This small campground is very far off the 101 so if you are looking for a coastal vibe this is not it. Deeply wooded, green, and beautiful. One side of the campground sits alongside Nehalem river access, on hot days this is a popular hangout so expect to see a lot of people. Vault toilets after a busy summer season were ammonia rich and hard to handle. Trash receptacles and potable water available. (Old school pump) I’ve heard that it stays wet enough back there that this campsite never really has a fire ban, but always check with the camp host, they also sell fire wood. First come first serve campsites Using reserve America online. Do Not confuse this campsite with Nehalem Bay State park when reserving.

Pulled in after a quick stop in Missoula, heading West. Stayed one night, pulled in and looked like only 3 other campers, maybe around 10 sites total? I hear it offers free electricity if you have a rig for it. Our site had a fire pit and picnic table. It was located behind the 50,000 silver dollar bar/ motel. So there will be noise from the truckers pulling in/ idling. We set up and went in to enjoy a beverage, got a great deal and got to have nice conversations with the people inside. Loved this quick stop for an evening. Didn’t see any place for garbage or a toilet so we used the facilities inside the bar and gas station.

(Didn’t see any wildlife or evidence of any either)

End of October, Stopped for just one night, probably about a 20ish minute drive from 94. Was able to purchase firewood after closing, and the campsite were easy to find after (7$)entry to the park. Campsites are reserved through an online system. We found the top campsite completely empty and plenty of sites had good tree coverage for privacy/ way no protection. Nice level sites with soft ground. Each site had a fire ring and picnic table. The only bathroom in walking distance to the upper campsites was a vault toilet located amongst the cabins. Seems like a great place to stay any season.

Stayed one night towards the end of October. Plenty of open spots, looked as though a couple RVs may call this place, “home.” Vault toilet, river access, large trees but not exactly spaced for privacy. Each campsite had a fire ring and picnic table. Very close to the highway, so convenient. At least a handful of times someone went speeding through the camp. LOTS of garbage all around the campsite, and a dumpster that was left open. A police car did drive through at one point but I didn’t see them stop or talk with anyone. Someone in camp was shooting guns, during the early evening and then again around 3:30AM, not very quiet. Donation based, so could be a free place to stay if you need, but I recommend donating if you can.

Stayed one night 10/16/22 on a road trip. Got in while it was dark. Easy to find, close to the highway. Easy to find the campsites once in the park. Plenty of available campsites this time of year. Lots of trees for wind protection and privacy. It was an 11$ vehicle entry fee and $15 online camp site transaction. Campsite was very sparsely populated. Vault toilets. Fire pit and picnic table at our campsite. In the morning, Short hike to waterfalls, upper/Lower falls were very pretty sandstone and basalt. There is a parking lot extremely close to the falls. (Now and then falls wasn’t running this time of year)

Stayed one night, 10/15/22 on a road trip. Not as close to the 2 as I expected but it wasn’t a bad drive, even at dark. It was a 7$ fee to enter, and a separate online transaction for a campsite and they charged a processing fee. But seeing as many campsites are closed in October we were just happy to be there. Very large campsite. Driving around all the campsites had reserved tags hung on them, but online they were available and there were no people in any of the sites? We stayed in the Primitive camp, down to the water and off to the left. The camp was a little confusing to negotiate at night, but after a couple of missed roads we found a spot. Fire pit and picnic table. There seemed to be plenty of trees for wind protection and privacy. There was a fenced in DOG PARK, which was AWESOME! Lots of amenities for the in season camper, we still had access to the vault toilets, and water was available up by the camp store but we only knew that because we waited until the morning and asked the person running the camp store.

Stayed one night, 10/14/22 on a road trip. It was a beautiful night, MANY sites available, saw maybe one other camper. Our site had a fire pit and picnic table, flat ground for our tent and plenty of trees for privacy. There can be potable water, bathrooms, showers, and an outdoor dish washing station but water was shut off for the season. There were bear boxes around the campsites but appeared to only be around the walk in sites. Plenty of hiking trails and plenty of day use visitors on those trails. Very pretty camp and well cared for camp. Heard lots of noisy animals in the meadow at night and some noisy folks that seemed to be coming from the boat ramp.

Stayed one night, 10/15/22 on a road trip out to the Midwest. It was dark when we pulled in, hard to see the landscape/campground sites, but we found one right on the edge of the reservoir. There were multiple other RVs already set up, hunters mostly this time of year. Vault toilet, picnic table and fire pit at the campsite and some trees. Not very many trees between campsites, so don’t expect too much privacy. It was very windy the night we stayed. But it was free, close the highway 2, and open all year long. I saw no trash services or water but that could be the time of year. Very close off highway 2, maybe a 3 minute drive past the sleeping Buffalo hotsprings.

Stayed one night 10/13/22. Pulled in at dark, just right off of the 12 in Kooskia, ID. About 5/6 campgrounds, 2 were occupied (quiet neighbors), but with enough trees to feel there was privacy. Vault toilet and Lochsa river access(rock bar), no garbage services this time of year. Saw a black bear (juvenile) on the way in but didn’t see/hear anything else from the bear that night or the next morning. Soft ground, and flat even spaces. Fire ring and picnic table as well. Free made it the perfect price, given that a lot of the state campsites were closed (locked gate) this time. Looked as though some campsites backed to the highway, we chose a middle site and weren’t too disturbed by the highway. (Tent camped on a road trip to the Midwest)