Camping Excursions
Most of the camping excursions I do are off the beaten path. I just have something against paying a lot of money for a campsite, when my tax dollars are already paying for that campground. If you're looking for a nice place with bathrooms, showers, etc., you're not going to find too many on this page. Many of the places I camp are at trailheads, so I can get started on the trail at first light. For information on actual campgrounds in and around the Rogue Valley, check out http://rogueweather.com/. You'll also get an accurate forecast of the weather to expect on your camping trip.
Wild Cat Campground - Hyatt Lake: This turned out to be a great spot for a large group, as long as you're not too rowdy. Myself and about 20 friends rented out 7 or 8 of the 12 spaces here and had a great time. Some of the great things about this campground is there are no limits on how many cars per site, as long as the vehicles are on the pavement. The cost is only $7 per night. The Campround is pretty much right on the water so you have easy swimming and fishing access. Just up the road about a quarter mile is the PCT, for those who like to get their hike on. There is also a horseshoe pit in the campground. The campground is in a wooded setting, but it is not so thick that you can't find spots to pitch a tent. Most of the sites are pretty spacious too. My friends and I are already planning our trip up there for next year, but will probably only need 5 or 6 sites next time.
River Bridge camp spot: This isn't in the River Bridge Campground, but is very close to it. Directly across the road from River Bridge Campground there is a spur road that goes back along the river about a quarter mile. Along the way there are three different camp spots. I have camped at the first two. Unfortunately, people seem to leave a lot of trash behind at the third one, so I usually avoid that spot. The second one is my favorite. There is parking for prabably three vehicles and it is right on the river. There is a downed tree that someone cut a bench into, so you don't even need to pack chairs. I've camped here a couple of times, and the sound of the river flowing by is very soothing and makes it easy to sleep. The spot can probably comfortably accomodate 6-8 people, assuming they don't each have their own tent. But it is also the perfect spot for a solo campout or a romantic couple campout.
Scout Lake Group Camp: This is one of the few actual camprounds that I camp at. It is located off of HWY 20 just west of Sisters, OR. It's a group camp that will accommodate approximately 12-20 people depending on which actual site you have. I've only been here on Memorial day weekend, and even though the campground gets filled up it is still quiet. There are bathrooms at the campground and of course there is a lake (Scout Lake). Last time I was there (2011) it cost $30 a night for our site, which isn't bad when we have 3 or 4 families staying there. Scout Lake is just a small lake and I've never had any luck fishing it, but it is still pretty. Down the hillside from the campground is the much larger and much more popular Suttle Lake. The Campground is near the PCT and several other trails if you want to do some hiking. There are also other lakes in the area for fishing. The nearby town of Sisters is a cool place to check out the local shops. A trip to Smith Rock is only about 45 minutes away.
Bear Trap Canyon: This was a little campground just south of Bozeman, MT that I stayed at with my brother and his family in 2008. The campround is very isolated and there are just a few sites that are far apart. There are no bathrooms or trash cans, so what you bring in must be packed out. The only thing the sites have is a fire pit. There is not much in the way of shade, just sagebrush. The benefits of this camping area is its cost (I believe it was free) and its proximity to outdoor activities. The Madison River runs right by the campground and I hear the fishing is really good for Rainbow and Brown Trout. We didn't do any fishing since we didn't have MT licenses. The white water rafting on the river is supposed to be awesome also. Just a short distance upstream from the campsite the road ends and it comes to the Beartrap Canyon unit of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area. Here you can find some great hiking.
Hyatt Lake tent sites: This is spot that some friends and I camped at during free camping weekend. All BLM camprounds were free on Friday and Saturday night, so our group had three sites that we shared. There actually is bathrooms and showers at this campground, but they had them locked up the first day we were there. The sites are right next to the lake and makes it easy to go for a quick swim. There is also a playground for kids, right next to the campground. Some of the sites are close together which can be incovenient when not there as a group. The sites are all shaded, but a quick 100 foot (or less) walk to the shore will have you soaking up the rays from the rising sun in the mornings. Just up the road (quarter mile) there is another campground with horseshoe pits. Fishing at Hyatt Lake is usually pretty good also.