12 Top-Rated Campgrounds near Portland, Oregon
12 Top-Rated Campgrounds near Portland, Oregon
Along with Portland's culture and entertainment comes the need to get away from it all on occasion. Fortunately, excellent campgrounds are only a short drive away. Some of these camping spots are surrounded by magnificent national forests, a dynamic coastline, or one of the country's most waterfall-laden corridors.
Popular activities at Portland campgrounds include chasing waterfalls, climbing crags, and getting inspired as the sun sets over the ocean. Close to Portland, RV and tent camping are both available, as are hike-in sights that require gear to be hauled with backpacks. Regardless of how you choose to escape, the lush Pacific Northwest scenery provides an easy escape from the city.
Visit the Oregon State Parks homepage for more information on state park campgrounds and to make reservations. And use our list of the best campgrounds near Portland to find the perfect spot to pitch your tent:
1. L.L. "Stub" Stewart State Park, Buxton
L.L. "Stub" Stewart, one of the newest campgrounds in the Oregon State Park system, has been a popular place to pitch a tent since it opened in 2007. Stub Stewart, located about 35 miles northwest of Portland, was built on former timber land and now encompasses over 1,600 acres of forested slopes, open hilltops, and multiple capgrounds.
Hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding are among the recreational activities available at L.L. Stub, which has nearly 30 miles of trails to explore. L.L. Stub's mountain biking trails are particularly well-known for their professional design. L.L. Stub also has an 18-hole disc golf course, and the park's Discovery Depot is a great place to get interpretive information about the area.
Stub Stewart is also known for its Hares Canyon Horse Camp, which has four-stall corrals. The campground is directly connected to a number of horse-friendly trails. All L.L. Stub overnight visitors have access to hot showers and flushing toilets.
2. Oxbow Regional Park, Gresham
Oxbow Regional Park, one of the closest campgrounds to
Portland, has 74 campsites in a beautiful setting on Gresham's east side.
Oxbow is located within the scenic Sandy River Gorge
and is within biking distance of the city limits.
Under the summer sun, fishing, boating, and swimming are
popular activities. Another popular nearby recreation option is
the twelve-mile-long hiking trails that surround the Wild and
Scenic Sandy River.
On weekends, Oxbow is a popular campground due to its
convenient location. The majority of the sites at Oxbow are
exclusively for tent camping, with about 11 sites suitable for
small RVs. Oregon Metro operates Oxbow, and campsite
reservations are accepted nine months in advance. The park has strict family and eco-friendly policies in place, including no dogs.
3. Silver Falls Campground
Silver Falls State Park, located fifty miles south of Portland, is a popular family camping destination. The Silver Falls Campground has over 90 campsites that can accommodate tents and RVs, and all guests have access to flushing toilets and hot showers.
The campground is a short walk from the South Falls day-use area and one of Oregon's best hiking trails. The nationally designated Trail of Ten Falls, which begins at the stunning 177-foot South Falls, is a variable 7.2-mile hiking loop with multiple waterfalls and family-friendly terrain.
While the Trail of Ten Falls is the park's crown jewel, there are approximately 30 miles of trails that wind their way through the rest of the park. Outside of the main campground, group camps, horse camps, and cabins are also available for advance reservations.
4. Promontory Park, Estacada
Promontory Park is a family-friendly campground near the North Fork Reservoir and the Clackamas River, just over 35 miles southeast of Portland. Promontory Park has over 50 campsites to choose from, including a small collection of "yomes" – a yurt-dome hybrid with canvas walls.
Boating, fishing, and swimming are all popular activities at the nearby North Fork Reservoir and marina. A short drive will also take you to the awe-inspiring Mount Hood National Forest. A campground store sells camping necessities such as firewood, ice cream, and s'mores kits.
5. Cape Lookout State Park, Tillamook
Cape Lookout State Park is an easy escape to the Oregon Coast and a great home base for exploring the ocean. Cape Lookout, surrounded by a large swath of dense coastal foliage, has over 200 campsites, the majority of which cater to tent camping.
In addition to plenty of drive-in tent camping, Cape Lookout is home to one of the best hiker/biker camps on the coast. Adventures from the campground are enticed by headland trails, easy beach access, and a serene experience on the Netarts Spit to the north. Many people come to see the view from the top of Cape Lookout.
The park is about an 80-mile drive from Portland, and it's best to book a few nights ahead of time. Driving the 40-mile Three Capes Scenic Loop, which includes Cape Meares and Cape Kiwanda, makes for a fun weekend trip.
6. Beacon Rock State Park, Stevenson, WA
Beacon Rock State Park, located on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, has a long history of attracting visitors. It served as a campsite for Lewis and Clark as they approached the coast.
Beacon Rock is an 850-foot basalt column that protrudes from the ground and overlooks the Columbia River. The nearly 5,000-acre state park that surrounds this unique geological feature offers a plethora of recreational opportunities, including a steep, switchbacking one-mile trail to the top of the rock.
