The best camping in Prineville Reservoir State Park, OR

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.

1. Reservations for the main campground open six months in advance, at 6am each day on the Oregon State Parks online system.
2. If you're unable to get a spot at the main campground, head to Jasper Point for its first-come, first-served campsites.
3. Quite a few primitive, drive-in, and boat-in campsites can be found along the reservoir. Check directly with park rangers for availability.
4. 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).

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.

• 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.