15 Camping Spots On The Oregon Coast (To Enjoy Wildlife & Nature)

The Oregon coast provides some of the most unique camping in the United States. There are not many places where you can experience old-growth forests that go right up to the edge of massive cliffs that overlook the beach. There are many places to camp along the coast of Oregon; these are some of our favorites.

There is something for everyone along the coast of Oregon. Wildlife fans will enjoy the whales, seabirds, deer, elk, and more that you can see in the wild. Fishermen will be happy casting lines in the fresh and saltwater. There are cities to explore, beaches to enjoy, trails to hike, and everything in between.

Let’s jump in and take a look at some of our favorite spots to camp along the coast of Oregon. If you are an RV camper, you like to pitch a tent, or want to stick to cabins, you’ll be sure to find something that will get you excited to get out and enjoy the beautiful nature that Oregon has to offer.

1. The Orchard Campground

Credit: Joe Givens / Flickr

The Orchard Campground is a small hidden gem located just outside of Newport, Oregon, and within five miles of South Beach State Park and Beverly Beach State Park.

The campground is a large meadow that is surrounded by forests so there is no shortage of wildlife. Although it is private campground, it allows you to be immersed in nature and enjoy the sounds of the ocean without ever being too far away from civilization.

There is a bathroom and picnic tables on site but no water, electricity, or sewage hookups. The site is open to tent camping as well as RVs and camper trailers from a popup to a fifth wheel.

Agate Beach is within walking distance and there are several other interconnecting trails to explore. The trails are open for mountain biking or hiking.

There is a local reservoir that is stocked with trout and open to fishing and non-motorized boats. Surfers can catch some waves at the beach and wildlife fans will love the constant interest from the curious deer who live in the area.

2. Cape Lookout State Park

Cape Lookout State Park offers a great camping experience with a popular day-use area and plenty of hiking trails near Tillamook, Oregon.

The campground offers year-round camping and you can make reservations up to six months in advance. There are 38 full-hookup sites, 170 tent sites, six cabins, 13 yurts, and a group tent camping area available.

There is an RV dump station, flushing toilets and hot showers, and a spot to purchase firewood. Pets are welcome in most of the camping areas.

The campsites don’t have an ocean view but a short walk will take you right to the beach. There are several miles of hiking trails with varying difficulty. There is a short nature trail that is great for kids and families.

The hiking trails can connect with other trail systems such as the Oregon Coast Trail. There is also a popular scenic drive in the area that will take you from Tillamook Bay to Cape Lookout with lots to see in between.

Related Read: 29 Top Treehouse Rentals in Oregon

3. Lewis & Clark RV Park and Golf Course

Credit: Lewis & Clark RV Park / Facebook

RV campers who may also want to take a few swings on the links will love this camping spot. The location near Astoria, Oregon makes this a perfect place to stay if you want to explore the area which has a little bit of everything.

The campsite has sites for vehicles up to 90 feet, has 30, 50, and 100 amp electric hookups, on-site showers, and laundry facilities. If you don’t have an RV to bring then there is a cabin that may be available.

The golf course is a 9-hole, par 36 course with cart and club rentals. The Columbia River is nearby and offers plenty of things to do from fishing, to boating, to hiking.

Lewis & Clark National Park is nearby for those who want an outdoor adventure. You will also find museums, a craft beer trail, art galleries, restaurants, and plenty more in the area.

4. Seaside RV Resort

Credit: Seaside RV Resort (Seaside, OR) / Facebook

The Seaside RV Resort offers year-round accommodations for tent and RV camping as well as cabins and cottages across the 261 sites at the resort.

There are plenty of things to do in the area and the resort offers lots of amenities and activities to keep you and your family busy while on the property.

The resort offers a clubhouse, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, a hot tub, volleyball and basketball courts, tennis and pickleball courts, WiFi, restrooms and showers, laundry facilities, a picnic area, a library, and more.

This is a perfect spot if you want to hang out at the campground with your family. The Seaside area has easy access to hiking and biking trails. You will find plenty of beaches up and down the coast where you can swim or go fishing.

There are a few museums and historical Lewis and Clark sites nearby as well. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from if you aren’t feeling like a camp cookout.

Thousand Trails, which owns the Seaside RV resort, also offers an annual pass for frequent campers so you may find it worth it if you regularly camp in areas with Thousand Trails campsites.

5. Nehalem Bay State Park

Credit: Oregon State Parks

Nehalem Bay State Park is nestled on a 4-mile sand spit between the Nehalem River and the Pacific near Tillamook, Oregon. The geography of the park gives you easy access to the Pacific Coast and the inland waters of the river.

There are a few day-use areas that have restrooms and picnic areas. The riverside has seasonal boat ramps if you want to launch a boat. You can find kayak tours or horseback rides in the area as well. Fishing, clamming, crabbing, and kayaking are very popular here.

