Steelhead Falls Trailhead & Campground

There aren't a ton of free camping options near Redmond. This is a great option. Only 2-3 spots for vans/small RVs. The other spots are clearly for tent camping. Would definitely recommend for a few days. I will say the vault toilets are disgusting- so plan accordingly. The hike is a great combination of short and pretty :-)

GPS: 44.410140, -121.293505

My wife and I came here in June of 2023. Lots of spots to choose from, flat with peppering of ponderosa pines. The sites on the West side, nearest the river are "walk in" but if you're able-bodied it's a short distance to lug gear. Nothing difficult or time consuming. These sites are a stones throw from cliffs overlooking the Deschutes River canyon. When we went, fires were allowed, and there was a residence on the road in (clearly marked) selling firewood. And they took Venmo! There is no water nearby. Closest place we found was Smith Rock day use area. Pay the day use fee and fill water jugs there. You'll want to visit Smith Rock anyway. Things to consider bringing for comfort: Shade. A canopy or whatever is reasonable for your group. It also gets hot and it's dry, so assume that fire band will be in affect the minute you leave home and plan your meals accordingly. I loved this spot. Close to Smith Rock. The falls at the campground are gorgeous and the hike is short and sweet. Close drive to other things like food carts and patio bars (reward yourself for your hiking).

they’ve blocked off a lot car camping spots, there was only 2 that were big enough for my Tacoma one of which was taken up already. Zero privacy.

Very easy, lots of campsites, a toilet, good reception(for s campsite). Can recommend going to the river for a swim!

Great spot to pull up for the night to sleep in your car, and nice place to wake up and take a walk down to the falls. Came on a weekday.

Nice campground on the Deschutes. I camped here before hitting smith rock the next morning. Lots of options but entirely full on Saturday night. Filthiest pit toilet I've ever seen. Still preferable to Smith Rock climber's bivy.

We actually found this spot on this app actually & it was better than we expected. To see the waterfall, there is a 1/2 mile hike & it was beautiful! There were a few camp spots, they’re kinda close to each other but enough distance for some privacy. If you want to camp by the cliff to see the river, you won’t be able to drive to the spot, it’s blocked off. You’ll have to carry your stuff to the spot which there’s parking nearby so it’s not a far distance. But if you don’t mind the cliff camp spots then there are spot where you can drive into & camp inside your car or next to your car. The spots away from the cliff aren’t as big as the camp spots by the cliff, just fyi. This is a great place to come with a group of people! Totally recommend!

Perfect area. Camped most weekends throughout summer, pretty consistently busy and open landscape but people have always been quiet and respectful. Bathrooms are convenient. Waterfall is gorgeous. Convenient and awesome location for smith trips

Great that this place is free. It's very well kept, but the camp sites are pretty close together. There's probably about 8-10 sites on a 1/4 mile stretch of dirt road. They're a little too close to the road for my taste, so not ideal if you're looking for privacy. The one campsite that sits along the river cliff is a walk-in site, so if you have minimal gear and aren't sleeping in your vehicle, that could make for the best experience at this location. Also... I'm glad I brought my pop-up firepit; the established fire ring was on a slant and would've made for uncomfortable seating.

Overall amazing location and access to stores nearby while also feeling submersed in nature. Only have access to a bathroom. However, there is a river nearby that you can access for water mind it is very cold water. There are a lot of trails around the camp site as well! I thought I’d be far away from any stores yet, very much the opposite. There is a whole city of stores and even got dominoes. The closest convenience store is around 10-15 min depending on how fast you are going. Considering there is no fee to camp here it is a 10/10.

Went with my partner and our dog, it was her first time camping without any facilities and this spot worked out great. We use Verizon and were able to consistently get 1-2 bars. No water or vault toilets, only by the day-use area/trailhead.

We camped on SW Steelhead Falls Dr. In June 2022, the gate to access the camping area was closed from the Steelhead Falls side, but you can go around to SW Folley Waters Dr to access the sites. First come first serve, primitive and private. Felt like we were the only ones there.

Note that this is closer to civilization than I expected. Folks living nearby walk their dogs and occasionally drive through here throughout the day. The terrain is dusty and it gets hot, no fires or open flames allowed. The wind comes through often and that helps with the heat, but will kick up dust. 

This is definitely a spot that we plan to come back to. First day it was 101 degrees, but then cooled down to the upper 80s for the rest of our stay. The views of the water and surrounding rock formations are incredible.

Beautiful trip. Breathtaking drives and not hard to find with given coordinates. Dirt roads are not too hard to drive but during the dry months it is extremely dusty. The campground on the trailhead is nice but a little too close for dispersed camping. Trail is not too long to a waterfall. You can fish and jump off the rocks into the water. We stayed one night at the designated camp site but ended driving about 10 minutes down a dirt road next the the campground entrance that is actual dispersed camping. Really enjoyed that spot with a trail down to the river and 2 drive in spots and multiple walk in campsites along the cliffs. 

So so beautiful and scenic! Also very hot and dry, as to be expected in the high desert. The scent of Mock orange hung heavy in the evenings air and the waterfalls area had a pool nearby you could hang out in. TONS of desert wildflowers too, along with several hundred year old juniper trees and sagebrush lizards all over bathing on rocks in the morning sun. It was during bitterly breeding season too, it’s a breeding ground for monarchs! No fires due to fire restrictions and the GPS coordinates on here took us an hour past the destination.. we found it eventually after good going though.

This was a gorgeous and peaceful stop on our trip around Oregon. All sites are first come first serve. We were there mid week and didn’t have trouble getting a spot, but it sounds like it’s busier on the weekends. We could not believe this beautiful and well kept park was completely free! We can’t wait to go back.