The best big rig friendly campgrounds near Cascade Locks, Oregon

The rugged Cascade Range, tumbling waterfalls, and epic cliff walls rise above the Columbia River in Cascade Locks. It's no wonder this town calls itself the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. Just over 40 miles from Portland, this stretch of the river is a mecca for water sports. Sailing, kayaking, and windsurfing are just a few ways to play.

Make camp close to town at a local RV park, or nab a site at the Port of Cascade Locks' Marine park on Thunder Island. From here, you can embark on an old-fashioned sternwheeler cruise to view the Bridge of the Gods. For more river time, shove off from the marina. Just remember to BYOB (bring your own boat).

Craving Isolation? Connect with nature at Eagle Creek Campground, the oldest campground in the National Forest System. Perched on a bluff above the Columbia Gorge, this base camp gives you easy access to clifftop hiking trails. It's just one of many campgrounds scattered across Mt. Hood National Forest near Cascade Locks.

For shaded tent sites beneath a dense canopy, head to Ainsworth State Park. This lush mountain park offers hikes to Multnomah Falls and countless other cascades.

Wherever you pitch your tent, scenic mountain landscapes are always at your doorstep. The area draws big crowds in the summer, but winter camping here is just as exciting. Hike to frozen waterfalls, or enjoy world-class winter sports in Hood River and the Cascade Range. You can even try snowkiting--a mashup of snowboarding and kitesurfing.

92% (165)

Top-rated campgrounds

The rugged Cascade Range, tumbling waterfalls, and epic cliff walls rise above the Columbia River in Cascade Locks. It's no wonder this town calls itself the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. Just over 40 miles from Portland, this stretch of the river is a mecca for water sports. Sailing, kayaking, and windsurfing are just a few ways to play.

Make camp close to town at a local RV park, or nab a site at the Port of Cascade Locks' Marine park on Thunder Island. From here, you can embark on an old-fashioned sternwheeler cruise to view the Bridge of the Gods. For more river time, shove off from the marina. Just remember to BYOB (bring your own boat).

Craving Isolation? Connect with nature at Eagle Creek Campground, the oldest campground in the National Forest System. Perched on a bluff above the Columbia Gorge, this base camp gives you easy access to clifftop hiking trails. It's just one of many campgrounds scattered across Mt. Hood National Forest near Cascade Locks.

For shaded tent sites beneath a dense canopy, head to Ainsworth State Park. This lush mountain park offers hikes to Multnomah Falls and countless other cascades.

Wherever you pitch your tent, scenic mountain landscapes are always at your doorstep. The area draws big crowds in the summer, but winter camping here is just as exciting. Hike to frozen waterfalls, or enjoy world-class winter sports in Hood River and the Cascade Range. You can even try snowkiting--a mashup of snowboarding and kitesurfing.

92% (165)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Airstream Near the Gorge, Edgefield

100%

(22)

