New camper in Oregon needs some help!

[Drame22]

Hello all,

I just signed up for this forum. I've been camping a few dozen times, but always to KOA or some similar trailer/sedan friendly campsite with paved roads, bathrooms, etc.

I'm wondering if anyone knew of a lake somewhere in Oregon that has access via trail(logging road, something a truck can handle). If it has a bathroom, great, but I'm looking more for seclusion than anything else. I hate the crowded campsites.

If anyone on here has ever been to Olallie Lake in Oregon, that's basically what I'm looking for. Hard to get to with a regular car, so most people don't go there. Tiny country store and bathroom on one side of the lake, basic basic campsites all the way around it.

I also have a rifle I'd like to take shooting. The farther away from people I can get, the better. However, I only have a stock Ford Ranger, so I can't be climbing over boulders for miles and miles.

Anyone have any idea of a place like this? Seclusion and being near a lake/river/basin is most important, bathrooms, modern convenience is secondary.

Also if anyone has any advice for a beginner camper, feel free to add it in! I've been civil war reenacting for a while now, so I've got the fire starting, tent raising, cooking all down pat, but I'm always ready for more advice.

Cheers all,
Drame22

[Drame22]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

26 views and no one has anything to say? Really?

[renodesertfox]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

Okay, well at least allow me to welcome you to the forum! Personally, I've never been to Oregon for anything so I'm no help. There aren't to many campers from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, on here and your question is being asked during this forum's slowest time of the year. But just for the record, welcome!

[West Texan]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

Welcome to the forum. Are you looking to car camp or backpack? I do a little of both, I'll head to the lake and pitch the tent right next to our Tahoe, then next trip I hike out 5-6 miles and carry everything with me. For the lakes, and being in Texas, I look on the web at Texas Parks and Wildlife (Oregon should have something similar), for trails to hike I have found that the Falcon Guide books have a book on just about every park and trail there is and they cover everything from how hard the trail is to how many people you might encounter on the trail. There are also some websites that list trails in that manner. Personally, I have never been to Oregon, but would like to see it someday. Hope this info helps and glad you're here. This is a great bunch of folks here.

WT

[05Kingquad700]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

Dang, sorry I missed this thread. The best place to start looking is your local National Forest Service office. They have MVUM (motor vehicle use maps) that are free and they will show you where you can disperse camp. And also, just talk to the forest Service rangers and your division of wildlife officers. They will probably know a bunch of good spots, and more importantly the terrain that your ranger can handle. Dispersed camping means, you pull up to a spot and set your tent up. No running water, no Latrine just you and nature. If you need a toilet you can dig a cat hole or buy a lug a loo toilet.

I am gonna give you some links to the United States Forest Offices for Oregon
Forest Services offices by state, check out your state.
http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml#O

Looks like the place you want to camp is in the Mt Hood district. Click on the "Go Camping" button/link. BTW, Watch the video on this page, before you click the link, it is cool.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/mthood

Here is the contact information for the Fort Hood Ranger District, Call them and ask them to send you a MVUM, espically if it is to far of a drive. Most of the ones here in CO, mailed them for free. Plus inquire about shooting regulations, as they very from place to place.
Mt. Hood National Forest Headquarters
16400 Champion Way
Sandy, Oregon 97055
Hours:
M - F 7:30am - 4:30pm
Closed 11:30 - 12:30
Telephone:
(503) 668 1700

Let us know if we can help in any other way. I assume since you have been doing Civil War reenactments, you know the basics.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

I am also gonna put up 3 more links to some very useful maps. These will help you find areas and other campgrounds as well. If you use these in conjunctions with the MVUM, you should be able to find camping spots. The way I found all my "honey holes" was by laying out the maps for my area, and pulling up the local assessor office web page and checking land ownership. That will tell you boundary lines and who actually owns the land. Yes, it will say the US Government, if it is public lands. This is a good project for a cold day, Mark out the locations on a map or gps, then go out and go scouting. You will find your places this way. It sucks, but this is how I learned. Look at amazon or local sporting good shops to purchase.

National Geographic trails illustrated for Mt Hood area. Very good map. You can find lakes and see roads.
http://www.natgeomaps.com/ti_820

Delorme map. Good state map to have. I also found 3 campgrounds with this map. Goood ones that I would never of even found without this map.
http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELi...HGXlO%253AS%7E

This is another map of the Mt Hood area. Produced by the USFS
http://www.nationalforeststore.com/m...gory_Code=0002

With these four maps, you should be able to find an area. that is all the information that I can give you, hope it helps.

[Drame22]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

Wow, wasn't expecting this flood of help! Whoo hoo!

I have asked the Oregon Forestry Service, however, they're of limited help. They only list where they have 'approved' camping. I'm looking for somewhere truly in the wilderness. When my uncle was alive, he would take his Bronco deep, deep into the central woods(he knew the old logging trails perfectly), and that's kindof what I'm looking for. He was far enough in the wild that he could hunt without a permit(which, to be fair, was only to feed his dog. He brought his own food) and not have a Ranger tearing his head off for setting up a rifle range for the day.

