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  4. Riddle

Cow Creek Camp

Hosted by Heather · Riddle, Oregon
99%
·
36 reviews
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This is a remote property that has lots of "nature stuff" including the presence of poison oak and ticks. Even the occasional rattlesnake has been found. The immediate area of the campsites is treated for poison oak, but there is a lot of it on the property once you are away from the river's edge. Pets are likely to encounter it. The ticks tend to have a couple seasons when they are more plentiful, typically the Spring and early Fall. Although we didn't see any in August and early September, they could be present any time. Currently no access for larger RVs. Truck campers and camper vans can be accommodated. If you have any kind of RV, check with us before booking. Cow Creek is a class 1 stream and a tributary to the South Umpqua River. There is a dam at the headwaters of Cow creek which assures a consistent year-round flow of clean fresh water. Steelhead and wild salmon runs have increased dramatically since the dam was built in about 1992. The swimming is excellent, as the topography and lay of the land create a perfect private swimming hole. The property encompasses both sides of the river for 3/4 of a mile. Some of the land is steep and heavily forested. There are a number of flatter meadows on benches as the property comprises a portion of the northern slope of Iron Mountain. Learn more about this land: Creekside camping beside the looong swimming hole on our 140 acre forest land. Located 11 miles from the Riddle Oregon exit on I-5, the Swimming, fishing, bird watching, hiking and stargazing are all fantastic. There is no electric power at all on the property. No cell service. THE TRAIN: You are almost certain to be woken in the wee hours of the morning during the work week of Monday thru Friday (approx. 5:00 a.m.) by the VERY LOUD and SCREECHING train on the other side of the creek. If you'll be okay with that, riverside paradise awaits!  Saturday and Sunday mornings, however, have been train-free. This is a remote property that has lots of "nature stuff" including the presence of poison oak and ticks.  The immediate area of the campsites is treated for poison oak, but there is a lot of it on the property once you are away from the river's edge.  Pets are likely to encounter it.  The ticks tend to have a couple seasons when they are more plentiful, typically the Spring and early Fall. Although we didn't see any in August and early September, they could be present any time. We drink the water that comes from the spring up the mountain, but it is untreated and is open to the elements at its source so we offer no guarantees and encourage you to treat it or bring your drinking water. Currently no access for larger RVs.  Truck campers and camper vans can be accommodated.  If you have any kind of RV, check with us before booking. Cow Creek is a class 1 stream and a tributary to the South Umpqua River.  There is a dam at the headwaters of Cow creek which assures a consistent year-round flow of clean fresh water.  Steelhead and wild salmon runs have increased dramatically since the dam was built in about 1992.  The swimming is excellent, as the topography and lay of the land create a perfect private swimming hole.  The property encompasses both sides of the river for 3/4 of a mile.  Some of the land is steep and heavily forested.  There are a number of flatter meadows on benches as the property comprises a portion of the northern slope of Iron Mountain.
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      Reviews

