NFS Campground Review – Diamond Lake, Diamond Lake OR

The lovely Diamond Lake

A lovely lakeside forest service campground only ~10 miles from the entrance to Crater Lake, OR

Link to campground here: Diamond Lake NFS, OR 
Link to map location here: Diamond Lake NFS, OR

1. Site Quality = 2.5/5
   You have the whole gamut of site types in this place. Although officially a 35-foot max campground there are actually several sites that will fit bigger rigs, but there are also many, many others that are so slanted and small they would barely fit a pop-up. All sites are paved pull-through, back-in or doubles with various sizes of “sitting areas” containing picnic table and fire-pit. Several loops are right on the water with gorgeous water views. No hookups. There are a total of 238 sites in 11 loops and I’ll give a brief description of each:
   -> A Loop - This loop meanders north of the entrance with a portion of sites at the far end on the water. For big rigs the best (flattest) sites are near the entrance around A1,3,4,5 or around A15-17 – no views here, but great sites with huge “sitting areas”. Near the water sites are tighter and more uneven.
   -> B, D Loops – These are tighter loops that wrap behind the campground and sit closest to the road. They get some road noise and I don’t recommend them for bigger rigs.
   -> C Loop - This is probably the nicest water-front loop in the campground with several fabulous lake view spots (C6-C11) large and flat enough for bigger rigs. This would be my #1 pick coming back.
   -> E, F Loops – Water-front loops with mostly uneven sites. There are a few possible big rig spots, but it’s not my favorite area.
   -> G Loop - Southern-most loop along the water. This has some of the sunniest sites and lots of open lake views. Most sites are rather too uneven for big rigs, but a few (G23, 25, 28 and doubles G31, 34, 36) would potentially fit us. There is a tight-ish turn at the end of the loop, so beware of this before you go.
   -> H Loop - This is a large, spacious loop that wraps behind the campground. It has no lake views and sits mostly in shade, but many sites (H1,2,4,5,7,9,12,16,21,25,27) are large and flat enough for bigger rigs If A & C loops are filled, this would be my back-up choice for our size.
   -> K,L Loops – These are very tight, uneven and small sites by the water. Lots of privacy, great views and a good choice for truck-campers or pop-ups, but not recommended at all for big rigs.
   -> M Loop – Selection of sunny sites by the water. Most are too uneven, but a few longer sites (M2,7,13,15,17) would fit us. Nice lake views here and I’d try it if C were filled.
2. Facilities = 4/5  Very nice facilities for a forest service campground. Flush toilets and excellent showers (large stalls with very warm water and great pressure!), kept decently clean. Showers are on “donation” basis asking $1 for 5 minutes (totally worth it!). Only slight ding is showers have those annoying spray-heads. Also on-site dump station, but there’s a ”dip” going into it, so beware of your back-end. Potable water spigots at dump and around camp.
3. Location = 5/5 As far as nature goes this is really a lovely location. You are right by a gorgeous lake with 11-mile bike trail, miles (and miles) of hiking, mountains, great views, nearby lodge. You area also only ~10 miles from Crater Lake and right next to Umpqua River Trail and all the nature that entails. No real shopping here, so load up before coming.
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5 Another fabulous location for doggie. Lots of space to hang out in camp and miles of great hiking paths, all paw-friendly. Lake is pooch-swimmable, but watch for algae blooms.

Overall Rating =  4.1
BONUS ALERT: Lake views and miles of hiking & biking!

Summary: This campground came recommended by several blog readers (thanks, folks!) and I’m happy to say it totally lived up to its reputation. The location is fabulous, right on a lake with many sites offering partial or full lake views, and surrounded by miles of lovely hiking and biking trails. It’s the perfect stop-over for Crater Lake lying only ~10 miles from the National Park and also right next to the lovely Umpqua River trail (more hiking, waterfalls, hot tubs…). The campground itself is “officially” a 35-foot max, but you’ll find a few loops (especially A, C, H, G & M) that have select sites which will fit up to 42-foot size and even some with full lake views. Sites are paved but vary ALOT in how flat and accessible they are, so you have the full gamut from really ugly sites to stunning lake-front beauties. Take your time to drive the toad before you bring in the rig! According to locals the mosquitos here can be ferocious in summer, but when we visited (Sept) bugs were gone and the weather perfect. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our time here and I would peg it as our #1 spot to stay in the area when we come back.

