Campsite Review: Memaloose State Park is 75 miles east of Portland on Interstate 84 between Mosier and The Dalles. At Memaloose State Park the campground is divided into two loops. The A Loop is to the west and B Loop is to the east. The tent sites are mixed in the loops with the RVs. There are 43 full hookup RV campsites at Memaloose State Park.
When we visited Memaloose State Park we were trying to escape the smoke from the fires in Washington. The sky was grey but the views of the river from the campground were still nice.
Memaloose State Park is a very nice campground with a noise problem.
Details
Website: Memaloose State Park
Address: 7880, I-84, The Dalles, OR 97058
Link to Google Map for the area: Memaloose State Park
Phone Number: 541-478-3008, 503-695-2261 Ranger Station
Reservations: Reserve America (800) 452-5687. Reservations are highly recommended and probably mandatory for weekends.
Season: Mid March – November 1st
Dates stayed: August 20 -23, 2018
Comfort: The temperatures were between 70 and 90 even in August. The sky was obscured by smoke from wildfires.
Elevation: 200′
Our site: #B29
Price paid: Free — Here is a link to the article I wrote on how I get such a great deal. Oregon Special Access Pass
Hook-ups: Full
Dump station: Yes
Restrooms: Yes
Shower: Yes
Laundry: No
Potable Water: Yes
Water to fill your RV storage tank: Yes
Cell service: Verizon – good signal AT&T – good signal
Observations
Campsite Review: Memaloose State Park insider info:
Memaloose State Park is in the Columbia River Gorge and is sandwiched between the train tracks and Interstate 84. Overall it was a nice place, other than the noise, which was not as bad as I expected. We choose a site (which may have had a view of the river) even though we knew it was next to the train track. I did not know how busy the train tracks would be, but I did know how busy the road would be, so we chose the unknown noise of the trains over the noise on the highway.
Train noise is likely depending on your campsite. The road noise will be constant and very obvious in the south part of the campground non stop, 24 hours a day.
The train noise was the rumble of the trains on the track but did not blow their horns unlike different campgrounds just a little further to the east.
Our site B29 was nearly ideal. There was some distance between us and the train track. It was located just to the north of the campground but it was downhill and a little behind the hill.
Site B33 is probably the best site in the park and has a “private” patio and a view of the river. I think that B33 had a more train noise than we did.
The A loop to the west is older and tighter — not a good place for your RV.
Memaloose State Park is part of the rest area for westbound traffic and you guessed it, when you exit the park you will be on Interstate – 84 heading west.
Bonus
Memaloose State Park is along a busy section of the east-west corridor leading to Portland. The area has a long history. The island in the above picture is sacred ground for the Indians. (This is just a hint. The Indians had a special purpose for the island.) The Columbia River Gorge along this section includes the Crown Point State Scenic Corridor and Multnomah Waterfall. Don’t miss visiting these while you are here.
Here is our link to our interactive map. Campsite Reviews