      99% Recommend47 ratings · 36 reviews
      Recommends
      · October 2024
      Don't think - just book
      Tent ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      This is the absolute best campsite I've ever stayed at! Out of the way, private, amazing views, quiet. Plenty of room. Our dog loves sniffing around by the creek as much as we love lounging around it.
      C
      Catherine Ann B.
      1 year on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · September 2024
      19 ft campervan · With pets ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      Great creek side tent camping. Great swim hole, kayaks available for use.
      T
      Todd B.
      4 reviews
      Recommends
      · July 2024
      Incredible spot
      Tent ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      This was the perfect spot for a girls’ weekend away with our dogs.! The host is so sweet and friendly—we felt very welcomed, and after checking in, we felt total and complete privacy. Living in Portland, I can’t remember the last time I camped near water, with privacy. Weather cut our trip short, but I will definitely be returning to this spot again and again, hopefully!
      M
      Maureen F.
      2 years on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · July 2024
      My kinda campsite!
      18 ft campervan · Group trip ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      A jewel! The train is so real you can almost touch it 🤣. It was so peaceful, aside from the train. I’d go again for sure🥰
      S
      Simon S.
      1 year on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · July 2024
      Phenomenal Spot
      16 ft car ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      What a beautiful place! We spent three nights here with our roof top tent, and enjoyed the solitude and the scenery. We brought chairs for sitting by the river, and just relaxed, watching the current and cooling off. We wished we had brought a better shade tent for by the water, but the hills gave shade where our tent was by evening and long into the morning. Brought a gravity filter and enjoyed the plentiful supply of amazing water. Really hope to come back!
      Avatar
      Jennifer G.
      9 reviews
      Recommends
      · June 2024
      So great!
      Tent ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      11/10 this place was great! The host was really responsive and friendly, the site was quiet and easy to get to. The camp pups were friendly and so was the camp deer! So cute! I hope I can make it back out here!
      M
      Mariah P.
      1 year on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · June 2024
      Perfect River Campsite
      Tent ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      Our camping experience was perfect. The pictures don’t do this site justice. Great hospitality, perfect swimming and fishing conditions, and even no bugs. Definitely will be staying here again!
      O
      Olivia F.
      1 year on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · May 2024
      4 ft campervan ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      Water at the site would’ve been nice. And a map that could be downloaded instead of written directions. Other than that it’s suited all our needs
      R
      Robin S.
      1 year on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · September 2023
      Perfect get away from modern life!
      Tent · With kids ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      What an incredible spot this is! It is rustic for sure, but magical as well! Ever seen a “bouse” before?!?! We camped right down by the river. The kids hunted for agates, and crawdads. We saw otter, heron, kingfisher, deer, newts, and lizards! We (the adults) really appreciated having access to a bathroom with a flushing toilet, and a sink to wash dishes. It’s only about 30 minutes from the Wildlife Safari, so we took the kids there one day. It was nice to return to our sanctuary at the river, and relax with no Wi-Fi or distractions, something that is so hard to find these days! If you truly want an escape from modern life, this is it (but still get to flush a toilet, lol)!
      D
      Dominique B.
      2 reviews
      Recommends
      · July 2023
      Tent · With pets ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      What an absolutely AMAZING time. The land is so so beautiful (especially if you love soaking up the sun) and Heather is so wonderful and fun! The animals on the property are all friendly and so sweet. Nothing like a little meet up with sweet pea to make you feel like Snow White, and my dog is truly going to miss Romeo. Heather was even able to help us out with an issue with one of our tires. Truly above and beyond.
      B
      Brenda W.
      2 years on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · October 2022
      Tent ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      This was our 3rd stay and it never disappoints! We love Romeo and Sweet Pea. Very peaceful and quiet.
      Avatar
      Mark W.
      6 reviews
      Recommends
      · September 2022
      Restful Creek Sounds
      Tent ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      Reflection on this weekend’s camping in Riddle Oregon at Cow Creek Camp 😊. Camping is one of the best sports that I have found to recharge my body, mind and soul❣️ So much creativity comes from nature and so much relaxation comes from the sounds of a creek running, the birds singing, star gazing until you fall asleep and another night of restful sleeping to the sounds of rain on your tent. Listening to the creek was the best. This campsite was just beautiful all the way around. Rest was on the agenda and this was the perfect place! We will be back!
      Avatar
      Kathy T.
      17 reviews
      Recommends
      · September 2022
      Tent · With kids ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      This place was magical for our kids and the night sky of stars was incredible. The creek was warm enough to play in and the host so kind. We even got to see sweet pea (the local deer).
      D
      David D.
      2 reviews
      Recommends
      · August 2022
