The Dalles, OR is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near The Dalles, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Discover great camping spots near The Dalles, reviewed by campers like you.
"There’s a pit toilet, and a garbage dumpster on-site. Over half the “sites” are right on the water, while the others are less than 50 feet away."
"This is Army Corps of Engineers recreation site with dispersed camping, vault toilets and a boat ramp. First come first served, $0 and you can stay up to seven days."
"Took a while to discover this spot, but clearly seems well used for dispersed camping. I parked nearest the access road, as my van would have hit trees to go a little further in."
"The road was very accessible, high clearance not required. We found a large pull off with several established fire pits. It's absolutely perfect for a group campsite."
"Incredible access to back country hiking at Mt. Hood!"
"Tucked our trailers up in the far corner with a commanding view of Mt. Hood! Well, not much view the first smokey day, but it cleared up nicely after a wind shift the following day. "
$10 / night
"Make sure you have 4WD and a high clearance rig to get here. The last four miles are an exercise in off road driving and need to be taken slow."
"You’ll want a 4wd or high clearance vehicle to access the last 4 miles. It’s worth it in the end. The meadow is beautiful and a nice view of Mt Hood."
"While you can't see the mountain from the site itself.There's a great turnaround point and views on the way up and down!"
"There are 2-3 fire rings to either side of the parking area at Elk Cove Trailhead."
"Dispersed camping at McNeil point is a backpackers dream — you get to hike far into the clouds, far away from the people, yet this location is nearly as convenient as car camping. "
"I started at the Top Spur trailhead and hiked the clockwise route up to McNeil (a little longer but saved be the scramble through rocks)."
"There are several backpacking campsites that are on the water, there is nothing more beautiful than watching the sunrise over the lake with Mt.Hood in the background."
"It's best to come up with a couple backup plans as this is a popular spot! The hike in off the road isn't difficult, and the tent sites are all situated relatively close to the trail."
"Quite a few dispersed spots, kinda close to one another- everyone was respectful. The road behind this gets a great view of Mt. Hood!!
No amenities. Dry camping!
PACK IT OUT"
"Nice forest service camping area. There are plenty of spots, but it can get pretty crowded on weekends. There is a beautiful view of Mt. Hood down the road and a nice hiking path to Trillium Lake."
RangerSurprised we were able to snag a spot here on Memorial Day weekend! Drove in Sunday evening. Quite a few dispersed spots, kinda close to one another- everyone was respectful. The road behind this gets a great view of Mt. Hood!!
No amenities. Dry camping!
PACK IT OUT
LegendI was running in an ultramarathon race in September in the Mt Hood National Forest and all of the local campgrounds managed by PGE around Timothy Lake were closed due to the end of the season. I was able to use map layers in The Dyrt PRO to identify where I was within National Forest boundaries and was able to confirm with local officials that I was in a free, dispersed camping zone. So, using the map layers and the search function on The Dyrt I looked for an area near the race start at the Historic Clackamas Ranger Station to park my RV for a 2 night off-grid stay. The location was a wide gravel area on the side of the road that allowed for enough space to park, put out my awning, set up some chairs and a propane fire pit (no live campfires - propane only) while being within a few hundred yards of the Ranger Station. There was room to walk along the road on the shoulder and you are very close walk to the Historic Clackamas Ranger Cabin with a beautiful meadow view, the Joe Graham Horse Camp, and just a couple of mile drive from Timothy Lake. Clackamas Lake Campground was nearby as well with many accessible miles of hikable trails, including access to the Pacific Crest Trail, for hikers of all levels. There was some smoke from local wildfires but that went away as the fall rains arrived that weekend. If you are looking for a place to park your RV near all of these amazing views and experiences this free, dispersed camping site worked great for me and my family for a couple of nights.
GuideTook a while to discover this spot, but clearly seems well used for dispersed camping. I parked nearest the access road, as my van would have hit trees to go a little further in. For smaller vehicles (e.g. roof top tents), you can get in a little further and off the access road. There was actually someone else back there, and we can't hear nor see each other.
