Best Dispersed Camping near Summer Lake, OR

Looking for the best dispersed camping near Summer Lake? Dispersed camping is the perfect way to get off the grid. Search nearby dispersed campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Summer Lake, Oregon (10)

    Fred S.'s photo of a dispersed camping area at Duncan Reservoir Campground near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Duncan Reservoir Campground near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Duncan Reservoir Campground near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Duncan Reservoir Campground near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Duncan Reservoir Campground near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Duncan Reservoir Campground near Summer Lake, OR

    1. Duncan Reservoir Campground

    1 Review
    11 Photos
    3 Saves
    Silver Lake, Oregon

    Overview:

    Nestled in the sagebrush rangelands to the west of Silver Lake___s dry lake bed, Duncan Reservoir is a great place for picnicking, canoeing, camping, and fishing for stocked rainbow trout. The campground consists of four single campsites on the west side of Duncan Reservoir, and a group campsite on the north end of the reservoir, below the dam. Additional facilities at Duncan Reservoir include a boat ramp, vault toilet, covered picnic area, and several picnic tables and fire grates. During the winter months, ice fishing is possible if the reservoir freezes over.

    Know Before You Go:

    Open year-round. The 5-mile Portion of County Road 4-14 is gravel and sometimes rough. Be aware of livestock grazing on the open range, especially near OR 31. 4 Individual Campsites, 1 Group Site; first come, first serve. Vault Restroom. No Drinking Water available. No Food or Gas at Duncan Reservoir. The Nearest Services are in the nearby towns of Silver Lake, Fort Rock, and Summer Lake, Oregon.

    Point of Interest:

    County Road 4-14 winds through open range, revealing occasional glimpses of Silver Lake, Table Rock, Picture Rock Pass the occasional herd of pronghorn antelope.

    • Phone Service
    • RVs
    • Group
    • Standard (Tent/RV)
    • Toilets

    2. Auger Creek Dispersed

    1 Review
    11 Saves
    Silver Lake, Oregon
    • Pets
    • Fires
    • RVs
    • Tents
    • Standard (Tent/RV)
    • Dispersed
    Sterling P.'s photo of a dispersed camping area at CV BLM dispersed near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at CV BLM dispersed near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at CV BLM dispersed near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at CV BLM dispersed near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at CV BLM dispersed near Summer Lake, OR

    3. CV BLM dispersed

    2 Reviews
    3 Photos
    15 Saves
    Christmas Valley, Oregon
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • Dispersed
    • Alcohol
    Camper-submitted photo at Deschutes NF - HWY 31 near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Deschutes NF - HWY 31 near Summer Lake, OR

    5. Deschutes NF - HWY 31

    2 Reviews
    1 Photo
    Fort Rock, Oregon
    • Pets
    • ADA Access
    • RVs
    • Tents
    • Equestrian
    • Standard (Tent/RV)
    Ray & Terri F.'s photo of a dispersed camping area at Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping near Summer Lake, OR
    Camper-submitted photo at Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping near Summer Lake, OR

    6. Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping

    2 Reviews
    9 Photos
    49 Saves
    Plush, Oregon

    Lake Abert and Abert Rim offer a classic example of basin and range landscape. Abert Rim is the longest exposed fault scarp in North America, and one of the highest fault scarps in the United States. It towers 2,500’ over Lake Abert, Oregon's only saltwater lake. Its waters and shoreline attract a diverse population of migratory waterfowl. After basaltic flood lavas covered much of eastern Oregon about 5 to 23 million years ago, great blocks of the Earth’s crust subsequently tilted, resulting in the raised scarp and lakebed seen today.

    Know Before You Go: Open Season Lake Abert and Abert Rim are open YEAR ROUND. Numerous Pullouts on U.S. Route 395 provide opportunities to view scenery and wildlife. No Restrooms available. No Drinking Water available. No Food, Gas, or Lodging at Lake Abert or Abert Rim. The Nearest Services are in Lakeview, Oregon.

    Point of Interest: A designated Watchable Wildlife Area and viewpoint about five miles north of Valley Falls on U.S. Route 395 provides seasonal public viewing of migratory birds on the lake.

    • Pets
    • Phone Service
    • RVs
    • Standard (Tent/RV)
    • Dispersed
    • Alcohol

    7. Hole In The Ground

    1 Review
    3 Saves
    Fort Rock, Oregon
    • Pets
    • Fires
    • RVs
    • Tents
    • Dispersed
    • Alcohol

    8. Gearhart Mountain Trail Northern Trailhead Dispersed

    Be the first to review!
    1 Save
    Paisley, Oregon

    The North Fork Sprague Trailhead is one hour and 20 minutes northeast of Bly, Oregon, and about half-mile from Gearhart Mountain Wilderness northern boundary. Visitors will find one vault toilet and a parking area with room for trailer turnaround, but no other amenities. Dispersed camping is allowed.

