Searching for the best camping near West Linn, OR? Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—West Linn is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Find the best campgrounds near West Linn, OR. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.
"This gorgeous trail and dispersed camp is so unrecognizable from the 2021 fires that there is no turn off. May we remember it’s memories!"
"Dispersal camping all year."
"Accessible through the Jones Creek campground turn off, continue up the forest roads past the OHV staging area and you’re in paradise!"
"My mistake, these coordinates took us to the top of the mountain. It is currently an active logging area, so the truckers are out at 3am. The road up was a very narrow road."
"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."
"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. "
"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."
"Road got a little bumpy getting out here but once we found a spot right near the riverbank, you felt like you were deep in it. Saw a few people on the way out."
"There 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."
"Road can be rough in some places but 4WD not necessary. Not many pull-in camping spots so you’ll have to search around. Overall decent spot and close to Trillium Lake"
"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)."
"I am beyond happy with this app it shows you areas with free camping and helps out greatly"
"Great place to disperse camp. Lots of pulloffs and the views are stunning!"
TravelerAccessible through the Jones Creek campground turn off, continue up the forest roads past the OHV staging area and you’re in paradise! Gorgeous spots all over that are accessible in most 4WD/off-road capable vehicles. There is a massive network of forest service roads many with spots to set up your own quiet camp away from all the dirt bikes and RVs. No facilities obviously but that’s what makes this place special. It’s incredibly quiet and peaceful and a gorgeous piece of the PNW coastal area.
RangerMy mistake, these coordinates took us to the top of the mountain. It is currently an active logging area, so the truckers are out at 3am. The road up was a very narrow road. So careful if there’s other cars coming through, especially the logging semis.
Nonetheless a cool spot. Dry camping. Please clean up after yourselves.
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.
GuideDiamond Milld rd is a tight logging rd with a kinda steep danger zone cliff on this edge. If you get to spot (the coordinates on dyrt arent exact but close) you will see basically the only part of the rd with a pull aside areai prob for two vans or cars. Its a nice view but kinda creepy if alone IMO. The dispersed camping for this St Forest applies to tenters mainly being 1 mile away from a paid campground. But for just car and van camp youd have to chance it at day area or drive way in to the forest down a rd.
GuideAbsolutely loved the spot. There were about three sites. I believe from what I saw. I stayed at the first site when you first get there back there on the right hand side. It's a short hike down to the creek. It looks like there might be two walk-in campsites as well and I believe there might be one if you walk across the Creek. It's very close to trapper Creek trailhead and there is a vault toilet there. Minimal bugs didn't get any bug bites and it was in the '90s while I was there. Very little traffic. Not far from the highway just in case of emergencies. Absolutely no cell service. You must have a Northwest Forest pass or America the beautiful pass. Forest service does drive through there frequently to check
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.
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
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.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near West Linn, Oregon, where nature lovers can enjoy serene landscapes and a sense of adventure without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. With a variety of options available, you can find the perfect spot to unwind and connect with the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near West Linn, OR is Alder Flat with a 4.5-star rating from 4 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 34 dispersed camping locations near West Linn, OR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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