Campsite Review: Deschutes River Campground is just south of Interstate 84 one hundred miles east of Portland. The campground is just to the east of the location where the Deschutes River flows into the Columbia River. The west side of the river is also part of the recreation area.
The campground has 34 partial hookup sites in the “A” loop. Additionally, there are 25 sites in different areas without any hookups.
The Deschutes River is pretty along its entire length. Deschutes River Recreation Area is a grassy park with RV and tent camping. Our site was at the north end of the A-loop and was lush.
Here is our blog post about our stay at the Deschutes River Recreation Area.
The only downside was the train tracks… on two sides. The train noise at Deschutes was better than the road noise at LePage Park. Here is our post about our stay at LePage.
Details
Website: Oregon State Parks Deschutes River Recreation Area
Address: 89600 Biggs-Rufus Highway, Wasco OR 97065
Link to Google Map for the area: Deschutes River Recreation Area
Phone Number/Reservations: Reserve America (800) 452-5687. Call (541) 739-2322 for general information. Reservations are highly recommended and probably mandatory for weekends.
Season: A loop, year-round, loop B, G & T closed in the winter, all water, toilets, and showers closed in the winter.
Dates stayed: June 8 – 11, 2020
Comfort: When we stayed here the weather was nice. The temperatures between 60 and 80.
Elevation: 190′
Our sites: # A-29
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: A-loop 30/50 amp and water (water summer only) Loops B, G & T no hook-ups
Dump station: None found
Restrooms: Yes (flush toilets, summer only, pit toilets winter?)
Shower: Yes (summer only)
Laundry: No
Potable Water: Yes (summer only)
Water to fill your RV storage tank: Yes (summer only)
Cell service: Verizon – good signal AT&T – good signal
Sites: Back-in sites in A, loop. Loops B, G for RVs are less defined.
Observations
Deschutes River Recreation Area is an Oregon State Parks facility that has year-round camping for RVs and summer camping for tents. The Park is very landscaped and very convienent for travelers on Interstate 84.
The road noise is minimal but the trains east and westbound along the Columbia River are frequent and trains always blow their horns just across from the entrance to the campground. The A-loop is also closest to the trains. There is also a train track running north/south above the campground along the Deschutes River.
Access is easy and the driveway and campsites are asphalt in the A-loop. The other loops are for summer camping only and are on the grass surrounded by trees. We did not see much attention to layout in these loops. It appears that campers line up around the edge of the meadow.
Most sites in the A loop are lengths range from 29 feet to more than 60 feet. All sites in the A-loop are reasonably flat. Some sites are very short. All A-loop sites have electricity and water.
Camping on the grassy areas in the other loops is only available in the summer.
Campfires are prohibited in the dry summer months.
Bonus
Campsite Review: Deschutes River Campground insider info.
Two trails lead to the south from the RV campgrounds, one intended for walking only and the other for walking, bicycles, and horses. The trails lead to Ferry Springs Canyon which is a well-known swimming hole.
The last 18 miles of the Deschutes River is open to public use as a preserve. The trail only has vehicle access starting upstream at Macks Canyon Campground and follows the Deschutes River all the way to Deschutes River Recreation Area. This trail is named the Atiyeh starting in the recreation area. Some maps name it the Volksmarch trail others call it the Riverview Trail and in certain sections the Blackberry Trail. The bicycle trail is a rails-to-trails conversion without pavement and is sometimes known as the Old Railroad Trail.
South of Ferry Canyon all the trails converge into a single path that finally ends, at Macks Canyon. I don’t know if the trail is open all the way to Macks Canyon.
There is also a boat launch at the state park on the west side of the river, across from the A-loop.
Caution
Boating on the Deschutes River requires a boater pass, details are found here. Lower Deschutes River Boater Pass.
Fishing in the Deschutes River has restricted regulations, details are found here. Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations
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