25mi from Cascade Locks · 2 sites · RVs, Lodging · Troutdale, OR

Welcome to a serene Airstream retreat designed to provide you with a peaceful and scenic escape at the gateway to the Columbia River Gorge. This location is perfect for exploring the Gorge waterfalls while being just 15 minutes from the city and PDX, and just minutes from McMenamin’s Edgefield. The airstream sits on the back half of our 3 acres in a park-like setting, surrounded by a field of Douglas Firs and fruit trees.. Everyone who steps foot on our property falls in love. Relax in the Adirondack chairs under the awning or out by the fire ball. You can explore the 3 acre park like property...jump on the trampoline; swing in tree swing, relax in the double hammock, play some corn hole, eat at the picnic table and look for fish in the small pond. ⭑Master Bedroom:⭑ ✔ Comfortable Queen Bed ⭑Living Space:⭑ ✔ Entertainment options including a TV to watch basic cable or Netflix ✔ Couch that turns into a double bed for extra guests ✔ Dedicated workspace with Wi-Fi for remote work ⭑Kitchen and Dining Area:⭑ ✔ Fully equipped kitchen with a refrigerator, coffee maker, and all necessary dishes and silverware ✔ Stocked with condiments and coffee (just ask for anything) ✔ Space to cook your own meals and enjoy them in comfort ⭑Bathrooms:⭑ ✔ Bathroom and Shower with soap, shampoo; conditioner ⭑Outdoor Space:⭑ ✔ 3-acre park-like setting with 150’ tall (6’ diameter) Douglas Fir trees, fruit trees, and fish pond to explore ✔ Covered awning with Adirondack chairs with stunning valley views ✔ Fire ball and BBQ grill (on request) for outdoor dining and relaxation (fire restrictions may apply) ✔ Tree Swing, Hammock, Trampoline for children, Outdoor Toys like ladder ball or corn hole (on request) ⭑Additional Amenities:⭑ ✔ Free parking on premises ✔ Self check-in for your convenience ⭑Safety and Security:⭑ ✔ Fire extinguisher and first aid kit for your peace of mind ⭑Entertainment and Connectivity:⭑ ✔ Children’s books and toys for family-friendly stays (on request) ✔ High-speed Wi-Fi for streaming and work ⭑Additional Perks:⭑ ✔ Host available for local tips, airport rides, rides to Edgefield concerts, and guided trips to nearby waterfalls

2. Justesen Ranches

96%

(195)

46mi from Cascade Locks · 23 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Tygh Valley, OR

Justesen Ranches is family owned working cattle, wheat and recreation ranch. Our properties are located in the Columbia River Plateau in North Central Oregon. Enjoy wide open spaces, reservoirs for wildlife watching and clear night skies for star gazing. This is a leave no trace, pack it in, pack it out camping area. The property is located in Tygh Valley and is only a few minutes from the general store and the stunning White River Falls State Park. The Deschutes River whitewater rafting hub of Maupin is just a 10 minute drive away. The lodge two hours from Portland and 30 min from The Dalles.

3. Chinook RV Park

80%

(5)

32mi from Cascade Locks · 21 sites · RVs · The Dalles, OR

Welcome to your RV home away from home in the Gorge! Chinook RV Park in The Dalles, Oregon, offers a friendly, welcoming atmosphere and flexible RV stay options to fit your travel plans. Whether you're just passing through for a night of RV camping in the Gorge or settling in for a month-long adventure (or more!), you'll find our park the perfect base for exploring this beautiful area. As a top The Dalles RV park, we now provide both short-term and long-term stays – all in a pristine, well-maintained setting.

4. The Refuge

100%

(16)

35mi from Cascade Locks · 2 sites · RVs · Glenwood, WA

You may surprised at how loud peace and quiet can be. Whether it's the prehistoric sound of sandhill cranes, a serenade of coyotes, elk talking, hoots of great horned owls or a simple chorus of frogs and crickets; if you enjoy being immersed in the sounds of nature then come and enjoy. "The Refuge" abuts Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge so be sure to bring your binoculars or spotting scope. Elk, sandhills, coyotes and deer are frequent visitors to the property, bear and bobcats occasionally. If you just can't sit still and relax, we are only 16 miles from BZ Corners and the white water opportunities of the Big White Salmon River, 12 miles from the Leidl boat ramp on the Klickitat River and 16 miles from the town of Trout Lake and all the recreation opportunities to be found in the Gifford Pinchot. If it wasn't for the view (and it is awesome!), the site would be rather unimpressive. It's level gravel driveway with water, a 50/20 RV hookup and dump that sits between an unoccupied house and large shop that we may occasionally visit. A fire pit is available. Need leeway on party size, check in time or something else...message me and we'll see what we can do. Reality Check Exhaust brakes. This is timber country; during the week early morning truck traffic can be expected. Traffic is always very light, but it only takes one exhaust brake at 4:00 am to remind me of the crazy hours loggers work. Mosquitos. Conboy Lake is really a great big seasonal marsh and the mozzies can be a moderate annoyance at times. As a seasoned camper, I would rate them only slightly above a "run of the mill" nuisance even during peak times . Let it shine! The hook up site is exposed. Mid August, 4:00 pm, 100 degrees out...you'll want an awning or AC. Consider "The Oaks" under add-ons as an option, or message me to discuss. Darned hosts. We're your nearest neighbors, about a 1000 yards away, mostly obscured but visible. We're pretty quite, but sounds of life may occasionally drift your way. Sometimes mowing has to done and the dog always barks briefly at UPS or when we come home. If we interrupt your illusion of seclusion it will only be briefly. No trash service. Pack it in, pack it out. Thanks! Cell service is sketchy.

