Camping Near Prineville
There is great camping near Prineville in the Ochoco National Forest.
Aspen and tall willows add habitat diversity to make this place especially attractive to wildlife. Visitors can choose to spend their vacation relaxing by fishing on the shore of Walton Lake, or swimming and paddling in the water. There is a swimming beach, fishing pier and boat ramp, and the lake is stocked with rainbow trout and catfish. There are also many trails nearby for those who would like to explore on foot or mountain bike. This includes the 7.5-mile multi-use Round Mountain Trail as well as the 1-mile Walton Lake Trail, which offers many scenic views around the lake.
The scenery surrounding the campground alternates between thick Ponderosa pine forests and grassy meadows, though shortly beyond the campground the road descends into lower-elevation, arid canyon lands. One of the most unique geologic features of the Ochoco National Forest is the ‘thunder egg,’ Oregon’s official state rock. Thunder eggs are small, colorful, round volcanic rocks similar to geodes that have been exposed over time. The U.S. Forest Service has designated specific sites for rock hounding.
The group site of the Ochoco Divide Campground is mainly used by touring cyclists. It is also a good place to take a relaxing stroll through the woods. There are opportunities for hunting, mountain biking and hiking in the national forest surrounding the facility. Several trailheads begin at the Bandit Springs rest stop about one mile from the campground on Highway 26.
The Pinnacles Trail and the Lost Corral Trail, each 4.3 miles one way, follow either side of the John Day River downstream. The Lost Corral Trail, leaving from JS Burres, is open to both hikers, bikers and equestrians. The Pinnacles Trail, leaving from the end of the campground, is open to bikers and hikers.
Upstream, the Hard Stone Trail travels 1.5 miles one way and open to foot traffic only. Or, you can strike out on your own along old, unmaintained ranching roads that lead into the back country. The J.S. Burres day-use area is a popular boat launch for rafts, kayaks, canoes and drift boats.
If you’re an angler, the John Day River has steelhead, catfish, carp and smallmouth bass. As an added bonus, there’s another 10,000 acres of public land surrounding the park managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
Located among large ponderosa pine trees and across the Crooked River from some beautiful Western larch trees, the setting of this campground is serene. Wildflowers are abundant in spring and early summer. Accommodations include four tent and trailer sites, two secluded tent sites along the creek, picnic tables and fire grates, and an outhouse.
Activities include fishing, bird watching, wildlife viewing, and wading. In addition, visitors may enjoy hiking on the Crane Mt. National Recreation Trail, located 10 miles to the west and accessed at the Rogger Meadow trailhead (end of the pavement on Forest Road 3915).
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
This is bear country; practice safe food storage techniques.
This pack it in/pack it out campground is a single loop in a stand of Ponderosa pine and juniper above Antelope Reservoir. None of the sites have a clear view of the water. While the campground has grass and sagebrush understory, close sites and minimal middlestory provide poor privacy. Most sites tend to be sunny with lots of space for additional tents.
The day-use area is located right on the water’s edge and is outfitted with picnic tables, fire rings, a vault bathroom, and a boat ramp. If you keep a keen eye out and a pair of binoculars on hand, large birds of prey can occasionally be seen from the day-use area nesting on the east side of the reservoir.