A number of local campgrounds owned and maintained by the Oregon Department of Forestry are closing for the season in the coming days, ODF said.
“As we move into fall, keeping Oregonians safe in the forest is important. With snowfall, high winds, and heavy rainfall it’s essential that we close some campgrounds as conditions change and many become inaccessible,” said ODF’s Recreation Operations Manager Joe Offer in a press release.
ODF also said lower staffing levels in the fall and winter months contribute to the seasonal closures.
Starting Monday, October 2, the following campgrounds will be closed until they reopen at some point in the spring of 2024:
Tillamook State Forest
Gales Creek Campground
Reehers Camp Campground
Jones Creek Campground
Nehalem Falls Campground
Morrison Eddy Campground
Clatsop State Forest
Spruce Run Campground – Loops B & C
Beaver Eddy Campground
Starting October 31, the following Tillamook State Forest campgrounds will be closed:
Browns Camp Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Campground
Jordan Creek OHV Campground
On December 1, the Clatsop State Forest will also see Northrup Creek Horse Campground close.
Still looking to camp in the fall and winter months? If that’s your cup of tea, you’re in luck – several campgrounds in the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests will remain open year-round.
They include:
Tillamook:
Keenig Creek Campground
Elk Creek Campground
Diamond Mill OHV Campground
Stagecoach Horse Campground
Clatsop:
Spruce Run Campground – Loops A & D
Gnat Creek Campground
Viewpoint OHV Campground
The full list, which also includes campgrounds in the Santiam State Forest, can be found online.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.