Cottonwood Canyon State Park

Decided to visit Cottonwood Canyon over the Memorial holiday weekend to check it out and to test our camping gear. It's remote enough that you feel removed from the city lights but only a couple of hours outside of Portland. There is no cell service. We arrived just before sunset and though it was pretty busy - all the car camp spots were full, we managed to get a spot in the hiker/biker campground. They didn't turn anyone away - some folks were even camping in the park near the day use area. They have a 10pm noise restriction, but there were still some folks chatting around the campfire long into the night - they kept the volume low enough thankfully.

The camp ground is well maintained with very clean primitive toilets, nearby potable water and clear signs for each campsite. The day use area has very clean bathrooms, info and helpful volunteers and staff.

Only negative of the hiker/biker site is that they share campfires - so if someone stakes claim, you're out of luck unless they allow you to share. Also they were out of firewood once we arrived and we didn't bring any, so we had to rely on our portable camp stove.

FYI, it is very windy in the canyon. It buffeted our tent all night and most of the day - so make sure everything is secured down tight.

There are a couple of trails and access points to the river, but it was too strong where we were to get in it. A handful of older trees provide shade, but there's not much else. So it will get hot in the afternoon.

We would have stayed longer, but decided to cut our trip short. I think we'll probably come back again, but either earlier or later in the year when it's a little cooler.

As others have said this is a newer campground, still under development. We were there over Washington spring break, end of March, 1st week of April, 2018 and the weather was really good. Windy but mostly sunny and dry. This campground was very clean and very quiet. It might be different in the summer with families and kids. No road noise, very few aircraft. It is dry camping. There are vault toilets in the campground loop and several water spigots and dishwater drains as well. The sites all appeared level and there were a couple pull throughs. We were in the last site on the river side so we had an unimpeded canyon view from our site. Nice hiking and biking. Bikes are available for free up by the future visitor center. Fishing poles are available for free in the Imagination Station. There are solar usb charging stations at several picnic tables in the park. 3 that we saw. There is no cell service but once you climb up out of the canyon, going out toward Condon or back the other way it doesn’t take long to find good service. The bath house and visitors center are expected to be complete August, 2018. We will definitely be back!

December is not usually the time folks head out in their RV. The campground is a bit off the beaten path. I had the place to myself.

I was greeted by a deer upon my arrival. In the morning, I saw about 20 bighorn sheep 50 yards from my trailer. A coyote was walking along the river as I was leaving.

There is not a lot of privacy for campsites. There are some fence partitions put up to separate campsites. According to the ranger, it gets hot in the summer. The sites are fairly level. It was a little tough to tell due to the snow.

There is no cell service at all. There is a sign at the registration stand saying there is no cell service. There is also a rattle snake warning sign as well.

It is windy, there is no cell coverage, no showers, no dump station, no privacy (It is the high desert). Yet we loved it here! We came early May. Green and beautiful. If we came at another time, the rating could possibly be different. Hopefully not.

So nice to unplug. If you really need internet and cell service, drive to Wasco or Condon or stop on the side of the road at the top of the canyon. Condon has a cute coffee shop with a Powell's book store, flower shop, gift shop, espresso and cafe all in one!

Why a 5?
*Staff are great!
*Sites have great space with wonderful views
*Several trails for hiking and biking
*They provide the bikes
*They are adding plants and trees
*John Day River at campground
*Beautiful, deep canyon walls surround the campground
*Farm buildings restored and a part of the park. Check the etchings on the fenc
* So quiet even when it was completely full.
*RUGGED, beautiful, peaceful
*Forced to unplug and enjoy nature
*So peaceful we hated to leave

Location - The best attribute of this campground is the setting. The campground is located in a deep canyon surrounded by rimrock cliffs. The John Day River flows beside the campground. The campground was a sheep and cattle ranch in the early 1900's. A barn and ranch equipment have been preserved near the campground. There are good hiking opportunities here with trails along each side of the river.

Access - The campground is less than a mile off of highway 206 with easy access in and out. There is a grade of around 6% for four miles from either direction on highway 206.

Cleanliness - The campground was clean. There were two campground hosts that maintain the campground.

Site Quality - Sites are mostly level and with large parking areas and very generous separation between sites. Most sites can accommodate any size rig. There are no hookups, dump station or showers. Water is available from hydrants around the campground. There are no mature trees or vegetation, but ample space between sites provides privacy. The grass was tall when we arrived but on our second day someone came by on a lawnmower and mowed the grass directly around the sites. Each site has a wooden fence that is used as a wind break. At times, it can be very windy here. The John Day River flows beside the campground, but only a few sites on the south side of the campground have a partial view of the river. Even with an external antenna and booster, there is no cell signal in the campground. A cell signal is available at the top of the canyon in either direction on highway 206.

Noise - The campground is very quiet. The only sounds we heard were the river and birds. There was minimal noise from neighboring campers.

What a nice, fairly new State Campground.

The State is working hard on this park, and doing a great job. The Rangers and volunteers were all very friendly and knowledgeable. The vault toilets were all very clean and maintained daily.

There is now potable water in the campground as well as sprinkler and soaker systems throughout, to keep the park as green as possible. They now have a hiker/biker camping section, in addition to a group section.

This is a no reservation campground, first come first to enjoy the area! Leave the phones in the glove boxes, no cell service. But we survived!!

Beautiful spot along one of Oregon's greatest rivers, the John Day.

The Lone Tree Campground is in Cottonwood Canyon State Park, Oregon's newest and second largest state park. It has 21 spots, with plenty of room between each site. While temperatures can get pretty toasty from May through October, the John Day River runs along side the campground, providing a respite from the heat in mid-May when we visited.

Because this state park is in a river valley between two high bluffs, be prepared for fairly strong winds during the day. It quiets down at night. Many of the the tent sites had thoughtfully-placed wind-breaks. Sites 15, 17, 19 and 21 were pull-throughs, large enough for a 35 foot RV. All pads are gravel. Tall grasses and young shade trees have been planted throughout the park and appear to be watered every day.

Vault toilets were impeccably maintained. Be prepared for zero cell phone coverage. There's potable water nearby at the Interpretive Center. No fires, even in the fire rings provided with each site, from June 1 through September 30 each year, because of high fire danger.

Things to do: Good hiking, rafting and fishing are along the John Day River. There's a level trail that goes about 4.5 miles in both directions and on each side of the river from the campground. We spied huge rainbow trout (2 feet long) hanging out along the riverbank from the trail above. Across the river from the campground is a boat ramp and equestrian trail head.

The park entrance is where an old homestead was situated, and the park designers decided wisely to keep many of the original structures: corrals, barns and sheds as well as farm implements. It's neat to see them in situ as if the homesteaders had just walked away from a long day of chores. Complementary public art installations have been added, quietly integrating inspirational quotes and information on old barn wood and fence posts. Nicely done!