Best Places for Free Dispersed Camping in Oregon

Oregon is a great state for camping in the woods. Camping is open to everyone and there are plenty of opportunities for dispersed camping. While camping in a wilderness area you are expected to pack out all of your trash. Campsites on public land must be posted with a reservation. We will be keeping this article short and we will begin with a brief overview of places for camping near cities. It is important to remember that any state park or forest is available to you, however, state parks and forests are often much more expensive. We have made a list of the best places for free dispersed camping in Oregon.

Yaquina Bay State Park

This is a fantastic place to go camping. There are many beaches for swimming and a wildlife center, and you are very close to Portland. There are three options to get to the camping areas: Ocean Beach, Ocean Shore, and Oceanside. There is no charge to use any of these camping areas. Most people also camp in the picnic areas and on the golf course. One other plus to this park is that it has electric hookups for RVs.

Williamette Inn

This is a gorgeous place to go camping. Williamette Inn is in the heart of the Umpqua National Forest and has an excellent dog park. There are three picnic areas and they all have fire pits. If you stay in the Inn, you also have access to shower facilities. The downside to this park is that it is very popular and fills up quickly. You may have to put a reservation in to get a spot. If you do make a reservation you will also get a free campsite and a free tent site. The good thing about these facilities is that you will be much closer to the Williamette river than you are in Yaquina Bay State Park.

Jantzen Beach State Park

This is a nice campground, however, if you are looking for something less crowded you can go check out a trail or two along the beach. There is a playground for kids, picnic tables, and even a group picnic area. There is no free camping allowed here, however, there is a shower and free water which comes out of a natural spring. This park is open for camping in the summer, however, you may need to make reservations beforehand. This park is a short hike away from the Shaver Lake Wawona trailhead.

Pendleton Rock State Park

This is a beautiful place to go camping. It has 14 campsites with covered picnic tables. There is also a large area where you can sit in a large tent or on an RV without disturbing anyone. There is a huge storage area with a bathroom and shower. There are about a dozen hiking trails within a mile of the campground. The trailhead is only about one mile from the campground and there is free parking. This is another great place to go camping with kids.

South Umpqua River Campground

This is a lovely place to go camping. The location is very close to downtown Umpqua, about a 15-minute drive. There is a beautiful old motel and restaurant just below the campsites. There are many choices for camping including RV sites, tent sites, or a one-room cabin with a bathroom and kitchen. There are a lot of options for food around the campground and there is no fee to get a campsite. They also have showers and free water. This park has very little traffic and there are very few places to sit and relax. It’s a great place for a family to go camping and it is very close to the Bend fly fishing river which is great for fly fishing.

Soda Springs Recreation Area

This is a great campground. There are about 80 sites including several RV hookups. There are two showers, picnic tables, and a playground. There is a giant reservoir nearby with a boat ramp. This area also offers several great hiking trails. There is an excellent riverside store with fishing gear and plenty of fishing supplies. There are lots of great views of the dam and reservoir.

Willamette State Park

This is a nice campground with a little bit of everything. There are 24 RV sites and eight tent sites. There is also a small store, a boat ramp, and a campground store. This is located in southern Oregon right next to the Pacific Ocean and the Yaquina Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This is a little bit of a drive to get here, however, it is well worth it. It is also great to camp here during the winter when the area is snowbound. There are plenty of nice little beaches around the campground. There is also a great children’s playground at the entrance to the campground.

Devil’s River State Park

This campground has 20 sites for RVs, 13 tent sites, and five group picnic areas. There is a tiny store with ice cream and snacks and a public boat launch. You will not be able to drive your RV to this campground, however, you can tent camp or drive your RV down the river. There is a walking trail with bridges that runs for about half a mile from the campground and continues to an overlook. There is also a trailhead to one of the local lakes.

Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area

This is an area along the coast of Oregon with miles of beaches. It’s a perfect place to go camping. There are several campsites and a restroom. There is also an interpretive trail. This is a great place for kids because there are lots of little things to do. There are boardwalks, rock gardens, and historical plaques. The view from the trailhead is great. There are a few narrow roads and at times it may be difficult to get a spot close to the beach. However, you will have some great views of the ocean and the campground is about half a mile away. If you are going to the area, I would recommend this campground.

