3.007 reviewsPrice
$3 - $8/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
13 campsites
Season
Mid May - October
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
Price
$3 - $8/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
13 campsites
Season
Mid May - October
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
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Deep Creek Campground, Lookout Mountain Ranger District, Oregon
Fly fishers after redband trout will get the most out of this place, especially late September through mid-October when river flows drop and larch trees go golden. At $8 a night, first-come access, and reliably clean vault toilets, it punches above its price.
No potable water on-site means hauling everything from Prineville, 15 miles out. Add a steep entrance road that trips up larger RVs, hunting season crowds, and zero official trails, and this campground has little to offer anyone who isn't primarily here to fish.
Reference information about Deep Creek Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Located among large ponderosa pine trees and across the Crooked River from some beautiful Western larch trees, the setting of this campground is serene. Although it's a long drive, access is easy and paved the entire way from the west and most of the way from the east. There are no official hiking trails in the immediate vicinity of the campground, but people can choose to hike the nearby spur roads to experience some additional scenery. Fishing in the river can be good depending on when you choose to visit. Expect this campground to fill up during hunting season and holidays</p>
The elevation is 4,300 ft. The campground is a spur with a loop in a stand of scattered fragrant Ponderosa pine on Deep Creek and near the Wild and Scenic North Fork Crooked River. While the water is not visible from the campground, it can be heard at some sites. This rustic pack it in, pack it out campground takes pride in its semi-wilderness feel. With only a grass understory and little middlestory, privacy between sites is fair. This is bear country; practice safe food storage techniques.
Open mid-May through mid-October
The parking aprons are gravel.
From Prineville, OR, take US Rt. 26 east 14 miles to Ochoco R.S. sign. Turn right at sign and go 8.3 miles to Paulina sign. Turn right at sign onto Forest Rt. 42 and go 13.9 miles to another Paulina sign. Turn left and go 9.4 miles to campground on right. NOTE: Entrance to campground is very steep.
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Fall delivers the best conditions here. Late September through mid-October, daytime temperatures run 40-65°F with nights dropping into the 20s and 30s, so layers matter. River flows are lower and clearer than spring, improving fishing access. Western larch turn golden against the ponderosa backdrop. Crowds thin out after summer, though hunting season brings increased activity. The campground closes in winter under snow and freezing temperatures.
Fall cited as best season; late Sept–mid‑Oct temps ideal and larch color appears.
Deep Creek Campground provides a semi-wilderness experience with scattered Ponderosa pines and the serene Crooked River nearby. Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table and grill. The campground features vault toilets, which one user described as 'clean.' However, potable water is not available on-site, and there is only a single cold water station at the campground.
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