Fall car camping options?

[Jett Powered]

I was hoping to do an overnight car camping on Mt. Hood but it appears all of the campgrounds up there are already closed for the season.

Would anyone care to recommend other options within a couple hours of Portland? I'm not too picky this time.

My goal is to drive up to a campground where I can do some hiking during the day and have a campfire in the evening. Elk Creek in Tillamook is my normal go-to this time of year but I want to explore someplace different this time.

[adamschneider]

You can walk into and camp in "closed" campgrounds in MHNF if you can park your car legally nearby. (You can't block the gate.) I did this once at Hood View Campground on Timothy Lake. Often the pit toilets remain unlocked and usable.

And then there are some campgrounds that don't even have gates, like Little Crater Lake (also near Timothy Lake). That one is very popular in the "closed" season.

If you don't mind a further drive, all the campgrounds around Three Creek Lake (south of Sisters) are closed for the season but fully accessible. I stayed there last Thursday night.

[Sugar Pine]

Agree, the closed campgrounds are often accessible. Campers were at the Paul Dennis Campground at Olallie Lake and the Summit Lake Campground (Mt Hood, not Deschutes) this past weekend and both are officially closed.

[Jett Powered]

Thanks you two, that's great info!

Is it legal to just pull off the side of the road and park overnight?

[adamschneider]

Is it legal to just pull off the side of the road and park overnight?

Yes, more or less, as long as you're on public land and aren't blocking any roads. It's called "dispersed camping": https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mthood/r ... eprd757473

One of the "Basic Rules" on that page isn't really applicable: they say you should "camp at least 100 ft. away from streams, rivers, and lakes," but a LOT of well-used dispersed campsites are right next to rivers and creeks. (Of course, on weekends, those will be the first spots to be claimed.)

Just don't poop within 100' of the water.

[retired jerry]

Riley Horse Camp is usually open. Off Lolo Pass Rd, on the way to Ramona Falls trailhead. If they close the gate there are convenient places to park about as far away from campsites as if the gate was open. They leave the outhouses open.

All the campgrounds on the Deschutes River stay open. These are east of the cascades and at low elevation so get much less rain. It can be windy. In the winter it can be very cold.

Deschutes State Park on the Columbia River stays open. A lot of freeway and train noise. At some point they usually close the tent area further from all the noise. There are a couple outhouses that stay open. They close the bathrooms with running water.

Out of Madras you can drive through Cove Palisades State Park (probably closed - no camping anywhere) but continue to the Metolius River. Perry South campground stays open - outhouse. Usually Monty is open but sometimes they close a gate.

The campgrounds north of Mill Creek Wilderness are always open. North of Prineville.

Cottonwood Canyon State Park on the John Day River stays open. Outhouses.

You have to bring your own water and take your trash out.

[Jett Powered]

Y'all are the best, thank you. I really appreciate all the guidance.

[Jett Powered]

I talked to a ranger for Zigzag who said they've been asked to be more strict about allowing people to camp at established campgrounds in the off-season. He said they've had increased problems with people leaving trash that then gets buried under snow and is difficult to clean up after the melt. He expects that this year they'll be much more likely to ask you to leave.

I'm planning to visit Timothy Lake and he recommended I find one of the many dispersed sites along FS 5740 or 5750.

[adamschneider]

He said they've had increased problems with people leaving trash that then gets buried under snow and is difficult to clean up after the melt.

This is why we can't have nice things.

[Jett Powered]

Yeah, why do so many humans have to cause problems like this? I just don't understand.

I think I might pivot. I got a recommendation to try Trout Creek Lake Campground in Washington. It is officially still open until Friday, and even after that they allow camping but no longer charge a fee and it stops being serviced for the season. The area looks pretty and I have even less experience exploring that area than Mt. Hood. Sites are drive-up and first-come first-serve.

I'm not seeing any trails leaving from the campground but that's ok. I can setup camp then drive to a trail nearby. So if anyone reading this has a suggestion....