When the temperatures rise to a degree that it makes your A/C conk out every so often, camping out in the fresh air is the perfect choice. And luckily here in Oregon, we have plenty of options for you to choose from – whether you fancy the coast, lush rain forests, or desert. Here are some places you should consider visiting now.
- Cascadia State Park
“Soda Creek Trail Cascadia State Park” by Sword Fern - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons This western Oregon retreat is a little-known gems worth checking out.
- Cape Perpetua
Priya Saihgal/Flickr This oceanside setting in the Siuslaw National Forest gives you a dramatic view while you’re camping.
- Goose Lake State Recreation Area
oregonstateparks.org Looking to escape the crowds? This site at the base of the Warner Mountains in southern Oregon has your seclusion covered. Your neighbors will include a variety of birds and the occasional deer.
- Green Mountain campground
Gabriel Amadeus/Flickr This desert destination gives you a perfect view of the starry night sky.
- Minam State Recreation Area
oregonstateparks.org Love rafting, but easily intimidated by big rapids? Go to this area between late spring and midsummer for a tamer, but still fun water-rafting experience on the Wallowa River. There’s also plenty of hiking opportunity along riverside trails and ample campgrounds.
- Natural Bridge campground, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Cary Bass-Deschenes/Flickr This historic site, near Union Creek, is huge and quite affordable.
- Nehalem Bay State Park
oregonstateparks.org Just south of Manzanita, this is another park that provides excellent dunes access and is a short distance from the ocean. Fishing and kayaking is idyllic at Nehalem Bay. The campsite is also horse and even airplane accessible - with six fly-in sites by a tiny airstrip.
- Oxbow Regional Park
“Oxbow Park1” by Emilia12345 - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons Situated along the Sandy River, east of Gresham, the sprawling, 67-site campground features 500-year-old trees. Yowsers!
- Smith Rock State Park
oregonstateparks.org This site, near Terrebonne, is a desert paradise for rock climbers. In fact, the sport as we know it was popularized at this very place. There are a number of challenging, bolted routes to follow.
- Stub Stewart State Park
Jeremy McWilliams/Flickr This site is particularly accessible for Portlanders, wanting to escape the city, but not wanting to drive far for it.
- Valley of the Rogue River State Park
oregonstateparks.org If you haven’t witnessed the rugged greatness of the Rogue River yet, this needs to become a priority. Famous for its white water rapids, salmon runs, and gorgeous scenery, this spot is worth the trip to southwest Oregon.
- Wallowa Lake State Park
oregonstateparks.org Just south of Joseph, this site in the Wallowa Mountains is perfect if you just want some quiet, away from some of the other, more crowded campgrounds. Hike, swim, ride horses, fish, and ride a tramway 4,000 feet up Mount Howard.
We just love these spots, but we’re sure you know of some other amazing places worth mentioning. Please let us know about them right here!
“Soda Creek Trail Cascadia State Park” by Sword Fern - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This western Oregon retreat is a little-known gems worth checking out.
Priya Saihgal/Flickr
This oceanside setting in the Siuslaw National Forest gives you a dramatic view while you’re camping.
oregonstateparks.org
Looking to escape the crowds? This site at the base of the Warner Mountains in southern Oregon has your seclusion covered. Your neighbors will include a variety of birds and the occasional deer.
Gabriel Amadeus/Flickr
This desert destination gives you a perfect view of the starry night sky.
Love rafting, but easily intimidated by big rapids? Go to this area between late spring and midsummer for a tamer, but still fun water-rafting experience on the Wallowa River. There’s also plenty of hiking opportunity along riverside trails and ample campgrounds.
Cary Bass-Deschenes/Flickr
This historic site, near Union Creek, is huge and quite affordable.
Just south of Manzanita, this is another park that provides excellent dunes access and is a short distance from the ocean. Fishing and kayaking is idyllic at Nehalem Bay. The campsite is also horse and even airplane accessible - with six fly-in sites by a tiny airstrip.
“Oxbow Park1” by Emilia12345 - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Situated along the Sandy River, east of Gresham, the sprawling, 67-site campground features 500-year-old trees. Yowsers!
This site, near Terrebonne, is a desert paradise for rock climbers. In fact, the sport as we know it was popularized at this very place. There are a number of challenging, bolted routes to follow.
Jeremy McWilliams/Flickr
This site is particularly accessible for Portlanders, wanting to escape the city, but not wanting to drive far for it.
If you haven’t witnessed the rugged greatness of the Rogue River yet, this needs to become a priority. Famous for its white water rapids, salmon runs, and gorgeous scenery, this spot is worth the trip to southwest Oregon.
Just south of Joseph, this site in the Wallowa Mountains is perfect if you just want some quiet, away from some of the other, more crowded campgrounds. Hike, swim, ride horses, fish, and ride a tramway 4,000 feet up Mount Howard.
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