Free camping near Fossil, OR
Within 25 straight-line miles of Fossil, OR there are 97 camps: 95 free, 1 fee, 1 unpriced. The closest is BLM dispersed camp #3 — Wasco County, OR, 13 miles west of town. The closest one our audit calls free is BLM dispersed camp #3 — Wasco County, OR, 13 miles out.
Who manages them: 96 on the BLM; 1 on the Forest Service.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLM dispersed camp #3 — Wasco County, OR | 13 | Free | Lower Clarno Rapids (water) | 4.7 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #4 — Wasco County, OR | 13 | Free | Upper Clarno Rapids (water) | 3.7 mi to Clarno | — |
| Lower Clarno Rapids | 13 | Free | Lower Clarno Rapids (water) | 4.0 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #25 — Wheeler County, OR | 13 | Free | — | — | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #23 — Wheeler County, OR | 13 | Free | Lower Clarno Rapids (water) | 4.1 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #24 — Wheeler County, OR | 14 | Free | John Day River (river) | 8.0 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #2 — Wasco County, OR | 14 | Free | Sorefoot Creek (stream) | 2.4 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp — Wasco County, OR | 14 | Free | Sorefoot Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #22 — Wheeler County, OR | 14 | Free | — | — | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #20 — Gilliam County, OR | 14 | Free | John Day River (river) | 13 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #11 — Sherman County, OR | 14 | Free | — | — | — |
| Butte Creek Spring | 14 | Free | John Day River (river) | 10 mi to Clarno | — |
| Jeep Trail Camp | 14 | Free | John Day River (river) | 13 mi to Kent | — |
| John Day Wild And Scenic River | 14 | Fee | John Day River (river) | 13 mi to Kent | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #2 — Wheeler County, OR | 14 | Free | John Day River (river) | 7.6 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp — Wheeler County, OR | 14 | Free | MacDonald Canyon (stream) | 6.2 mi to Clarno | — |
| Windy Flat | 14 | Free | John Day River (river) | 13 mi to Kent | — |
| Across From Lower Rhodes Canyon | 14 | Free | John Day River (river) | 7.4 mi to Clarno | — |
| Black Rock | 14 | Free | MacDonald Canyon (stream) | 6.2 mi to Clarno | — |
| Upper Airstrip | 15 | Free | John Day River (river) | 13 mi to Kent | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #19 — Gilliam County, OR | 15 | Free | John Day River (river) | 12 mi to Kent | — |
| Airstrip 4 | 15 | Free | John Day River (river) | 12 mi to Kent | — |
| Rhodes Canyon | 15 | Free | John Day River (river) | 8.1 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #3 — Wheeler County, OR | 15 | Free | John Day River (river) | 8.3 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #3 — Jefferson County, OR | 15 | Free | John Day River (river) | 8.1 mi to Clarno | — |
| Red Wall Beach | 15 | Free | Basalt Rapid (water) | 12 mi to Kent | — |
| Horse Lower Island | 15 | Free | Basalt Rapid (water) | 12 mi to Kent | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #2 — Jefferson County, OR | 15 | Free | John Day River (river) | 8.4 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #4 — Sherman County, OR | 15 | Free | John Day River (river) | 12 mi to Kent | — |
| Devils Canyon | 15 | Free | Armstrong Canyon (stream) | 13 mi to Kent | — |
| Large Camp | 15 | Free | John Day River (river) | 8.4 mi to Clarno | — |
| Open Bench | 15 | Free | Thirtymile Creek (stream) | 12 mi to Kent | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #13 — Gilliam County, OR | 15 | Free | Basalt Rapid (water) | 12 mi to Kent | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #4 — Wheeler County, OR | 15 | Free | John Day River (river) | 8.5 mi to Clarno | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #21 — Gilliam County, OR | 16 | Free | Basalt Rapid (water) | 12 mi to Kent | — |
| Basalt Beach | 16 | Free | Basalt Rapid (water) | 11 mi to Kent | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #5 — Wheeler County, OR | 16 | Free | John Day River (river) | 8.2 mi to Horseheaven | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #6 — Wheeler County, OR | 16 | Free | John Day River (river) | 8.0 mi to Horseheaven | — |
| Wagner Ranch | 16 | Free | John Day River (river) | 7.9 mi to Horseheaven | — |
| BLM dispersed camp — Jefferson County, OR | 16 | Free | John Day River (river) | 8.0 mi to Horseheaven | — |
| Wagner Ranch | 17 | Free | John Day River (river) | 7.7 mi to Horseheaven | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #21 — Wheeler County, OR | 17 | Free | John Day River (river) | 4.4 mi to Richmond | — |
| Fence Crew Camp | 17 | Free | Rowe Williams Canyon (stream) | 4.9 mi to Richmond | — |
| Liberty Bottom | 17 | Free | John Day River (river) | 3.5 mi to Twickenham | — |
| Below Cut Juniper | 17 | Free | Rowe Williams Canyon (stream) | 4.8 mi to Richmond | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #19 — Wheeler County, OR | 17 | Free | John Day River (river) | 3.2 mi to Twickenham | — |
| Cattle Beds | 17 | Free | John Day River (river) | 3.8 mi to Twickenham | — |
| BLM dispersed camp #18 — Wheeler County, OR | 17 | Free | John Day River (river) | 3.7 mi to Twickenham | — |
| Across From Cut Juniper | 17 | Free | Rowe Williams Canyon (stream) | 4.6 mi to Richmond | — |
| Below Island | 17 | Free | Rowe Williams Canyon (stream) | 4.2 mi to Richmond | — |
The other 47 inside the circle are on the live map — open it centred on Fossil, OR.
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Fossil, 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.