Extra Info: Weakish 3G on Verizon (1-2 bars), but totally usable with our external antenna and amp. Total 238 sites , no hookups. Sites cost $16/night for singles, $21/night for doubles (50% off with senior pass). In summer season much of the campground reservable on-line, but it goes to first-come-first-serve after Sept 4th. On-site dump station and water spigots.

Extra, Extra Info – Other Camping, Boondocking: There are actually several other forest service campgrounds around Diamond Lake and nearby Lemolo Lake, plus there is a private RV park (rustic, but with full hookups) just down the road from the NFS site. You can also boondock officially within 300 feet of any forest service road and we scoped a few sites on the SW side of the lake which could fit us.

View of our enormous “sitting area” in A4. We did need levelling blocks under the front wheels to level though.

Another one of the larger, flat back-ins. Site A5 near the entrance.

View down the lovely C loop. Site C8 on left, C7 on right.

One of the lakefront sites in G-loop. Site G27. This has way too much lean for us.

View down G-loop. Pull-through G36 on right is a “double” site and would fit us.

View down K loop. Site K25 on left with K23, 22 behind it. These are all too small and unlevel for us, but would be nice sites for smaller campers.

View of one of the impossibly small/uneven sites in K-loop. Site K27 shown.

View down L loop. Lots of privacy and separation here, but very small sites. Site L4 on left.

View of one of the bigger sites in M loop. Site M15 shown.

View of spacious H loop. Site H15 on right with pull-through H16 behind it. No views in H, but lots of bigger sites.

View of typical “sitting area” with fire-pit and picnic table

SP Campground Review – Cape Blanco State Park, Cape Blanco, OR

Early morning hike on a gorgeous day to the lighthouse

A gorgeous and spacious first-come-first-serve state park on the S. OR Coast just ~10 miles north of Port Orford. If you love nature & lighthouses it doesn’t get any better than this!

Link to campground here: Cape Blanco State Park, OR
Link to map location here: Cape Blanco State Park, OR

1. Site Quality = 4.5/5
   Very nice sites here with just a very few dings. On plus side sites are huge with LOTS of privacy, excellent separation (probably the best privacy of any state park we’ve been to) and well protected from the crazy Cape Blanco weather. Sites are long paved back-ins with 50Amp/water and nice “sitting area” containing picnic table and fire-pit surrounded by green and trees. Sites on east of campground (~A12-A29) are more sunny than sites on heavily treed west side (A43-A53), but all provide excellent privacy and all are first-come-first-serve. The only dings are no full hookups and a few of the sites are somewhat unlevel. Also inner-facing sites are at right-angles to the road and not as easy to access for big rigs. The 6-mile road to the campground has a few rough spots, but is paved and easy to drive . Road access inside campground is good and sites are big enough for any sized rig.
2. Facilities = 3.5/5
   Good facilities here. Large flush toilets and warm showers with good pressure and kept nicely clean. Only ding is showers have those annoying timer-buttons and spray-heads. On-site picnic areas, river fishing, horse camp and group camp. Also on-site dump station, but it is currently out-of-order.
3. Location = 5/5
   Outstanding natural location here. You come to Cape Blanco to see the lighthouse and revel in the fabulous and wild nature of the cape. This is natural beauty in its’ rawest form with lots of empty hiking trails, 2 enormous (endless) beaches, tidepools, forest and all kinds of weather. There are several jaw-dropping view overlooks, picnic areas, and historic Hughes House. You are only ~10 miles from Port Orford which is a lovely old town with lots of historic interest and grocery/eating/shopping/RedBox etc., plus you are ~1/2 hour south of fabulous Bandon.
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Excellent location for doggie. Lots of space to hang out in camp, great hiking trails and miles (and miles) of free paw-friendly open space to roam on the beach. Most days you’ll be the only person on the beach!

Overall Rating =  4.5
BONUS ALERT: Stunning natural beauty plus gorgeous Cape Blanco Lighthouse on-site!

