Posted by Austin Booth on March 16, 2009 at 5:57 PM
I'm planning on some camping/photography trips this spring and summer with my girlfriend. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on great places to go camping away from the crowds of the more popular easy to access spots. We went to timothy lake last year and it was nice but way too crowded. We have a 4 Runner with 4-wheel drive so back country dirt roads are fine as long as they aren't too crazy.
When I used to live in California I went to the Mendocino National Forest a few times with my parents and it was great, when we got way out there to our camping spot we were the only ones there. We maybe saw about a total of 10 other cars pass by while we were wandering around the various areas up there. Does anyone know of any places preferably within about 2 hours of Portland with this much solitude or at least any places that aren't really over-crowded like most of the Mt. Hood National forest campgrounds.
I will be going back-packing later in the summer but I'm also looking for some good back country car camping spots because we will have a dog with us for most of the camping trips. Thanks guys.
Try the Metolius River area around Camp Sherman. There's lots of campgrounds that aren't crowded during the week. Mid summer the area gets a little crowded. Also, The Mckenzie River in the Mckengie Bridge area isn't too bad. Lots of campgrounds up there. I camp in those areas every year and just love it. The Ochoco NF has some real out of the way campgrounds. I camped at a place called Deep Creek And didn't see a car for two days.
Austin, If you had driven around to the north-east side of timothy lake you would have found Little Crater Lake campground with about a dozen camp sites, a quartermile hike across a medow to a small deep extreamly cold lake , actually a sink hole, of the bluest water. also a great short hike to the pacific crest trail with a short creekside trail back to timothy lake.
Also driving south-west from timothy back to the clackamas river, then upriver, there are 4-6 smaller primitive campgrounds all the way to Bagby hot springs or up the colawash river to Brightenbush hot springs. Personally, I think this is a very neglected area with a lot of potential. There is a great little campground just downstream from "carter bridge" where Roaring river enters the clackamas.
Posted by Austin Booth on March 17, 2009 at 12:44 AM
Hmm, I didn't know there was a campground at little crater lake. I originally saw little crater lake in sept of 05 and it was really cold and aqua blue, I was really impressed. I could see to the bottom and it was probably at least 30-40 feet deep which is impressive considering it is no more than 50 ft across. I had forgotten where it was and then when I was back there with my girlfriend last June I saw the sign to little crater lake and was really excited to show it to her. We got there and were really disappointed, the water was murky and not as cold as I remembered it.
Are those 4-6 campgrounds on the 224/Clackamas Hwy from Estacada? From Portland it would be better to go down through Estacada rather than up Mt hood and down from Timothy Lake wouldn't it?
Austin, haven't heard anything about a change to little crater lake, it was blue and cold last time I was therea year &1/2 ago. If you actually went to LCL you had to drive around the camp sites to get to the parking area. could you have missed it and been looking at something else.
Yes , the campgrounds are off of Hwy 224 out of Estacada. I spent a lot of time up that way back in the late 70s and early 80s.
Posted by Austin Booth on March 17, 2009 at 4:29 PM
It was the same little lake that was an aqua blue color and very cold a few years earlier. The signs said "little crater lake". Coming from Hwy 26 it is a right turn before timothy lake onto Abbott Rd/NFD 58. Maybe its back to normal now, but it was very murky last june when I was there. Actually I think I do recall seeing the camp sites but they were all full so I didn't pay much attention to them.
I'm going to order a Mt hood national forest map which should have all the campgrounds and back roads so hopefully I can find some solitude this summer. Thanks for your suggestion of looking along 224, I'll look into that also.
Posted by Chris Hodney on March 17, 2009 at 4:54 PM
I'll second Little Crater Lake campground, and also Summit Lake in that area. Pristine campgrounds, not too many people frequent them, and very beautiful.
Little Crater Lake campground had a big meadow full of wild flowers at the head of the trail to the Lake, last year when I was there.
Other than exploring the Mt Hood Forest, I'm eager to see what other ideas come up. About the same driving time to the North will get you to some beautiful areas of Washington, like the Lewis River, and Indian Haven areas. When I went to Lewis River, there weren't too many people there last summer for some reason.
Posted by Greg Vaughn on March 18, 2009 at 1:07 PM
A couple of suggestions:
If at all possible, go camping Tues-Thurs to avoid both crowds and noisy neighbors in popular campgrounds.
Go before school lets out for summer vacation and just after Labor Day. Late May and early September are the best times to camp IMO.
If you and your girlfriend don't need established campground amenities like toilets, running water and picnic tables, pick up a USFS map or the Oregon Road & Recreation Atlas from Benchmark publishing and start exploring the Forest Service roads. There are lots of primitive camps sometimes used by hunters and fishermen, and landing sites from old logging operations may offer great views over expanses of forest.
As Chris mentioned, don't forget about heading into Washington, too. There are some great waterfalls in the Lewis River and Wind River drainages.
Discussion
7 repliesWhen I used to live in California I went to the Mendocino National Forest a few times with my parents and it was great, when we got way out there to our camping spot we were the only ones there. We maybe saw about a total of 10 other cars pass by while we were wandering around the various areas up there. Does anyone know of any places preferably within about 2 hours of Portland with this much solitude or at least any places that aren't really over-crowded like most of the Mt. Hood National forest campgrounds.
I will be going back-packing later in the summer but I'm also looking for some good back country car camping spots because we will have a dog with us for most of the camping trips. Thanks guys.
Also driving south-west from timothy back to the clackamas river, then upriver, there are 4-6 smaller primitive campgrounds all the way to Bagby hot springs or up the colawash river to Brightenbush hot springs. Personally, I think this is a very neglected area with a lot of potential. There is a great little campground just downstream from "carter bridge" where Roaring river enters the clackamas.
Are those 4-6 campgrounds on the 224/Clackamas Hwy from Estacada? From Portland it would be better to go down through Estacada rather than up Mt hood and down from Timothy Lake wouldn't it?
Yes , the campgrounds are off of Hwy 224 out of Estacada. I spent a lot of time up that way back in the late 70s and early 80s.
I'm going to order a Mt hood national forest map which should have all the campgrounds and back roads so hopefully I can find some solitude this summer. Thanks for your suggestion of looking along 224, I'll look into that also.
Little Crater Lake campground had a big meadow full of wild flowers at the head of the trail to the Lake, last year when I was there.
Other than exploring the Mt Hood Forest, I'm eager to see what other ideas come up. About the same driving time to the North will get you to some beautiful areas of Washington, like the Lewis River, and Indian Haven areas. When I went to Lewis River, there weren't too many people there last summer for some reason.
If at all possible, go camping Tues-Thurs to avoid both crowds and noisy neighbors in popular campgrounds.
Go before school lets out for summer vacation and just after Labor Day. Late May and early September are the best times to camp IMO.
If you and your girlfriend don't need established campground amenities like toilets, running water and picnic tables, pick up a USFS map or the Oregon Road & Recreation Atlas from Benchmark publishing and start exploring the Forest Service roads. There are lots of primitive camps sometimes used by hunters and fishermen, and landing sites from old logging operations may offer great views over expanses of forest.
As Chris mentioned, don't forget about heading into Washington, too. There are some great waterfalls in the Lewis River and Wind River drainages.