DanC
For Lone Tree Campground - Cottonwood Canyon State Park: A very nice park, if you are looking for an easily accessible yet remote and mostly primitive setting. The campground has large vehicle sites, spaced far apart. On the day we visited, in early December 2023, there was only one other person camping besides us. The bathrooms and (free, hot) showers are very clean. They are the typical roomy, tiled style of the restroom/shower buildings in the most modern Oregon State Parks. There is a freeze-proof freshwater spigot with standard hose threads conveniently located in the campground, where we easily used our hose to fill our tank and drinking water containers. The park water system is spring-fed, and the water tastes very pure and fresh. The campground and park have rules to protect a “Dark Sky" designation. You are expected to block off or cover all your windows at night so no artificial light escapes from your RV. Outside you are supposed to use only dim or red-light flashlights, and only sparingly. The park buildings and facilities have no exterior lights that we noticed. So the entire park is VERY DARK at night, and the stars are incredibly brilliant. There are literally thousands of acres of back-country within the park, with trails to very remote areas. Backpacking into these remote areas to camp overnight is also allowed. The campground is directly on the John Day River, and the river is very accessible. One downside of the park is that it will usually be quite hot there in the summer. Another is that there is no RV dump station. The closest dump station THAT IS MOST RELIABLY OPEN is at Maryhill State Park in Washington state, across the Columbia River from Biggs Junction in Oregon. There are a few other scattered rv dump stations in the region that MIGHT be open but cannot be relied upon. A third issue is that there are no groceries, fuel or other amenities within an easy and short drive of the park. You should ideally arrive at the park fully stocked and prepared for the entire length of your stay, and enough fuel to reach a recently verified operating refueling source when you leave. This is an area where assuming the little small town store or fuel station that was in business a year, month or week ago will still be in business next week or even sooner, can get you into trouble. And remember, there is no cellphone coverage in or near the park, so do your trip planning and researching well before you arrive. If you plan to drive to this park from I-84, using the local road (Scott Canyon Rd) south from the small town of Rufus to the town of Wasco, and then continuing from Wasco on State Route OR-206 to reach the park further south, is almost as fast but in my opinion more scenic than driving from I-84 at Biggs Junction south on US-97 towards Moro, then east from Moro towards the park.
Posted Dec 07, 2023 by DanC from Pacific NW. This is the subjective opinion of a traveler and not of AllStays LLC.
Debbie
For Lone Tree Campground - Cottonwood Canyon State Park: This is a developing park. There are now 4 reservable cabins that have heat and AC. They sleep up to 8 people. Includes propane BBQ to use. There is a great shower facility with flush toilets. Most campsites have shade structures. Trees and native bushes are being planted. We really are enjoying watching the mountain sheep and deer from the campgrounds. We’ve seen beaver, herons, crows, pheasant, and lots of birds we can’t name. We will be back and look forward to the continuing development of this super park.
Posted Apr 12, 2019 by Debbie from Vancouver WA. This is the subjective opinion of a traveler and not of AllStays LLC.
Yamhillian
For Lone Tree Campground - Cottonwood Canyon State Park: Oregon's newest state park. Large level sites. Generous spacing. NO SERVICES! Next to the river, great star gazing at night. No shade, so very hot in the summer.
Posted Jul 23, 2017 by Yamhillian from Oregon. This is the subjective opinion of a traveler and not of AllStays LLC.
