Oregon Camping
Oregon camping trip far exceeded my expectations! We were looking forward to this new state, but had no idea how wonderful it would be. For instance, Oregon State Parks (Fort Steven’s, Cape Blanco and Ainsworth) were great because there was so much to see within and near the parks. Also, Crater Lake and Multnomah Falls are a couple of the most beautiful places we have seen in the United States. Lastly, temperatures were cool while much of the country was under extreme heat.
Fort Steven’s State Park
Fort Steven’s State Park was our favorite park on this trip. It is on the coast and is just across a bridge from the quaint town, Astoria. There are a few small municipalities very near the park, so the location was convenient. We actually got an oil change there and a guy servicing our truck gave me a cutting of a spider plant. It made it back to our house alive after sixteen stops.
The campground is enormous with sixteen loops. We had an electric and water site on loop O. The campground includes a historic fort, a lake, an interesting shipwreck, and a beautiful beach.
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
Our campground was just a short drive from Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. It was a small park that has a Visitor Center with some nice exhibits and a film. The park included a replica of a fort built by Lewis and Clark to survive the winter. A ranger, dressed in period clothing, told a story related to the time there.
The Oregon coast was the final destination of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition and the park commemorates it. It also has a lot of interesting information about the expedition. Travel is so educational!
The Historic Fort
The historic fort included old military buildings and some exhibits. There were gun batteries in position towards the water. I had never heard that the Japanese fired upon the US during WWII, but Fort Steven’s is where this occurred. The land and water around the fort was beautiful and we saw about four or five elk in the wild.
The Beach
The beach in the park is rocky and lovely near the jetty. It was also quite windy.
There is an area where the coast includes a sandy beach and quite a few people were there. It is also where a very large ship, the Peter Iredale, wrecked on the coast in 1906. The sea has certainly done much to reclaim the ship.
This was probably the best campground during our entire trip. The only downside was that we heard some strange noises one morning and it appears that one of the many strange-looking squirrels in the park was somewhere in the engine of our truck. It freaked us out! My husband examined it. The squirrel had pulled out a piece of insulation, but no other issues arose. For our next several stops, we put lights out around the perimeter of the truck.
Ainsworth State Park
We had three nights booked at Ainsworth State Park in Corbett, Oregon to visit Multnomah Falls and the Columbia River Gorge. As we drove through Portland on our route, we were astounded to clearly see the enormous mountain in the photo below. I learned that it was Mount Hood, elevation 11,250 feet. I thought we would be able to enjoy seeing it for the next couple of days. Sadly, driving through that day was the only sighting.
The Falls
Multnomah Falls was just a few miles from our campground and it did not disappoint. We couldn’t see it on our first attempt because we didn’t start early enough. It was the weekend before July 4th and we began at 10 am. However, there was no available parking near Multnomah Falls or the popular Vista House. We were able to see some of the less popular views and waterfalls, but not those two spots. So, we got up early the next morning and were able to enjoy the falls and Vista House without the crowds. It was wonderful!
Historic Columbia River Highway
The Historic Columbia River Highway opened in 1916 and was designed like the great scenic roads of Europe. One goal was to recognize the natural beauty along the route. A modern highway, Interstate 84, has replaced it for transportation, but sections of it remain open and it draws hoards of visitors every year.
The early morning photo below was the view from Vista House, at Crown Point. It was built in 1916 originally as a rest stop for travelers on the historic highway. Much care was taken to make it beautiful with an outstanding view. The Columbia River and valley below were mesmerizing.
Vista House is in the distance in the photo below. It was taken from the Women’s Forum Viewpoint. The photo was taken on the day that crowds made it impossible to see. It was closed the next day when we visited.
Oregon Camping in Eugene
Our stay two night stay at Deerwood RV in Eugene was on July 3rd and 4th. It had been getting warmer as we traveled south and while in Eugene it was in the mid-nineties. Fortunately, they switched us to a shady site that helped tremendously with the heat. The campground was very nice with so many beautiful flowers.
Eugene Activities
We had hoped to do some things in Eugene, but most attractions and many restaurants were closed for the holiday. So, our experience with Eugene included a popular noodle restaurant and a grocery store.