Stories from the community

Matt

November 2025

21 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to The Refuge

Loved the property and the owner was very kind as well. Will be coming back!

Lindsay

November 2025

15 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Airstream Near the Gorge, Edgefield

Beautiful views. Great communication. Close to town but still feels like you're out in a private oasis.

T

Theresa

October 2025

24 ft Class C

Weekend Trip to The Refuge

This is our absolute favorite spot to go, and the fall colors did not disappoint! Absolutely beautiful place, we explored a bit and there’s so much to do we can’t wait to come back! The host is amazing and every time we go we have a great time!

E

Edina

October 2025

21 ft campervan

With pets

Weekend Trip to The Refuge

I loved this place! Wonderful view of Mt Adams. Quiet location. Great place to unwind and enjoy nature, some elk, wild turkeys, snd horses. I would definitely recommend this place.

Amanda

October 2025

30 ft travel trailer

6 nights at The Refuge

Beautiful indeed. Didn't disappoint and Greg was super friendly. Will definitely come here again in the future

C

Claudia

September 2025

29 ft travel trailer

With pets

2 nights at The Refuge

We absolutely enjoyed our stay! The land is beautiful with an extrordinary front row seat view of Mt. Adams. We had some fabulous starry nights too since there is no light pollution. Greg our host was so hospitable and welcomed us when we arrived. Our dogs also loved the place and could not get enough of playing frisbee🐶. We saw lots of wildlife from the campsite (wild turkeys, elk, chipmunks, deer and lots of beautiful birds 🐿️🦅🦌). The site was leveled, had everything we needed for hook-ups and it was easy to pull in. We also explored White Salmon, Bingen and Hood River which were only a half hour drive. We look forward to coming back again, it is so beautiful and serene.

B

Brian

September 2025

Group trip

2 nights at Justesen Ranches

I have stayed with my wife here before, I have also camped on the property a few times. It has become one of my favorite places to get away. It’s very stress free, Amanda is a wonderful host and the place is quite frankly, stunning. I enjoy places of silence and few people, and this has both. And the stars, you just can’t get them any better than here. Fantastic. BF

H

Hal

September 2025

37 ft travel trailer

With pets

2 nights at The Refuge

A full service pull-thru RV site. Does not get better than that. Parking area well paved with gravel, so mud/dirt will never be an issue. As the pictures indicate, has a clear view of Mt Adams with prairie in front. Quiet and peaceful and all to yourself. Will be a repeat customer! No exterior lighting around, so makes for great night sky viewing

D

Deborah

September 2025

32 ft travel trailer

2 nights at The Refuge

What a beautiful property!!! With full hookups, it was just perfect for us and our 3 dogs!! Greg was a great, responsive host!! We are looking forward to another trip there!!

M

Mary

September 2025

20 ft campervan

2 nights at The Refuge

This is a beautiful site and Greg is a wonderful host! My sister and I camped in a camper van with an amazing view of Mt Adams and a convenient distance to Glenwood, where we lived as young children. I highly recommend Greg and The Refuge!