Cape Kiwanda West

This is an RV park and it is very close to the campground. The campground has three sites and it is very close to a very nice walking trail. There are very nice restrooms with showers and trash receptacles. The owner of the campground, Lee, is very nice and has a great campground. She will tell you more about it if you call and leave a message. There are several places you can picnic. The closest grocery store to the campground is probably about half an hour away.

Oregon Coast

All over the coast, there are awesome places to camp. It is a great place to spend the day fishing and then go back to the campground for a good night’s sleep. You can hike and bike for days and never get tired. It’s a nice beach campground as well.

Wawona Campground

This campground is great for backpacking and hiking in the surrounding forests. There are 17 RV sites. The roads to the campground are very steep. There is a nice lookout with a campground restaurant and a snack bar.

St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

This is a good place to see volcanic eruptions and natural hot springs. Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson look like volcanoes. There are also places to go fishing and hiking. The campground is great as well. The entrance to the campground is about 30 miles away and can be a bit of a hassle to get to. If you are visiting the area and don’t mind dealing with the entry point, this campground is a great place to stay.

Little Douglas State Forest

This is a nice park to camp in. It has a small swimming pool and great bathrooms. There are excellent hiking trails. It is a great place to see deer, elk, and wild horses. It is also a nice place to go fishing.

Sleeping Bear Dunes

This is a very popular place to visit in the summer. There is a nice beach, hiking, biking, and just about anything you can imagine doing there. There is a little store nearby where you can buy food and snacks. It is a great place to spend the day!

South Haven

This park is very nice and has a great walking trail. It has a small swimming pool and a restaurant/store. The best thing about this park is that you can camp right on the beach and even at the campground. If you are going to spend a week or so there you will not want to miss this campground.

Santa Rosa National Forest

This is one of the few parks in the area that you can camp at without hookups. However, it is very close to the ocean. The campground is beautiful and there are nice little spots to camp. There is a nice swimming pool and a nice river for fishing. It is also close to a bunch of stuff to do.

Coos Bay

This is a very nice city and there are a few good places to stay right near the ocean. There are nice beaches and lots of things to do in the area. There are also several RV parks, hotels, and motels in the area if you are traveling by RV.

Medford

Medford is very nice and there are several good places to stay. This is the town where the movie “Lemony Snicket” was set. It has a lot of cool restaurants and a great town center. The South Bend National Golf Course is about 30 minutes away if you want to golf. The Rockport Golf Course is about 30 minutes away.

Coos Bay to Florence

This is an excellent road trip. It starts in Coos Bay, which is a nice little town, and heads west. It heads up the coast of Oregon. It stops at some cool places and ends in Florence. It is about 40 minutes from Florence to the ocean and about 30 minutes from Florence to Eugene. It is an excellent road trip!

Crater Lake National Park

This is a beautiful place to visit and camp. It is about 6 miles away from the rim and you will be walking to the top of the caldera. You can do a rafting trip on the lake as well. There are quite a few campgrounds here, but this is a great place to spend some time.

Bend

Bend is a very cool little town and there are a ton of things to do there. It has several great lakes and mountains for hiking, snowboarding, and skiing. This is a good place to spend a few days and enjoy the town.

Crescent City

Crescent City is another very cool little town in northern California. It has a bunch of cool shops and restaurants. It has a ton of lakes and beaches to visit and many wineries. It is not a very large city, but it is very cool.

Corvallis

Corvallis is a great town. It has a good campus for Oregon State. It is not too far from the Pacific Coast. It has a ton of great restaurants and a great town center. There are plenty of camping spots for RVs and tent campers as well.

Eugene

Eugene is a very cool city in Oregon. It is close to the Pacific Ocean and there are a ton of cool hikes nearby. It is also close to a ton of great spots to visit like the Crater Lake National Park and the Linn County Historical Museum.

Conclusion

Oregon is an awesome place to camp and there are a lot of cool campgrounds to stay at. Camping on the Oregon coast is an incredible experience. While there are other places to camp in Oregon, you can’t beat camping on the coast.

In conclusion, there are many great camping spots in Oregon. If you are looking for a nice place to camp, Oregon is it. Oregon also has a ton of great road trips that will take you out of the state and will be excellent adventures.