Just across the Willamette River from the Wheatland Ferry sits this lovely park. Located in the middle of farms and orchards, you’ll have ascetic drive no matter which direction you’re coming from.

There are plenty of large areas for company picnics or larger family gatherings. You can reserve the covered group site that has horseshoe pits and volleyball net adjacent, or just spread out in the park wherever you find a spot.

Bathrooms, drinking water and plenty of shade are all provided.

One major consideration: this is actually located at 45°05'43.0"N 123°04'01.8"W, not where the pin is on The Dyrt’s map. Plug this location into your GPS or visit the website for directions.

This campground sits just off HWY 20 and has access to the South Santiam River. When you pull off the highway, you’ll go over a bridge and be presented with two options. The road on the right is narrow, dusty and required me to kick in my 4-wheel-drive. With only one turn-around spot, the road ends at a locked gate. In short, don’t go this way.

The campground is on the left immediately past the bridge, although not well-marked. The road is narrow, allowing only one vehicle at a time. Be prepared to negotiate backing out if needed. The sites are on the small side and sit atop a cliff overlooking the river. Toilets and drinking water are available and you can get down to the river with a short hike. It would be a good base camp to explore the surrounding area, but wasn’t one that appealed to me have a few days stay. Be prepared to bring your own everything except water. These site are on the primitive side.

This campground sits right off HWY 20 along Trout Creek. On the primitive side, the sites are small, vault toilets and potable water are provided. You’ll hear the cars whizzing by, so if you want a peaceful and serene spot, this might not be for you. However, it would be a good basecamp for exploring the area.

Just a skip up the road is the trailhead to Walton Ranch and Trout Creek trails. Both trails are adventurous in their own right. The Walton Ranch trail provides some local history. it has easy elevation gain, is mostly shaded along it’s maintained gravel and dirt path, and there are plenty of benches to stop and rest along the way. At the end of the trail, you’ll stand on the platforms overlooking Walton Ranch - a valley for local wildlife to graze. Trout Creek trail is a 6.4 mile out and back trail with over 2,200 feet elevation gain. A great trail to challenge you and get you away from the highway if that’s what you’re looking for.

By amenities, I mean all the fantastic natural amenities. This campground is just off HWY 20 and is first come, first serve. There’s plenty of shade, potable water, showers and toilets. don’t expect the sites to be vast…they’re quite quaint and most only have room for one car. However, if you pick a campsite for what the nature around it offers, you won’t be disappointed.

Two points if interest for me were the Soda Creek Falls trail that takes you up the mountain to the falls, and the South Santiam River you cross over to get into the campground and park.

The trail up to the falls is a short .75 miles but don’t think it’s necessarily an easy one. it’s a rocky, narrow trail that requires solid soles (not a well-worn pair of Toms like I mistakingly wore) and has a good elevation gain through old growth forest. The trail at the end is a bit of a scramble over the natural rock formations to get down to the base of the falls or even to the top of the trail to overlook the canyon below.

The South Santiam River provides a perfect swimming spot for hot summer days. The trees provide plenty of shade over the smooth rock beach and the river gives both shallow and deep options for wading or swimming. I found myself wishing I had my nephew with me for this trip because he would have LOVED jumping off the rocks into the river below. Future plans to return with him are in the works.

Pros: *Easy access via HWY 20 *Natural water features to explore *Fun history of the area to learn about

Cons: *First come, first serve and fills up quickly *Not ADA Accessible to get to the waterfall or the river

Now I’m a hard-core car camper but even I couldn’t resist treating myself for a night. I planned an Oregon adventure with my family, traveling over three weeks and camping everywhere. But we just couldn’t resist.

The lodge is amazing and has all the amenities you could want to spoil yourself, but the best part really is Crater Lake. On this trip, we were able to take the Trolley Tour (a must-do if you’re typically the driver on trips). This allowed me to sit back and relax while taking in amazing views and learn some regional history. The tour guides were fabulous.

The other wonderful thing about staying at this lodge is that we were so close to the boat tours to Wizard Island. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take a tour and have a half-day on the island to explore. Because most campgrounds are so far away, you have to get up before dawn to catch the first tour. But staying at the lodge allowed us to sleep in just a bit!

Pro Tip: Book this stay as well as the Trolley and Boat tours way in advance. They book up quick and you don’t want to miss out!

This was a great little campground for getting away from the Memorial Day crowds. Over the weekend we stayed, there were only 2 or 3 other campers as well.

Just south of Prairie City, this was a good location to explore the surrounding Strawberry Mountain wilderness and John Day Fossil Beds. As the road turns to a forest road, it’s gets a bit adventurous, but we just kicked it into 4 wheel drive and had no trouble getting there. We picked a site next to the creek in the back and it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. We even got a visit from a few deer every night around dinner time. They kept their distance but still came within 20 feet to check us out.

From the campground, you can take the trails to the lake, which was a fun hike. The vault toilets were clean and the Ranger came around every day to check in. The only thing I would change is the temperature. We didn’t realize it was still so chilly at the end of May and we’re thankful for our extra layers and warmer sleeping bags we packed just in case.

Tips for camping here:

*I had my 9 year old nephew with me for this trip and was thankful I brought our bikes and games. Since the campground wasn’t busy, there weren’t other kiddos for him to play with so we needed some fun stuff to do between hikes and outings.

*There’s a steep drop off next to some sites that goes right into the creek. Keep an eye on kiddos or pick a site farther away from the creek if you’re worried about that.

*The campground was a bit dusty so bring stuff to wash up when needed.

*Lots of wildlife in the area so make sure to keep your food and other items locked up so the critters don’t get into it.

*Bring your own firewood, as there isn’t a camp host to buy it from.

If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the Redwoods, this is the campground for you. I’ve been camping here for more than half my life and I just can’t get enough! Here’s why…

Set down in a little Redwood valley just south of Crescent City, CA to the east of Hwy 101 is what I describe as heaven on earth. As you turn off the highway, you head down the mountain on a paved road for about a mile and a half. You’ll take a short stop at the Ranger Station to check in and get the latest updates on weather, Ranger Talks, tide schedules and anything else you need to know for your stay. Head down another mile and you’ll enter the campground.

At the stop sign, you can either go left or right. The spots to the right will hug you next to the mountain and along the creek that runs through the campground. The small and cozy amphitheater also sits among these spots for the ranger talks and activities for the kiddos. These spots are a bit more open and let you interact with your fellow campers. There a few loops to choose from so you’re sure to get the perfect one for you.

Turn left at the stop sign and you’ll find my favorite loop. These spots vary widely from more open spots to more secluded ones. Some are by the creek, some are back in little nooks of the mountain and some have a short hike to get to. I’ve stayed in all kinds and have never been disappointed. They feel a bit more secluded, though it could just be me romanticizing my favorite place on earth.

Whatever loop you choose to stay in, rest assured you’ll be in the heart of the Redwoods. Lush ferns, new and old growth trees and beautiful flora surround every site. You can join the Ranger Talks, take a hike on one of the trails around the campground or just sit and relax, taking it all in.

Bonus points always go to this campground for coin operated showers (perfect after a long day of adventuring) amazingly friendly and knowledgeable camp hosts and a stellar location to venture out from on your daily adventures.

Thiugh my favorite time to visit has always been August (to escape the heat of the valley), any time of year is a good time to go.

Book your stay through Reserve America, and don’t forget to start mapping out your adventures!