Where to Find the Best Camping Near Portland, Oregon

With world-class outdoor attractions right at its doorstep, it’s no wonder Portland is a popular stop for visitors and digital nomads hoping to get into nature. We’re known for our hiking trails and bike paths, but the city is also surrounded by well-kept campgrounds that cater to visitors of all comfort levels—from primitive tent sites to lavish cabins.

So, if you’re interested in camping near Portland, Oregon, we’ve rounded up 18 of our favorite campgrounds—from parks just outside the city to overnight stays on Mount Hood, in the Columbia River Gorge, at the Oregon Coast, and more. Here are our favorites:

• Oxbow Regional Park
• Milo McIver State Park
• Champoeg State Heritage Area
• Silver Fall State Park
• Marys Peak Campground
• Battle Ground Lake State Park
• Ainsworth State Park
• Eagle Creek Campground
• Marine Park Campground
• Tollgate Campground
• Trillium Lake Campground
• Hoodview Campground
• Lost Creek Campground
• Fort Stevens State Park
• Nehalem Bay State Park
• Cape Lookout State Park
• Devils Lake State Recreation Area
• Cape Disappointment State Park

Ready to pitch your tent? Here’s a roundup of the best camping near Portland, Oregon.

Campgrounds near Portland and in the Willamette Valley

Oxbow Regional Park

Just 25 miles east of Portland and at the western edge of the Columbia River Gorge, Oxbow Regional Park makes an excellent choice for a quick getaway when you don’t feel like driving hours out of town.

Oxbow sits along the Sandy River, is surrounded by old-growth Douglas fir, and hosts 74 drive-up campsites (including 12 pull-through RV sites and four ADA-accessible sites). Each site includes a picnic table, fire pit, and campfire grill—and campground-wide amenities include hot-water showers and accessible, heated restrooms with flush toilets. Sites run for $25 per night, and firewood is available for $5 per bundle.

Reservations open up to nine months in advance and are strongly recommended, given the park’s proximity to Portland. However, last-minute spots open up occasionally (which is a nice bonus for digital nomads with a fair amount of schedule flexibility!).

Milo McIver State Park

Just 45 minutes southeast of Portland, Milo McIver State Park sits along the banks of the Willamette Valley and offers a wide range of outdoor fun, such as paddling opportunities, a popular disc golf course, and (of course) a well-maintained campground.

The campground at Milo McIver State Park (mostly open mid-March through October, with 20 sites remaining open year-round) features 44 electrical sites with water (one of which is wheelchair-accessible) and nine tent sites with water nearby. As is the case with most Oregon State Parks campgrounds, hot showers and flush toilets can be found onsite. Sites run for $17–$44 per night.

Part of the park’s charm is that Portlanders tend to overlook Milo McIver in favor of destinations on Mount Hood or the Oregon coast. Outside of holiday weekends, chances are good you can find a spot to pitch your tent, even in the middle of summer.

Champoeg State Heritage Area

The land around Champoeg State Heritage Area is rich with Oregon history. The park sits where Oregon’s first provisional government was established in 1843, paving the way for eventual statehood in 1859. A town was soon established, only to be washed away in a flood in 1861.

Today, the park hosts a plaza paying tribute to that historic vote, along with 21 full-hookup tent and RV sites, 60 tent and electrical sites, and six yurts and cabins (three of each are pet-friendly!). The well-maintained, semi-forested campground offers a bevy of amenities for casual campers, including flush toilets, hot showers, and firewood and ice for sale. All cabins, one yurt, and select campsites are wheelchair-accessible.

Tent and RV sites cost $17–$47 per night, while yurts and cabins cost $43–$64 per night. The park is in the north Willamette Valley, also known as Oregon Wine Country for its myriad wineries and tasting rooms, and is about 27 miles south of Portland. Just 10 minutes away, the city of Newberg is home to numerous farm-to-table restaurants and friendly tasting rooms if you’re looking for some balance with civilization.

Silver Falls State Park

Silver Falls State Park is considered the “crown jewel” of the Oregon State Parks system, and it’s easy to see why: The park hosts dozens of miles of hiking trails (including the famous Trail of Ten Falls, which passes and heads behind 10 breathtaking waterfalls), mountain bike and equestrian paths, and a popular campground.

