My partner is a hot springs enthusiast and always seems to have this on his list for how he wants…read moreto celebrate his birthday. The drive out from Portland is long, but after you get here the trip is really enjoyable, we often try to plan a night somewhere closer. It's 12$ for a 2 hour visit, they do take credit cards. We tend to be here mid week mid day so we have not had any issue with parking. There are always other people present, but it has never seemed overly busy. The staff we interact with are always very pleasant. There is a bathroom in the parking lot. It's a short walk up to the hot springs, I'm confident mostly anyone could do this. It's nice to feel like you are in nature. I imagine this was a much more beautiful area before the fires, but I am thankful that it did reopen and is usable. Do make sure you bring some water to stay hydrated while hot springing. Do be aware that sometimes people are unclothed at hot springs. Also know that hot springs are hot and this may not be how you want to spend a hot day. There are multiple pools of multiple sizes which do vary in heat. There is a small stream with cold water running nearby. There are places to sit where you can be partially in the water. If you are planning to walk around a lot you may want water shoes as these rocks can be hot on your feet. We always have a nice time and leave feeling rejuvenated. I keep meaning to look into camping options nearby. I'd love to experience this with some friends on my next visit.

This is a clothing optional Hotsprings, we learned this the hard way after driving 5 hours my…read moregrandson was not so pleasantly surprised lol. So we immediately left..our bad. Oops....But the host was so friendly gave us recommendations on when to come back without him. What the best times are and nearby campgrounds. $12 a person 12 and up. Short walk from the parking lot up to the springs. Pack it in pack it out, porta pots in the lot. We will be back.

Here is my review of clear lake for row boat use!…read more We got here at 930 am. Found the pay box at the entrance $9, no cash. There is an option to pay at the bottom which we should have done because they take the national park passes there (see picture). We were able to find parking in the main lot and there were a few people there. We weren't sure how the process of renting the boats or availability of life jackets. There is a shop that sells food, snacks, drinks, ice cream , and desserts. They also have a selection of fishing items, shirts, jackets. We paid for the boat - $60 for the large boat all day. The life jackets were plentiful and available. My husband rowed most of the time because I am not a good rower. We made it from the dock to the start of the river that you can't go past which is good since you could hear the rapids. The way to the left was a lot calmer and clear. We had a blast out on the lake. You could see down near the shallows but not in the middle of the lake. Make sure to bring sunscreen because there isn't much shade. The facilities are great!! Two bathrooms in the shop. Large tables to sit and enjoy a hot cooked meal or ice cream. I am so glad we were able to make a morning on the lake super easy and stress free! Next time I'm thinking of renting a kayak or a stand up paddle board. That would be fun! If you are in the area make sure to stop by early. As we were leaving, the parking lot was filled up so make sure to get there early! I hope my review and pictures help you plan for a successful visit to Clear Lake!

A beautiful setting for the perfect romantic getaway or family weekend escape. The cabins are…read morecozy with gas stoves and heaters and the boat rentals are very affordable is you want to connect with the water. We enjoyed a wonderful hike around the lake which took us through forests, lava fields, and springs with wooden bridges. The views were amazing!

What a gift it is to be surrounded by so much natural beauty. Today I was able to hike Sahalie…read moreFalls, Koosah Falls, and Tomalitch Blue Pool, all in one out and back 10.5 mile trek. The drive to the trailhead took 2.5 hours from my home in Portland, so we left by 6. If you arrive after 9 or 10 you have to deal with the crowds. Sahalie Falls was first and can be accessed very easily from the parking lot - no hike required. Keep this one in mind if you have mobility limitations. If you're up for it, hit the trail here. A short distance along the Mckenzie Creek will take you to Koosah Falls. Gorgeous, with falling turquoise water. Want a scare? Look up the fools who cliff jump from here. Incredible. After that you pass by the reservoir, then have a nice hike along a soft pine needle path down to Tomalitch Blue Pool. Again with the cliff jumping. Don't do it! So dangerous. But do carefully follow the pink ribbons over the rock ledge and down to the shore. You can swim if you dare in the 38 degree water. At least dunk your feet. The hike back to where you parked at Sahalie is 5 miles. Pack a lunch, a lot of water (I finished my 3 liters), and enjoy the day.

A beautiful hike. We did the waterfall loop, which is about a 3 mile hike that takes you by Koosah…read moreand Sahalie Falls. We brought the dogs and the kids, and we had a blast. The scenery was stunning and the trail condition was perfect. We'd definitely come back here again.

Big Lake Campground is a lovely mountain campground near Santiam Pass. It's 34 miles northeast of…read moreBlue River, which is mistakenly shown on the Yelp map as the location. That's the ranger station at Blue River, not the campground, which is located off U.S. Highway 20 west of Sms isters. There's 49 campsites with varying lengths. We stayed in campsite 22. We had just enough room for our 25-foot travel trailer and GMC Yukon travel trailer. The rest of our site was huge, with wooden steps leading to a picnic table and a fire ring. Out the back window of our trailer we could see Big Lake and towering Mount Washington, one of the gems of Central Oregon. A short trail leads past prolific stands of bear grass and flowers, including mountain lupine, Queen's Cup, mountain meadowsweet and scarlet trumpet. There are numerous vault toilets and faucets offering drinking water. There are also boat ramps. We really enjoyed our time at this campground and highly recommend it.

