Top 10 Best Campgrounds in Oregon | 2026 Camping Guide
Discover Oregon's best campgrounds from Crater Lake to the coast. Volcanic calderas, rugged coastline, and ancient forests await your next camping adventure.
Oregon is a camper’s paradise. We’ve got volcanic calderas, rugged coastline, ancient forests, and high desert all within a day’s drive of each other. After years of exploring this state, we’ve narrowed down our absolute favorite spots. Here are the ten campgrounds that keep us coming back.
1. Mazama Campground
Location: Crater Lake National Park, Southern Oregon
There’s nothing quite like waking up near the deepest lake in America. Mazama sits at 6,000 feet among mountain hemlocks and offers easy access to Rim Drive and all those jaw-dropping viewpoints.
Best for: National park lovers, photographers, anyone who wants to see that impossibly blue water
Pro tip: Sites fill fast in summer. Book the moment reservations open and plan for chilly nights even in July.
2. Cape Lookout State Park
Location: Tillamook Coast
This coastal gem puts you right between old-growth Sitka spruce and the Pacific Ocean. The campground has some of the best beach access on the Oregon coast, and the Cape Lookout Trail delivers stunning headland views.
Best for: Families, storm watchers, beach campers who don’t mind cool weather
Pro tip: The C-loop sites are closest to the beach. Request one when booking.
3. Oxbow Regional Park
Location: Sandy River Gorge, 20 miles east of Portland
When we need to escape the city fast, Oxbow is our go-to. Old-growth forest, the Sandy River, and surprisingly good solitude for being so close to Portland. It’s primitive camping done right.
Best for: Portland residents, river swimmers, short-notice getaways
Pro tip: The park closes at sunset to non-campers, so you’ll have the trails to yourself after dark.
4. Wallowa Lake State Park
Location: Joseph, Northeastern Oregon
Oregon’s Little Switzerland sits at the base of the Wallowa Mountains, and this campground puts you right on the lake. The aerial tramway takes you up Mount Howard for views that rival anything in the Rockies.
Best for: Mountain lovers, anglers, those seeking an underrated corner of Oregon
Pro tip: Book months ahead for summer weekends. This place has a devoted following.
5. Tumalo State Park
Location: Bend
Our favorite basecamp for exploring Central Oregon. You’re minutes from Bend’s breweries and restaurants but sleeping along the Deschutes River with ponderosa pines overhead.
Best for: Bend explorers, mountain bikers, those who want nature and town access
Pro tip: The walk-in tent sites along the river are the most peaceful spots in the park.
6. Nehalem Bay State Park
Location: Manzanita, Northern Coast
A massive sandy spit between Nehalem Bay and the ocean. We love the wide-open feel here, and the 1.8-mile bike path to Manzanita makes for an easy morning coffee run.
Best for: Beach campers, cyclists, families with kids who need room to run
Pro tip: Sites 1-20 are closest to the ocean. You’ll hear the waves at night.
7. Smith Rock State Park
Location: Terrebonne, Central Oregon
The birthplace of American sport climbing now has a proper campground. Even if you don’t climb, the Crooked River canyon and those iconic rock spires make for unforgettable camping.
Best for: Climbers, hikers, anyone who appreciates dramatic desert scenery
Pro tip: Mornings are magic here. Get up early, grab your coffee, and watch the sunrise paint the rocks orange.
8. Thielsen View Campground
Location: Diamond Lake, Southern Cascades
Diamond Lake sits in the shadow of Mount Thielsen’s iconic spire. This Forest Service campground keeps it simple but delivers on location. Great fishing, clear water, and that volcanic scenery we love.
Best for: Anglers, paddlers, Cascades enthusiasts
Pro tip: Pair this with a day trip to Crater Lake, just 20 minutes south.
9. Harris Beach State Park
Location: Brookings, Southern Coast
Sea stacks, tide pools, and some of Oregon’s mildest coastal weather. Harris Beach feels almost tropical compared to the northern coast. Bird Island, just offshore, hosts one of the largest seabird colonies in the state.
Best for: Wildlife watchers, tide poolers, southern Oregon explorers
Pro tip: Sites 63-86 have partial ocean views. Worth requesting.
10. Trillium Lake Campground
Location: Mount Hood National Forest
This is the postcard shot of Oregon camping. Trillium Lake reflects Mount Hood so perfectly that it looks digitally enhanced. Summer brings swimming and paddling; winter brings snowshoeing and solitude.
Best for: Photographers, paddle sports, anyone who wants that iconic Oregon view
Pro tip: Arrive early on summer weekends. The day-use area fills by mid-morning.
Plan Your Oregon Trip
Oregon rewards those who plan ahead. Most state parks open reservations nine months out, and popular spots like Crater Lake and the coast book fast during peak season. But here’s the thing: even when your first choice is full, Oregon always has another incredible campground waiting.
Grab your gear and get out there. We’ll see you on the trail.