4.32200 reviewsPrice
$15 - $30/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
70 campsites
Season
Open seasonally from...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Price
$15 - $30/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
70 campsites
Season
Open seasonally from...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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44.3972, -121.0630
Climbers, mountain bikers, and hikers chasing Smith Rock on a budget will find this hard to beat. Spring days in the 50s-70s, trails starting 100 feet from camp, site #12 for a roomy pull-through, and a host who sells firewood on-site. Arrive Thursday to beat the weekend rush.
Bringing everything you'll drink is non-negotiable here. No potable water, no showers, no hookups, and no reservations means a gamble on busy summer weekends. Road noise reaches the lower loop sites, and rattlesnake sightings near the tall grass around picnic tables are real.
Reference information about Skull Hollow Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Situated southeast of <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ochoco/recreation/wateractivities/recarea/?recid=81114&actid=78">Haystack Reservoir</a>, this campground offers views of Gray Butte and easy access to <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ochoco/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=80941&actid=50">Skull Hollow Trailhead</a>, the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ochoco/recarea/?recid=39140">Gray Butte Trailhead</a>, the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ochoco/recreation/horseriding-camping/recarea/?recid=80953&actid=104">Cole Loop Trail (#854)</a>, and <a href="http://www.oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=36">Smith Rock State Park</a>.</p><p>View a <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1108436.pdf">map of Skull Hollow Campground</a>.</p><p>View a <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3794947.pdf">vicinity map here</a>.</p><p>*** There is a <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd507381.pdf">Closure Order</a> prohibiting dispersed camping outside of the Skull Hollow campground. View a map of the closure area<a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1108437.pdf"> here</a>. This closure is designed to help protect natural resources around the trailhead from overuse and to prevent conflict between campers and day users. Please observe the closure order and use the campground for camping in the vicinity of Skull Hollow trailhead.</p><p><strong>AMENITIES:</strong></p><ul><li>NO DRINKING WATER</li><li>70 standard campsites</li><li>No hook-ups or dumping facilities</li><li>1 wooden picnic table and 1 combination fire ring/grill per campsite</li><li>3 vault outhouses for the campground</li><li>1 informational signboard</li><li>On-site campground host</li></ul><p><strong>NEARBY ACTIVITIES:</strong></p><ul><li>Horseback Riding</li><li>Hiking</li><li>Mountain Biking</li><li>Rock climbing (Smith Rock State Park)</li><li>Hunting</li></ul>
The elevation is 3000 ft. This pack it in, pack it out, rustic campground was constructed by the Oregon Army National Guard, 224th Engineer Battalion in June 1995. The campground is a single loop through a juniper-dotted sagebrush flat. It is considered an overflow campground for the nearby Smith Rock State Park and its rock climbing enthusiasts. Under maintained vault toilet confirms sign at campground entrance that it receives little service. Views are pleasant and spacing provides fair privacy between campsites. Although nearby Smith Rock State Park is best known for its rock climbing, it also offers several hiking and biking trails making it a nice day trip from the campground.
March 1 through October 31
Vaults are under maintained.
The parking aprons are irregular in shape, dirt, grass, and gravel. Many campsites can be used as a back-in or pull-thru and can accommodate any size RV.
In Terrebonne, OR, at Smith Rock State Park sign and intersection of US Rt. 97 and B Avenue, take B Avenue east 4.7 miles to a "T" intersection (no street name). Turn left and go 4.2 miles to campground sign. Turn left at sign onto Forest Rt. 5710 (gravel) and go 0.1 miles to campground on left.
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Spring offers the best window: daytime temps in the 50s-70s, nights in the 30s-40s. Wildflowers bloom, trails thaw, and the sagebrush greens up. You'll get long daylight without midsummer heat, though Smith Rock weekends still draw crowds. The campground is open mid-March through mid-November. Wind sweeps across the plateau regularly. Pack layers. Temperatures swing hard between afternoon sun and nights cool enough to see your breath. Summer gets hot and dusty. Late fall turns cold fast.
Described as the best window: pleasant temps, wildflowers, thawed trails and long daylight.
Skull Hollow Campground amenities provide a rustic camping experience. Notable facilities include 70 standard campsites, each equipped with one wooden picnic table and one fire ring/grill combination. The campground has three vault outhouses, and an on-site campground host is available. There is no potable water or dumping facilities on-site. User reviews describe the vault toilets as clean and well-maintained, with comments like "clean vault toilets, quiet, big camp spots" and "cleanest, best smelling (least stinking) pit toilets ever." However, some users reported under-maintained conditions, stating, "porta potties, which were not being emptied." The campground does not have flush toilets or showers, and visitors must bring their own water for drinking and cleaning as confirmed by official sources and user reviews.
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