Summary: As far as natural beauty goes this is hands down our favorite state park campground on the entire OR coast. Cape Blanco is the western most point in OR and it is remote, wild and simply stunning! The campground itself is entirely first-come-first-serve, incredibly spacious with large sites separated by tons of space and privacy. Sites are long paved back-ins with picnic table, fire-pit and 50Amp/water. There is a 6-mile road to get here from Hwy 101 with a few bumps, but once you’re here you will be in your own world. Lots of hiking trails, dramatic cliffs, sweeping views, 2 enormous beaches, rivers, fishing, historic Hughes House and the lovely Cape Blanco Lighthouse. The campground is well protected, but be prepared for wind and crazy weather on your hikes and when that sun bursts out be ready to swoon from the sheer gorgeousness of it all. You are only ~10 miles from the old town of Port Orford which has some good eateries, groceries and historic interest, plus ~1/2 hour south of lovely Bandon. We absolutely loved it here, recommend it as a stop for everyone and will most definitely be back.

Extra Info: Weak 3G on Verizon (1-2 bars), but usable signal with external antenna/amp. Total 58 sites (50 amp/water). Sites cost $20/night in summer season, $16/night in off-season, all first-come-first-serve. On-site dump station, but it is currently out of operation (nearest dump $3 at Chevron in Port Orford).

Typical site view near entrance. Site A4 shown.

Site in sunny section near middle. #A14 shown.

Site on west forested side. #A41 shown

View towards entrance. Site A6 on right. Site A4 barely visible behind it.

Another view towards entrance. Site A8 on right. Site A7 behind it (hardly visible)

View down sunny section in middle. Site A27 on right. Site A26 behind it.

View down heavily forested west side of campground. Site A39 on right, A40 behind it.

View looking back to west side of campground. Site A47 on right, A46 behind it.

View of picnic table and firepit at each site

View of facilities in middle of campground

The lovely Cape Blanco lighthouse

Miles of gorgeous beach. Most of it deserted too!

SP Campground Review – Bullards Beach State Park, Bandon, OR

The lovely Coquille River Lighthouse at Bullards Beach State Park

Another gorgeous Oregon State Park complete with fabulous beach and cute lighthouse on the S.Coast near Bandon, OR

Link to campground here: Bullards Beach State Park, OR
Link to map location here: Bullards Beach State Park, OR

1. Site Quality = 4/5 Very nice site quality here. You have a selection of either full hookup (30 or 50 amp/water/sewer) or water/electric (30 or 50amp). Sites are flat, paved back-ins with picnic table, fire-pit and good access throughout. Only slight ding is that inner-loop sites (facing towards middle of loops) tend to be at right angles to the road, so they are not really suited for big rigs. There are 3 loops with and slightly different feel:
   -> A & B loops are older, more forested loops with generally very good separation and lots of trees/greenery, but can be darker (and support more mosquitoes in summer).
   -> C loop is newer and slightly tighter, but more open with some very sunny sites especially in back corner (C48-C52). This is our preferred location.
2. Facilities = 3.5/5 Good facilities here. Large flush toilets and warm showers with good pressure and kept nicely clean. Only ding is showers have those annoying timer-buttons and spray-heads. On-site dump station.
3. Location = 5/5 Great location here. Campground is set well back from the road with ~1 mile paved bike/hike trail to a gorgeous (and almost endless) beach. You’re also right next to the lovely Coquille River Lighthouse and only 5 miles from Bandon (an excellent little town with another stunning beach). Boat ramp (for river), plenty of picnic areas and horse camp on-site. Lots of space and green. Our kinda place!
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5 Great location for doggie. Lots of space to hang out in camp, good hiking and miles (and miles) of free open space to roam on the beach (~1 mile from camp). Poo bags provided on-site.

Overall Rating =  4.4
BONUS ALERT: Miles of gorgeous beach and Coquille River Lighthouse on-site!

