Free camping near Bend, OR
Within 25 straight-line miles of Bend, OR there are 31 camps: 9 free, 21 fee, 1 unpriced. The closest is Deschutes National Forest, 5.7 miles west of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Deschutes National Forest, 5.7 miles out. 4 of them are camps Dave has slept at.
Who manages them: 28 on the Forest Service; 2 on the BLM; 1 on an agency our record does not name.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deschutes National ForestDave slept here | 5.7 | Free | Tumalo Creek (stream) | 4.5 mi to Deschutes River Woods | — |
| Deschutes National ForestDave slept here | 5.8 | Free | Tumalo Creek (stream) | 4.4 mi to Deschutes River Woods | — |
| BLM public landDave slept here | 5.9 | Free | — | 6.3 mi to Bend | — |
| Deshutes National ForestDave slept here | 6.1 | Free | — | 2.9 mi to Seventh Mountain | — |
| Swamp Wells | 15 | Free | — | 11 mi to Sunriver | — |
| Three Creek Lake | 16 | Fee | — | 13 mi to Tetherow | — |
| Driftwood | 16 | Fee | Three Creek Lake (water) | 14 mi to Sisters | — |
| Three Creek Meadow | 16 | Fee | — | 13 mi to Sisters | — |
| Black Pine Dispersed Camping Area | 18 | Free | Whychus Creek (stream) | 7.4 mi to Sisters | — |
| Big River Campground | 19 | Fee | Deschutes River (river) | 1.8 mi to Three Rivers | — |
| Todd Creek | 19 | Fee | — | 15 mi to Seventh Mountain | — |
| Soda Creek | 21 | Fee | — | 17 mi to Seventh Mountain | — |
| Middle Deschutes Wild And Scenic River | 21 | Free | Deschutes River (river) | 4.1 mi to Terrebonne | — |
| Sisters Cow Camp | 21 | Free | — | — | — |
| Devils Lake | 23 | Fee | — | — | — |
| Cinder Hill | 23 | Fee | — | 15 mi to La Pine | — |
| Ogden Group Site | 23 | Fee | — | 4.3 mi to La Pine | — |
| Whispering Pine Horse Camp | 23 | Fee | — | — | — |
| Prairie | 24 | Fee | — | 4.1 mi to La Pine | — |
| Cold Spring | 24 | Fee | Trout Creek (stream) | 4.2 mi to Sisters | — |
| Mckay Crossing | 24 | Fee | — | 5.8 mi to La Pine | — |
| East Lake | 24 | Fee | — | 14 mi to La Pine | — |
| Paulina Lake | 24 | Fee | — | 11 mi to La Pine | — |
| Hot Springs | 24 | Free | East Lake (water) | 15 mi to Three Rivers | — |
| Quinn Meadow Horse Camp | 24 | Fee | — | — | — |
| Little Crater | 24 | Fee | — | 12 mi to La Pine | — |
| Newberry Group | 24 | Fee | — | 12 mi to La Pine | — |
| Mallard Marsh Campground | 25 | Fee | Hosmer Lake (water) | 18 mi to Sunriver | — |
| South Campground | 25 | Unpriced | Hosmer Lake (water) | 18 mi to Sunriver | — |
| Lava Lake | 25 | Fee | — | 16 mi to Three Rivers | — |
| Little Lava Lake | 25 | Fee | — | 16 mi to Three Rivers | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Bend, OR, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.