Discover the best luxury desert campgrounds in Oregon

United States
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Oregon

98% (167 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Oregon

5 top desert campgrounds in Oregon

Dog-friendly getaways

100%

(18)

Back of Beyond

2 sites · Lodging20 acres · Lakeview, OR

Welcome to Back of Beyond. We are the only year-round residents living off of Camas Prairie in the North Warner Mountains, perched at 5,700' elevation. We have owned this beautiful piece of ground since 1996. It has ponderosa and aspen forests with a few white firs, junipers, and willows along the seasonal creek. Wild flowers are all over these mountains from Spring through September. The Squirrelville cabin was built in the early 1920s by a Lake County judge. The Whitetail cabin was built just after WW2 and is fully plumbed w/ hot water and a redwood deck, perfect for gazing at the stars. We are a member of Dark Skies Oregon, there is no light pollution, and on a clear night you can see the Milky Way. Privacy and solitude are on tap here: We are up against the Fremont National Forest, a massive 2.4 million acre forest offering multiple hiking and walking trails & winter sports. Speaking of winter sports, Warner Canyon Ski Area and Camas Sno Park are only a 5 minute drive away. The road running along our property is part of the 50+ miles of trail through the North Warner Mountain range, and into California. Love biking? It is also part of the new Timber Mountain Bike trail, as well as the Oregon Natural Desert Association alternative route to Lakeview. If you're looking to take home some of Oregon’s finest sunstones, South Central and Southeastern Oregon are the only areas in the world where the gem-graded sunstones with copper inclusions are found. Better yet, the Sunstone Public Collection Area is only an hour and 45 minutes away from camp. We are a mere 10 miles from the wide open spaces of the Great Basin, and a short drive to Hart Mt. Antelope Refuge. You get 2 ecosystems for the price of one! Hart Mountain Hot Springs and Petroglyph Lake are all an easy day trip away. Discover the largest concentration of Native petroglyphs in the entire state of Oregon, on and around Hart Mountain. Native Americans have lived in this area for over 10,000 years. Fishing enthusiasts will be happy to hear that native Red Band trout are in many water ways close by. Fly-fishing on Deep Creek and Vee Lake, or lure fishing for crappie and bass in the Warner Lakes, as well as Drew's and Cottonwood Reservoirs, Dog Lake, and Goose Lake. Seasonal wild flowers and bird watching are all very close at hand. Bird watch at the foot of Hart Mountain in the Warner Valley, where a series of lakes and wetlands form part of the Western Flyway for migrating birds. There are trails and blinds for bird watchers. Our water is pure Artesian spring water that we do not need to touch w/ chemicals.

Snow Mountain Lodge

5 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents648 acres · Seneca, OR

Snow Mountain is near Snow Mountain lookout on the Malheur National forest in southern grant county, oregon. The cabin sits along side of Flat Creek, slopes are mild for hiking, over 50 acres of aspen are located on the property. It is adjacent to Malhuer national forest Old growth ponderosa pine and aspens. Plenty of miles of NF roads for exploring the Emigrant Ranger district of Malhuier NF. There is now running water in the cabin, a hot shower and a flushing toilet. There are 6 beds in the open loft. Could sleep up to 15 if extras bring their own bedding and pads. Plenty of area for RV parking and tent camping. May have cattle in the 650 acre ranch, check with owners.