TravelerThere are several places along FR 2730 where you can pull off and camp. The road was very accessible, high clearance not required. We found a large pull off with several established fire pits. It's absolutely perfect for a group campsite. I imagine it will be a busier spot in the summer, but we couldn't find a single other person within miles of us in early May. To get up to the group camp site, you may need higher clearance (most SUVs should be fine) and 4wd/AWD, as there is a short rocky section that might cause some issues for FWD/RWD.
Got a little chilly at night with winds whipping down through the area we were in, but overall very peaceful. You can see Mt Hood from the campsite through the trees, albeit it is decently far away and is subject to the visibility at the time you visit. We were able to see Mt Hood just before sunset, but couldn't see her at all the following morning.
LegendThis is a dispersed camping spot in the Mt.Hood National Forest that is free --- from both campground payment and people. It's an old forest road off the main gravel road that has been blockaded and closed down, giving you a wide open area that gets sun, mixed with good tree coverage from the wind.
The spot is flat and great for an RV, van or trailer. It's just a 100 meters off the main gravel road where the old forest road is dug out/blockaded from cars getting through.
We parked and camped right there. Or, if you want even more solitude, park at the blockade and walk 3/4 of a mile to the end of the forest road strip for some tent camping. Not sure if that is needed as I think we only heard/saw a few car drive by the entire time (on a beautiful August weekend).
Love this place. Happy to share it with others. If you are looking for some dispersed camping in the summer that's not a far drive from Portland, this spot is for you. If it's full, there are a half dozen to a dozen other dispersed camping spots along this gravel road between Frog Lake Campground and Clear Creek Crossing Campground. Enjoy.
RangerThere are many park campgrounds in the Mt Hood NF but also tons of dispersed camping in the forest.
We camped off FS 2656 just south of Trillium Lake in August 2020. There are many other locations. Many are separate drives off a forest road but some side of the road spots too. Lake Trillium gets super crowded.
Download the forest map from Avenza for accurate locations of all the forest roads and trails.
The Mt Hood NF is amazing, with tons of lakes, creeks, waterfalls and hiking trails as well as great views of Mt Hood.
No amenities for dispersed locations but you can use nearby campgrounds for water, trash and dump stations.
There was decent Verizon service when we camped there.
Would definitely camp here again.
RangerOne of our favorite free spots ever!! Incredible access to back country hiking at Mt. Hood! Know before you go: this is not a camp site - in the summer, parking lots near mount hood are free for car camping (in the winter they’re full with people driving in for skiing). This is a huge parking lot with 2 vault toilets. Anyone can park overnight for free (summer only). There were just a few other cars there. At night we had a great view of the Perseid Meteor Shower 💫 Highly recommend if you’re going on a trip where you just want to spend all day hiking and have a convenient spot to sleep.
GuideA couple spots right off the road for car camping or small campers. There was an “official” camp sight more near the Dry Creek Trail (has a bathroom). We opted to walk south along the river to try and find a space. Ended up crossing the river where there are a couple more hidden spots. We found out later that there is a trail right before you cross Trapper Creek that leads you to the spot we were at. There were a few people out and you can sometimes hear cars but overall it was an easy stay with some nice views. The river drowns out most the noise. Would definitely come back here
GuideCame during heatwave in August, scored one of 2 sites right on the creek, and had the place all to ourselves. Nice flat tent sites, good fire rings, and picnic table. 2 pit toilets and a trailhead.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near The Dalles, Oregon, where nature enthusiasts can find serene spots away from the crowds. With stunning views and a variety of landscapes, these locations offer the perfect escape for those looking to immerse themselves in the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near The Dalles, OR is Avery Rec Area- Columbia River Gorge with a 3.8-star rating from 6 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 36 dispersed camping locations near The Dalles, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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