Other popular recreation options at Beacon Rock include 13 miles of multi-use trails, rock climbing routes on the northwest flank of the mountain, and a wide shoreline on the Columbia River.
7. Trillium Lake, Government Camp
Mount Hood, visible from Portland on clear days, is Oregon's tallest mountain and a defining adventure playground of the Pacific Northwest. The mountain is surrounded by the same-named national forest. On all sides of Mount Hood, there are numerous campgrounds and primitive camping areas, including the popular Trillium Lake.
Trillium Lake is a national forest campground with 60 tent and RV campsites located just over an hour drive from Portland and accessible via the historic town of Government Camp. Because of Trillium Campground's waterfront location and the variety of recreation options, it's best to reserve a spot well in advance. Reservations can be made by visiting www.Recreation.gov.
Two boat ramps at the campground tempt non-motorized excursions
onto the nearby 63-acre Trillium Lake, and an accessible fishing pier
invites anyone to cast a line. Swimming is also popular at the lake,
especially in the summer.
A two-mile boardwalk trail circles the lake, providing panoramic views
of the national forest in all directions. There are numerous hiking and
biking trails in the surrounding forest, and the historic Timberline
Lodge is less than a ten-mile drive from the campground.
This is a well-known family-friendly campground in Oregon, and perhaps the most appealing aspect of this popular spot to pitch a tent
is the spectacular views of Mount Hood that are frequently reflected in
the water. Trillium Lake is about a 60-mile (90-minute) drive from Portland.
8. Fort Stevens State Park, Astoria
Fort Stevens State Park, located in the far northwest corner of the state and less than a two-hour drive from Portland, offers unparalleled access to the Oregon coast. Visiting the state park is just one of many exciting things to do in Astoria, a seaside city. When it comes to camping, the state park has nearly 500 campsites, making it the largest on the coast.
The wide beach at Fort Stevens is a short drive from the campground, and vehicles are permitted to drive right onto the beach. Clamming, kite flying, and photographing the historic Peter Iredale shipwreck are popular activities near the ocean at Fort Stevens State Park.
Other enjoyable activities at this once-active military installation include
swimming in a freshwater lake, horseback riding, and touring the
park's various concrete World War II structures.
Restrooms, including hot showers, are located on all of the
campground's major loops. Throughout the summer, an impressive
central amphitheatre screens nature films and documentaries.
9. Ainsworth State Park, Cascade Locks
Ainsworth State Park is a 35-mile drive from Portland via the Historic
Columbia River Highway. The park offers a variety of recreational
activities as well as trails to explore.
Famous waterfall hikes like Horsetail and Multnomah Falls are easily
accessible from the campground due to its location in the Columbia
River Gorge. Other nearby attractions, such as the Oneonta Gorge,
offer numerous hiking opportunities.
Ainsworth's 40 campsites can accommodate tents or RVs, and there
are six walk-in campsites as well as a designated hiker/biker site.
There are also two running water restrooms with hot showers at the
campground.
10. Tillamook Head Backpackers Camp, Ecola State Park, Seaside
The backpackers camp atop Tillamook Head on the Oregon coast is a
free camping area that offers a one-of-a-kind overnight experience.
This hike-in campground's recommended access point is on the north
side of Tillamook Head in Seaside, about a 90-minute drive from
Portland.
It's a four-mile, steady, uphill hike from the north trailhead to the
designated camp zone, where three Adirondack shelters and tent
space are available for the overnight experience. This campground is
relatively uncrowded due to the uphill hike and lack of water access.
Vault toilets near the shelters also contribute to the cleanliness of the
area. A short spur trail leads from the shelters to an ocean overlook,
where the decommissioned Tillamook Rock Lighthouse serves as a
good focal point as the sun sets in the evening.
11. Barton Park, Boring
Barton Park, one of Clackamas County's three campgrounds, is perhaps the most popular. Barton Park, located next to the Clackamas River, offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including fishing, non-motorized boating, floating, and swimming. Horseshoes, hiking, and using one of six reservable picnic areas are also popular activities.
Barton Park is a 30-minute drive from Portland and has over 100 campsites, many of which can accommodate full hook-up RVs. All registered guests have access to hot showers. A bunkhouse can also be rented. Feyrer Park and Metzler Park are two other excellent campgrounds run by Clackamas County.
12. Memaloose State Park, Wasco County
Memaloose State Park, located off Interstate 84 halfway between The Dalles and Hood River, overlooks the Columbia River and has over 100 campsites. Memaloose, which has both tent and RV sites, is a scenic gateway to the surrounding Columbia River Gorge and is less than a 90-minute drive from Portland.
Although there is no legal river access at the campground, the views of the Columbia River are unbeatable, especially when the sightseeing steamboats pass by against the current. All overnight visitors have access to hot showers, potable water, and flushing toilets. In the summer, the surrounding landscape of maples, willows, and cottonwoods provides shady surroundings.
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