There are 265 campsites with electric and water hookups and 18 yurts. There is a horse camping area with 17 primitive tent camping sites. One of the unique things about this park is the 2,400’ airstrip that provides access to primitive fly-in camping.

There is an RV dump station and bathhouses that have flushing toilets and hot showers. Camping is available year-round and reservations can be made up to six months in advance.

This is a great spot for wildlife and bird watching. There are plenty of horse trails, hiking, and biking trails. There is a bike path that will take you on a 1.8-mile ride through the forest to enjoy the wildlife in the area and the beautiful views of the water.

6. Fort Stevens State Park

Credit: Eric Backman / Flickr

You’ll find Fort Stevens State Park on the Northern Coast of Oregon, just across the Columbia River from Washington State.

This is a 4,300-acre park that has a ton of diversity and lots of interesting things to see and do. This is a huge park with plenty of room for campers to enjoy.

The park gets its name from the fort which protected the mouth of the Columbia River for more than 80 years, from the Civil War to World War II.

The fort is still there and you can enjoy the museum, the fort, or maybe take a tour to take you a little deeper into the history.

The park also has a freshwater lake that has picnic areas, swimming, a boat ramp, and a trail that goes around the entire lake.

There is a disc golf course, 15 miles of trails, plenty of kayaking and fishing, and more. The ocean beaches are beautiful and open to vehicles in some places. There is even an old shipwreck to explore on the beach.

Camping is available year-round at the 174 full-hookup sites, 302 electric-only sites, 15 tent sites, 15 yurts, and 11 cabins. The campsite has flushing toilets, hot showers, and an RV dump station.

Fort Stevens State Park is perfect for history buffs that want to spend some time enjoying the nature and beauty of this part of the Oregon Coast.

7. Beverly Beach State Park

Credit: Rick Obst / Flickr

You’ll find Beverly Beach State Park near Newport in the central portion of the coast. The campground is one of the largest in the state with some sites being just a few steps away from the beach which stretches for miles to both the North and South.

The proximity to Newport makes it easy to enjoy nature while still being connected to society if needed. The campsite has 53 full hookups (half of which have cable TV), 76 sites with electrical and water hookups, 128 tent sites, 31 yurts, and three group tent camping areas.

There are flushing toilets, hot showers, and an RV dump station on site. There is also a playground, picnic areas, easy access to the beach, and a creek on the premises.

Camping and the day-use areas are available year-round. This is a great spot for whale watching and the campsite may fill up during certain seasons, so it is best to make reservations if possible.

Related Read: 13 Best Beaches In Oregon For Families

8. Tillamook Bay City RV Park

Credit: Tillamook Bay City RV Park / Facebook

This is a great option for those who don’t need to be right next to the coast while camping. The Tillamook Bay City RV Park is located on the eastern side of Tillamook Bay, just north of Tillamook.

This RV park has pull-thru and back-in RV sites, secluded tent sites, and yurts. The RV sites have a full hookup with water, sewer, and electricity.

The property has a community fire pit, picnic tables at all sites, and large grassy areas surrounded by trees. They have bathrooms with showers and a laundry facility.

There are a ton of outdoor activities to do in the area. Plenty of hiking, biking, crabbing, fishing, and water sports on the bay make this a perfect spot for outdoors lovers.

There is also a golf course about 5 minutes from the park. Tillamook has plenty of activities to do as well.

9. Wright’s for Camping

Credit: Wright's For Camping / Facebook

Wright’s for Camping is a small, family-run campground near Cannon Beach which is a little bit south of Seaside.

This campsite has 22 total sites that are best for tent camping, but it is possible to get a small RV into some of the sites, definitely call beforehand to make sure you will fit.

This operation has been in business since 1959 and has always been run by the founders and their family. They are located among the coastal evergreen trees and within walking distance of the beach.

They have restrooms with hot showers as well as laundry services. You’ll find picnic tables and fire rings and leashed pets are also welcome at the campground.

Fans of The Goonies will enjoy being in the area where the movie was originally filmed. Outdoors lovers will love this little piece of peace and quiet near the coast.

Camping is available from May through September but they close for the winter when the wild elk move in during October.

10. Harris Beach State Park

Credit: ddebastBel / Flickr

Harris Beach State Park is located on the coast of Southern Oregon near Brookings and has some of the best views in the state.

Bird Island, which is the largest island off the Oregon Coast, is just offshore from the park. The island is a National Wildlife Sanctuary and has lots of rare birds that call the island home.

You can also see gray whales during their migrations, sea birds, harbor seals, sea lions, and plenty of other marine life in the waters of the coast. The wildlife here is fantastic and there is always something cool to spot while you are here.

