The best camping near Prineville Reservoir State Park

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Prineville Reservoir adventure.

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Swim by day and stargaze by night at a sprawling high desert reservoir.

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Community favorites near Prineville Reservoir State Park

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Public campgrounds in the park
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Stay at a public campground in Prineville Reservoir State Park

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Prineville Campground

25 sites · RVs, Tents In Prineville Reservoir State Park

Top-rated campgrounds near Prineville Reservoir State Park

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B:30 Desert Destination

3 sites · Tents10 acres · Prineville, OR

Enjoy Cascade Mountain views during the day and unlimited stargazing at night. Cook your own meals in the outdoor kitchen, featuring a propane stove and propane BBQ. Camping is situated on 10 acres and just 10 minutes from the Crooked River, Prineville Reservoir and Millican Valley OHV Trail System . A 15 minute drive will take you to a very scenic hike at Chimney Rock Trail. Bend and Prineville are both a 30 minute drive away. The group tent site is on two separate-12' x 14' flat gravel pads and will accommodate tents of all reasonable sizes. The other two separate tent sites are roughly 20'x20' flat gravel pads and will accomodate 2 individual tents if needed. Wood fire bans are in effect year round. We do provide propane fire pits at each site as an alternative. Group site outdoor shower available Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

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Desert Rose Private Campground

3 sites · Lodging2 acres · Prineville, OR

Welcome to our family's Private Campground - The Desert Rose. A boondocking site for you and your family to enjoy! We have a Yurt, a cabin, 3 RV/Travel trailer pads and 2 tent sites created here and plenty of room for everyone to have their own space yet be all together. You can book the entire campground, or just one of the units. Whether it's just you, or you're bringing a crew, we know you'll love it here! Our favorite hikes in the Central Oregon area is Smith Rocks and Chimney Rock. The Prineville reservoir is roughly a 12 minute drive and the starry nights here are something to behold. Up the road is the most unique petting zoo that we recently found! Find it and you might just be able to hold a baby kangaroo! Boondocking site means there is no hook-ups or running water so you'll want to bring in your own water and heat if you're here in the colder months. Your four legged furry family members are welcomed! They must be accompanied at all times and not left on the property alone. The dog run is for you to keep closer tabs on them while relaxing, not for leaving them while going into town or enjoying the area. The dirt is very soft and it wouldn't take very long for them to dig under to get out and go looking for you. The cabin or yurt is also not a pet storage area - with no power or AC, pets are not allowed to be left alone in the dwellings.

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Cascadia Farm Sanctuary

5 sites · Lodging, Tents40 acres · Pronghorn, OR

Learn more about this land: Enjoy a small working hay farm and animal sanctuary outside beautiful Bend, Oregon. We have amazing sunrises, sunsets, and star gazing on this 40-acre property. We have 11 goats and 2 Llamas, and we plan to enlarge our herd this year and take in other unwanted farm animals as needed. Note: This is an adults-only location. No children or dogs are allowed on the property. We have recently added two open-air A-Frames to the two campsites for your enjoyment. Both come with Gas firepits, lofts, and hammocks. We also have a new wood-burning sauna as an added feature and costs $20 per person for the duration of your stay.

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High Desert Juniper

1 site · RV2 acres · Prineville, OR

Learn more about this land:Residence with Cascade views, birds, bunnies, quail and lizards mixed in. Some privacy, close to Prineville Reservoir and 5 miles from downtown Prineville. House and shop are modern and well kept, site is almost flat with good tasting well water and of course juniper trees.

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Juniper Pines Private RV Camping

1 site · RV2 acres · Prineville, OR

Juniper Pines is our family's 2 acre, peaceful, rustic, uninhabited getaway in Central Oregon. It is 7 minutes North of The Prineville Reservoir and 12 minutes South of the Town of Prineville. The property is flat and situated on a corner, and is best suited for dry campers who want a peaceful experience away from others all to themselves as there is no host living on site. The center area is cleared of trees, has a rustic fire pit in the center, with trees surrounding the perimeter of the property. The adjacent property to the side has no buildings or tenants, adding to your sense of privacy, while the adjacent property to the rear has year round, live in quiet tenants. In the summer, we bring our boat, kayaks, paddle boards, jeep, and boat and use them in the surrounding waterways and on the nearby public use BLM land. Or bring your family's fishing poles and take the kids to the local Youth Fishing Pond or nearby Haystack Reservoir that are both stocked year-round with trout. There is plenty of room on the property to bring your kayaks or boat if you plan to use the local waterways. Be sure to try Grannies for local treats just a few minutes away, for special coffee drinks and food you are bound to love, or if you need ice or a quick breakfast burrito. Be sure to run into town and stop in at Tastee Treet, for the best milk shakes and burgers around! And- if you like micro brews or cider's in a very laid-back open-air fire side setting, stop by the Wild Ride Brewery in Prineville for a truly epic outdoor family friendly experience. While you are there, grab some delicious food at the on-site food carts! We haven't been able to use our property as much as we would like, so our family getaway camp spot is now open to share with others. We hope you enjoy this location, the privacy, and ability to camp with a larger group all by yourselves. I hope you get to enjoy all the things that we love to do without having to share outdoor space right next to others or struggle to find an open reservation!

