Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground

Was set to Harvest Host (dry camp) at a delicious brewery in Grants Pass, OR, for a one-night stopover, but area temps were a scorching 102 degrees. With only solar, it would have been uncomfortable for us and unsafe for our dogs, so we chanced it and scored a one-nighter in the F loop (electric and water only—AC was a necessity until the sun had long set!), thanks to the kind help of a camp host passing by on his quad! F-06 backed up to a field between the site and the Rogue River. We slept wonderfully! $39 for non-Oregon residents. It was a GIFT!!!

Pros: 

• Quiet
• Space between sites
• Clean site (host had just washed it down before our arrival)
• Flat sites (plenty of tent campers as well!)
• Shade from trees
• Camp hosts
• Clean bathrooms 
• Free showers
• Free, clean dump (donation box for non-campers)
• Located on Rogue River with the massive bike path that cruises through it that connects towns along the Rogue
• Price

Cons:

• Located off the I5. Traffic is like white noise for us, but for those seeking absolute silence, you won’t find it here.

Our GPS wanted to take us up to Exit 48 on I-5N, but we followed the website instructions and the State Park signs off I-5 and took Exit 45B. You will go through the rest area before coming to the gate leading into the campground (CG) areas. Check in was super easy with a very informative brief by the park ranger. We were in the F Loop, which is in the far back of the park. We proceeded to back-in site F36 with 30/50 AMP and water. Our rate reflects the Oregon Disabled Veteran’s Pass, where veterans with a disability rating, regardless of state residency, get 10 nights free camping per calendar month in OR State Parks. The back-in was interesting as the asphalt pad has a bit of a 'C' curve turn to it but we were able to navigate after a couple of adjustments. This site is one of the most spacious in the park with huge trees, which we had to move our rig over a bit so we could get our slides out. However these shade trees were a blessing as they protected us from the unusually high temperatures the Pacific Northwest was experiencing. The park’s CG areas run along I-5 so you are going to get road noise regardless of your site. We used our sound machine at night so the road noise wasn’t too bad, but its definitely noticeable when you’re outside. Loop A is tents and yurts. Loops B, C, D, & E have the FHU sites, but the sites in the B & C loops are crowded together. D & E loops have decks and large propane tanks with fairly new travel trailers, which are currently being used to provide shelter to people displaced by the 2020 wildfires. Loop F has only water & electric but sites are better spread out and worked fine for our short stay. Each area had a shower house. There is a laundry, but the machines were not working during our stay. We enjoyed taking our pups for walks on the multiple trails in and around the park. We experienced a power outage and the park rangers were on it to include ensuring everyone was kept informed on the status.

We stayed in the F loop for 3 nights midweek in late April and did not have a problem finding a spot. There were plenty of open spaces, and we moved after the first night to the other side of F loop in order to get away from the freeway noise. You can hear the noise from the whole campground, but the sites along the freeway are SO LOUD, and it did not slow down at night. We moved to a site that backed up to the Greenway and the noise was muffled enough and much more tolerable. 

Campground is broken into several loops, and some are closed to camping at this time. Tent campers can stay in hookup sites but will still pay the full fee. Tent/ non-hookup loop is closed at this time. When we stayed here in April 2021 the only loops open were B, C, and F. Walkup sites are available that day after 10:30 or 11am if not already reserved. Can stay in those sites one night at a time. If you are staying multiple days and want to be sure you don’t lose your spot to an online reserver then you need to pay the $8 reservation fee and book it online, or make friends with a ranger and see if they will block off the spot for you online so nobody else reserves it. The rangers make so many rounds through this park! We have never seen the fee box checked so often, nor so many different rangers driving through the loop multiple times a day. 

The campground is right on the Greenway bike trail, a beautiful trail along the river that goes through nearby towns. We weren’t able to find a path to actually go down to the water though, other than the boat ramp at the campground entrance. 

We heard from several people that the clientele at this campground can pose problems, and while we did see a few campers who look like they might be long term-ers (vehicles that looked like they had seen better days, settled in with lots of stuff, loud music), the majority of people we saw looked like your average friendly quiet happy camper. 

