning the food to the bottom. I might try rice or soup, just keep an eye on it. It is a perfect setup for making Mountain house meals and I love it for my coffee.

My only criticism would be the pouring spout, or lack thereof. The cap has a hole for pouring with two alongside to allow for airflow. My problem, which may be user error, is most times I'm pouring, the water spills down the side of the pot. I tried to pour quicker, or slower, at an angle, and almost always have this problem. It is getting better each time I try, so hopefully I can solve this soon.

All and all a great unit and does all that would be expected from this type of system, with some cool unique features. I recommend this to any backpacker or even the casual camper.

As a Ranger for The Dyrt I have the awesome opportunity to test and review products from great outdoor companies every once in awhile. This is my review of https://www.roanline.com/ a company that provides outdoor and camping gear. This review was conducted at Whittaker creek recreation site in Oregon.

Campground review

Whittaker creek is a medium size 30 site, BLM, first come first served campground encircling Whittaker creek, where it meets the Siuslaw river. It is a mile or so off of hwy 126, just before Mapleton on the way to the Oregon coast; approx. 1 hr from Eugene.

I like the setup of this campground, it has very dense vegetation surrounding some sites, but others are wide open at the foot of the Whittaker ridge. If you luck out, a few sites have private access to the small wading pool created by a bend in the creek. It is a small pool, but nice for young children to swim, for adults to float, or just sun on the rocky shore. If you want a bigger swimming area, there is a river access trail to the siuslaw nearby. Just be aware, it wasn't maintained as of this review. I had to do some bushwacking and log hopping to get there, just gave me another reason to jump in and cool off. Also, be on the lookout for skeeters, I usually don't have an issue with them, but here they were on the attack.

Off of the main campground access road is the Whittaker ridge old growth trail to the Armantrout loop trail. This can be taken from either side as a point to point, or looped together for a 3 mile jaunt. The trail gains 900 ft. in a mile, so not the easiest for young kids, but I'm sure some can tackle it.

This campground is more primitive offering only 4 all gender pit toilets, wood sales, potable water bibs and dish water troughs. They also have garbage services, but I did not see a recycling area. They do not have RV specific sites, so no power, water, or sewer.

I suggest looking for a site on the back side of the creek (higher numbered sites) there are more on the creek and they are farther from the entrance. I wasn't so lucky and had to make due with one right as you drive into the grounds. I was surprised of the flow of cars in and out that seemed to just hangout for a bit and leave. This did lessen as the night went on. There also seemed to be lots of teenagers whooping it up, but this also died down later in the eve.

Overall an okay spot with plenty to keep you busy, and just a nice spot to take in the Oregon green.

Product review

This is my review of the 3 products that I found on https://www.roanline.com/

I want to start by saying this website is great. It has a lot of cool camping accessories and apparel for the outdoors. I like that this is a company started by a women for women, but they are not leaving out the men in their pursuit to outfit adventurous folk. I also like that they focus on smaller up and coming American businesses as well as companies that give back to the natural world.

My only criticism is the selection of sizes of the men's apparel. I get that this company was started due to lack of options, sizes and fit for women, I respect that and appreciate that they are not leaving the men out. However, I am a bigger guy around 6'4" 260 lbs. With that being said, the sizes offered end at xxl (with true fit disclaimer). I feel this can scare aware potential online buyers as I was deterred from purchasing, due to unsure sizing. I think they are missing out on a large demographic, no pun intended. Maybe they could offer a looser fit or a tall size, just an idea.

I did end up finding some nice camp accessories that I have utilized camping the past few months. These items include: the Sturdybros.com duck canvas dopp kit, and the Unitedbyblue.com Enamel camp mug and Mt. Mazama 100% Organic soap.

https://www.roanline.com/sturdy-brothers-dopp-kit-in-grey/

https://www.sturdybrothers.com/products/grey-dopp-kit

Sturdy Bros. is an American born company started by a couple of brothers. They hand make all of their products, featuring tool bags, aprons, gear bags, and an array of other leather and waxed duck cloth items for the handy man, or woman and any outdoor enthusiast.

I decided on the in house waxed duck canvas cloth dopp kit. This is incredibly well made, with a brass YKK zipper and hand sewn seams. It is a bit small, but it is just the right size for the essentials without adding a lot of pack weight. I feel this dopp will last me the rest of my life and is well worth the price. I was amazed at the quality, you definitely don't see this quality too much these days. I will be looking into more products from Sturdy bros. maybe a tool bag for my offroad rig.

https://unitedbyblue.com/products/22-oz-national-parks-enamel-steel-mug

https://unitedbyblue.com/products/mt-mazama-rogue-spoap

United by Blue is a company big on ocean conservation and healing the natural world. Offering products made with organic and recycled materials and others that are easy on the environment. They also remove one pound of trash from the ocean for every product sold, although I do not know if this goes for product purchased from Roanline.com.

I decided on the UBB Metal Enamel mug as I was tired of the stoneware enamel mugs that were prone to breaking if dropped while camping and hiking. I also like that the metal keeps your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold, longer. This mug is also safe to use on the fire or stovetop. It is the National parks foundation mug, so it has some N.P. logos around the outside of the mug. I really like this mug and found no issues with it; except maybe that they left out Crater lake. A good mug that is big and what is expected and at a fairly reasonable price.

I also was interested in the UBB Mt. Mazama Rogue river series, clay and geranium soap. This soap is 100% natural and organic, so you can use it in the river without the worry of polluting the waterway. It also smells great, suds up nicely and washes away cleanly without leaving your skin tight. Did i mention it smells Awesome! Its not a strong perfume type smell and totally reminds me of the outdoors. A great addition to any dopp kit and camp showering routine. I just wish they sold mill ends so I could buy bulk at a discount as it is on the spendy side. Worth the splurge though.

https://www.roanline.com/ offers many good products, so head down and check it out and then go spend some time at the Whittaker creek recreation site in Oregon. Happy camping!

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.

Tent campers beware! The tent sites have cats that roam the area and the world is their litter box. The smells at night were rough. The cats caused dogs to bark all night. People playing loud music throughout the night. Screaming kids and adults all night. People throwing rocks. And again, the smells are awful. Very Overpriced. Go up the road or just find somewhere else. I camp 6-7 times per week for the last few months across the country. This is by far the WORST campground I’ve ever encountered.

I've stayed here a number of times and each time it's a pleasure. Nice big sites, super clean park and facilities and nice staff. I personally stay in all sorts of locations, but usually stop here for a couple of nights to take advantage of the great stores in Eugene to stock up before heading off for more primitive camping. This park is pet friendly with 2 reasonable dog yards and there doesn't seem to be a quantity or breed problem (I'm parked next to a rig with 2 pitbulls, a small mixed breed and 2 cats). Everyone I've encountered in here is super respectful. They also have a small inexpensive laundry. While walking around with my 4 dogs, I noticed they have Tepees for rent also. I always feel safe and comfortable when I stay here. The only downside is that it's right off I-5 so lots of freeway noise.

Nice time. Hated the traffic 😒

They have a hot tub, heated pool, lodge, rv hook ups, tent spaces, and rental cabins. Very nice.

We loved the tent/trailer camp spot on Carly’s property. It was quiet and peaceful and we were able to disconnect and relax for a couple of days. There’s a nice hiking trail down to a pond with cute signage to lead the way.

The composting toilet had a stack of dried firewood from the property beside it and also some cute tables and chairs by the fire ring made from local trees.

All in all a wonderful place just outside of Cottage Grove. We will definitely be back next year!