roadtripper6705901

We spent a week in Crescent City to get away from the smoke nearly everywhere else. They put us in Site 29, in the lower loop behind the office. This is the loop I'd recommend because there is good spacing between sites and traffic passes the loop only upon entering the park. We used the bathroom regularly because our little folding camper isn't self-contained. It's a bit of a walk up the hill to the bathroom from our site, but not as far as some parks we've visited. The bathrooms were well-maintained, although the showers were a little tight. On the men's side they were sometimes all in use in the morning, but free most other times. I think there are a number of workers and other permanent residents in the upper loop, but they keep their areas neat and we had no noise issues. We could hear the foghorn, but it was much fainter than other locations in town. The location was ideal--a few minutes from downtown but away from traffic enough to be pleasant, camping among the trees and birds. The staff was friendly and available. They charge extra for Wifi, but we didn't use it. Their provider had a cable problem early in our stay, and we didn't inquire later whether it had been resolved. What little online we needed we did through Verizon. Don't miss the organic blueberry farm 1/2 mile north, at the intersection of Parkway Drive and Hwy 199.

We didn't stay here, just visited to hike the trail and check it out for a future campsite. It's a fine, wooded campground for smaller rigs, but I won't be bringing my 20' trailer in there. A few of the sites are long enough for a 20-24' rig, but quite sloped. I can deal with that, but the road in would be too tough on my trailer. Stayed at one of the campgrounds along the Big Hole River instead. A week earlier we went into the 18 mile dirt road to Mussigbrod Lake, and that was easier than the 6 mile drive to Seymour. The lake is more of a pond, but a pretty walk from the campground. A mile up the road is a main trailhead for the Pintlar Wilderness, Upper Seymour Lake, Goat Flat, and the Continental Divide Trail. If you're hiking those, this would be a good starting or ending camp. I just wouldn't take an RV of any size in there. There was one trailer there, about 18' long. But I'm sure it was a challenging drive in.

This is an unmarked, informal spot just downstream of the rail bridge crossing the Powder River, just above where it enters the Yellowstone. We have a 15' Aliner folding trailer, and wouldn't take anything larger in there. There are no facilities and barely a track in there, but it was private and peaceful. There are trains that pass through at night, but because there are no crossings, they don't blow their whistles. To get there we turned North off of the (Old MT Hwy 10) frontage road west of Terry, just on the east end of the Powder River Bridge. Then we (slowly, carefully) drove down the dirt track toward the river, turned right under the rail bridge, and followed the track as far as we could go. Apparently, at one time that track continued downstream to the Yellowstone, but the Powder has eroded it away at the base of a bluff.
It is possible to access the big cottonwood flat at the mouth of the Powder. We walked it that evening. It's a rough enough access that I would only do it with a pickup camper or a high-clearance trailer. If you want to go to that flat, here's how: After passing under the rail bridge, go up the hill to the flat pasture on top. There's a stock gate--be sure to close it behind you. Head north on that road until it turns left and drops back down to the river. There's another gate (be sure to close it). Below the gate is the roughest part of the access. You may want to walk it before risking your rig. Once you get down, there's a big cottonwood flat with numerous campsites. There was one pickup camper there when we walked through on a June weekend. This is apparently BLM land, but please respect the stock fencing. Since we spent only one night, prior to visiting Terry Badlands, we didn't even try to access the flat at the mouth of the river.
Our spot below the railroad bridge was private enough, but we had to park so close to the river that we had to be careful coming and going from our trailer. There are no toilets, fire pits, water, or other services.

We regret we had only one night to stay here, on our way home from the coast. The pre-reserved site was waiting for us, with our name already posted. We pulled in and didn't have to unhook our vehicle. It's next to the fairgrounds with the John Day River running next to it. There is a shaded trail running beside the river toward the edge of town, and we enjoyed walking that several times. This was on a Thursday in late August, and there were several sites not taken. On a weekend I suspect it would be full. The trees shading the park were most welcome in the heat, and we could run our AC when needed. The location was very quiet. We hope to return to John Day, perhaps in the spring when the wildflowers are in bloom, and spend more time in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.

This is an older, primitive, 4-site, old-fashioned Forest Service campground 9 miles up dirt roads from the Lima exit. I'd not recommend it for large RV's, but it's a great place to get away. We stayed in a small Aliner trailer. We picked the uppermost site, which required a lot of leveling, but had great views of the Lima Peaks and Mt. Garfield. None of the sites are very level. There was only one other camper at the time, and I doubt it's ever full. Site #3 was so overgrown it took some time for us to find it, so I doubt it's ever used. Also, there are level, dispersed campsites along the last mile there that could be used, although without pit toilets. You must bring your own water. The campground is free, and the only services are old, wooden pit toilets, which were in good repair and had paper. There is good hiking nearby on trail #40. The trail head is at the end of the Middle Sheep Creek road, which forks off a mile or so on the road back towards Lima. This is high, arid, mostly open country with great views and few visitors. The nearest cell service is about 8 miles back towards Lima. There is a good air ambulance service out of Idaho, which we had to use when my wife, an experienced hiker, fell and injured her back 2 miles up the trail. They flew her to the excellent Dillon hospital & she's now fully recovered. In spite of that, she still wants to go back to East Creek!

