I have to admit, Oregon camping was somewhat of a mystery 2 months ago.
I'd heard of the Oregon trail and, well, Portland, and Crater Lake, too, and that's about it.
It feels like Oregon was the state we never got to camp in, until now.
My 5 best secret reasons to camp in Central Oregon.
Two months ago, we had one mission.
We wanted to get to the Oregon coast.
It sounded beautiful and we'd never been there.
What we found along the way was truly amazing.
My 5 best secret reasons to camp in Central Oregon.
#1.
It's a secret.
Most people don't vacation here.
I think all the people from the east get stopped by Yellowstone or Grand Teton National parks.
I honestly didn't know anyone who had camped in Oregon.
It is clearly popular because there are tons of campgrounds, but most are filled with cars from Oregon.
#2.
300+ days of sunshine a year I should really put this in at number one.
I'm referring to the weather in the center of the state.
The coast is not good weather.
I learned that the hard way.
But, during the summer it almost never rains in the center of the state.
Most days are about 85 degrees and dry, and about 59 degrees at night.
I'm outside 10 hours a day.
I could never in my wildest dreams do that back home.
#3.
Jurassic Park is waiting I really had no ideal how diverse this state is.
We stopped at Paradise National Forest Campground along the McKenzie River and I half expected dinosaurs to just lumber out from behind the moss-covered giant trees.
To the west is the coast and massive sand dunes, and to the east is a high-desert.
#4.
A River Runs Through it There is legendary fishing in all the rivers running through the center of the state.
Some of the world's best salmon and trout fishing is along these beautiful rivers.
Camp at Paradise National Forest, and you can fish from your site.
#5.
The dollars stay in your pocket It can be very cheap to camp here.
On a short weekend trip, a state park campground can be $24 or less, and a national forest site can be $18 or less.
If you have time to stay longer, there are many full-service RV parks that have monthly rates close to $12 a day.
The real secret we've discovered is the people in Oregon, with their laid-back, unassuming nature.
Coupled with the amazing, diverse scenery, and fantastic summer weather, this is an outdoor person's dream.
I'd heard of the Oregon trail and, well, Portland, and Crater Lake, too, and that's about it.
It feels like Oregon was the state we never got to camp in, until now.
My 5 best secret reasons to camp in Central Oregon.
Two months ago, we had one mission.
We wanted to get to the Oregon coast.
It sounded beautiful and we'd never been there.
What we found along the way was truly amazing.
My 5 best secret reasons to camp in Central Oregon.
#1.
It's a secret.
Most people don't vacation here.
I think all the people from the east get stopped by Yellowstone or Grand Teton National parks.
I honestly didn't know anyone who had camped in Oregon.
It is clearly popular because there are tons of campgrounds, but most are filled with cars from Oregon.
#2.
300+ days of sunshine a year I should really put this in at number one.
I'm referring to the weather in the center of the state.
The coast is not good weather.
I learned that the hard way.
But, during the summer it almost never rains in the center of the state.
Most days are about 85 degrees and dry, and about 59 degrees at night.
I'm outside 10 hours a day.
I could never in my wildest dreams do that back home.
#3.
Jurassic Park is waiting I really had no ideal how diverse this state is.
We stopped at Paradise National Forest Campground along the McKenzie River and I half expected dinosaurs to just lumber out from behind the moss-covered giant trees.
To the west is the coast and massive sand dunes, and to the east is a high-desert.
#4.
A River Runs Through it There is legendary fishing in all the rivers running through the center of the state.
Some of the world's best salmon and trout fishing is along these beautiful rivers.
Camp at Paradise National Forest, and you can fish from your site.
#5.
The dollars stay in your pocket It can be very cheap to camp here.
On a short weekend trip, a state park campground can be $24 or less, and a national forest site can be $18 or less.
If you have time to stay longer, there are many full-service RV parks that have monthly rates close to $12 a day.
The real secret we've discovered is the people in Oregon, with their laid-back, unassuming nature.
Coupled with the amazing, diverse scenery, and fantastic summer weather, this is an outdoor person's dream.
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