Visiting John Day Fossil Beds and hoping to camp? Well, you're in luck. While you can't camp in the National Monument, there are campgrounds as close as 5 minutes away from the site. Some are both RV and tent-friendly, while others are better suited to one or another.
Have you been to John Day or the Painted Hills? Did you stay in one of these campsites? Let us know about your experience below!
Traverse the Pacific Northwest has reviewed some of the best campgrounds in the Pacific Northwest. We have everything you need to plan your next trip, whether you're hiking, rock climbing, mountaineering, paddling, and more!
Is Camping Allowed at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument?
No, camping is not allowed within John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. But there are nearby campgrounds that you'll want to check out instead. None are too far from the national monument, so driving won't be an issue.
Is Dispersed Camping Allowed Near John Day Fossil Beds National Monument?
There are a few areas near John Day Fossil Beds where you can camp for free. But it's important to get a map ahead of time to make sure you know which areas are BLM land and which are privately owned. You can call the Bureau of Land Management or the USFS to find out more.
Camping Near John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Here are the 11 best campgrounds near John Day Fossil Beds:
Muleshoe Campground
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 45 minutes
Muleshoe Campground is conveniently located for someone hopping to visit John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and the Painted Hills. It is very cheap, at only $5 a night. You can expect sweeping, beautiful scenery.
Amenities
You can expect the following amenities at Muleshoe Campground:
Toilets
Fire pits
Pets allowed
Tent-sites only
Dayville South Fork RV Park
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 5 minutes
Located in Dayville, Oregon, the South Fork RV park has 14 sites that offer several amenities and AT&T/Sprint cellphone service. It's close to the river with level sites and some shade. There is a dump station you can use when you leave the park.
Amenities
You can expect the following amenities at Dayville South Fork RV Park:
Toilets
Cellphone service
Tent and RV camping
Dumpsite
Nearby town
River access
Rates
Around $25 a night
Fish House Inn and RV Park
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 5 minutes
The Fish House Inn and RV Park is only 5 minutes from John Day Fossil Beds. It's one of the more conveniently located campgrounds if you're visiting the national monument.
It's in Dayville, Oregon, and offers small cabins, RV camping, and tent camping. It's close to swimming holes, the river, and tourist attractions.
Amenities
You can expect the following amenities at Fish House Inn and RV Park:
Fire pits
Grills
Pet-friendly
Horseshoe pits
Cabins
Rates
Rooms: $100+
Tent-camping: $20.00
RV full hookup site: $40.00
RV power-only site: $30.00
Dry camping: $25.00
Ochoco Divide Campground
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 50 minutes
The Ochoco Divide Campground is at the top of the Divide within a pine forest. It's pretty high up, nearly 5,000 feet, so it's going to be cold throughout much of the year.
Nearby, you can also enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and birding if you get tired of the better-known Fossil Beds and Painted Hills (the campground is about 30 minutes from the Painted Hills). The campground is usually open from mid-may to October. There is no water available.
Amenities
You can expect the following amenities at Ochoco Divide Campground:
4 vault toilets
Tent-sites
First-come-first-serve only
Picnic tables
Firewood for sale
Rates
$13 a night
$5 for an extra vehicle
Barnhouse Campground
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 30 minutes
Barnhouse Campground is very closely located to John Day Fossil Beds, only 30 minutes away. It's a first-come-first-serve campground that free and offers tent camping, toilets, picnic tables, and more. There is no water, but there is one vault toilet.
You can expect the following amenities at Barnhouse Campground:
Picnic tables
A toilet
Fire pits
Phone service
No fee is required!
Wheeler County Fairgrounds RV Park
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 1 hour 10 minutes
Only an hour or so from John Day Fossil Beds is Wheeler County Fairgrounds, RV Park. It's in Fossil, Oregon, just a couple of minutes off Highway 19, north of the National Monument.
Amenities
At Wheeler County Fairgrounds RV Park, you can expect the following amenities:
12-space RV park with full hookups
Tent-camping
Restroom
Showers
Rates:
Tent site: $15 a night
RV site: $25.00 a night
RV weekly site: $175 a week
Shower: $3.00
Fossil Motel & RV Park
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 1 hour 10 minutes
Close to the previous campground is the Fossil Motel & RV Park. It offers RV sites, tent sites, and full and partial hookups. The campground also has rooms for rent (motel-style). They range in rates from $80 to $90 a night. Pets are allowed for an extra fee!
Amenities
At Fossil Motel & RV Park, you can expect the following amenities:
Toilets
Showers
Free wifi
Rates:
RV sites (full hookups): $35 a night
RV weekly sites (full hookups): $210 a week
RV sites (partial hookups): $25 a night
RV weekly sites (partial hookups): $150 a night
Tent sites: $20 a night
Bear Hollow County Park
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 1 hour
Located in Wheeler County, near Fossil, Oregon, the Bear Hollow County Park Campground is another great camping option near John Day Fossil Beds. The campgrounds are in the woods and provide tent campers with flat spaces, picnic tables, and fire pits.
Amenities
At Bear Hollow County Park, you can expect the following amenities:
Tent sites
Fire grates
Water
Vault toilets
RV-sites
Rates:
A reported $25 a night for RV or tent camping
Shelton Wayside Campground
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 1 hour
A quiet campground near John Day Fossil Beds that feels isolated. There are bundles of firewood available, and every campground has a picnic table, fire ring, and closely available garbage cans. There are vault toilets that are quite clean. Plus, it's easy to get to from the road.
Amenities
At Shelton Wayside Campground, you can expect the following amenities:
Drinking water
Trash collection
Picnic tables
Reservable sites
Toilets
Pull-through sites
Rates:
$20 a night
Big Sarvice Corral Campground
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 50 minutes
Big Sarvice Corral Campground is only 50 minutes from John Day Fossil Beds. There are 15 campsites, toilets, and showers. There are both tent-camping sites and RV-camping sites.
Amenities:
At Big Sarvice Corral Campground, you can expect the following amenities:
Picnic tables
Electric hookups
Pets are allowed
Showers
Toilets
Trash collection
Water hookups
Rates:
Around $10 per tent-camping site.
Donnelly's Service Creek Campground
Distance from John Day Fossil Beds: 50 minutes
Donnelly's Service Creek Campground is off Highway 19, just south of Fossil, and a bit closer to the National Monument than other campgrounds on this list.
You'll exit Highway 19 and get onto 207 along John Day River, where the campground is located. The campground is most commonly used by boaters. All the sites are first-come-first-serve.
Amenities
You can expect the following amenities at Donnelly's Service Creek Campground:
Vault toilets
Tent and RV sites
Picnic tables
Fire pits
Pets are allowed
Rates:
Around $5.00-$10.00 a night
In Summary
John Day Fossil Beds is a one-of-a-kind location in Oregon that visitors often pair with a trip to the nearby Painted Hills. If you spent some time there and decided to camp at one of these campgrounds, let us know in the comments! We'd love to hear about your experience.
FAQs
Is John Day Fossil Beds open in winter?
Yes, John Day Fossil Beds is open in winter! During the winter season, you can visit from 9:00 to 5:00 every day.
Are John Day Fossil Beds worth visiting?
Yes, the John Day Fossil Beds are worth visiting! The area is totally unique, plus there are some pretty fun things to do nearby, like visiting the Painted Hills.
What are the three different parts of the John Day Fossil Beds?
The three different parts of John Day Fossil Beds are Sheep Rock, Painted Hills, and Clarno.
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