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Buzzard's Roost

25 sites · RVs, Tents25 acres · Prineville, OR

Just five miles east of Post Oregon on highway 380, 1/4 mile on Pine creek and Antelope res. Rd (NF 17) Buzzard Roost Private Campground is a great getaway located in the surrounding areas of great fishing, Hunting, Biking, Hiking and just plain kicking back and enjoying Mother Nature. This is a new campground and was only open last year for a short while while in between developing the sites . It was chosen by a very reputable RV manufacturer and had a Television commercial shoot using Buzzards Roost Private Campground as the main site. There are twenty five active dry camp sites and twenty two pull through spaces for RV clamping. Please enjoy your stay

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Sunset/Sunrise on Cricketwood Farm

1 site · RV5 acres · Bend, OR

Bend is listed as one of the best towns in the country by residents and visitors; "an outdoor enthusiasts dream with a bit of urban feel." Float pristine rivers and lakes, rock climb or hike Smith Rock State Park or visit the High Desert Museum. Hipcamper's have easy access to mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, horseback riding, rock hounding, paddling, cycling, golfing and dining. We have 1 RV site with potable water, electricity and a picnic table. Pets are allowed. Guests love it here: "I had a wonderful stay. A beautiful and serene place. Easy to drive into Bend, yet away from the city hustle and bustle. Magnificent sunsets, and enjoyable walks through the surrounding countryside seeing and hearing birds and farm animals. Great hosts!"

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Working Ranch just outside Bend

2 sites · RVs, Tents40 acres · Bend, OR

Located 9 miles east of Bend our 40 acre ranch is full of open fields and juniper forest. We have cows, chickens, geese and ducks that live on the ranch and you will most likely see them roaming around the fields. The nights are quiet with the exception of frogs and crickets and offer a full night sky without light pollution.

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Cray Cray Farm

1 site · RV7 acres · Bend, OR

Our farm is a 7 acre farm just outside city limits in Bend, Oregon. We raise chickens and goats year round, with other animals during the summer. We have a canal on three sides of our property, so you can hear running water as if you were camping on the river. There is a beautiful view of the mountains from your spot and you are less than 15 minutes away from Downtown Bend. There are so many amazing things to do in Central Oregon that are less an hour away including hiking, mountain biking, floating the river, and much more.

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The Cool Ranch

1 site · RV, Tent2 acres · Tumalo, OR

We have large private driveway and 2 acre property off of any major roads. We have friendly dogs and chickens to provide daily fresh eggs. Behind our property is public land with some trails for walking and the paved loop around our neighborhood provides beautiful views of the Cascade Mountains and Smith Rock. *PLEASE NO OPEN FIRES OR CHARCOAL GRILLS. GAS GRILLLS FOR COOKING ARE OK*

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Back Side of Painted Hills Camping

1 site · RV, Tent320 acres · Mitchell, OR

This 320 acre plot of land on which you can hike anywhere has been in our family since 1993. Large, graveled spot for tents or two vehicles with excellent view for miles and miles and night star gazing. Primitive outhouse. Juniper forest with sage brush... basically high desert vegetation. We only allow one reservation per night, although there is lodging (reserved) at the log home almost out of sight up above you. 320 acres to hike and roam. Mitchell is 10 miles away with well stocked grocery and feed store, restaurants, small brewery, and tire shop. We give directions fairly quickly. Road is wide, but steep at top. 4 wheel drive is recommended. Very close to the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National monument, Ochoco National Forest is seven miles. John Day River for swimming, rafting about 20 minutes. If you can book, it means you can drive on up with out contacting us. As you drive in if at night, you will see a light on the outhouse.