Free warm showers and flush toilets (open at this time). In the women’s shower in F loop, the first stall closest to the door seemed to get the warmest, though it never really got hot. 

Each site has a picnic table and metal fire ring, and there is firewood available for sale. There are also horseshoe pits (but no horseshoes) and 2 (yes, two) disc golf stations. We paid $28/night for a site with water and electric. 

There is a dump station and potable water on the way out. There are trash dumpsters here but no recycling bins. Good cell service.

This has been our least favorite Oregon state park. Oregon has done such an awesome job with their state park campgrounds that it makes us admit this one is not the best in comparison. It feels more like a city park, with the highway rushing along side the entire place, both the campground and the day use park. The walking/bike path through the grounds is a nice feature. The grounds are well kept and the restrooms are ok, but the way the sites are arranged makes you feel like you’re surrounded by other people on all sides. The campground was full the first week of March. (The A-loop was closed for winter but that A-loop did look like a better spot.) And maybe it was the particular people who were here that effected this review as well. It’s definitely a mixed bag of patrons. A few very nice rigs with retiree owners, but then there were trailers that did not even look road legal, as if they were sitting there rusting long term. Right next door to us was a very rough group of too many adults piling out of a van like a clown car with their mean barking dogs, who all appear to be in a situation possibly close to homelessness. First time we felt the need to lock our doors while we slept. This park definitely worked for an overnight stop, but we will not be returning here, especially when Oregon has so much more to offer.

**Campground Review: **

Along my summer road trip to the Pacific Northwest, I stopped in at this fantastic State Park! Perched right along side the Rogue River in the Valley of the Rogue, this gem of a campground is excellent for anyone traveling along the 5 freeway headed either north or south. It has 158 camp sites of which most are full hookup or partial hookup, with some pull through options. As I was camping with my In-laws who own an RV, there were plenty to choose from! They also have Yurts and group camping sites available. Other amenities include flush toilets, hot showers, a volleyball court, day use area, riverside trail, and green-way paved trail through the park. 

My overall impression of the Park was great! The access was easy, as the park was right off the freeway. This seemed like it would deter from the overall appeal, but the river noise somewhat drowned out the traffic noise. I loved having walking-distance access to the river! The water was flowing fairly quickly due to the high snowfall this year, but there was a great rocked-off area just down from our campsite where you could get into the water and wade around without the fear of your dog or child getting swept away(though kids should be closely monitored near the water). We stayed over the 4th of July, and we were close enough to towns in the area to access fireworks shows and events. The only major downside was that the campsites were fairly close together with not much undergrowth for privacy. In general this was a great camping experience that I would recommend. 

Product Review:

Occasionally I get the opportunity to review products as a Ranger for The Dyrt. During this camping experience I thoroughly enjoyed trying out my sun sleeves from Eclipse sun protective clothing. 

My first impressions of the fit were apprehensive since I had read other reviews/comments that described the sleeves and clothes as running a bit small. I am 6’1”, around 200 lbs, and have an athletic build. The sleeves come in 3 sizes(Small, medium, and large) and the Large fit me perfectly! They were comfortable, light in material, and maintained a very cool temperature on my arms despite the 90+ degree temperatures. I am a cyclist and often use modular clothing during long bike rides, especially during the cold hours of the morning, but I had not been able to find a sleeve that wasn’t way too hot during summer days. This sleeve accomplished the feat nicely and I look forward to wearing it during some rides in the future. There were multiple colors to choose from, including some with decorative patterns(even pink polka dot and Leopard). I am not quite so flashy in my color choices so I chose Pewter and was very happy with the color as it looked very similar to the pictures in person. The sleeves breathed very well and wick away moisture quickly leaving my skin dry underneath. They have a convenient thumb hole and half-glove that can be used or simply folded up on the wrist if unneeded. I highly recommend these sleeves to anyone who is as fair as I am and does not prefer to wear sunscreen. I personally despise wearing sunscreen and it is a bad pollution to our streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. These sleeves are a much more environmentally friendly option that are functional, stylish, and good quality.