Step into living history at Target Meadows Campground, where towering Engelmann spruce and Lodgepole pine create a cathedral-like canopy above your campsite. This remarkable destination seamlessly blends natural beauty with fascinating military heritage—here, late 19th-century U.S. Army soldiers from Fort Walla Walla once practiced their marksmanship and artillery skills during summer training exercises. Today, visitors can still discover century-old bullet grooves etched into ancient trees, silent witnesses to the cavalry's presence that ended in 1906. The campground invites modern adventurers to create their own stories while camping in the very meadows where soldiers once bivouacked under starlit skies.
This campground primarily supports tent and primitive camping. RV and group details are not explicitly mentioned.
Historical SignificanceTarget Meadows serves as an extraordinary open-air museum where the frontier military history of the American West comes alive. From the late 1880s through 1906, these peaceful meadows echoed with the thunder of artillery practice and the crack of rifle fire as U.S. Army soldiers from Fort Walla Walla honed their skills during annual summer encampments. The most compelling evidence of this military past remains visible today—weathered trees throughout the area still bear the distinctive scars of cavalry target practice, their bullet-scarred trunks standing as monuments to a bygone era when the U.S. military helped shape the Pacific Northwest frontier.
Natural Features and SceneryNestled within a pristine mountain meadow that opens like a natural amphitheater, Target Meadows offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Blue Mountains' forested ridges and peaks. The campground serves as your gateway to exceptional wilderness experiences, with the popular Burnt Cabin Trailhead beckoning hikers to explore the stunning South Fork Walla Walla River Trail. Whether you're drawn to wildflower-filled meadows in summer, golden aspen groves in fall, or the serene beauty of snow-dusted pines in winter, the surrounding landscape provides an ever-changing backdrop of natural splendor that photographers and nature enthusiasts will find irresistible.
Geological RegionTarget Meadows sits within the heart of the magnificent Umatilla National Forest, where ancient geological forces have sculpted the dramatic Blue Mountains landscape. This rugged wilderness region showcases nature's artistry through its diverse ecosystems—from dense stands of Engelmann spruce and Lodgepole pine that provide cool shade and fresh mountain air, to expansive meadows that burst with wildflowers each summer. The campground's unique position offers visitors an authentic Blue Mountains experience, where the interplay of forest, meadow, and mountain creates a quintessentially Pacific Northwest setting that has captivated outdoor enthusiasts for generations.