Deschutes River State Recreation Area

This is a great spot for an easy campout with options for hiking, biking, and fishing or base camp/trailhead for greater adventures. The camp sits right where the Deschutes River flows into the Columbia, offering quick access to fishing as well as fantastic scenery and historical markers about the region. Several different trails offer Scouts opportunities for hikes with and without elevation gain.

Scouts can jump on the flat "rails to trails" route with their bikes and do a flat out-and-back of up to 26 miles. Local guidebooks describe advanced cycling routes of up to 50 miles. Campsites along the way provide the opportunity for backpacking or bike-packing into backcountry sites.

If you connect with the park rangers ahead of time, they often have opportunities for conservation projects that they could use Scout help with.

We camped at sites A33 & A34 and had plenty of room in the large field behind our sites for tents.

BEWARE: Unless you're camping in a backcountry site (and especially if you're in the A loop), you will hear the horns and engines of passing trains running east-west along south side of I-84 at all hours. Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper.