Need suggestions on 2-3 week trip to NW without reservations

[GBEngineer]

I have recently had some changes with work that may give me a few weeks to go camping in June or July. The problem is I don't know for sure when I can go so I can't make reservations. I have done a little research on camping in Oregon and Washington and see that no reservations may be a problem. I hear the campgrounds are full on the weekends.

Any ideas on how I could make this work without having reservations. I would be camping in a TC so I don't need a really large spot and could do some boondocking if not to hard to get to. I will be camping with my wife and 3 kids ages 9-15.

This is an area that I have never visited. I want to visit Crater Lake but don't know what else to see. I would really appreciate any advice. I am not sure this trip will happen but hope it does.

[tpi]

I did quite a bit of Oregon without reservations last summer. A couple things worked to my advantage-small RV fit into leftover spots and stopped fairly early in afternoon-3PM plus or minus. At times at lunch I'd call a private park and get reservations for that evening. Early stop also works well for forest service campsites where there can be level and grossly unlevel sites in campground. More choices. At least for me, setting less ambitious goals for daily mileage allows earlier stopping time and easier travel if you have no reservations. I'm more likely to reserve a spot if I'm pushing the travel into late in a day. In a worst case scenario you can usually find RV parks a little less desirable but decent enough which have vacancies.

[GBEngineer]

Thanks for all the replies. Glad to hear it is possible. I can be flexible. I will just have to make a listing of all the CG's that don't take reservations.

[2gypsies1]

vermilye wrote:
I've camped in both states during June & July without reservations. While there were times I was unable to get into some of Oregon's coastal state parks, I always found a commercial park near by. Going inland opens up many more locations. State parks such as Collier Memorial or Joseph H Stewart are likely to have openings since they have some non reservable sites. I've stayed at Susan Creek BLM campground to explore the waterfalls along Oregon Route 138; one of my favorites.

As long as you have some flexibility in your plans, I don't feel you need reservations - I rarely make them other than holiday weekends in popular areas...

I was going to recommend Joseph H. Stewart state rec area for visiting Crater Lake. It's a beautiful park and a short drive to the lake.

Another thought for the Oregon coast is Cape Blanco State Park. It has gorgeous views, a great lighthouse tour, an awesome beach and many times you'll have it all to yourself. We've always gotten a spot there with our 40' motorhome without reservations.

As stated, if you want to be in a particular area for a weekend, arrive to the campground by Thursday. Don't try to pull in on a Friday. Also, folks leave on Sundays so that's another good time to move from park to park.

Good luck! It can be done because that's the way we've traveled full-time for over 16 years.

[Lauren]

I - as most know - am a reservation guy; can always change them. We have had beautiful sites and no hassle to fit or next to the dump station, etc.

We much prefer to be doing a hike or, when on OR Coast, walking on the beach instead of bouncing around looking for a place to stay and then getting what is available.

But to each their own.

[MarkTwain]

While your situation is difficult and potentially stressful, making reservations based on your best estimated available dates gives you a plan to deviate from:) You can always change a reservation date but just make sure you ask what the cancellation policy is for each RV park. My 2 most favorite locations to RV are A. the Calif. central coast beaches B. the whole Oregon coast. The Washington coast is not real RV accessible in my experience but I really enjoyed Whidby Island.

[vermilye]

I've camped in both states during June & July without reservations. While there were times I was unable to get into some of Oregon's coastal state parks, I always found a commercial park near by. Going inland opens up many more locations. State parks such as Collier Memorial or Joseph H Stewart are likely to have openings since they have some non reservable sites. I've stayed at Susan Creek BLM campground to explore the waterfalls along Oregon Route 138; one of my favorites.

As long as you have some flexibility in your plans, I don't feel you need reservations - I rarely make them other than holiday weekends in popular areas...

[4runnerguy]

First, if you have any flexibility at all in your vacation plans as you get closer, I would pick mid-June first and mid-July second. Late June and early July are some of the busiest camping days as people try to stretch their vacations by including the 4th of July so try to avoid the week before and after the 4th if at all possible.

The good news is that at both Mt. Rainier and Crater Lake there are first-come, first served campsites in the CG's. But you'd need to get to those CG's by mid-week and plan to leave on Sunday.

Down at the beach, check some of the Siuslaw NFS CG's (Oregon Dunes). Some of those campgrounds have some of their campsites set aside for first-come, first-served. You'll have to do a little research to figure out which ones so you'll know in advance where to look. This area extends from north of Coos Bay north to just south of Yachats.

On the way up, you might consider a night at Lava Beds NM in northern CA. A first-come, first served CG only and your kids might get a kick out of exploring the lava tube caves. Take some headlamps or flashlights.

Another area to consider is around Bend, OR. At Newberry Crater NM, there are some CG's right down in the crater next to the lakes. Brochure Fun area to explore and a lake is always something kids love to have around when you're not out sightseeing. There's a pretty cool obsidian flow right by the road in the crater. There are also NFS CG's on the Cascade Lakes scenic drive west of Bend, where there are first-come, first-served sites.

There are a couple of main areas at Mt. St. Helens, and they aren't close to each other. There isn't much camping close to the mountain, but there are a number of NFS CG's in the area. Mt. St. Helens map Coming in from the west is the quickest access off of I-5, but camping options are limited. Seaquest SP has 11 sites that are walk up, so you might luck out there. Coming in from the east means more driving on slower state highways and NFS roads, but much more CG selection. The west side access passes by areas hit by the floods down the Toutle River and gets you up to the Johnston observatory. The east side access provides the closest road access to the crater and passes by Spirit Lake and other areas devastated by the blast.

I guess what I'm saying is that one can put together a pretty nice itinerary with some pre-planning. Know what CG's have walk up campsites and plan your travels so you arrive at a CG on a Wednesday or Thursday morning and plan to stay through Sunday.

[Ivylog]

Sorry, double post.

[Ivylog]

Here is an example of what I was able to find on a Friday without a reservation for two days on the coast. The Sunset Bay SP next door was full but there were three sites big enough for my 42' and by using my smart phone Sat finding app I picked the one that let me find the sat. I was able to call ahead on Friday noon to see if they had sites.
With a TC there were a half dozen sites still available for the weekend. Now that I've turned you on to City parks, please do not take the bigger sites as that may be the one I need. :B

[donn0128]

There are tons of NF campgrounds throughout OR/WA that are not on the reservation system. Start looking east of the Cascades and preferably east of hwy97

[Ivylog]

There are those that have to have reservations and there are those of us who wing it. Like you my plans for this summer have changed AGAIN so having reservations would be worthless. Like others have said, it's the weekends when CG tend to fill up so snag a site Thursday or early Friday (Non holiday weekend) and stay put in it over the weekend. Take some yellow tape and a folding chair that you leave to reserver your site while off in the TC.
I like this site as you have the option of selecting various types of CGs... Casino, USFS, SP, and often overlooked County/City Parks. I also like this site fo public CGs only as it uses a map with links for more details.
The nice thing about that area is it's cool enough so boondocking without a big generator is easy. Most of the places we stay at are no reservations and you put your money in a steel pipe. With that small a rig you will not have any problems except on weekends if you have not found a site and then you might have to go to a private CG.
My kids were not impressed that Crater lake is one of the deepest in the US or that the things sticking up around it are the petrified cores of volcanoes. I would put Mt. Rainier and Mt St Helen above it for visiting with kids.
We were in that area last summer and other than two rallies, we did not have reservations for the rest of the time and were able to stay on the beach and on some of the rivers along the coast without any reservations. Relax and enjoy your trip.

[Y-Guy]

We've gone to Crescent Lake which is north from Crater Lake for several year with our MH & boat, week long no reservations. There are many high mountain lakes in the Cascades with several NF campgrounds around them. You'll find some in Southern OR around the Redwoods too if that interests you.

I'll second what SteveAE said, it's very doable due to all the NF campgrounds.

View of Spring Campground at Crescent Lake... hard to beat the view and the price.

[SteveAE]

Hum, I have never made a camping reservation in Oregon or Washington.

That time of year, the coast is pretty busy, but if you get there early and are flexible, you are likely to find something.
In the Cascades, there are hundreds of Nat. Forest campgrounds that you will find openings in. And, if you don't, just go exploring down a logging road.

Come on up and relax.

[goducks10]

If you want to see Crater Lake then stay at Broken Arrow CG on Diamond Lake. It's a huge CG and is never full. It's about 20 mins to Crater lake from there. Lots of CG's in Oregon don't take reservations. If you show up on a thur or friday morning you should be able to find a spot. The coast will be all but impossible to get a spot on the weekend. But inland as well as central Oregon will have spots. St parks are the hardest to stay at without res during the summer.