Are you an equestrian lover who prefers a more rustic experience when you visit The Dalles? Whether you own a horse or are joining a tour group, equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. Search nearby equestrian campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
The Campground sits along Panther Creek at the intersection of the Pacific Crest Trail. Driving on FR65, 4.7 miles upstream from the campground, visitors can enjoy an easy hike to Panther Falls. __Campers can enjoy the privacy provided by a variety of shade-loving plants and a thick forest of cedars, ash, firs and alder.
Hikers have close access to the Pacific Crest Trail, which spans 2,663 miles from Mexico to Canada. Outstanding scenic views are available all along this trail.
Located in southwest Washington State, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest encompasses 1.3 million acres and includes the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument established by Congress in 1982. Panther Creek Campground is located in the Mt. Adams Ranger District. Elevations here range between 1,200 feet at the Wind River Work Center, 12 miles north of Carson, WA and 12,276 feet at the summit of Mt. Adams. The Mount Adams Ranger District offers a diverse array of habitats and natural features, from old growth to second growth forest, wetland areas, low and high elevation meadows, glaciers, and low and high elevation lakes.
This location has limited staffing. Please call (509) 427-3677 for general information.
Panther Creek Campground makes a great base to explore Mount Adams and the Columbia River Gorge. The town of Carson is nearby, which is known for its hot springs. It also has a golf course, restaurants and shopping.
Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
$25 / night
Campsite information The main campground has 28 standard campsites. It is an older camp in a forested setting suited more for tents than RVs. There are a limited number of sites that accommodate RVs over 20 feet. This campground closes seasonally.
The Woodard Creek Campground has five full-hookup campsites that provide electricity, water, and sewer. The sites have a maximum length of 40 feet. These campsites are open year round.
There are two standard equestrian campsites located at the equestrian trailhead that will accommodate a horse trailer each, a hi-line for horses, livestock water and a CXT vault toilet. There is no potable water and no electricity. Primitive camping fee applies.
Check-in time is 2:30 p.m. Check-out time is 1 p.m.
Winter facilities at the moorage area include two tent sites, one shower and one restroom. Overnight moorage and the boat launch are available year round.
Located on beautiful Badger Creek, at the foot of the Badger Creek Wilderness, this popular campground appeals to those who enjoy fishing, hiking, or horseback riding. This quiet campground is located along Badger Creek at one of the portals to the Badger Creek Wildnerness. Visitors who camp at this campground can access the eastern end of the Badger Creek Trail.
$16 / night
Forlorn Lakes, one of the most popular campgrounds in the southern part of the forest, offers 25 campsites scattered around the wooded shores of small, picturesque lakes. Swimming and fishing are possible in the larger lakes. Huckleberry bushes grow in the campground and surrounding area making this site very popular during huckleberry season. The campsites at a maximum 18 feet long are suitable for tent camping and small campers or RV's. The day use area has lake views, picnic tables, and fire rings. The campground is very popular, the camping spots fill early in the week. Forlorn Lakes offers nearby access to Indian Heaven via the East Crater Trailhead.
$10 - $20 / night
Clackamas Lake Campground is a great camping destination, especially when nearby Timothy Lake sites are full. The lake is small and shallow. The facility is located in the Clackamas Lake Historic District in Mt. Hood National Forest. It provides access to fishing, swimming and leisurely boating, as well as a number of trails and historic points along the way.
Clackamas Lake is a great place for fishing, swimming and non-motorized boating. Anglers can expect a catch of cutthroat, brook, rainbow or German brown trout. A variety of wildlife make its home in the area as well. Nearby Timothy Lake provides opportunities for picnicking and water-related recreation, including use of power boats. The Clackamas Lake Ranger Station Historic District is less than a mile from the campground. It is a series of structures and cabins built to house Forest Service workers in the early 1900s. Rustic architecture and the historic nature of the buildings and the surrounding area, draws thousands of tourists each year. It is a must-see while staying at the campground. Hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding are also popular activities. The 2.2-mile Miller Trail begins in the campground and connects to the Pacific Crest Trail, which extends more than 2,650 miles, from Canada to Mexico. Additional trails, to scenic Little Crater Lake and to the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, are also available in the area.
The campground is nestled in a heavily wooded forest of pine trees, with partial views of Oregon's highest peak. A lush, green understory provides some privacy between campsites. The campground is near the shores of 3-acre Clackamas Lake, and just three miles from larger Timothy Lake. It is situated at an elevation of about 3,400 feet.
The campground is less than 40 miles from Mt. Hood, where a historic lookout provides scenic views of the snow-capped mountain. Hiking and year-round skiing is available.
For facility specific information, please call (503) 622-3191.
$25 - $27 / night
Riley Campground is an equestrian facility located northwest of Oregon's majestic Mt. Hood. Horse corrals are tucked into the forest near the campsites, and several horseback riding trails can be accessed from the campground. A variety of recreational and sightseeing opportunities are available for visitors to enjoy.