Summary: Well this is just another great Oregon State Park! Set only ~5 miles north of Bandon it is a lovely state park with miles of excellent, wild beach and the cute Coquille River Lighthouse on-site. Campsites are well-sized flat, paved back-ins with selection of either full hookup or water/electric (mix of 30 & 50 amp), good separation and lots of green. A & B loops have more trees/privacy, but can also be a tad moister & darker. C loop is tighter and more open (less privacy), but is also more dry/sunny. The only complaint this place ever seems to get is mosquitoes (and they can get active in the woods on still, humid summer days) so we personally prefer the more sunny sites, but all are nice. Location is excellent with ~1 mile pleasant hike to the lovely Bullards Beach, ~5 mins drive to Bandon (which has restaurants, farmers market, shopping, tide-pools, stunning beaches etc.), ~1/2 hour drive to Cape Blanco (in the south) and 1/2 hour to Cape Arago (in the north). We enjoyed lots of sun and pleasant days  during our stay in July, spent many hours hiking and romping on the gorgeous beach, thoroughly enjoyed the surroundings and would most definitely come back!

Extra Info: Good 3G on Verizon (2-3 bars). Total 185 sites , 104 full hookup (either 30 or 50 amp/water/sewer), 81 electric (30 or 50 amp)/water. Sites cost $24/night in summer season, $20/night in off-season, all reservable on-line. On-site dump station.

Typical site view (#A24 shown)

Another site view (#C61 shown)

View down beginning of A loop. Site A8 on right.

View down more open section of A loop (RV in #A11 with empty space A10 on left)

View down forested section of A Loop (RV on right in A53 with A51, A50 on left)

View down end of B loop (RV in B53 with B52 on left)

View down middle of C loop. Site C16 on right with our RV in C15 behind it.

View down very sunny section of C loop corner. Site C52 on right with C50 behind it.

View down end of C loop (RV in site C62 on right with C60 behind it)

View of facilities

Gorgeous Bullards Beach…so many miles of beach!

CP Campground Review – Emigrant Lake County Park, Ashland, OR

Enjoying the view at MPRSE Site#21B at Emigrant Lake County Park

A lovely county park with simply stunning lake views right outside of Ashland in S.Central OR. This review is for the RV area “The Point RV Park”.

Link to campground here: Emigrant Lake County Park, Ashland, OR
Link to map location here: Emigrant Lake County Park, Ashland, OR

1. Site Quality = 4/5
   Overall very nice sites here, with only a few dings. Sites are all large paved surfaces with full hookups (50Amp/water/sewer), nice “sitting areas” containing picnic table and fire-pit and good separation. The sites are all well-tiered on a hill with sites along the front lake-side of the loop at a lower level than the back-side of the loop so views are tremendous with almost full lake/hill views out of every single site. Easy access and space for big rigs all around. The only dings are that there is sparse shade and some sites are very unlevel with rather large leans in the parking pad. Flattest sites are 2,3,4,6,7,14,16,18,19,20,22, 27,28,29, and then there is the “super-prime” site #21 which sits all by itself in a huge flat pull-out at the very end of the loop. This site, on its own, gets 10/10 for space, views & access. If you can get it, book it!!
2. Facilities = 4/5
   Good facilities here. Large and clean toilets, plus big individual pay ($0.25 for 4 mins) shower stalls. Several boat-ramps around the lake. On-site dump station.
3. Location = 5/5
   We absolutely loved the location here. You are right on a gorgeous lake with access to day-use areas, boating & lake activities, lots of hiking, fishing and swimming, and even a water-slide for the kids. Ashland is only a few miles away and has golf, a lovely downtown and strong theatre scene, plus you can access mountain hiking in nearby Mt.Ashland.
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Great spot for doggie. You are right on a lake and pooch can access/swim in the water right from the campground. Also easy hiking directly from your campsite. Only place you can’t take doggie is the day-use areas, but there is plenty of other space around.

Overall Rating = 4.5
BONUS ALERT = Gorgeous lake-views from just about every campsite!

Summary: I can already tell you that based on views alone this campground is going to make our top 10 of the year. Campsites are nicely tiered with lake-side sites at a lower level than back-side of the loop so you get outstanding lake & hill views out of pretty much every single site. Add to that full hook-ups, good “sitting areas”, water activities, lots of nearby hiking and fabulous theatre-going in Ashland and I think this place is a super-sweet combo. It ALSO has the MPRSE, site #21 which is a huge pull-through at the very end of the loop and really worth the booking, if you can get it. The only possible dings I can give is that some of the sites are rather unlevel (see above for details) and there’s only sparse shade. At the time of year and temps we were here this place was quiet and absolutely lovely, but I gather from others that it gets rather hot and very crowded in the summer, esp. when kids are out of school & everybody uses the lake. For that reason it seems to get rather mixed reviews on the web. As far as our experience goes, however, this is a prime campground. We thoroughly enjoyed the stay as well as the surrounding area and there’s no doubt we’ll be coming back for more.

