Big Bend Campground

We stayed here the end of July and were glad the river was steps away, it was hot. A few juniper trees for shade so solar works well here. Absolutely no cell service. Cleanest vault toilet we’ve ever seen. The road has a short bumpy section at the top but go slow and it’s fine. Only 4 sand and dirt sites but they have tables and fire pits. We will be back.

Lone Pine and Big Bend. # 11 on the map.
We stayed at Lone Pine. Big Bend is a few miles down the road. Also 5 designated spaces. John Day Fossil Bed map and info show 42’ max length but any size will fit. We saw two RVs in this camp, the remaining spaces were empty. See https://www.nps.gov/joda/planyourvisit/upload/June-2016-Regional-Map.pdf

There is gas in Spray (regular and diesel), Kimberly (91 octane only), and Fossil (regular and diesel). No gas in Mitchell. Fuel is cheaper in John Day by about $.20/gal. Plan fuel your stops!

This tiny BLM park is situated on the sunny banks of the John Day. Basalt cliffs rise from the opposite side of the river. Birdwatchers will enjoy watching the antics of birds such as the colorful and vociferous Townsend's Warblers.

There's very little road traffic along this stretch of Oregon Rt 19. The campground is situated below the road level, and a single, well-maintained vault toilet sets on a rise between the road and above the four riverside sites.

During the hot summer months, you might bake unless you re-position your rig throughout the day to take advantage of each site's single tree. There's plenty of room to maneuver most any size rig. Running a generator will spoil the experience for others in this intimate setting, so be prepared to unplug during your stay.

The river is calm and shallow here as it makes a bend to create a pool. Tie your raft to a thicket of willows, slather yourself with sunscreen and enjoy the day!

There's no cell phone coverage at all in this part of eastern Oregon.