Silver Falls State Park Campground is a well-kept campground in the midst of the fun. It hosts 48 electrical campsites with water, 43 tent sites, and 14 cabins (seven of which are pet-friendly). Some sites and four cabins are wheelchair-accessible, and park amenities include hot showers, flush restrooms, and firewood for sale.

The park is roughly one hour and 15 minutes south of Portland, not far from the nearby communities of Salem and Silverton. Tent and RV sites (open May–October) cost $17–$44 per night, while cabins run around $53–$62 per night.

Cabins fill up almost as soon as the reservation window opens (six months in advance), while campsites routinely fill two to three months in advance during spring break (late March through early April) and in the summer.

Marys Peak Campground

Marys Peak, just a short drive from Corvallis, is the tallest peak in the Oregon Coast Range and offers all manner of outdoor adventure in spring, summer, and fall, such as hiking its forested slopes, gazing at meadows of colorful wildflowers, and enjoying summit views that extend from the Pacific Ocean in the west to Cascade Range peaks in the east.

If you’d like to take it all in, there are few better base camps than the quiet Marys Peak Campground, which sits just below the summit (about two hours southwest of Portland). The shaded campground (open May–October) hosts six tent-only sites, each offering a campfire ring and picnic table. Vault toilets are available onsite, but showers are not.

All sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis and tend to fill up on summer weekends, so take advantage of your flexible schedule to enjoy a quieter midweek stay. Sites cost just $10 per night.

Battle Ground Lake State Park

Just north of Portland and Vancouver, Battle Ground Lake State Park has much going for it—not the least of which is its close proximity to the Portland area. Just 40 quick minutes north of downtown Portland, the campground is among the closest to the city, offering an excellent weekend getaway when you don’t feel like driving deep into the woods.

The campground is home to 35 standard campsites (sans hookups), six partial-hookup sites, 15 primitive tent sites that require campers to hike up to a half-mile from the parking lot, and four cabins. Restrooms and showers are also available. Primitive campsites cost $12 per night year-round, while the rest cost $20–$40 per night, depending on the site’s amenities and time of year.

Away from their campsite, visitors can play in the cool, green waters of the spring-fed Battle Ground Lake, enjoy its hiking trails, fish for trout, and more.

Campgrounds in the Columbia River Gorge

Ainsworth State Park

If you’ve had a fun-filled day hiking around the Columbia River Gorge and admiring the waterfalls at the heart of Waterfall Alley, you don’t have to go far for a good night’s sleep. At the eastern edge of Waterfall Alley—just 35 miles from Portland and less than five miles from Multnomah Falls—Ainsworth State Park makes for a convenient base to explore the Columbia River Gorge.

The wooded campground, surrounded by towering stands of old-growth Douglas fir, offers 40 full-hookup tent and RV sites, six walk-in tent sites, flush toilets, showers, and firewood for sale—all open mid-March through October. Just know that trains pass by all day and night, so pack earplugs if you’re a light sleeper. Sites cost $7–$47 per night.

Eagle Creek Campground

The U.S. Forest Service manages hundreds of millions of acres of public lands across the United States, but its very first developed campground was Eagle Creek Campground in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. The campground opened in 1916 and today offers 17 campsites, most of which are ADA-accessible and 14 of which can be reserved in advance. The other three are walk-in-only.

All sites come with a paved parking pad, picnic table, and campfire ring. Sites are geared toward tent campers but can accommodate trailers up to 20 feet long—though RV hookups aren’t available.

The campground sits on a bluff just 41 miles east of Portland, not far from the community of Cascade Locks, and sites cost $15 per night. Reservations are available on a six-month rolling basis, and campers should book their sites as soon as the reservation window opens for summertime weekend stays. If you missed out, the trio of sites available on a first-come, first-served basis is perfect for digital nomads needing a quick night in nature.

Marine Park Campground

Marine Park Campground sits in the heart of the community of Cascade Locks—just 45 minutes east of Portland—and makes a great base camp for exploring the town and the wider Columbia River Gorge.

The year-round campground hosts 15 sites (11 with power and water hookups), with amenities that include picnic tables, showers, restrooms, and free Wi-Fi. Fires and generators aren’t allowed, so downtown Cascade Locks is just a five-minute walk away if you’re in search of beer or a filling meal after a full day of exploration. Sites cost $31–$41 per night. Note that reservations are required between May 15 and Sept. 15.