    The North Fork Sprague Trailhead accesses the northern part of the Gearhart Mountain Trail #100 and allows visitors the opportunity to travel south through the middle of the Wilderness or to connect with the Boulder Springs Trail #101. Fishing enthusiasts also use the trailhead to get to Blue Lake, a popular fishing destination in the Wilderness. The lake is about 2.5 miles from the trailhead.

    • Pets
    • Dispersed
    • Toilets
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Showing results 1-10 of 10 campgrounds

Recent Dispersed Reviews near Summer Lake, OR

6 Reviews of 10 Summer Lake Campgrounds


  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 27, 2023

    Auger Creek Dispersed

    Down a Canyon - Not good for RV Travel

    This campsite is dry camping.  Silver Creek may be dry, as it has been since 2021.  No facilities other than a picnic table.  No Cell, No WiFi, etc.  If you like totally 'being away from it all,' this is your place, if you can get there.

  • Sterling P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sterling P.'s photo of a dispersed camping area at CV BLM dispersed near Summer Lake, OR
    Oct. 22, 2020

    CV BLM dispersed

    Nice isolated place to stop when traveling through Christmas Valley

    Excellent sunset view.  We took a smaller 4wd RV here and the road got really rough right after this spot.

  • KThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sterling P.'s photo of a dispersed camping area at CV BLM dispersed near Summer Lake, OR
    Jul. 25, 2021

    CV BLM dispersed

    Looks like private property

    No indication of camping here. The last turn off is blocked by a barbed wire gate and there’s a house at the end of the road.

  • Rick A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 4, 2024

    Hole In The Ground

    Bring everything you need

    I camped on the rim of the hole with my daughter. While we had a good time, and there weren't very many other people around, we arrived after June 1 during a dry year, meaning no campfire. The temperature during the day was around 85, and pretty comfortable, but at night it dropped down to around 40. We were pretty cold since we had counted on a campfire. As for the Hole in the Ground, it is pretty cool, and you can walk the trails down into it and back up. Typical high desert semi forested terrain, decent roads, but bring a map, it's a hole, and therefore not visible until you're right up on it. Our map showed the power poles that run nearby, as well as the railroad tracks. We used those to orient ourselves so as to not get lost. There are no services here, so if you need something, you'd better bring it. We liked it, and will return.

  • Ray & Terri F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Ray & Terri F.'s photo of a dispersed camping area at Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping near Summer Lake, OR
    May. 31, 2023

    Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping

    Quiet with nice views of the lake and sunset

    We are full-timers and have a 36 ft Class A with a Cherokee Trailhawk tow. We stayed for one night here in late May. Pretty much what everyone else has said- quiet behind the gravel mounds, very little traffic on US 395, especially at night, a really nice place. However, some disgusting f@#$%ng person left a large nasty pile of feces soiled jeans, pee pad, wipes, etc. lying in a heap by one of the gravel mounds. It has now been bagged and removed so others won’t have it detract from their stay. AT&T coverage was fair, with 3 bars of LTE and speeds up to 3 MB/s.

  • Austin R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Ray & Terri F.'s photo of a dispersed camping area at Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping near Summer Lake, OR
    Jul. 12, 2024

    Lake Abert US 395 South Pullout Dispersed Camping

    Amazing Spot

    Not the greatest for tent camping but we made it work. We pulled up past the main location where the dirt mounds are. We found refuge for the night off one of the little pullouts and set up camp right by the water. Highway was a little noisy but nothing too bad as it was quiet in the middle of the night. Sunset was perfect. We saw a Coyote on the hill leading to the scarp. 10/10


Guide to Summer Lake

Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Summer Lake, Oregon, where you can immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. This area offers a variety of spots that cater to different camping styles, from serene lakeside views to rugged mountain trails.

Scenic Views for Dispersed Campers

Tips for Free and Dispersed Camping Near Summer Lake, Oregon

Top Activities While Free Camping Near Summer Lake

  • Fishing enthusiasts will appreciate the opportunities at Duncan Reservoir Campground, where you can enjoy a quiet day by the water.
  • Hiking is a must at Picture Rock Pass, where the trails offer stunning views and a chance to explore the natural beauty of the area.
  • For those who enjoy stargazing, the remote location of Deschutes NF - HWY 31 provides a clear night sky, perfect for observing constellations away from city lights.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Summer Lake, OR?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Summer Lake, OR is Duncan Reservoir Campground with a 3-star rating from 1 review.

  • What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Summer Lake, OR?

    TheDyrt.com has all 10 dispersed camping locations near Summer Lake, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.