Stephen Mcfarland – The Adventurous Camper

Some of us like to go out to restaurants, bars, and parks and experience the area you live in, while some of us like to escape the city for a therapeutic trip into the woods. If the latter sounds like you, then stay tuned to learn about the eight greatest tent camping sites I’ve found while living in Oregon! 1. Eel Creek Campgrounds Image Source Cost- $22/night Located in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Eel Creek Campgrounds offers a truly unique to Oregon camping experience. Unlike many of the other campsites on this list, Eel Creek is found just 2.7 miles away from the Pacific coast. This entails a moderately rigorous hike, but the sweat is worth the walk! Campers can enjoy a beautiful picturesque view of the rocky coastline which is the perfect place to see the sunrise. If hiking to the beach doesn’t sound ideal, there are several hiking trails that take you through beautiful forested area, and you can even go test your luck fishing Eel creek! Naturally one would expect to find this beauty all over the state, but why Eel Creek? Eel Creek has 51 campsites on property, 38 of which are reservable. The remaining 13 campsites are first come first serve, which is great for on-the-fly campers looking for a spot with no reservations. Amenities include flushable toilets, drinking water, campfire rings, picnic tables, and a self-pay station that is regularly monitored by a campground host. There is also an amphitheater located between the two camping loops of the park. All of the fun isn’t contained in the campground, however. Check out the Umpqua Lighthouse State Park that’s just a ten-minute car ride away! It’s home to a museum, hiking trails, and the very first lighthouse built on the Oregon coast! 2. Devil's Lake Nation Recreation Area Image Source Cost- $21/night Devil’s Lake is located minutes away from downtown Lincoln City and offers a wonderful camping experience. 54 tent sites with a nearby water source and a whiff of the great outdoors is sure to start any adventure off on the right foot. As one could expect, this campsite is located right next to Devil’s Lake! However, there are no campsites with a lakeside view, but there is a trail that is easily accessible to make way to the lake. Before everyone goes for a great day on the water, I should make clear what this campground offers. Devil’s Lake has flushable toilets, hot showers, 28 full-hookup sites with cable TV, 10 yurts, on site firewood for sale, and 12 reservable boat moorage slips. There is no boat launch ramp on the campground. The lake is great for floating around in a kayak, paddle boarding, tube floating, swimming, and an excellent place to observe nature. Visitors will commonly see various species of aquatic birds, elk, deer, raccoons, and although its rare, the beaver! Overall, the lake is a hotspot for summertime activity and is a great escape from day-to-day life. It is located minutes away from a shopping center too, so if you forget to bring a pillow or two like I did the last time I went camping, have no fear! Capitalism is just around the corner. 3. Fall Creek State Recreation Area Image Source Cost- $19/night I absolutely love Fall Creek Reservoir! This one is close to home, approximately 20 miles from Eugene/Springfield, Fall Creek offers a secluded getaway at an affordable price. This campground has two campsites, one for tents and one for RV’s. The cascara campground offers 39 tent campsites at a first come first serve basis, each of which is secluded so there will be no noisy neighbors to keep you up at night (other than the critters of the land). The fisherman’s point campsite offers 8 campsites for RV’s with portable water and port-a-potties. Fall creek is a quaint campground meant for those who just want to soak up some nature the old-fashioned way. Amenities include the beautiful Fall creek, vault toilets, and potable water. This is the place to go if you want to keep it simple! They also offer FREE day spots where no tent is needed to enjoy the beautiful creek, but I’m a sucker for a campfire. 4. Pelton Park Image Source Cost- $20/night This one is for all the campers out there who like to plan ahead of time! Make a reservation at the Pelton Park Campgrounds for a scenic stay alongside Lake Simtustus. Pelton Park is best described as a getaway into a camper’s paradise. Enjoy the lake with on-site water activity rentals such as kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards! With a speed limit of 10mph, this water is ideal for family-fun activities, fishing, and floating without a care in the world. There are 67 campsites on property, including yurt-domes and cabins. In addition, there are bathrooms with hot showers and flushable toilets available for all guests. What else does Pelton Park have to offer? For starters, they have a convenient store on-site, equipped with everything you might have forgotten! From fishing bait, to groceries, ice, boat rentals, fuel, and even a café, if you need it—chances are they have it down at the store. Don’t want to swim? No worries, at Pelton Park, you can also enjoy a two-mile hiking trail that runs along the ridgeline above the park! Oversee Lake Simtustus and the cascades and soak up all the beauty from afar. You can also check out the Pelton Wildlife Overlook—just north of the park—and view ducks, geese, great blue heron, eagles, and other raptors. All in all, Pelton Park is the perfect destination for summertime fun, but reservations go fast once the camping season comes around (April 19 through Sept. 28, 2019). But don’t worry, if you want to enjoy Pelton Park in the winter and fall, it is open for day use year-round! 