Rufus Landing Recreation Area

Ok, mostly just a gravel and river rock parking area. We were able to tuck in about 40 feet from the water with an unobstructed view. No hookups, no water, no trash and only pit toilets. Right off of highway 84. Easy on and easy off. We watched the windsurfing and fishermen. At night, they light up the dam in red, white and... more

We stopped here on Thursday night and there is so much room to find a spot away from others. There were about 30 RV's of every size when we arrived. Clean pit toilets, beautiful view but windy! There are trains that run all night and the wind was very strong and didn't die down until 3:30 am. Easy to locate with the coordinates abov... more

Probably the best boondocking in the USA, or at least in Oregon. The views of the Columbia River Gorge is spectacular. The wind surfers, the river boats, the Ospreys snatching fish out the water! And it's all free, right on the water! We got here in April just as the salmon started returning. We watched Indian tribes casting fishin... more

Location is great, you can park right along The Columbia River! There's a Sinclair Gas Station with mini mart just off the hwy right before you enter the park. They also have a dump and water fill station but we didn't not use it, so not sure how much it is. Further down about 4miles away off Hwy 84 is another Market called Dinty's, th... more

Nice drycamping with vault toilets and dumpsters nearby... and not much else. The bulldog diner is really nice and their food was good.

As others have mentioned, it gets pretty windy, and the PNW October weather kept us inside almost the entire time.

Although just down the road from Giles French Park, Rufus Landing seems a world away. There are several large gravel parking areas, and our nearest neighbor was 300' or more away. The river bank is a good spot for bird watching - lots of ducks, blue herons, and an osprey during our stay. We also enjoyed watching the windsurfers and boa... more

Or were they highway lights? Or red flashing lights by the hundred glowing out where only earlier that day windmills boastingly soared?

No, they were stars. And the Milky Way shone. And it was magnificent. Places like this make me believe in travel again.

Or whatever that means.

Rufus Landing Recreational Area at the John Day Dam is well known among the RV community as a favorite FREE boondocking site. Located along Interstate 84 just off exit 109, it is an easy camping option for stays up to 14 days. Although Rufus is renowned for it’s wind and wind-surfing, during our 2 nights here we saw only boaters and ka... more

Know this...Rufus is famous for it's wind-surfing which is because it gets consistent and very regular WINDS. Rufus landing is one of the key wind-surfing spots in the area, so not only should you expect wind, but you should expect consistent day-use activity from windsurfers who've come out to ride the water. Also you will get consist... more