The more remote campsites are better than KOA, but there are still too many people, and rules. The Forest Rangers get mighty pissed when you chop down a dead tree for firewood, or go fishing without a permit. Which I think is just ridiculous. If I can't make my own fire, I can't fish, I can't hunt, and I can't even be loud after 1030, I might as well have just sat on my porch at home, and not bothered wasting gas money to get out there. It almost seems there are more laws in campsites than there are in the city.

I'm not knocking the Forestry Service, mind you. They do an important job and I personally loath campers that can live with leaving a messy site, or letting their fire get out of control. However, I believe I'm skilled enough to not burn down an entire forest, and I don't think eating a salmon for dinner will upset the entire ecosystem.

So basically, I want to be far enough away that I can pretend for a week that the government doesn't exist, and I can enjoy my time in nature in peace and quiet. Not having to pay camp dues is just a bonus.

@King: I think I'll do that! Google didn't return anything about an assessor office, though my internet is garbage so it could very well just be an error. Does anyone know what office would be in charge of central oregon? or perhaps northwestern oregon/southern washington?


Cheers all, and thank you for the assistance. I really appreciate it.

Drame22

[05Kingquad700]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

Call the Forest Service office and ask them to send you a copy of the MVUM map. It is now a federal law that each National Forest produce one. The deadline has passed, so they should have one. And it will show you all the roads that are in that district. It should also show where dispersed camping is allowed. Basically, dispersed camping is finding a spot along a Forest Service Road (ie: an old logging road) and pulling over and setting up camp. There are no lists of these spots. You would think that the Rangers would know these spots, but it has been my experience, that the rangers around here are just about a bunch of office people types that rarely go out. Division of Wildlife are much more knowledgeable.

Link to MVUM for the area I am usually in. Zoom in and look around. Read the map legend to see what is what. You need the Mt Hood version of this map.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5165768.pdf

[05Kingquad700]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

Found the Mt Hood MVUM online.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mthood...telprdb5292058
You can select different area's that you are interested in. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click on "Map A6" "Map B3" or whatever you are interested in.

Example
Click on "Map A6" scroll down halfway to about road #4510164. The roads with "dots" on either side are opened to dispersed camping. They are also shaded in blue. There is a map legend that shows the dispersed camping icon as well.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5291508.pdf

Now, call the forest service district I listed above and request they mail you a MVUM (motor vehicle use map) and you will be able to lay it out on a table and figure out where to camp.

Let me know if you need more help, or if you get the MVUM.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

map c8 is covered with dispersed camping trails
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5291816.pdf

map d6 has dispersed camping with lakes. hide away lakes and cottonwood lake
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5291830.pdf

Map d9 has plenty of dispersed camping and a lake to boot
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5291834.pdf

[05Kingquad700]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

And FINALLY the lake you asked for Lake Olallie. There is plenty of dispersed camping on the roads leading up to it and Monon lake
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5291848.pdf

Get on the phone and get a copy of the MVUM for that area. You have so many area's to go dispersed camping. I am jealous.

information for ranger office
Mt. Hood National Forest Headquarters
16400 Champion Way
Sandy, Oregon 97055
Hours:
M - F 7:30am - 4:30pm
Closed 11:30 - 12:30
Telephone:
(503) 668 1700

[familycamper]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

I know you are looking in the Mt. Hood District, but if you ever want to explore the Coastal range, hit me up. I have haunted those parts since I moved up here 6 years ago. I may be moving back to Texas at the end of July. Not sure yet. If I don't I camp several times a year as far as I can from the public.

[Mike]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

You might also consider access by river rather than by car. You would have to arrange to have somebody either drop you off at the start of pick you up at the end of the trip or both, but you will find a lot of good potential campsite areas along rivers that are not accessible by car and difficult to access on-foot.

In Wisconsin, for weekend river canoe trips, I drop a bicycle off at the trail end. When the trip is over, I lock my canoe to a tree, and bicycle back to the car. Of course, this often means a long bike ride and you have to be a fairly strong bicyclist to be willing to bicycle after a day of canoeing, but it can be done. For a two day canoe trip, you are probably looking at about 30 miles of bicycling back to the car, if you canoe 15 miles per day. Often, river miles are longer than road miles because the rivers twist and turn. It is easy to stealth camp if you are canoeing.

This might be a little tricky to do in western Oregon with the mountains and twisty roads. Many of the rivers are too wild to canoe with gear and bicycling on those twisting narrow roads would be a death wish, but Oregon does have some nice canoe-able rivers where you could try this approach to access solitude.

[Mike]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

By the way, another way to get solitude AND the convenience of a developed campsite is to go during off times.

When I camp in the winter months, campgrounds are lonely - nearly deserted.

Camping mid-week also greatly thins out the campers.

If you go mid-week in the dead of winter, you can find entire campgrounds where you will be the only camper.

[GlitterHiker]

Re: New camper in Oregon needs some help!

If you go mid-week in the dead of winter, you can find entire campgrounds where you will be the only camper.

I can vouch for that! My two longest camping trips have been in November. Both times there was no one else in the campground during the week. Kind of unsettling in a way, but very quiet!!! It was cool.