5. Cascadia State Park Image Source Cost- $17/Night Cascadia State Park is open year-round but available to campers from May 1st to the end of September. It has a vast array of activities to offer, including hiking, swimming, fishing, and biking. Cascadia includes areas for picnics and a large open play meadow for pets, kids, you name it! A Pair of hiking trails allow you to explore the area and a three-quarter mile trail leads to the spectacular Soda Creek Falls. A newer trail will guide you through the forest along the south Santiam River, which is the hotspot for fishing and swimming. Amenities include bathrooms with flushable toilets and hot water for showers. Reservations are welcome but they also offer two dozen walk-on campsites if you want to camp on a pinch. Overall, Cascadia has so much going on whether it be hiking, fishing, roasting marshmallows at a campsite, swimming, or just enjoying the tranquility. They even have ruts from the historic Santiam Wagon Road located in the park, so history buffs unite! Camping at Cascadia has never sounded sexier so what are you waiting for? Get out there! Learn more about Cascadia State Park 6. Ainsworth State Park Image Source Cost-$17/Night Over at Ainsworth, you can enjoy 1 of 6 walk-on campsites or 40 full hookup sites with a reservation. They have a bath hall with flushable toilets and hot showers. You can also purchase firewood to use on-site which will come in handy on a cold night. The best part about Ainsworth though? It’s location. Ainsworth State Park is located in the Columbia River Gorge and is nestled between the world’s greatest collection of high waterfalls. Most famous is Multnomah Falls which spans a whopping 611 feet tall! Around the falls are various hiking trails that have breathtaking views and plenty to explore. In conclusion, at Ainsworth State Park you can pitch a tent and have a great time with family and friends, but the true experience lies just outside the park. The Colombia River Gorge has so much to offer and it is up to us to grab that opportunity by the horns. Check out everything this beautiful area has to offer all while camping in the heart of the land. 7. Lost Creek Campground Cost- $21/ Night Experience the wonders of Crater Lake at this no-reservations campground located in Crater Lake National Park. It Includes 16 campsites with Flushable toilets, fire rings, and on-site firewood for purchase. This campground runs from July to October, which is the best time to go to Crater Lake and explore the many things it has to offer! Formed from a tall peak collapsing in on itself from a volcanic eruption, Crater Lake is one of the most stunning National Parks in the United States! It’s a stunning deep blue lake that has as much to offer in fun as is does in beauty. Swim if you dare though, because that water is COLD! Campers can enjoy the lake and the various 90 miles of hiking trails scattered across the surrounding land. Campers that pan ahead can also bring fishing gear and see what the lake has to offer. Overall, Crater Lake is one of the most stunning National parks in America. There’s never a dull moment there and by camping at Lost Creek, you can enjoy all of that on a budget; just make sure you get there early because it fills fast! 8. Silver Falls State Park Image Source Cost- $17/night I hope you were looking to stay busy this camping trip, because over at Silver Falls State Park, that’s what they have to offer! Never lose a step in your hiking game with 35 miles of backcountry trails, check out the back of a waterfall down at South Falls, and if you have a horse? Bring a horse! They offer specialty campsites just for that. Silver Falls is an enormous park and it is no wonder why all the locals call it the crown jewel of state parks. With miles upon miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, this is the perfect place to go if you’re seeking a little adrenaline rush. Especially since bears and cougars frequently roam the property, so be safe out there! If you’re not too busy running from the bears, the Trail of Ten Falls awaits you. Experience 177 feet of water in the form of a wall right in front of your eyes! Forgot that horse at home? No worries, at Silver Falls, the horses come to you! Experience the bliss of horseback riding through the backcountry daily through September 29th. Overall, Silver Falls State Park has nothing but the best to offer when it comes to camping in Oregon, they have hiking, biking, swimming, and waterfalls waiting at your fingertips. If that’s not your scene, the daytime area has plenty to do. BBQ grills, playgrounds, spacious lawns, bathrooms, horseshoe pits, a lodge complete with a mess hall, and of course a charming creek. So, whatever it is that you may be in to, chances are they have it here at Silver Falls! Learn more about Silver Falls State Park Ready To Camp In Oregon? In conclusion, Oregon has an abundance of campsites and it was hard to rank them accordingly. But after given everything, I think this list is a fair representation of the best Oregon has to offer. Whether its hiking, biking, canoeing, swimming, fishing, cooking, snoozing, or horseback riding, there’s a place to do it here! So, come check out what the Beaver State has, and you might just fall in love. Other Articles You Might Like Tent Camping In Tennessee: Beautiful Sights, Historical Significance, & More The Top Places To Go Tent Camping In Florida Amazing Places To Go Tent Camping In New Hampshire What Is A Priority When Choosing A Campsite?