Kate S.

Portland, OR

Joined January 2018

I’m a life long camper, a little bit of a bird nerd and a crazy dog lady.

Great except for wasps

This campsite is tucked away and close to several trailheads (jack lake, bear valley). We just went this last week on a Wednesday so it was very quiet. The roads leading in are under construction so you have to take a dirt road detour.

We set up camp close to the water (great for using a water filtration system since there are no spigots). We enjoyed the quiet until we set up breakfast and were swarmed by wasps. We would have stayed another night but we couldn’t get away from them. No mosquitos this time of year but once you break out food, the wasps will show.

Misnomer

This campsite is about five miles off of 22 and five miles from a few local stores and Detroit lake.

The site is tucked away and quiet. A few of the walk-in spots are right next to a crystal clear blue river.

There is onsite managers and facilities are pretty well kept.

Butterfly central

Great campsite, spots are at least somewhat secluded. A few are by a very small creek. but it’s an easy nice spot right of 22 and about 15 miles from Detroit lake.

There are single and mutli tent sites, picnic tables and firepits. Facilities are very accessible and there is a nearby trail by the creek.

During this time of year there are swarms of butterflies.

First to Review
Bird and Hot Spring Lovers Paradise

My brand spanking new husband and I drove up from San Francisco to Portland for our honeymoon. We camped along our drive but never had a set destination. Luckily, around sunset, we stumbled across Crystal Crane Hot Springs. The staff was incredibly nice to accommodate our last minute reservation.

Crystal Crane Hot Springs has tent camping, RV camping, small cabins and family size cabins. I can't speak towards other reservations but the tent camping was walk-in. The tent spots were in the back in a quiet area pushed up against field full of birds and bird blinds.

Guests have access to bathrooms, showers, and the main lobby. The main lobby is a nice place to warm up in the morning and is outfitted with books, games, muffins, coffee, tea and local guides. They also have a little store with towels, bathrobes

There are private hot springs you can rent hourly but there's a giant natural hot spring that's free to campers. You can rent towels, too. You can also buy an hourly pass if you don't want to camp. The main hot spring is the perfect temperature and depth. We even had the distinct pleasure of watching a distant lightning storm while soaking in the evening.

The camping availability is definitely on the luxury side but is well worth it for $25 for tent camping. Despite having a lot of real estate available on the property, it doesn't feel crowded and is surrounded by miles of field land.