Oregon overland camping

[Chad Michael]

Just bought a 19 tacoma TRD Off-Road LB and I don't really know any places to go camp. Does anyone have any trails that I could go to and go from there to find a camping spot?
I know a lot of people say to go BLM but does anyone have specific areas I could check out? I work most of the week so I don't have the most time to go and find new spots.
Appreciate it!

 

[genocache]

On Youtube check out; Coyote Works and softroadingthewest I'm sure there are others too.

 

[Chad Michael]

On Youtube check out; Coyote Works and softroadingthewest I'm sure there are others too.

Are they from Oregon?

 

[USStrongman]

Oregon is kinda big. What areas of oregon are you interested in? Big difference between Astoria and Jordan Valley. In addition, are you looking for woods, mountains, desert, ocean? Lots of variables.

 

[Tango Tiger]

@Chad Michael, to answer your question to genocache, yes, both of the YouTube channels he mentioned are people from Oregon and most of their videos are in Oregon.

 

[M Rose]

Are they from Oregon?

Being that you are in the Willamette Valley, you have a lot of places to go all around you. Pick a direction and go. how far do you want to travel?

 

[M Rose]

Oregon is kinda big. What areas of oregon are you interested in? Big difference between Astoria and Jordan Valley. In addition, are you looking for woods, mountains, desert, ocean? Lots of variables.

That’s what I love about Oregon, we have it all within a 8 hour drive.

 

[janders]

Use the time you do have to get out there and explore. Don't just rely on people to tell you where to camp. I'll tell you our process to find places. We really dislike most campgrounds so it's dispersed camping for us on public lands.

Step 1 - Get good maps. Gazateers, Gaia, OnX, Forest Service maps. Any of them are great.
Step 2 - Look for National Forests or large swaths of BLM land on those maps. I like to target areas that look like they have a lot of Forest Service roads. If you're in the Willamette Valley, look around the Willamette NF or head east to the Deschutes NF. Follow the McKenzie River out towards Sisters.
Step 3 - Check satellite views of the areas for clear cuts or recent forest fires. No good planning a trip just to end up in an area that was just nuked and paved by a logging company or burnt down the last couple years.
Step 4 - Buy beer. (Don't skip this step!)
Step 5 - Gas up and go. Hit those FS roads and just check them out. There's tons of dispersed camping sites scattered all over. Go find them.

Seriously. I find almost all of our spots but just picking a FS road and driving it. There are spur roads off those main FS roads and some of them are a blast to drive and have legit awesome dispersed campsites. I use Gaia for planning and navigating. When I find a cool campsite, I mark the location in Gaia and add a photo so I can remember it. When we're out camping, we are constantly scouting for sites, even though we might not stay at a place.

Last weekend we went out to the Olympic Peninsula. We had our eye on a ridgetop campsite that did not disappoint. But in our scouting, we also collected 4 other campsites that would have been awesome and one crazy-ass ex-quarry turned dirt bike terrain park.

 

[David C Gibbs]

Hi Chad, welcome to OverlandBound... I have a two drawer File loaded with maps. Oregon is split into Eastern, Central, West and Misc. There are 1000's of places to travel to. On highway, Off-highway, Forest Service roads, the Oregon Back-Country Discovery Route, etc. You'll need to determine "How rough do you what to go?" and "How Cold, or Wet do you want to be?" You didn't tell us - if you Fish, Hunt, shoot photos, Rock Climb, Mtn Bike. etc? Do you want to see topography and geological changes? You have the Deschutes National Forest and River in your backyard... Oregon holds the smallest Mountain Range called the Steen's... Highly recommended. You've got lots of places to visit, camp and explore. The Cascades Lake highway, the MacKenzie Pass Tour route, the Hwy 126 Prineville tour, Crooked River and Smith Rock State Park, Paulina Lakes on Newberry Crater... Oregon has 126 Ghost Towns. The US Forest Service use to have a Campground Guide.

Then there's Washington State to the North, Idaho to the East, Calif and Nevada to the South.
David, in Boise

 

[David C Gibbs]

Chad,
90% of your "Overlanding" will be on paved highways & roads, graded County & Forest Services roads. It's about Exploring, and other activities. I am an Avid Fly-fisherman, Photographer, Writer, Hiker, Mtn Biker and a big, lazy, loafer. We drove to West Yellowstone a couple weeks back. First couple days I ate, and ate, and then read the books I brought with me. 2 Days - I fly-fished the Madison. We then traversed the Parks (Yellowstone, Grand Tetons) and spent several days on the South Fork of the Snake in Idaho. My "Overlanding" was to get me to the River access, and photo spots. Buy yourself a really good compass, and learn to read a Topo map. It may save your life, when your in a "No Cell Service" zone....
Go, Do, Be... Oregon is calling.
David in Boise, ID

 

[Gman1957]

Hi Chad

First I agree with what all the others have said -- Start by just getting out there! I'm new too and am soaking everything up like a sponge.

What I've learned so far is #1 Download the Gaia Gps App and watch youtube videos to learn it then #2 I found some folks on here who shared trails they've done
go to https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/AAA (AAA is place you want to go in your state) or try overland trail guides who list some routes in a few states

From what I've seen from youtube and the 2 guys mentioned The Steen Mountains and Alvord Desert in SE Oregon Corner look Awesome! (Coyoye Works and softroadingthewest)

I hope that helps and anything else just contact me jgarrett123@hotmail.com

Cheers and Good Luck

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Oregon is beautiful, I've not been there in years.

Thanks for the reminder....