Riverfront RV Campground

3 sites · RVs1 acre · Scottsburg, OR

Have an all-to-yourself! 600 ft. riverfront property 16 miles from the Oregon dunes with beautiful views of the Umpqua river and forested mountains! Activities for everyone including swimming, fishing, hiking, boating (we have a kayak and canoe onsite), or just relax on the double swing chair and hammock that overlook the river. Please note, due to construction of the Scottsburg Bridge, there’s construction noise on weekdays. Due to the the adjacent highway there is traffic noise. $85/nite per RV (there are 2 spaces); 6 people per RV max. Fire bans begin during seasonal dry times, typically beginning end of June through November. Pets welcome, toilets, showers, kitchen, picnic tables, laundry, and trash bins on site. We look forward to seeing you soon! Guests love staying with us: "Cheryl was an excellent host. Gracious and very welcoming to a well maintained and incredible property. Talk about an ideal place of beauty and relaxation, we had a fantastic time un-winding in this private slice of Mother Nature Oregon style. The views and wildlife were incredible as were the amenities - much more than expected. Tons of space to play and enjoy. Thank you both for sharing this Oregon Gem, we truly had an amazing time. Lots to take in, lots to do or not to do. Highly recommend, one of the best camping trips we have had. Definitely coming back."

The Narrows

16 sites · Lodging, Tents20 acres · Princeton, OR

Located 26 miles south of Burns on Highway 205, The Narrows RV Park is the perfect base camp for your exploration of Harney County and Southeast Oregon. The Narrows is just steps away from Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, and provides easy access to other high desert attractions such as the Steens Mountain Recreation Area, The Alvord Desert, The Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge and The Diamond Loop. Our quality amenities go a long way towards making guests feel comfortable, like they’ve found a home-away-from-home. Here are some of our amenities that we offer year-round:Five complete bathrooms with showersSite patios, fire pits and BBQ standsGasoline, diesel & propaneLaundryCable TVOn-Site Convenience StoreHandicapped-accessible facilities30- and 50-amp electricityFree Wi-Fi connectionsRV dump

Luxury desert camping in Oregon guide

Overview

Oregon has long been known as an outdoor destination, with snow-capped mountains, rugged high desert, Pacific Coast beaches, and roaring rivers all within a few hours’ drive of one another. While Portland attracts visitors with its celebrated food scene and music venues, Oregon offers much more for those who’d prefer a quieter getaway out in nature. If you’ve come to camp or hike, you’ll have no shortage of options to choose from—in fact, there are 11 national forests, hundreds of state parks and recreation areas, and 2.5 million acres of protected wilderness within the state’s borders.

Where to go

The Willamette Valley

Extending from the border with Washington state down to the community of Springfield, the Willamette Valley is Oregon’s main economic and cultural hub. Although it’s home to the state’s three most populated cities (Portland, Salem, and Eugene), much of the Willamette Valley is dominated by forests and countryside, with plenty of state parks, hiking and mountain biking trails, hot springs, and rivers.

Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge

Just east of Portland on the border with Washington, the Columbia River Gorge offers easy access to miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, and great skiing and snowboarding. The adjacent Mt. Hood region has equally beautiful scenery and is as popular for winter skiing and snowboarding as it is for hiking, swimming, and camping in the summer months.

The Oregon Coast

This region is popular year-round, attracting whale-watching fans in the cooler months and campers and hikers in the summer months. Popular Oregon Coast activities include hiking, tide pool viewing, clamming, crabbing, off-road vehicle rides on the sweeping Oregon Dunes, and sampling world-famous cheese and ice cream in Tillamook. While some brave souls don wetsuits for surfing and diving, the Pacific Ocean waters rarely get warm enough for comfortable dips. Some of the area’s best camping options can be found at Harris Beach State Park, Sunset Bay State Park, and Cape Lookout State Park, all of which offer tent camping, yurt rentals, and RV sites with hookups.

Eastern and Central Oregon

Stretching from the portion of the Cascade Range south of the Columbia Gorge all the way east to the Oregon-Idaho border, central and eastern Oregon offer a dryer, sunnier alternative to the rainier parts of the state, with a mix of lush forest and craggy high desert landscapes. Highlights include Deschutes National Forest, popular for backpacking and backcountry stays, while campers in search of a more developed camping experience can head to one of the many Oregon state parks along the Deschutes River, near Bend.

Southern Oregon

Oregon’s southernmost region offers a variety of scenery, with a mix of lakes, forests, and rivers interspersed with rolling expanses of countryside (not to mention some great wineries). The region’s most famous natural attraction is Crater Lake National Park, Oregon’s only national park, set near the southeastern reaches of Umpqua National Forest.