Justine

September 2025

Tent

With pets

2 nights at Justesen Ranches

What a beautiful property! All the sites were really spread out and we had so much space to ourselves. Overall, it was very quiet and peaceful. We loved spending time at the river and the shared beach area and there were a lot of places to walk and explore. I would recommend arriving in the daytime as this site isn't as well marked as some of the other sites. No picnic table or sign to really label it as a campsite. The bathroom is a bit further from this site as well if that is important to you.

Picnic table and lots of flat space for tents or campers

M

Marie

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Justesen Ranches

Nice spot. We used it as a home base for rafting day trips on the Deschutes. About 20 minutes from Sandy Beach. Felt very private and a short walk across the road to hang by White River. Freshly cleaned porto potty. We would stay again. Host warned us about yellow jackets and they were bad. Brought a trap to add to about 6 others already hanging and had to eat in screened in tent. Pretty typical in field like that in late summer in the area though.

I

Ian

September 2025

Tent

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Justesen Ranches

The pond was perfect for a quick dip or floating on a tube. And the privacy was great. Just what my group was looking for, thanks!

T

Theresa

September 2025

24 ft Class C

With pets

Weekend Trip to The Refuge

This was our 2nd time here and we absolutely love it! So incredibly peaceful listening to the birds. A canopy was added to the shelter area which was very nice, we spent most of the mornings and evenings out listening to the birds. The hosts are very thoughtful and had a power adapter and propane grill for use since there was a burn ban. We had a wonderful time and hope to come back in the fall!

J

Jake

August 2025

15 ft travel trailer

With pets

Weekend Trip to Justesen Ranches

Beautiful spot right on the water, surrounded by trees. Peaceful, clean, and the perfect place to relax—I’ll definitely be back!

K

Katie

August 2025

1 night at Airstream Near the Gorge, Edgefield

Comfy bed…check! Quiet, beautiful property…check! Blackberry bushes…check! A friendly kitty that comes to greet you…check! We loved our stay here and would definitely stay again if we came back to the area. I only wish we could’ve stayed longer and enjoyed the outdoor space and corn hole game.

Tani

August 2025

20 ft travel trailer

With pets

4 nights at Justesen Ranches

Perfect Camping Experience for three generations of family!! The clear driving directions dropped us into a hidden green paradise with fruit trees and a scenic pond. Welcomed by a large family of deer! Plenty of flat, green grass areas for tents, trailers, and lots of lawn games and the dogs had a fabulous time running free! The concrete pad of what used to be a home was the perfect gathering area for cooking, eating, and "fire" circles! Yellow jackets were pretty crazy during the day but disappeared at dusk, no fault of the land owners as it is just that time of year. Great separation from other sites with complete privacy, no view of other campers and great barriers for sound. Spectacular view all around left you feeling like you were the only people for miles. We had a neighborly visits from lizards, wild turkeys, squirrels, and a family of raccoons! They were all very well behaved but I would suggest storing food in a plastic bin as potato chips seem to be a favorite of theirs. Beautiful site for all ages and we will definitely be back again!

M

Michelle

August 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Justesen Ranches

The land was beautiful, the river stunning, and directions were clear. I appreciated the check in/out times as well as the fresh porta potty. Lots to love!

Rae

August 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Justesen Ranches

Great piece of property for camping! We loved that we were not close to other campers and had direct access to the river from our site. The port-a-potty was close by and very clean. The only downside was that there were a lot of bees which the camp owner warned us about before arriving.

Ben

August 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Justesen Ranches

I came here for a weekend camping trip with another family. We had 4 adults and 3 kids, and everyone had a great time! The communication and directions from the host were very helpful. The site was beautiful. We had the whole field to ourselves, and it was a short walk to the river. It was a short drive in to Maupin one day for lunch and a swim in the Deschutes. I was concerned going into it because a lot of reviews mentioned bugs being a problem, but we didn’t have any issues. The yellowjackets were definitely around, but they only seemed interested in our food. No stings and no bites for anyone over the whole weekend.