Oregon Outdoor Guide: Campgrounds, Trails, Beaches & RV Spots
Key Takeaways
- Mazama Campground is the best family base for Crater Lake — showers, laundry, and ranger programs, all a short drive from the rim
- The Oregon coast is for tidepooling, beachcombing, and dune-climbing, not swimming — cold water and strong currents make actual swimming a secondary activity here
- Fort Stevens State Park is Oregon’s largest coastal campground and the best all-around family RV base on the coast
- Multnomah Falls requires a timed-use permit in summer — plan ahead if that’s on your Columbia River Gorge itinerary
Waterfalls, Coastline, and a Genuinely Blue Lake
Oregon’s outdoor identity runs through the Columbia River Gorge’s waterfalls, Crater Lake’s impossibly blue water, and a dramatic, cool-water coastline — three very different trips worth treating separately.
Campgrounds
Mazama Campground — Crater Lake National Park
7 miles from the rim, with 214 sites, showers, laundry, and ranger programs — the best family base for Crater Lake by a wide margin.
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Fort Stevens State Park — Astoria
Oregon’s largest coastal campground, with over 470 sites where the Columbia meets the Pacific. Paved bike trails, the Peter Iredale shipwreck right on the beach, and lake access make this the best coastal campground for families wanting real variety.
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Beverly Beach State Park — Newport
A creekside campground a minute’s walk from the ocean, with both RV sites and yurts — a great place to let kids explore, open year-round.
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Lost Lake Resort — Mt. Hood
One of the most photogenic campgrounds in the state, with Mt. Hood reflected in the lake. A general store and canoe/kayak rentals round out a genuinely peaceful spot — no motorized boats allowed.
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Harris Beach State Park — Brookings
The last major coastal campground before California, with dramatic offshore sea stacks and more sun than most of the Oregon coast.
Learn moreHiking Trails
Multnomah Falls / Wahkeena Falls Loop — Columbia River Gorge
Oregon’s tallest waterfall, with the iconic Benson Bridge. A timed-use permit is required in summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day) — plan ahead rather than showing up without one.
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Eagle Creek to Punch Bowl Falls — Columbia River Gorge
A roughly 3.8-mile family-friendly out-and-back to a genuinely swimmable pool in summer — a good pick if you want a hike that ends with a real reward.
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Sweet Creek Falls — near Mapleton (Central Coast)
A mostly flat trail past waterfalls around every bend, with wading opportunities for kids in summer — a genuine family favorite.
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Cleetwood Cove Trail — Crater Lake National Park
The only trail down to the lake shore and boat dock, at roughly 2.2 miles round trip with a steep descent and climb. This is the only legal lake access — worth the effort if your family wants to actually touch the water.
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Mirror Lake Loop — Mt. Hood National Forest
A roughly 4-mile family-friendly hike to a lake with a picnic and swim spot, plus genuine Mt. Hood reflections — best in spring for wildflowers.
Learn moreBeaches
Cannon Beach
Home to the 235-foot Haystack Rock, with a wide, flat beach and real tidepools at low tide (sea stars, anemones). Tufted puffins nest on the rock in late spring. A charming, walkable town rounds out the visit.
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Oswald West State Park / Short Sand Beach (“Shorties”)
A forested cove reached by a short walk through coastal rainforest — a quiet, scenic favorite among surfers and families alike. Parking fills on summer weekends, so don’t count on the highway shoulder.
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Hug Point State Recreation Site
Sea caves, a small waterfall, and remnants of the old beach highway, accessible at low tide — a genuinely fun exploration spot for kids.
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Cape Kiwanda — Pacific City
Towering dunes to climb, real surfing, and the only dory-boat launch on the coast — good for families wanting more activity than a typical beach stop.
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Manzanita
A soft-sand, 7-mile beach backed by grassy dunes and Neahkahnie Mountain — relaxed and genuinely less crowded than the bigger-name stops.
Learn moreFraming: treat the Oregon coast as a place for tidepooling, beachcombing, and dune-climbing — water is cold and currents can be strong, so swimming stays a secondary activity here.
RV Spots
Fort Stevens State Park — Astoria
Full-hookup RV sites within the state’s largest coastal campground — paved bike trails and beach access make this the top family RV base on the coast.
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Memaloose State Park — Columbia River Gorge
Full-hookup RV sites with a dump station and showers, plus genuine Gorge and Rowena Crest views.
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Mazama Campground — Crater Lake National Park
RV-capable (no hookups) with showers and laundry — the practical RV base for a Crater Lake trip.
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Crater Lake RV Park — Prospect area
A private full-hookup alternative near the Rogue River, with paved big-rig sites if the in-park option is full.
Learn morePlanning Your Trip
Crater Lake should anchor a trip if you want the state’s single most distinctive landscape — base at Mazama and use Cleetwood Cove as your one real lake-access hike. If the coast is the priority, Cannon Beach and Fort Stevens together give you the best mix of scenery, tidepools, and real family RV infrastructure. And if waterfalls are the goal, plan around Multnomah Falls’ summer permit system before you build the rest of your Gorge itinerary.