Campgrounds in the Mount Hood Area

Tollgate Campground

With how busy Mount Hood gets on sunny summer weekends, it’s hard for campgrounds to fly under the radar—but that’s the experience you’ll enjoy at Tollgate Campground, roughly one hour (and about 48 miles) east of Portland. Even though Tollgate sits along Highway 26, the Zigzag River flows just behind the campground, buffering visitors and dampening traffic noise just a few steps away. Its close proximity to the community of Rhododendron (just a two- or three-minute drive away) makes it easy to stock up on provisions or grab a quick bite nearby.

The campground, open May–September, hosts 16 sites ($26 per night) in a shaded forest of Douglas fir. These are best suited to tents and RVs of up to 16 feet (just note that utility hookups are not available). Campers enjoy picnic tables and fire rings at each site. The forest canopy and nearby Zigzag River also keep the campground cool, even at the height of summer.

Trillium Lake Campground

Campgrounds on Mount Hood don’t get much more popular than Trillium Lake Campground, which sits a short walk from the shore of its eponymous lake and offers easy access to all the hiking trails, ski resorts, and watering holes Mount Hood has to offer.

Roughly one hour and 15 minutes southeast of Portland, the campground’s nearly 60 sites are spacious and offer a bit of privacy—along with drinking water and vault toilets. Sites accommodate tents and RVs up to 40 feet, but utility hookups are not available.

In summer, Trillium Lake’s day-use area (a five-minute walk away) is a great place to admire Mount Hood towering over the lake and rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard from Mt. Hood Outfitters.

Given Trillium Lake’s central location on Mount Hood and close proximity to stunning scenery, sites are scarce all summer long and go for $26–$52 per night. Try to book close to when the reservation window opens six months out or keep your eyes peeled for an occasional last-minute cancelation. Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hoodview Campground

Given the name, you can probably guess what Hoodview Campground offers. Indeed, the views of Mount Hood from the southern shores of Timothy Lake are excellent at this bustling campground, which is open May–September and hosts 45 tent and RV sites near the lakeshore. Sites run $20–$24 per night. Some are wheelchair-accessible, and some come with utility hookups for RVs of up to 45 feet.

The campground is about 90 minutes from Portland, hosts vault toilets and potable water, and is ideally situated if you’d like to go swimming, boating, paddling, or fishing on the lake. If you know your travel plans that far in advance, try to make reservations as soon as the booking window opens six months out. You won’t be the only one angling for those epic views.

Pro Tip: Sites 32–34 sit along the lakeshore and offer the campground’s best views.

Lost Creek Campground

Most of the popular campgrounds on Mount Hood sit along (or near) the bustling Highway 26, which is what makes Lost Creek Campground feel like a quiet escape by comparison.

Sitting seven miles northeast of Highway 26 and just more than an hour from Portland, Lost Creek Campground (open May–September) hosts tent and RV sites, along with a few walk-in sites. It’s less than a mile to the Ramona Falls Trailhead, making the campground a popular base camp for day hikers wanting to see one of Mount Hood’s most breathtaking sites. Amenities include vault toilets and drinking water, and sites cost $25 per night.

Lost Creek Campground is also noteworthy for being an accessible destination. Campsites are flat and spacious enough to accommodate wheelchairs, a paved interpretive trail offers a fun excursion, and an accessible fishing platform is open to anglers fishing for steelhead, chinook, and coho salmon.

Campgrounds on the Oregon Coast

Fort Stevens State Park

Where the Columbia River flows into the mighty Pacific Ocean, the campground at Fort Stevens State Park is among the most popular in Oregon—and is one of the largest public campgrounds anywhere in the United States.

The campground is about one hour and 45 minutes west of Portland and features 174 full-hookup sites (36 of which are pull-through), 302 electrical sites with water (11 of which are pull-through), six basic tent sites, nine walk-in sites, 15 yurts (seven of which are pet-friendly—and all of which have power, heat, and bunkbeds), and 11 deluxe cabins (five of which are pet-friendly and all of which include power, heat, private bathrooms, showers, and kitchenettes). Eight cabins and 10 yurts are wheelchair accessible, and campground-wide amenities include flush toilets, hot showers, and firewood for sale.

