The best ranch campgrounds near Fossil, Oregon

Welcome to Hipcamp, your go-to website for camping adventures in the United States! If you're looking for a ranch experience near Fossil, Oregon, we've got you covered with over 180 available options. Whether you're a seasoned rancher or just looking to try something new, our top campsites have got rave reviews, like Milk A Sheep Camp (202 reviews), Working Ranch just outside Bend (42 reviews), and Justesen Ranches (46 reviews). With amenities like toilets, pet-friendly spaces, and access to potable water, you'll have all the essentials covered. Plus, you can enjoy activities like off-roading, biking, and wind sports in the stunning terrain. Prices start as low as $23 per night, with an average price of $40 per night. So pack your bags and get ready for an unforgettable ranch camping experience!

97% (506)

Top-rated campgrounds

This is Willow Creek, it flows through the ranch and under the bridge as you drive in. You can fish or just enjoy the quiet.

Welcome to Hipcamp, your go-to website for camping adventures in the United States! If you're looking for a ranch experience near Fossil, Oregon, we've got you covered with over 180 available options. Whether you're a seasoned rancher or just looking to try something new, our top campsites have got rave reviews, like Milk A Sheep Camp (202 reviews), Working Ranch just outside Bend (42 reviews), and Justesen Ranches (46 reviews). With amenities like toilets, pet-friendly spaces, and access to potable water, you'll have all the essentials covered. Plus, you can enjoy activities like off-roading, biking, and wind sports in the stunning terrain. Prices start as low as $23 per night, with an average price of $40 per night. So pack your bags and get ready for an unforgettable ranch camping experience!

97% (506)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Milk A Sheep Camp at Tin Willows

100%

(320)

40mi from Fossil · 4 sites · Tents, RVs · Lexington, OR

Didn't know you could milk a sheep? Or thought only cows made cheese? Come find out how it's done on this seasonal working ranch here in Eastern Oregon. Lambs are born in the spring and their moms are milked all summer long. I raise my sheep on fresh grass and sunshine. Come see for yourself here on the ranch. Pitch a tent on the pasture and literally count the sheep around you before falling asleep or climb the hill and see for miles in every direction. We may be close to the road, but it doesn't feel like it. We can accommodate campers, RVs, trucks, tents, and vans. 4 sites to chose from. Each site has access to a toilet, potable water, shower, picnic tables, trash disposal, and we allow campfires (outside of burn bans), and pets. We also sell fresh eggs, firewood, and lamb sausage. Our guests love staying with us: "There’s fireside fun in fresh country air, rolling hills around the farm to walk along to enjoy the wide expansive view, and sights and sounds of animals around camp to make for a relaxing day. There’s kittens, dairy sheep, gigantic but friendly herd dogs, and a variety of chickens and ducks. The host was kind and friendly. Try the sheep’s milk cheese - what a treat!"

2. Justesen Ranches

96%

(195)

49mi from Fossil · 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. Haystack Ranch

94%

(142)

25mi from Fossil · 17 sites · Tents, RVs · Spray, OR

My family has owned the ranch since 1977. We bought it from my parents a few years ago to keep it in the family. We love living here, and although it is just the two of us working it, we are slowly getting it to what we want it to be. The house we live in is over 100 years old and used to be a stage coach stop back in the late 1800's to early 1900's, You can still see some of the old stage coach roads on the property, and we are trying to preserve those the best we can. Also in the early 1900's this ranch used to be the place to go on the fourth of July. People from all over would bring their prize horses to compete in a horse race for the name of the fastest horses around While others would bring picnic baskets to set back on the knoll in one of our fields to watch. Learn more about this land:We are a 500 Acre working ranch located in Beautiful East Central Oregon, We are Between The stunning Painted Hills, and Umatilla National Forest. Just a few miles away from the Gorgeous John Day River, where Rafting, Tubing, Fishing, Swimming is always a welcome retreat. A few miles above us is Bull Prairie Lake and the wonderful Umatilla National Forest where hiking, sight seeing and wildlife viewing is always available.

