★ Field-verified · Dave's ownUSFS · dispersedFree
Deschutes National Forest
Drive-up · U.S. Forest Service · Deschutes County, OR · 43.80809, -121.95405
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Ask about this camp →Dave's been here. A spot from Dave's own travels on U.S. Forest Service land — free to camp. Conditions still change, so confirm access, stay limits and fire rules before you go.
Wow! A beautiful, very remote, primitive campsite along the shore of Thomas Lake in Deschutes National Forest. Within a short walk from Irish Lake. Bring kayak. Fire ring. Sufficient space for a few vehicles. Four-wheel drive access only. In the middle of gorgeous, central Oregon wilderness, miles from everything. Worst mosquitoes ever encountered, bring screened room. Possibly favorite campsite ever, despite mosquitoes. Close to Pacific Crest Trail. Highly recommended. No cell service.
USGS topo — contours & terrain
Aerial — USGS / NAIP
Weather outlook
Loading the latest forecast…
Live NWS area forecast (~2.5 km grid, not elevation-corrected). Camp sits at 5,557 ft.
Fire & smokeNIFC · AirNow
Checking active fires & air quality…
Active wildfires from NIFC (within ~50 mi); air quality from AirNow. Always confirm current fire restrictions with the managing office before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
Straight-line miles · bearings approx · roads run longer
Nearest of each
- WWater4 mi
- FFuel19 mi
- GGrocery19 mi
- @Mail21 mi
- OOutfitter21 mi
- ShShower24 mi
- HHardware24 mi
- RxPharmacy24 mi
- +Urgent care24 mi
- MMechanic24 mi
- LLaundry24 mi
- PPropane36 mi
- AAir-up36 mi
- DDump38 mi
≤30 mi30–4545+water
The read: water is basically at camp, fuel & food sit about 19 mi out.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Access
Drive-up
Land
U.S. Forest Service · dispersed
Elevation
5,557 ft
County
Deschutes County, OR
Coordinates
43.80809, -121.95405
Cost
Free
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featureTaylor Lake (water) · nearby
- Nearest townOdell Lake · ~17.9 mi
- Drinking waterDrinking water · ~4.5 mi
- FuelSinclair · ~19.4 mi
- Propane / LPGnone within 31 mi
- Dump stationnone within 31 mi
- GroceriesOdell Sportsman Center · ~19.4 mi
- PharmacyWalgreens · ~24.3 mi
From the field — what Dave saw, in person
Cell service
No signal
Getting there
High clearance / 4×4
Fire ring
Yes
Toilet on site
No
Tent friendly
Yes
Verdict
Highly recommended
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Vault / pit toiletMany Lakes · ~1.0 mi E · USFS
- RestroomWest Cultus Boat-In · ~3.8 mi NE · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletNorth Waldo Campground · ~4.2 mi SW · USFS
- RestroomNorth Waldo Boat Launch · ~4.2 mi SW · USFS
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Taylor Burn Campground~4.1 mi
- North Waldo Lake Campground~4.2 mi
- Box Canyon Horse Camp~9.3 mi
- Deschutes Bridge~9.9 mi
How we know this
Source
Dave's own travels
Confidence
Researched — The record is detailed and internally consistent, and the coordinates land where the managing agency says this site is.
How it was placed
FIELD VERIFIED by Dave Lalande -- he has stood on this site. Coordinates are his own GPX track point, not a geocode. County and state confirmed against the FCC Census Block API (Deschutes County, OR). Everything under 'From the field' is a direct observation; nothing here is inferred from a land record.
Field check
Verified on the ground. Dave has stood on this one. Conditions still change — confirm before you commit.
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- How many rigs actually fit
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
Before you go
Finding water out here →What “dispersed” means here →The town run →Getting unstuck →All field notes →
Been here? Tell us what changed. This page is built from public records, so the fastest way it gets better is somebody who has actually pulled in. Road washed out, site gone, gate locked, or it is exactly as described — all of it useful. Send a report →