I camped here a couple summers ago and it was one of the most beautiful campgrounds I have been to…read more Mt. Washington sits right over Big Lake and boasts gorgeous mountain views with tall green trees surrounding the lake. We actually had a small lake access from our campground and the campground was nice and private from other sites. We reserved online for $24 a night (I highly recommend reserving online to be safe because the campground does fill up) and after splitting the cost with everyone it was dirt cheap! It's very reasonably priced per night. When we came in no one was at the check-in station but we found our name on a post outside the campground. Bathrooms were your standard vault toilets and there was running water but I don't think it was potable. I came mid-summer and the mosquitos were only a little noticeable and not out of control. We didn't have any issues with animals like raccoons or anything and since it was car camping our cars were easily accessible. I wish we could have brought out a kayak but it was still a nice place to swim and enjoy a beautiful summer weekend on the lake. There was a camp across the lake and a few trails we explores. I really liked the terrain and how it changed as you walked further into the mountains. I will definitely be back!

We loved it. We only stayed one night but would love to spend a week here. Beautiful, quiet, no…read morephone service.

Beautiful campground in a redwood-type rainforest, along Salt Creek. Sites are roomy and secluded,…read morewith tables and fire rings, and vault toilets nearby. Just down the road from McCredie Day Use Area, which has primitive hot springs you can soak in. I would definitely stay here again!

Wow! Love this place. The host Nancy is amazing and answered all our questions and made us feel…read morecomfortable. The bathrooms are always stocked and cleaned. I stayed here for four days with friends at spot 13. We had a blast. There is a nice little trail to walk on and Blue river reservoir is a mile up the road. Brought the kayaks up and had a good time. Thank you Nancy!

McKenzie river was beautiful. Camp host singled out our camp for having a big dog, and is…read moreincredibly unkind to LGBTQ campers and anyone who does not live there. The host ruined our trip for our son, if you break a "rule" they will charge you $100.00 then $200.00 for breaking another rule and you have to leave immediately. Host "patrols" on golf cart and will come into your camp to chastise you like a child. Host will make you extremely uncomfortable, and makes you feel like you are being supervised verses being a helpful host. When backing our trailer in we were screamed at and stared at by people who live there and made it very clear we were unwelcome from the beginning. If you want to run a trailer park then run one, but don't open it to the public and nickel and dime families. You have a God complex and act like a knock off mall security guard. Needless to say we won't be back. If you have a family, a dog of any kind or are a part of the LGBTQ this place is not right for you and I hope your vacation does not get ruined if you decide to go. And to the camp host get a life and have the day you deserve.

The manager is a little on the quirky side. The sites don't have much privacy and many sites have…read moremonthly renters. It is very clean but no access to the river. The "pond" is just a mosquito infested mucky mess.

Gary and Alyssa were so kind and helpful from start to finish. From booking our shuttle over the…read morephone, to giving us super detailed tips on the best route for us along the McKenzie River Trail. We had such a fun time riding, and would love to come back one day to stay at the campground and check out some of the other trails in the area. Gary was especially careful with our bikes on his rack, had an impeccably clean car (even without considering he hauls around outdoor enthusiasts), and happily showed us important markers and potential hiccups on the trail as he drove us to the trailhead. Alyssa was very responsive and kind on the phone. Overall, I get the impression that they love the land and community around McKenzie River, and are just excited to share that enthusiasm with their guests.

Highly recommend staying here! We had an amazing mini vacation in one of the cabins. The customer…read moreservice was great! Alyssa, Gary and their team are extremely kind and accommodating. You can tell they really care about the area and making sure visitors enjoy their stay. The path along the water inside the grounds is absolutely magical. We booked river rafting and a waterfall tour guide through the lodge and both were awesome! Karen, our rafting guide, was great! She was very informative and fun! Alex and Maddie took us on the waterfall tour. We couldn't go to one of the waterfalls because the road was closed so they took us to a couple other spots in the area to compensate. Snacks were provided and omg the brownies were so delicious Thank you to all of the people who run the Horse Creek Lodge and Outfitters. You all helped us make some pretty amazing memories! Will definitely be coming back.

Beautiful lake on the cascade lakes highway with the most incredible emerald color of water when…read morethe sun hits! It's also the starting point for south sister and it's fun to camp here the night before to get an early start. The camp sites are phenomenal right on the water, complete with fire pits. Great Lake for water activities for just to come hang out/walk around. Do watch out for mosquitoes though!

Another jewel on the Cascade Lake trail. Plenty of camping here. Beautiful views everywhere…read more Lakes here were formed by volcanic activity. This particular lake is in average 9' deep. Very clean banks and areas surrounding the lake. Plenty of places for day use and picnicking.

I thought this place was very interesting and cool. We found a camp site no problem right near the…read moreriver. Our dog really enjoyed it and our fire was nice right next to the river. Very close to Blue Pool access! Would recommend this place to any people hiking nearby.

A hidden gem in Blue River, Oregon! My husband and I wanted to book a campsite near the Tamolitch…read moreFalls (Blue Pool) and Clear Lake for a weekend. I stumbled on this campground when looking at a map. I booked site #14 four months ahead, but once we got there, we noticed a few open spots that eventually turned into "First Come, First Served" sites if it hasn't been reserved online. Site #14 is part of the lower sites, which meant that we were sleeping right next to the McKenzie River. We were grateful for the sounds of the river masking the sounds of the adjacent highway. Our campsite was equipped with a PICNIC TABLE and a FIRE RING. The VAULT TOILETS (no sink), WATER PUMP, and TRASH BINS were nearby. I noticed that they replenished the toilet paper and cleaned the toilets every morning. There were also plenty of trees to hang up a hammock! Overall, we loved our stay! We will definitely be back!