      Tent · Group trip ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      This was our second trip back to Cow Creek and it was even better than the first time. Hope we can continue to make memories with our family here each year!
      K
      Keira A.
      4 reviews
      Recommends
      · July 2022
      12 ft pop-up camper · With pets ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      Gorgeous property with an amazing creek to play and go swimming. The site is rustic with no running water, access to electricity and a small hike to the bathroom. The host was awesome and the kiddos loved Sweet Pea and Romeo. Thank you for sharing your wonderful property!
      N
      Nicole P.
      3 years on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · July 2022
      Tent · With pets ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      Cow Creek was absolutely beauitful! My friends and i drove down to the water to set up camp, and the swimming hole was amazing! The place is clean, peaceful, and sunny! Kelly is who lives on the property, and she greeted us when we drove in, welcomed our dogs and showed us around. My only complaint was without cell service, my friends felt scared to drive down a "private drive no tresspassibg" lane, so a sign would be good when you pull off down there.
      C
      Claire K.
      4 reviews
      Recommends
      · June 2022
      Tent ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      Kelly, the woman keeping up the camp was great, she was very friendly and intelligent about the history of the camp. Her dog Romeo was a plus as well as their pet deer sweatpea. There are multiple spots to choose from(bring your own shade if staying by the river), we stayed on the river and the beach was beautiful.
      S
      Steve S.
      3 reviews
      Recommends
      · June 2022
      Tent · With pets ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      Such a great site for camping! We appreciate the secluded location and the host family were really sweet as well as their dog Romeo.
      Avatar
      Joslyn T.
      6 reviews
      Recommends
      · May 2022
      Tent · With pets ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      We had a great time at Cow Creek! The accommodations were nice and we got an amazing spot. The camp host was very kind. They had a dog that loved our dog and they were fast friends! We even got to pet the deer and our Great Dane made friends with the deer. It was very fun! Aside from the cold, rainy weather it was great. We hope to come back sometime!
      L
      Leslie L.
      2 reviews
      Recommends
      · October 2021
      Magical, private, beautiful spot
      Cow Creek Camp
      I can’t imagine a more beautiful and ideal place to camp. The river is amazing and has shallows for wading, deeper calm pools for swimming in warm weather, and small rapids we enjoyed while sitting on a stand up paddle board. The camp area is large and it looks like you can choose a grassy tent pad near the picnic table or many spots on the smooth rocky area leading down to the river. It was a little chilly for our rooftop tent but still comfy with lots of warm bedding. Beautiful hiking right nearby and Kelly was helpful in telling us about nearby activities and how to get to them. We had no cell service at the camp. The shared bathroom is a bit of a walk up the hill next to the house so if like me you don’t want to walk that alone at night, bring a camping toilet. There is also a convenient outdoor dishwashing sink. Sweet Pea the deer was magical to meet and Romeo the boxer mix was a big, floppy lovebug. His energy was a bit much at times for our older dogs, but he’ll likely mellow out once he’s past puppy stage. Overall a magical place to camp.
      Avatar
      Elisa F.
      3 reviews
      Recommends
      · October 2021
      Peacful
      Group trip ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      This was a place easy to loose yourself in. Long days at the waters edge, soaking in the serene breeze or lounging in the hammock. A weekend was not enough time to really take it all in. Secluded and not at all crowded, just perfect for forest bathing and enjoying the unique natural landscape that is southern Oregon. And the host is super friendly and helpful, while still allowing the space to enjoy all there is to see at this wonderful large outdoor recreation site.
      Avatar
      Jamie L.
      5 years on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · September 2021
      Private camping, Perfect location!
      Cow Creek Camp
      Perfect camping spot. Everything we could have hoped for. Not only were we greeted by an amazing hostess, but her grand daughter was sweet too. This place is the perfect spot for families. The river was still, excellent for kids, the water was super clear, shallow about 3-5 feet out then deeper on the other side. Clean & convenient bathroom, I liked that it’s off from the house, so no worries about bothering host. I would 10/10 recommend to anyone. I will be visiting again ❤️
      S
      Selena C.
      4 years on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · September 2021
      4 out of 4 stars!
      Group trip ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      We enjoyed our few days camping here and will definitively come again for a longer stay. This is a very rural area and while there are many cool things to do, such as gold panning, swimming, rock hounding and exploring trails, this isnt for those who prefer the usual tourist trap offerings. My grands 2, 3, 11 and 12 year old grands loved the place. The chance to play with Sweet Pea and Romeo was an added bonus! Our host was friendly, helpful and we enjoyed her conversation and company. There is no cell service nor Wi-Fi but who cared? So many better things to do! The camp layout is pretty open with lots of privacy should you have camping neighbors. Picnic benches in some. Fire rings to use weather permitted. Shared shower and flush toilet thats kept clean and great hot water pressure! Outside sink for washing dishes. Interesting history to the place. Be sure to ask!
      T
      Tammy A.
      4 years on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · August 2021
      Magical River Campsite