4. Horseshoe House

100%

(2)

27mi from Fossil · 1 site · Tent, RV · Grass Valley, OR

The Horseshoe House A Family-Friendly Ranch Stay in Grass Valley, Oregon This isn’t just a place to stay — it’s an experience for our guests, and a way of life for us. The Horseshoe House sits on 10 acres of working ranch land outside Grass Valley, Oregon — surrounded by rolling wheat fields, wide-open skies, and the kind of quiet only the high desert can offer. At 2,500 feet elevation, it’s peaceful, simple, and full of old Oregon character. Our connection to this area runs deep. My great-grandfather settled in this part of Oregon after coming from Tennessee in the early 1900s. Like many who came west, he raised sheep — and we’re proud to carry on that legacy today. Guests are welcome to meet the animals — sheep, pigs, and chickens — and maybe even give a few a pat or a scratch. Want a closer look at ranch life? Just let us know and we’ll happily schedule a farm tour ahead of time. We’re close to the Deschutes, John Day, and Columbia Rivers, with nearby fossil beds, ghost towns, and the storied town of Antelope, featured in Netflix’s Wild Wild Country. Bring your family. Bring your boots (this is Oregon, after all). Come experience the rhythm of country life — real, relaxed, and unforgettable.

from

$38

/ night

Stories from the community

Shane

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Haystack Ranch

The host was great, the space was great, the scenery was great and the area was great. Will definitely be staying here again.

J

John

October 2025

20 ft travel trailer

4 nights at Haystack Ranch

This was an amazing property. Big area, lots of trees. Space for an RV, but not at all the locations, mainly just one but an RV can honestly park anywhere it wants, just might not have a picnic table readily available but the hosts will get you one. There's a cool outhouse and hand wash station. The best part is its only 30 minutes from John Day Fossil Painted Hills. There's a cool bar and pizza food truck about 3 miles away and the town of Spray has the basic necessities. The hosts let you use their water hose that's at the edge of their house property on the fence next to the road so you can top off your RV when you get there and refill canisters if you run out. Overall great site, low frills, primitive location.

Enjoy the company of Lora, the daytime guard dog, and sheep if you camp in the pasture!

Keith

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Milk A Sheep Camp at Tin Willows

I had a very nice stay here. Host was very cool and nice. Really enjoyed the company of the dogs. It was cloudy the night I stayed, but I bet the view of the stars would be amazing here. Recommended.

J

Jess

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Haystack Ranch

Super beautiful and private! Picnic tables were a fun surprise. The outhouse was clever and clean!

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

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.

S

Samantha

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Haystack Ranch

Beautiful part of the state with wide open grass lands and interesting geological sites. The camp was quiet and comfortable. We had trees for shade and were an easy walk from the nicely maintained outhouse. A pump handwashing station was a nice touch. Plenty of camp site options with level ground for camper vans (or tents/RV's). Be prepared for lots of prickly bur buttercup, black medic, chickweed, and thistle.

K

Kelsey

September 2025

Tent

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Justesen Ranches

Such a great site! The lake was awesome for swimming, SUPing and floating. Our group loved it, highly recommend.

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!

Ben

August 2025

Tent

1 night at Horseshoe House

The Horseshoe House was great. Eric and his partner were really friendly and gave me a tour around their farm where I get to meet all their critters. I mainly booked at the site because I was looking for a remote location to stargaze, and while the weather didn't totally agree with me on my trip, I was still able to take some great photos. I would definitely book again.

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!

Mary

August 2025

15 ft travel trailer

With pets

Weekend Trip to Haystack Ranch

As noted the site is a bit hard to find from the south but google maps does get you to the correct spot. Just look for the secluded picnic table. Our host was fantastic and offered us some fresh picked produce. This is a beautiful area and I will stop 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.

M

Mark

August 2025

20 ft campervan

With kids

Weekend Trip to Justesen Ranches

Awesome views and lots of solitude! Mt. Hood and the reflecting sunset is pretty unbeatable.

Emily

August 2025

Tent

With pets

1 night at Milk A Sheep Camp at Tin Willows

Always a wonderful experience! Such a laid back farm experience that’s great for kid. Terry is a wonderful person.

M

Mariaya

August 2025

Tent

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Justesen Ranches

BEAUTIFUL site! Very calm and quiet- site keepers are also very helpful when you need them! the river was stunning and there was a perfect private beach where we spent all our time.

S

Sean

August 2025

Tent

2 nights at Justesen Ranches

This was a great spot to camp, quiet and peaceful with lots of room to spread out. The property is very beautiful with the river and basalt mesas. Amanda was very responsive and we had a great experience. It’s only about a 20 minute drive to the Harpham Flats put-in on the Deschutes River, so great place if you’re planning a river trip and don’t want to roll the dice on first come first serve BLM campsites.