Camping in Oregon/Montana?

Question

I've been wanting to go camping for some time now in the Upper west side of the U.S. like Montana/Oregon. But I don't want to stay in an RV parks or Cabin lots. I want to actually camp, not fake-camp. Ya know? I'm looking for an area that has fishing, nice scenery, boating, maybe waterfalls. That sort of thing.

Anybody know anything? Can you help? I looked on Google and found a Camping website but again it's only the RV Parks and such. No real camping.

Kind of want it secluded with no one around.

Answer 1

There are many good places in Oregon. I grew up in Eastern Oregon where there isnt anything but trees and rocks and stuff.
What i would do is check out the U.S Forest Service website. You can look at different districts and they have what outdoor activities are avalible. They can hook you up with ideas on where to go, maps, information on any fire restrictions etc.
Heres the link for the Malhuer National Forest in Oregon, where i grew up and worked. They have high mountain lakes where you have to hike into, others lakes with boat ramps/camping facilities, wilderness areas where no motor vehicles are allowed, many places you can choose from.
Also an idea that I personally like to giev people, the U.S. Forest Service has fire towers that are used to spot fires in the forest. Many are avalible for rentals. You mentioned "real" camping which Im all for, but spending the night in a glass tower 30 feet off the ground on a 6,000 foot peak...that could be a very good trip.
Depending on what time you go and how long you stay you wont run out of things to do there.

Answer 2

There are some wonderful campground in Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon. Most of these are closed in the winter but I am assuming you are planning ahead for next summer.

These campgrounds are on lakes where you can fish, canoe, kayak, and swim. The scenry is outstanding and in some cases breathtaking. There are hiking trails so you can hike into what seems like wilderness areas.

The campsites have a picnic table and either a fire ring or stone fireplace with grate for cooking. Wood is available for a fee. In most of the campgrounds the sites are large enough that you don't feel like someone is breathing down your neck. If you really don't want a lot of people around, the campground at Little Crater Lake is the smallest. I think it has something like 14 sites. Little Crater Lake is not very big though. There is some really good hiking there.

We used to go to Timothy Lake campgrounds during the week rather than on weekends and we were usually the only ones there. That was a few years back but I bet there is still not a lot of campers there mid-week. When you drive into Timothy Lake you actually travel through the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

These campgrounds are just a few miles from where the pioneers traveled on the Oregon Trail.

Answer 3

You don't say whether you are looking to backpack into a remote site or car camp. Also, you mention "boating" -- do you have your own boat or do you mean you want to rent one? If you are looking for "facilities" like plumbing and boat rentals, you will have to sacrifice some privacy. Most of my wilderness outings in the Northern Rockies have been backpacking (where you can always get away from crowds) but I can think of some good areas you can drive into, camp near the car and then do some day hikes into uncrowded areas. The National Parks like Glacier in Montana have beautiful scenery and hiking but their drive-in campgrounds tend to be crowded during the Summer season. If you are willing to backpack, Gunsight Lake in Glacier (about an 8 mile hike in from the road) is incredible, a paradise in the middle of the mountains with a trout fishing lake, colorful wildflowers in the summer and snow white mountain goats so tame they will peak into your tent in the morning.

Both Montana and Oregon tend to be very popular -- I would urge you to consider the wilderness areas of Idaho, a state which has (IMHO) some of the greatest scenery in the US and which tends not to be so crowded. Check out all of the Idaho mountain lakes in the photos at this link:
http://www.picturesofcascade.com/picturesoflakes.php/?catagory=pnf&mode=5

If you want some place you can car camp, a better bet for less people would be any of the National Forests. Many of these are situated right beside the National Parks. They are more likely to have secluded primitive areas along forest access roads that you can drive into. Payette National Forest in central western Idaho has some private but accessible areas. I actually saw a fullgrown wolf cross our trail 20 feet away while hiking there in 2004!

If you want more "facilities" you might want to check out Redfish Lake in the Sawtooth Mountains in Central Idaho (http://www.redfishlake.com/)
It has one of the nicest campgrounds I've ever stayed in, including a lake with canoe and kayak rentals. Of course, there are other people around but the tent camping area is separate from the RV campground (in fact, cars are not allowed and they give you a little cart to take your gear from the parking lot to your campsite.) It's a nice compromise if you prefer a place where you have flush toilets and showers. Take the motor taxi to the far end of the lake and you can hike up into the spectacular mountain valleys along a gorgeous tumbling creek with waterfalls and swimming holes.

There are great campgrounds in the Canadian Rockies, like Two Jack outside of Banff that offer canoeing, gorgeous scenery and mountain biking trails. If you want to "rough" it there are countless camping and backpacking areas up there as well. Kananaskis (also in the Canadian Rockies, between Banff and Calgary) is beautiful too.

Pick up copies of Outside and Backpacker magazine to find articles and photos of places that would appeal to you as well as reports from people who have stayed in those places. You can also browse camping and back-packing area guide books in the travel section of any big bookstore. Pick up a campground guide at a bookstore for the National Parks and Forests -- they are usually under $12.

Happy Trails!

Answer 4

Check out the Snowy Mountains in Wyoming ... Just west of Laramie, we camp at Camp Snowshoe ... Beautiful Mountain Lake, and snow capped mountains everywhere.

Take a look at

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/185435514cLXGdZ

We love it there !

Answer 5

what time of year???? high cascades anywhere in oregon or washington are wondeful provided it isn't winter...eastern oregon is great......dunno what the fool was babbling about there being no trees...Blue Mountains ring a bell? fantastic country......steens mtn. is a must see in lower east oregon.......fs maps are a plus....

Answer 6

for camping in oregon lookup the pacific crest trail and find somewhere along there. you can then backpack as well if you want.