      Group trip ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      Our family stayed here for 5 nights and 6 days in early August and had THE BEST time. The river and property are magical and Kelly/her family of humans and critters alike are so much fun to hang out with. Our two boys (8&9) were begging us to book another trip out there before we'd even left! We were lucky to not have to share the property with other campers, but there's more than enough space for all. As others have already mentioned; poison oak is abundant and the lower area can be tough for vehicles to navigate if you're not prepared for it. If you're up for the challenges then you will be rewarded the experience of a lovely little paradise!
      K
      Keira A.
      4 reviews
      Recommends
      · August 2021
      Cow Creek Camp
      Cow Creek is one of the best places we have stayed! The site is beautiful, the river is amazing, and Kelly & her family were absolutely lovely! We stayed at the upper camp since our car wouldn't have made it down to the beach, but we were rewarded with tons of shade. There's plenty of space at the river for groups to have plenty of privacy while playin in the water! The listing is not joking about the poison oak, it's everywhere outside of the campsite, but it's easy to avoid if you pay attention. We definitely plan to be back next year!
      K
      Kristen D.
      6 reviews
      Recommends
      · July 2021
      Sweet Pea Stole the Show
      Cow Creek Camp
      We had a great time staying at Cow Creek! We were a little unsure of what to do upon arrival, but we just glanced around looking lost and Kelly and her granddaughters came right over to give us the lay of the land. We chose the upper campsite for our group of 8 because it had more tree cover and it was a hot weekend. We were okay with walking down to the amazing swimming hole! It was deep enough to tread water in some areas, but shallow enough in others for kiddos. Perfect and not too cold! We really enjoyed visits to our camp by pup Romeo and fawn Sweet Pea and watching them play. The flushing toilet felt like a luxury! The bathrooms are up by the main house and shared by all, but this never seemed to be an issue and either Sweet Pea or Romeo were always waiting when we left to say hi. The bathroom is very spacious as well. There was poison oak around the edges of camp, although we did wonder if some was just oak saplings as there were also oak trees. No one in our group had a reaction, but no one was aware of being allergic so we weren't the best test group. No issues with tics. There were a few mosquitos, but they weren't bad at all and I managed just fine with natural bug spray. Both sites had picnic tables. The site by the swimming hole was fully exposed, and would also be less private, but there aren't too many people on the property at once so this shouldn't be too bad. Overall we loved this campsite and would stay again!
      K
      Kelsey K.
      3 reviews
      Recommends
      · July 2021
      Sweet Pea Stole the Show
      Group trip ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      Cow Creek Camp is fantastic! My group loved staying here! We were a larger group with 8 people and we chose to stay at the upper campsite because it was hot and sunny and we wanted the protection of the trees. This did mean walking down to the swimming hole, but that was fine with us and the privacy was nice. When we arrived we weren't quite sure what to do, but looked around lost and Kelly came right over to give us the lay of the land with the help of her delightful granddaughters. We enjoyed visits by the puppy Romeo and fawn Sweet Pea throughout the weekend and watching them play was really fun. One or the other was always waiting when leaving the bathroom. The bathrooms are up by the main house and shared by all. It is an adorable and quirky area and the flushing toilet felt like a luxury to us. It was also very spacious. We didn't use the shower, but it looked nice. The swimming hole was amazing, the water not too cold, and deep enough to not touch the bottom in some areas while being shallow enough for kiddos in others. It was really perfect. If you camped at the lower site you would have a good amount of traffic from other groups coming to swim at the swimming hole so less privacy, but there are only so many people on the property so this wouldn't be too crazy. There was a lot of poison oak at the upper campsite, I think. It had been cleared out of the main areas but was just off to the side in the trees. We did wonder though if some was just regular oak saplings as there were oak trees around too. No one in my group had a reaction, but no one was aware of being allergic so we weren't the best test group. No issues with tics. There were some mosquitos, but they were few and I personally didn't even need more than the natural bug repellant to avoid bites. Overall we had a great time here and would stay again!
      K
      Kelsey K.
      3 reviews
      Recommends
      · July 2021
      Group trip ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      My dog Ruby and I had a great time the creek and surrounding nature was wonderful for the heart and soul!
      Avatar
      Heidi L.
      4 years on Hipcamp
      Recommends
      · July 2021
      A secret at the creek
      Cow Creek Camp
      Absolute a great place! Safe for solo female travelers! I stayed at the creek and saw eagles, hawks, salamanders, and owls. No big wildlife so I felt safe! Heather is quick woth responding and Kelly, who lives on the property, is caring! She gives privacy but also made sure I was all set up :)
      H
      Helma W.
      8 reviews
      Recommends
      · July 2021
      Fantastic! Restful! Magical
      Group trip ·
      Cow Creek Camp
      This was a beautiful spot to unwind! We loved the campsite. The access to the swimming hole was fantastic! We spent the whole day in the water and still wanted more ❤️
      D
      Dawnmarie L.
      3 reviews

      Location

      Riddle, Douglas, Oregon, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
      Avatar

      Hosted by Heather K.

      Joined in July 2017

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