Dry camping Oregon for Rock Hounding locations

[RedJeep]

Hi. I live in Portland, Oregon. Previously, I took my kids rock hounding at Richardson Rock Ranch near Madras. It was fun, but we couldn't camp at the dig site. I'd like to find an Oregon site where we could camp and the kids could dig for agates, fossils, arrow heads, whatever ... The kids are only eight.

We have the motorhome in my signature and a 4x4 toad. We would really like to find a place in Oregon to dry camp rather than a RV park to experience some star gazing also.

Time of year would be spring or summer.

[mtdew999]

If you don't mind going just a wee bit further south, check out the Virgin Valley, SE of Lakeview off highway 140. There is a whole bunch of open area and public land, but in the middle of nowhere is this gem: http://www.royalpeacock.com/rv-park

[pnichols]

donn0128 wrote:
Down around Heart Mountain there is a large free Sun Stone collection area.

That's where we've went in the Oregon Outback in our Class C looking for Sunstones. Outstanding skies out there. Pure boondocking at it's finest. Around 25 miles each way on extreme washboard to get there. We had to travel all the way in and out at 7-10 MPH - the "take the washboard at 35 MPH to smooth it out" approach doesn't work in a motorhome if one wants a motorhome left when you get there ... that only works for SUV's and pickups.

The trip was worth it - a real remote area and we hope to try it and/or similar Oregon spots some more. Great hamburgers in Plush, too!!

[ICamel]

Try a Google search for blogs by "Bill Barker". He writes outdoor articles for the Corvallis Gazette-Times. A number of his articles specifically are pointed towards rock hounding in Oregon in out of the way places to camp.

[SteveAE]

You may want to check out the Succor Creek area. Yes, it's a long way (even from Bend), plus about an hour on a grave road. But it has miles of Jeep, motorcycle, quad riding, rockhounding, and great hiking in the Owyhee Canyonlands. It's an Oregon State Park, but there is no charge and the best camping isn't in the campground anyway, but along the road (and creek) on the way into the campground. Super, unlimited, camping opportunities with great views on the BLM land adjoining the park as well. Darn, now everyone on this site will be going there.........don't forget the hour drive on a gravel road......

p.s.;
Only go in the spring or fall. Summer would be pretty warm and winters are cool/cold. If you go in the spring, watch the weather as too much rain (or melting snow) makes the gravel road a bit muddy. Fall has hunters (where doesn't in Oregon???)
Google "Rockhounding Succor Creek" (or similar) to see what you might find there. I believe a couple rockhounding clubs regularly go there. Just know that the picking won't be as "easy" as at Richardson Ranch. Personally, I wouldn't go there just for the rockhounding, but rather the hiking (Jeeping in your case) and camping.

[RedJeep]

This is great info. Thanks a bunch!

[donn0128]

Down around Heart Mountain there is a large free Sun Stone collection area. And just south of Lakeview in CA there are several free Obsedion collection sites.

[amandasgramma]

Look up "Glass Buttes, Oregon". Between Bend and Burns. It's on Blm or fed land. You need the map once you leave the highway. You can camp for a ways up to the hill but need the 4x4 to get up there. The obsidian is amazing...mahagony, silver sheen gold sheen and rainbow obsidian.

[profdant139]

Phil, you're up!