Lava Camp Lake Campground, near Sisters, Oregon, is a cozy spot tucked away in the Deschutes National Forest, perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle. With a handful of sites, it offers a more intimate camping experience, complete with picnic tables and fire pits for those classic campfire evenings.

The campground is a great base for outdoor adventures, especially with the Pacific Crest Trail just a stone's throw away. Visitors have enjoyed the easy hike around the small lake, which is also a nice spot for fishing. Just keep in mind that the area can get buggy in the summer, so don’t forget your bug spray!

While the road to get there can be a bit rough, many campers have managed to navigate it with care. Some of the best views of the lake can be found at the top of the campground, making it worth the trek. As one camper noted, “The two best spots with magnificent views over the lake are at the very top of the campground.”

If you're looking to explore, the campground is conveniently located near popular attractions like the Dee Wright Observatory and the Obsidian Trail. Just be aware that the area has seen some recovery from past wildfires, but it’s slowly bouncing back. Whether you're a seasoned hiker or just want a peaceful place to unwind, Lava Camp Lake Campground has a lot to offer.

Located near the McKenzie Pass, Lava Camp Lake Campground offers access to the Mt. Washington and Three Sisters Wilderness and is near the Pacific Crest Trail.

Lava Camp Lake Campground

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Sisters

The Best Camping Near Sisters, Oregon

The campground is right on the PCT and near the McKenzie Pass.  Stayed there to meet up with a friend who was through hiking the PCT and it was a great place to meet up and bring her food!

Awesome place to stay.

This campground makes a great jumping off point for a load of the trails in the area. Super close to the pct. very buggy in July. If the idea of hiking into a campsite is daunting, this would make a good home base

Great access point

Lake and camp are great!  If you can get there!

Camp and Lake we're great! This used to be a favorite camping place for us. I guess due to increased popularity and lack of funds the roads into the camp have not been maintained in years! Last summer trying to get into the lake we dislodged a rock going over huge ruts in road and did extensive damage to our 4wheel drive vehicle! Lake is still great...road... travel at your own risk! That is what we were told when we talked to federal agency about road conditions. 

We eagerly returned for a day trip only to find out that this area and much of the east side of McKenzie pass devastated by last summers horrible fires! 3 of the 11 campsites are destroyed, gone. Others are being repaired. It Will be years before area has recovered.

Area has been devastated by 2017 horrible Wild Fires.😢

I loved campng here this summer. 

Its free and the road is pretty rough, but i managed to get the old beater Grand Caravan up there..carefully but it can be done.

Like others have said there was a major wild fire run right through the area, but its beginning to recover.

The 2 bests spots with magnificent views over the lake are at the very top of the campground.

You can easily walk around the small lake , its an easy comfortable hike.

Talking about hikes one of the main entry points the the PCT is just don from the camp ground..most weekends in the summer there is a lot of activity there

Couple of very nice spots

This is a small CG right off the McKenzie hwy. Road 900 to the CG can be rough. The CG has 12 sites, some drive in as well as walk in sites. Sites have the standard picnic table and fire pit. Pit toilet was in ok condition. Mosquitos are in issue at least this time of year. Bring bug spray. The CG is also at some elevation so it might be cooler depending when you are there. Lava Camp Lake is small but it has fish and its would be a great place to bring the family. You will need a wilderness permit. One thing about this CG is it is right off a spur that connects to the PCT so I suspect there might be some thru hikers there later in the season. The parking area for the trailhead next door wasn't but there were quite a few cars there. Good place to jump off for the Dee Wright Observatory, Obsidian Trail, Mathieu Lakes or Black Crater.

Small and sort of secluded

This small, primitive campground is just about a mile from the McKenzie Pass on Hwy 242, the old McKenzie Hwy. it has 9 sites, 2 of which are walk-in. Lava Camp Lake is a small alpine lake and most of the camp sites have views of the lake. You can also see Mt. Washington and Black Crater from most places in the campground. Part of the area is a burn scar from a 2017 (I think) fire in the area. But there are a lot of trees around the campsites and plenty of shade. Lots of deer. One well-maintained pit toilet. No water. 

We stayed in site 6 in our small camper van. It was mid-week in early September (after Labor Day) and there was only one other camper there for one night. It was so quiet and peaceful. perfect. 

Photos of Lava Camp Lake Campground

Real photos from real campers