Several hiking, biking and horseback riding trails can be accessed from the campground, including the 5.3-mile Cast Creek Trail, which was reconstructed in 1998 and leads from the campground to the Zigzag Mountain Trail. Combined with the nearby 4.9-mile Horseshoe Ridge Trail and part of the Zigzag Mountain Trail, visitors can make a nearly 14-mile excursion. The Sandy River Trail follows the river and stretches about 3 miles. Fishing is available in nearby Lost Creek, as well as the Sandy River, which is not far from the campground. Anglers can expect a variety of trout, salmon and whitefish. The rivers are popular for fly fishing. Scenic drives and picnicking are also popular activities.
The campground is situated in the Old Maid Flat geologic area of Mt. Hood National Forest at an elevation of about 2,100 feet. It sits alongside Lost Creek and is near the Sandy Wild and Scenic River. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area.
For facility specific information, please call (503) 622-3191.
A deviation from the road coming into the campground (Forest Road 1825), will lead to a trailhead for spectacular Ramona Falls, on the Sandy River. The 7.1-mile, moderately difficult trail leads to cascading waterfalls and is one of the most popular hikes in Mt. Hood National Forest.
$19 - $25 / night
A higher elevation, wooded campground especially popular during huckleberry season as this site is located in a part of the forest with many huckleberry bushes. Squaw Butte Trail #21 leads out of the campground.
Scout
If you enjoy hiking, this is a great campground with many beautiful trails to explore. The bathroom is clean and there's free hot shower. There's a country store 2 miles west of here you can get firewood and some supplies. Sites are a little less private and occasionally I heard train passing by from the nearby railway (bring ear plugs if you are a light sleeper). Check our videos for details: https://youtu.be/BrSpGhdefQ0?si=dVS7YPTZX8AplUVL
Scout
A nice, woodsy campground, with lots of privacy between camp sites. Nice flat and level outlined areas for us tent campers. Only down side was that it was a bit of a hike to the restroom (the National Forest site map showed one near the entrance where there wasn't one). While I reserved, mid-week there were a number of open sites for those without reservations. Some of the sites are really large and can handle a bigger group. Some PCT hikers stayed here due trail closure further north due to forest fire. Would recommend.
Scout
This was a quiet little campground. The sites were big and very clean. It is close to Timothy lake which is where we wanted to go kayaking at. Took us 10 minutes to get there. Loved camping there. There is no lake it’s more of a wetlands area.
ScoutCamp-side slide opens right upto the fire pit, cannot use it. Directions from the confirmation email were incorrect. People weren't kidding about the trains. T-Mobile signal is weak, 1.8 mbps down, 0.4 mbps up
GuideDeeply forested, gorgeous, well spaced sites, located up an easy road, nearest cell signal is about 4 toward Carson.
GuideWe hardly ever stay at State Parks due to we like less people. This visit was wonderful. Our site was very large and private. Campground was very quiet. We enjoyed the miles of hiking trails that were connected to the park. We really enjoyed our stay. Beautiful area!
GuideMy wife and I arrived on a Friday and left the following Tuesday with our 22’ travel trailer. We stayed in RV4 (one out of the five available RV spots) and it had full hookups. The scenery was amazing and I highly suggest the Beacon Rock/River to Beacon Rock hikes.
We didn’t have any issues at the site, but noticed that spots RV4 and RV5 were relatively distanced from each other, while spots RV1-RV3 were pretty close to each other. The sites are right next to the highway and train tracks as well, with trains running every 30 minutes or so.
All in all, we had a great time and it was a thoroughly enjoyable place to be. Would definitely return!
GuideMy favorite type of campground! Feels remote, quiet, clean, well established with giant mossy trees and a river rushing through the camp.
The pit toilets were very clean and there were only 3 or 4 other groups camping.
The sound of the creek lulled us to sleep and we woke bright and early to the sound of birds and chittering squirrels.
We stayed in site 19. The sites have a lot of green space between them so I would imagine that even if there were a lot of people in the campground, it wouldn’t feel crowded. There were also lots of paths that led to the river.
10/10 would recommend and we’ll be visiting there again.
Guide
Great camp spot at site 16 with lots of room for tents and two picnic tables for a large group. The private path to the lake was the best part.
Heads up there are gravel roads to get to the campground but nothing too rough.
GuideWe stayed in a spot that was right at the bridge. Great for at least 2/3 cars. We had 2 tents. Trees for hammocks. Fire pit. Nice place to forage a bit while walking around.
TravelerGot one of the few first come first served slots, a couple left when arriving at 4pm on a Monday. Slots were well equipped with fire pits, table and plenty of space to camp and park. Great, clean toilets and water pump. Only downside was sites were quite close together with not much privacy
GuideWe camped here with our UMCI Motorcycle Group, and had a great time. Good power sites, even though we were in our Motorcycle tent trailer. Open area sites, but also some with trees. Beautiful areas to explore close by. Saw our first lawnmower races in Wamic, so fun!
Guide
Lots of things to do and see in the area and this is a nice place to rest as its very quiet but easy to get to.