The campsite has 65 full-hookup sites, 25 sites with electricity and water, 59 tent sites, six yurts, and a group tent camping area.

There are bathhouses with flushing toilets and hot showers available for your use, and RV campers can use the dump station as well.

There are plenty of hiking trails, fishing spots, wildlife watching, beaches, and more to enjoy. The rocky and rugged coast provides some of the most picturesque views in all of Oregon so be sure to bring your camera along with you.

Portions of the Oregon Coast Trail run through the park and there are several other trails to enjoy as well.

Related Read: 20 Best Oregon Waterfalls

11. Sunset Bay State Park

Credit: Finetooth / Wikipedia

As you can guess from the name, Sunset Bay State Park delivers some of the very best sunset views that you can find in Oregon. The beaches are looked down upon by the massive sea cliffs which stand above them.

The campsite is a short walk from the beach and has RV sites, tent sites, and yurts available, and provides flushing toilets and hot showers for campers.

The hiking trails in the park can connect you to Cape Arago and Shore Acres State Parks. The trails will take you along the cliffs and give you beautiful views of the world below.

There is a golf course next to the park and plenty of fishing, crabbing, and clamming nearby. You can take tours of local nature and tidepools with park staff.

The park is fairly secluded but still only 20 minutes away from North Bend. Both camping and the day-use areas are open year-round.

12. Rock Creek Campground

Credit: daveynin / Flickr

Rock Creek Campground provides a primitive camping experience, just half a mile from the beach. The campground is in a dense old-growth forest of spruce and Douglas fir trees inside the Siuslaw National Forest.

The Siuslaw National Forest is one of the two national forests in the United States that touch the Pacific Ocean. This unique biome has mosses that have covered the branches and ferns that create an almost carpet on the forest floor, making it feel something like a rainforest.

Wildlife lovers can take the hike to the beach to see pelicans, sea lions, and migrating whales in the ocean. Fishermen can take their chances at hooking salmon or cutthroat trout in the creek.

There are plenty of hiking trails in the area and a day on the beach is not a bad way to pass the time. The campground is primitive so it does not have electricity or any kind of hookups.

The campsites are located along Rock Creek and each comes with a picnic table and fire ring. Each tent site rental will include drinking water and access to vault toilets. You can bring your phone along to take photos but you won’t find any cellular service.

Related Read: 30 Top Treehouse Rentals in Washington

13. Loon Lake Lodge & RV Resort

Credit: Loon Lake Lodge & RV Park / Facebook

Loon Lake was formed about 1,400 years ago when a massive landslide created a dam across a deep river canyon. Over the years, the dam caused the river to back up and combine with the rainfall to create the lake.

The result of this millennium-and-a-half of natural “rearranging” is a beautiful freshwater lake that has become a popular recreation area for families.

Camping is available from April 15 to October 31 and there are options in different parts of the marina for both RV sites with full hookups or tent sites.

There are also house rentals, cottages, cabins, and yurts available. They also provide WiFi to help you stay connected.  The location of the lake gives beautiful and sunny weather for most of the Summer.

There is a boat ramp, camping, picnicking, fishing, hiking, swimming, and more in this recently developed recreation area. The lodge area has a deli with a deck where you can see the lake.

There is also an ice cream stand, a general store, and a gas station. The marina has boat docks, a sandy beach where you can swim, fishing areas, and a beach volleyball court.

14. Port Orford RV Village

Credit: Port Orford RV Village / Facebook

The Port Orford RV Village is in the city of Port Orford and is located about half a mile from Highway 101 and two miles from the beaches. This is an RV park so be sure to reach out to them beforehand if you want to tent camp.

The park has RV sites with full hookups, restrooms with hot showers, free WiFi, laundry facilities, a recreation room, an enclosed dog play area, and more. The owners live on-site and are always available to help with anything.

They host regular events like a daily social hour, monthly potlucks, BBQs, and yard games like horseshoes. There is also lots to do in the area. The town is a small “no stoplight” town of about 1,000 residents.

There are art galleries, ocean and river fishing, whale watching, hiking, biking, kayaking, surfing, beach combing, and more. It is in a central area that provides access to several points of interest like lighthouses and beaches.

15. BLM Land

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Dispersed camping is free on land that is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The Pacific North West has 16.1 million acres of public land, some of which is right along the Oregon Coast.

Be sure to check with your local BLM office if you are unsure about a certain location. There are both developed campgrounds and dispersed camping on BLM grounds.

Developed campgrounds will be organized and typically have a fee, like a normal primitive campsite. While dispersed camping is free of cost, there are still rules. It is important to learn the rules of dispersed camping on public lands before you head out with your gear.

Camping on BLM lands is an awesome thing that many people all around the country take advantage of. It is important to stick to the rules so that public lands can stay open for everyone to enjoy in the future.