Mount Pisgah Aboreum
Mount Pisgah Aboreum was open though and was nearby. It was nice, but very hot. We took a walk on a shady trail to the water where many locals were swimming.
The holiday proved to be relatively quiet in the campground. We had a nice meal with our next door neighbors, Marty and Becky from California. That plus doing some laundry was our holiday.
Cape Blanco State Park
Cape Blanco was our third Oregon State Park and it was excellent as well. We had moved further south, but back to the coast. I was thinking that we could be laying on the beach there. Not!! It was actually cold, windy, and raining. We did not expect weather like this! Our site was nice, shady and near the bathhouse and we were warm and cozy in our Lance. The campground is tucked well into the forest.
The Beach
The beach was equally unexpected. We first visited an area accessible inside the campground. Great amounts of driftwood lay against the bottom of the cliffs like a massive stack of bones. People can drive their vehicles down there and my husband initially considered it. But, I dissuaded him by telling him how dirty it would get. A truck was down there and, for a moment, it looked like they might become stuck. But, they finally made it back up. A host told us that it costs $1,000 just for someone to come out there if a vehicle gets stuck. We certainly didn’t need any of that.
The Lighthouse
It was incredibly windy at the lighthouse. This part of the Oregon coast is the most westerly. Perhaps this explains why it is colder and much more windy than the more northern shores. The lighthouse is the oldest standing one in Oregon, dating back to 1870. It is still operational. We took a tour and went inside, but could not go to the top.
The shore around the lighthouse is very rocky and windy, but quite beautiful.
The Hughes Homestead
The Hughes Historic Homestead is also within the park. We took a tour and learned that the Hughes settled the land that they obtained through the Homestead Act. They were very successful dairy farmers. Most importantly, their land became what is now Cape Blanco State Park.
Crater Lake National Park
We spent two nights at Crater Lake RV in Prospect, Oregon to visit Crater Lake National Park. The campground is very convenient to Crater Lake and the small town of Prospect was fun to visit. While we were there, we did laundry at the campground and had meals at Prospect Pizza and Beckie’s Cafe. It was an awesome stop and included the most natural beauty we saw on our trip.
The Lake
Crater Lake was breathtaking to see. The deep blue color is like no other I have encountered. The lake is almost two thousand feet deep and is the deepest lake in the United States. It is only feed by rain and snow. It gets plenty of snow because Park Headquarters averages 42 feet of snow per year. The lake is actually the shell of a collapsed volcano that erupted almost eight thousand years ago.
We arrived early in the morning to beat the crowds. I highly recommend going early because we got a sense of how crowded it becomes as we were leaving. It was also wonderful to see the lake in the early morning light.
Though we were visiting in mid-July, there was still snow in the area. The lake elevation level is approximately six thousand feet and any time I was very active, I was reminded of the high elevation.
Rogue River
The Rogue River is the most beautiful river I have ever seen. Our viewing of it included waterfalls and a natural bridge. The water is a tropical looking aqua color and is crystal clear. It is in the Siskiyou National Forest and there is a lovely area that has multiple easy-to-access places to view the river. All I can say is, “Wow!” The beauty of Crater Lake and the Rouge River made this the best overall stop on our Oregon camping adventure.
Oregon Camping in Burns
Our last stop was just a one night travel stop in Burns. We did not see anything in the city or have any meals there, but we did enjoy the countryside along the way. The roads were still curvy and mountainous, but the green of the forest was no longer present. Still beautiful though, just different.
We weren’t crazy about our site at the RV Park because it was awkward to park and near a pretty grungy bathhouse with some stored rvs. There was a nicer area, but they were full hookups, which we didn’t need for one night.
The best thing about our time at the RV park was the sunset. This was across the street from us. It wasn’t a bad end to our Oregon camping adventure.
Oregon Camping Conclusion
To sum up our Oregon Camping experience, it was perhaps the best state we visited on this trip. The State Parks were all above average and Crater Lake was perhaps the most spectacular natural beauty that I have seen. The people we encountered were all nice and the weather was more comfortable than many places on our journey. The driving, however, was very challenging with curvy mountain roads, relatively high speed limits, and a few crazy drivers. But, all things considered, we highly recommend a visit to this beautiful state! Check out our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource if interested in more of our travels.
Happy and safe travels!