TravelerThis is a county fair grounds with lots of RV space for all sizes. Self register at the gate and find your spot. Nice rest room and showers. Borders a large cattle ranch so you may hear cattle mooing but that’s about it. Very peaceful!
GuideThis is probably the most beautiful camping site I have every stayed at. It was so green and the camp sites were so secluded and private it was I felt like I was camping in the woods by myself. I paid 45 for myself and 2 dogs for one night. It’s a tad more pricey than I normally pay for campsites but totally worth it for a campsite like this. There was a family of squirrels running up and down the trees by my campsite and the weather was beautiful. The bathrooms are a bit far from the sites and I had to drive down to them any time I had to go but the bathrooms were decently clean. This is a great place to disconnect as you will have no service when you get to the top campsites. My only problem was the fire pits were unavailable to use during my visit which kind of sucked. Highly highly recommend this campsite and will definitely be going back.
TravelerWent after labor day and the campground was mostly empty. Nice creek for a quick swim. Closes for season in mid Sept.
GuideHonestly not sure what we were expecting when we stayed here last weekend, but WOW it could be our new favorite. Quiet, secluded, somewhat close (less then two hours from home), and beautiful. Situated on the Pacific Crest Trail, we hiked a bit of it and met a few people who had been hiking for months, starting on the Mexico boarder! Gorgeous stretch of the trail! The creek is pristine. Dogs had fun cooling off after our hike. We typically like staying where we have electricity and water but the grounds were so beautiful that it didn’t matter. You couldn’t camp here with a larger RV. Our 30-footer maxed out the parking spot and was the only one we saw. Most come with tents or pop-up trailers. Great specs for multiple tents. We will definitely be back here soon.
RangerWe love this area! Will keep coming back!
Traveler
The drive from Carson to the campsite had quite a few large potholes, but once you get to the site, it's fantastic. Gorgeous views all around, undisturbed tent camping. I love it here and camp here often, even though it's 2 hours from me.
LegendI came here for a one night mid-week in summer to spend my birthday.
Note: There are two campgrounds in Beacon Rock State Park. I stayed in the lower RV park and this review is for that.
The campground is set a ways back from main day use area. You go under a railroad bridge to get there. It's a narrow entrance and the only way in and out. There are 5 RV sites with water and electric. There's also bathrooms and shower facilities.
The Pros
Beacon Rock is a beautiful park, right on the Columbia River not too far from Portland and Vancouver. There's a big huge field and a paved trail around it, a great place to walk your dogs. You can get to the river in several places, including at the boat launch--where there are a few primitive tent sites. The area where the RV sites are is pretty, under some big pines, although there is no privacy between sites. I was the only camper the night I was there.
The Cons
When I planned to stay here, I knew about the train traffic. I thought it wouldn't bother me, in fact, I thought I would rather enjoy the romantic whistle of the train. What I didn't account for is that the train track was about 10 feet behind my rig and that my whole van would shake each time one went by and rattle me from my sleep. And they went by a lot!
The other thing to consider is the entrance to this campground. I got a little paranoid in the middle of the night--probably train noise-induced anxiety--that someone would come in the night and block the narrow entrance and trap me inside. Probably not something most people will worry about, but as a solo camper, I felt a little vulnerable.
RangerStumbled upon a great spot at one of the forlorn lakes. Spot 14 Very quiet and serene location.
RangerVery quiet, first come first serve camp sites off the beaten path. We will be back!
TravelerWe recently stayed in the RV area of Beacon Rock. There are 5 sites with hook ups. Sites 1-3 are very close together with 4 & 5 slightly more spread out. What we didn’t know was the train runs directly behind the site multiple times an hour and is loud. The area is very clean and bathrooms were easily accessible with paid shower access. It is a quick walk to the boat dock with gorgeous views. Near the boat dock are two rustic campsites that are slightly tucked back.
ScoutThe rv campground accommodates 5 spots, which is nice, though spots are relatively close to one another. Unfortunately, between the sites and the river is a train track, with trains going by about every 20 minutes. It did not bother us too much during the night, but very noticeable during the day and evening.
GuideI stayed here for only 2 days to go fishing but we found out there was no more lake there it’s just marsh out there and you would have to walk/drive to Timothy lake to fish. So no you cannot fish here they are wrong for putting it up and this place gets infested with giant termites everywhere.
Traveler
Overall I loved the campsite the horse pens were huge and we used them to help hang our hammocks. There is a bunch hiking trails nearby including Ramona falls up the road. It was a quiet site and the neighbors were all very respectful. The sites are close together which is one of the downfalls and when we were there, the bugs were crazy and it felt like we were being attacked.
Travelerwe love panther creek. It is a most comfortable place to camp. Peaceful, lots of trees. The creek providing wonderful white noise. Could not ask for a better place to park your rv or tent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near The Dalles, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near The Dalles, OR is Panther Creek Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 19 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near The Dalles, OR?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 equestrian camping locations near The Dalles, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