Even though Astoria is a short drive away, it’d be possible to enjoy a whole weekend within the confines of Fort Stevens State Park, which served as a military installation as far back as the Civil War. Many of the military sites can be explored today, hiking trails crisscross the park, and the half-submerged shipwreck of the Peter Iredale has been a popular tourist attraction on the park’s coastline since it washed ashore in 1906.

Just keep in mind that Fort Stevens is wildly popular, so you should try to book campsites as soon as the reservation window opens six months in advance. The yurts and cabins are usually the first to go but can be easier to come by on off-season trips. Campsites typically cost $11–$38 per night, yurts cost $43–$64 per night, and cabins are $89–$108 per night.

Nehalem Bay State Park

Nehalem Bay State Park sits on a four-mile-long sand spit between the Nehalem River and the Pacific Ocean, hosting 265 electrical sites and 18 yurts (nine of which are pet-friendly). The campground’s sites are surrounded by shore pine and come with a picnic table and campfire grill. Campground-wide amenities range from restrooms and hot showers to hiking and biking trails that afford easy beach access. Visitors with their own canoes, kayaks, or stand-up paddleboards can put into the Nehalem Bay boat dock (open mid-May through mid-October), and a life jacket loaner station offers personal floatation devices in case you forget yours at home.

Part of the park’s charm is its close proximity to communities along the northern Oregon Coast—including Cannon Beach, Manzanita, and Tillamook—and how far removed the well-kept campground feels from it all. The park is also a breezy one hour and 45 minutes from Portland, making it an ideal weekend destination when the coast is calling. Campsites cost $24–$44 per night, and yurts are $43–$64 per night. Reservations, especially for summer weekend stays, fill fast after the six-month reservation window opens.

Cape Lookout State Park

Visitors wanting to explore the Three Capes Scenic Loop are fond of making Cape Lookout State Park their base camp since it’s just 90 minutes from Portland.

The park’s massive campground, separated from the Pacific Ocean by a dune, hosts sites suited to campers of all comfort levels—including 38 full-hookup sites, 170 tent sites, one electrical site with water, 13 yurts (six of which are pet-friendly), and six deluxe cabins (three of which are pet-friendly). Campsites generally run $17–$47 per night, yurts cost $43–$64 per night, and cabins are $89–$108 per night.

Note that tent sites are closest to the ocean and have less shade than sites that are further inland, which sit under a canopy of spruce and pine. Amenities include flush toilets and showers.

Devils Lake State Recreation Area

Right in the heart of Lincoln City, Devil’s Lake State Recreation Area sits just off Hwy. 101 (the main thoroughfare through town) and on the shore of its namesake lake. The park’s offerings include 28 full-hookup sites, five electrical sites, 54 tent sites, and 10 yurts (five of which are pet-friendly). Do note that none of these spots sit on the shore of Devil’s Lake, but all are close by. Amenities include flush toilets and hot showers.

The campground sits one hour and 50 minutes southwest of Portland along the Oregon Coast. Predictably, it fills up on summer weekends, so try to book your site as soon as the reservation window opens six months in advance (especially if trying to secure a yurt). Campsites run $17–$47 per night, and yurts cost $43z-$64 per night.

Cape Disappointment State Park

Just north of the Columbia River is the Long Beach Peninsula at the far southwestern tip of Washington. Here, you’ll find the birder’s paradise of Leadbetter Point State Park, the charming community of Long Beach, and the massive Cape Disappointment State Park.

The park, just two hours from Portland, hosts scenic lighthouses high above the Pacific Ocean, an interpretive center that touches on the journey of Lewis and Clark, plenty of hiking trails, and a sprawling campground that features 137 standard sites, 50 full-hookup sites for RVs up to 45 feet long, 18 sites with water and electricity, three pet-friendly cabins, and 14 yurts.

Amenities include eight restrooms and 14 showers, along with an onsite cafe and store selling ice, wood, prepared food (such as pizza and local seafood), and other camping essentials. Campsites run $20–$50 per night, and yurts and cabins cost $64–$79 per night.

Looking to try out the Oregon camping scene?

If you’re looking to explore the great outdoors beyond Portland city limits, Landing’s fully furnished apartments make the perfect home base for exciting adventures. Learn more about a Landing membership, and browse apartments in Portland to plan your next epic outing today.