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Smith Rock Book Farm Camp

1 site · RV, Tent5 acres · Terrebonne, OR

Rest and relax on our beautiful slice of heaven just minutes from Smith Rock State Park; it’s a 15 minute walk ! We are building on the property and there may be some construction noise during the day, but the nights will be beautiful and peaceful. There is water, a toilet, and 120 electricity available. Warm showers are available at the park. BYOB (bring your own bedding) and camp in style in our quiet, private (and quite romantic!) 10x12 safari tent. Furnished with a comfortable new futon, end tables and a classy rug for comfort. It sleeps two very comfortably. The full size futon easily lifts into a lounger, perfect for reading. Tie the tent doors open during good weather and relax as you watch the wildlife in the field and the sun move over Smith Rock. Kick back next to a little gas fire pit on the tent platform as you watch the sunset over the Cascade mountains. DONT USE GOOGLE MAPS ! Pull into a large gravel driveway/parking spot by turning north off of NE Wilcox, just after some S-turns if you are driving east from Smith Rock State Park. It is easier to pull off NE Wilcox than approach the property from the actual address; typing the address into Google maps and following those directions is not the best way to get to the tent. The entrance off of NE Wilcox is marked by two large, big rock cairns with a wood signs and metal “3648” numbers. There are two pictures on this site of the best entrance off of NE Wilcox. When you pull in, you will see a farm shed then the tent on the right, and the pond with windmill on the left. Park you car and relax ! The tent sleeps 2 people…perfect for car campers who want a clean and roomy tent space. Vans and RVs are welcome too. *RVs, be aware the gravel drive is pretty narrow as it goes over the irrigation ditch. Small RVs will be just fine. Medium or large RVs won’t fit! Walk a sculpted gravel path up a little hill to the sparkling clean (and rarely used) PortaPotty. This is professionally serviced weekly. We are turning this land into a farm, and will periodically be out there during the day digging a pond (this winter’s activity), figuring out irrigation, and generally working (when we are not climbing). If we see you we’ll be sure to say hello! Feel free to roam around on our acres of juniper woodland all around the tent site. You’ll find quail, many other small birds and see geese flying by. Early mornings and dusk are a great time to watch the deer in the field and you may have the great luck of spotting a wild turkey or two!. At night you may hear coyotes singing, the neighbor’s cows mooing and various small mammals running around. We’re told there are no rattlesnakes in the neighborhood (yea!), but you may see a non-poisonous bull or Gardner snake in the field. We even have a family of marmots living at the far end of the property. Look for them in the big rock piles April- September in the early hours. Marmots hibernate all winter. *Keep all food in tightly closed containers and please don’t leave food in the tent during the day (your car is the best place for that). Pack your trash out. This is a Residential neighborhood and voices really carry tot he neighbor’s house; so please, no raves and quiet time after 9ish. Respect the property boundaries.

The best camping near Prineville Reservoir State Park guide

Overview

About

Surrounding a 3,000-acre canyon reservoir in the arid high desert of Central Oregon, Prineville Reservoir State Park offers opportunities for swimming, fishing, boating, and other water sports, with multiple boat ramps and moorages for visitor use. Although the water is the main draw, the park also attracts those who prefer to keep dry, with a couple of moderate hiking trails and chances to spot birds and other wildlife, particularly once you get away from the popular day-use area. The International Dark Sky Park’s stargazing alone makes it worth staying the night at Prineville Campground, home to tent sites and full-hookup sites, plus a handful of log cabins.

Tips for snagging a campsite

Reservations for the main campground open six months in advance, at 6am each day on the Oregon State Parks online system.
If you're unable to get a spot at the main campground, head to Jasper Point for its first-come, first-served campsites.
Quite a few primitive, drive-in, and boat-in campsites can be found along the reservoir. Check directly with park rangers for availability.
Other people’s cancellations can work in your favor. Check in with the park directly to see if any last-minute spots have opened up (openings under a day away are not bookable online).

When to go

Prineville Reservoir State Park is open year-round, but it’s at its most popular in the hot summer months. Due to its dark sky status, the park is particularly popular during the annual Perseid meteor shower in mid-August. If you want to beat the crowds and still take advantage of warm days, consider visiting in late spring or early autumn, when school is in session. While Oregon tends to be rainy this time of year, Prineville’s location east of the Cascade Mountains keeps things dry.

Know before you go

The high desert location means that while summer days can be quite hot, temperatures drop dramatically at night. Bring layers.
The campground has two accessible campsites and two accessible log cabins.
You can buy food and supplies in the nearby city of Prineville, about a 20-minute drive from the park.