We didn't stay here, as we were already set up at Lower Big Lost River. However, we checked it out and spoke with the camp host. It's clean and convenient, and the east part of the park is treed. We'd certainly consider staying here on a return visit. To book a spot, she said, go to the city's web page http://mackayidaho-city.com/home-3/
Here's the deal, according to the website:
Park is closed on Tuesday and Wedensday for maintenance and watering. Camping in the City Tourist Park is free for TWO (2) days and TWO (2) nights on a first come first served basis. NOTE: a spot you select may be reserved by someone else during those two days and two nights which would require you as a nonreservation visitor to vacate that spot.

PLEASE CHECK WITH CAMP HOST BEFORE SELECTING A SPOT
CHECK OUT TIME IS 10:00 A.M.
To ensure that you would not have to move during your stay, it is recommended that you reserve your camp spot by using the web page. Reservation can be made for up to five (5) consecutive days. No fee is charged for the camp site, However a $35.00 fee is charged for using the web page to make the reservation, posting of reserved signs and maintenance.

Some of the hot springs books and maps still in print refer to the Basin Creek Campground & hot spring. The campground was flooded and removed years ago. However, there's a narrow FS road going up the right side of Basin Creek with several nice, flat dispersed sites about 1/2 mile up. The road's a little narrow, with steep approaches, so I wouldn't take a big rig in. There's no point in going further up the road...we did so and found no campsites. We spent the night there in a teardrop and went down to the hot springs for a dip. The spring is at the edge of the creek below the rock formation, just as you leave the highway. There may be some blue tarps and hand-made rock soaking pools, depending on the time of year. In the fall the hot spring water was quite hot, and the creek water is quite cold, so it takes some thermal management. A short distance upriver on the highway is the parking area and changing room for Kem Hot Spring, a very hot pool on the edge of the Salmon River. In low water you need a bucket to cool it off with river water. We didn't even check for cell service at our camp. It's in a tight canyon, and I doubt there's any.

This is now known as the Three Frogs Campground and sits directly above the lake shore trailhead on the north side of Lake Como. this rate reflects 50% Senior Discount. We planned on spending our 1st nights in our new 20' trailer at the lower campground, which has hookups. That campground was full on a Tuesday morning, with only 2 sites planning to vacate that day, and several RV's poised for those spots. We came here instead, not sure if sites would be available or big enough for our rig. No problem. I wouldn't take anything larger than 22' in here, but were are several sites big enough for us. On a Tuesday and Wednesday in June, it never filled more than 50%. This camp has pit toilets and several water spigots. The camp hosts were friendly, and the winding one-way access limited unnecessary traffic. There was some boat noise, but nothing like on a weekend.
We stayed in site #3, with a view of the lake. The upper sites are more private, but further from the lake and after spring rains there was some standing water.
We live nearby, and I've been going to Lake Como for 60+ years. What was once a quiet local getaway has been developed by the USFS and by its own popularity, to the point that I NEVER go there on a summer weekend. That being said, there is still a great trail to the head of the lake, about 2 1/2 miles, where a waterfall plunges under a footbridge into the lake. About 1/4 mile up the canyon above the lake is another falls that splits into 3 during spring runoff. Halfway between the campground and the head of the lake is a view across the lake to Little Rock Creek Falls. In spite of its popularity, Como is worth a visit, if you can do it on a weekday.

We stayed here in an Aliner folding trailer for 2 nights in early September while bicycling the Hiawatha. It's not far from the freeway, but quiet and uncrowded. The outhouses are the basic USFS variety and were clean. The sites are level and widely-spaced. There is a nice nature trail from the campground. Because our trailer is small we didn't explore the left-hand loop, which, I believe, has some spots for larger RV's. I'm sure we'll stay there again.

This is one of my favorite campgrounds--not just because it's in a beautiful, old-growth ponderosa pine stand with plenty of space between sites. It's also named for Sam Billings, one of the fine old forest rangers I knew in my youth, along with his wife Florence. A WWI vet, he made a special effort in the '40's to preserve this flat from logging, because it had "everything a campground should have." It's about a mile from the paved road, on a gravel access road that can have a few pits and washboard, but is no problem if taken slowly. There are several sites that will accommodate our 20' trailer, and several pit toilets. There's a group site with 3 tables and 4 or 5 vehicle pads. It's near the trailhead for Boulder Creek, which is a nice walk, however far you go up. Only 1/2 mile up the Boulder Creek trail is one of those great granite "sluices" where the creek rushes and tumbles across bare rock. The Boulder Creek Falls is about 5 miles up the trail. We stayed 2 nights this time, and visited 3 areas of the West Fork. Next year the FS proposes a $10 fee for use. I support this plan, if the fee goes to maintain this great campground, access road, and trailhead.