Extra Info: Good 3G on Verizon (3-4 bars). Total 32 sites all full hookup (50 amp/water/sewer) and all reservable on-line. Sites cost $26/night. On-site dump station.

View of one of back-ins near beginning of loop (site #8 shown). This has some lean to it.

View of one of the lower back-ins, Site #19

View of one of the pull-through sites. #22 shown.

View of one of the upper-level sites (#26 shown)

View of another of upper-level sites (#28 shown)

View of picnic table and fire-pit (site #22 pictured)

View of our site (#21) at very end of loop

Another view of our site #21 without the RV (only the car is parked there)

View down front of loop.From left to right site #14 (empty), #13 (diabled), #12 (RV), #11 (empty), #10 (RV)

View near far end of loop. Site #19 on left, RV in 18 and 16 on right.

View down back-side of loop. RV on right in site#25. Sites 24, 23, 22 shown down the hill. Our RV is just visible at the end in site #21.

View of facilities

View of hiking trail right by the campground

“Freebie” Site Review – Valley River Center, Eugene, OR

Lovely views from the Riverbank Trail in Eugene, OR

One of the nicest “freebie” overnight parking spots we’ve ever encountered, right in downtown Eugene, OR

Location: Valley River Center, Eugene, OR
Coordinates: 44.069704,-123.110905. Link to map location HERE 
Cost: FREE
How We Found It: Word of mouth plus Laurie and Odel’s post.
Nearest Dump/Water: Several dump stations available around Eugene. For a full listing click HERE.

1. Access – 5/5
   Super-easy access here. The mall has a spacious parking lot and all access roads are wide and paved.
2. Nature – 4/5
   For an “urban” setting you have spectacularly good nature access here. You are right by several of Eugene’s best downtown green parks (one of which is literally across the bridge), plus next to miles of the lovely river-front hiking/biking trail.
3. Isolation – 1/5
   This is a city location and it’s a known “freebie” spot so expect some company.
4. Pet Friendliness – 5/5 
   Great pet spot. You are right next to miles of river-walk trails including large, green parks and access to the water. There is even a fabulous off-leash dog-park ~2 miles down the trail in Alton Baker park.

Overall Rating = 3.75

Summary: Although I’ve written about “freebies” on the blog before I rarely review the spots we go to since most of them are simply parking lots. This one is different and deserves a shout-out. If I were to describe my “ideal” urban parking spot this would probably be it -> Want a spacious site? Access to shopping and a movie? Directly next to hiking/biking trails and green parks?  A nice river? Throw in a first-class off-leash dog-park? If it’s a “yes” to all then this is your spot. The spot is located nicely in the SW corner of Valley River Center on a lesser-used part of the parking lot. You are RIGHT next to the Ruth Bascon Riverbank hiking/biking trails (in fact you can park with your door open to the trail), plus plenty of green parks (right across the bridge) and all the shopping you need next door in the mall (incl. movie theatre). You can even hike the 2 miles down the river trail to a huge, gorgeous off-leash doggie park. The lot is open to RVers, allowing slides out/jacks down and patrolled by security who will usually come around and give you a free ”pass” (2-day limit) to stay. We were there during a Ducks game (a BIG DEAL around here) so it was a lot more crowded than usual and they didn’t bother issuing passes, but it still felt very safe and quiet. My only possible ding is that you do get noise from the trains a few miles away, but it’s a minor point. If we need a few free nights in Eugene we’d have no hesitation coming here again.

Extra Info: Flush toilets in the mall and across the bridge in the park, plus garbage in the lot, but no water or other facilities. Verizon smartphone and aircard worked. Laure and Odel have more info and detailed driving instructions to this spot on their blog here.

The parking lot at Valley River Mall. It was more crowded than usual because of the in-town Ducks game.

View from our RV towards the mall and the Regal Movie Theatre (on right)

Another view of the parking lot. The river trail is directly by the trees on the left

RVer parked by the river trail (on the right)

The lovely green park just across the walkway from the mall

Walking the riverwalk trail with Polly