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Hikers wanting a quiet base for the 7.5-mile Bald Mountain loop, or anyone planning the Willow Creek trail connection to Cutsforth Campground. The price is right at zero, and the toilet's clean.
Price
Free
Booking
First-Come
Sites
6 campsites
Season
Seasonally maintaine...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Check Policy
Price
Free
Booking
First-Come
Sites
6 campsites
Season
Seasonally maintaine...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Check Policy
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45.1663, -119.3338
Hikers wanting a quiet base for the 7.5-mile Bald Mountain loop, or anyone planning the Willow Creek trail connection to Cutsforth Campground. The price is right at zero, and the toilet's clean.
No potable water on-site means hauling everything yourself from Heppner, 22 miles away. The five sites around the parking area share sightlines, so anyone expecting seclusion will be disappointed. No cell service, full stop.
Reference information about Coalmine Hill Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Coalmine Hill is just off the paved Blue Mountain Scenic Byway (also called the Western Route). The Campground serves as access to the Bald Mountain, Hells Half Acre, and Willow Creek trails, offering a 7.5 mile-long loop experience for hikers and equestrians. Once inside the campground's large parking area, there is an information board on the northeast side. Past the information board runs the Bald Mountain hiking trail leading to Gibson Cave, which is 1.25 miles from the parking lot. The cave is really a shallow overhanging shelter with an interpretive sign describing its history.Once you've reached Gibson's cave, continue up the Bald Mountain trail until you reach a nice view point. The mountain's view point overlooks the drainages in between Coalmine Hill (to the northwest) and Little Bald Mountain (to the east), providing fantastic views and tranquility. About five miles southwest of the campground is Penland Lake; follow the Blue mountain Scenic Byway and Forest Service Road 21 and 2103, until you've reached Penland Lake where there are fishing and nonelectric boating opportunities. . </p><p>Coalmine Hill Campground provides one larger, separate site near the entrance and the remaining five sites are located along the tree edges of the large parking area. There is one vault toilet and a travel access information board. This campground was constructed to serve double-duty as a snow park in the winter. There is no potable water or garbage service, so please pack out all garbage and dispose of it at home.</p>
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Summer brings the best conditions, with maintained facilities and reliable access to trails, the lake, and Gibson Cave. Expect daytime temperatures in the mid-60s to mid-70s °F with cool nights dropping into the 30s and 40s °F. Winter transforms the area into a snow park with sub-freezing temperatures and weekly snowfall. The shoulder seasons can be unpredictable as the campground closes in mid-November.
Open through mid-Nov; fall offers maintained access and crisp mountain weather for trails/views.
Coalmine Hill Campground has limited but functional amenities, with its primary appeal being its serene location and access to hiking trails. The campground features one vault toilet, described as clean by multiple user reviews, including comments like 'restroom was clean and camping area was clean.' There are picnic tables available at campsites, as mentioned explicitly in the authoritative content and confirmed by user reviews. However, potable water is not available on-site, and there is no garbage service, requiring visitors to pack out all their trash. Fire pits are present, as noted by a user review stating, 'several camping spots with fire pits and tables.'
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