Bates, Oregon, hooks RVers with its ghostly logging past and thick Blue Mountain woods. Pull into Bates State Park or Head O' Boulder Forest Camp for sites at $9 to $11 a night. Camp here to fish the millpond, chase elk on trails, and breathe air crisp from ponderosa pines.
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Bates hunkers in Grant County's northeast corner, where Bates State Park resurrects a 1920s logging boomtown. Wander rusting steam donkeys along the millpond trail. Hike up Big Creek to Anthony Lakes' alpine shores, eight miles north. Spot mule deer at dawn near the old Austin House cabins. Winter buries paths in powder for snowshoers.
Bates State Park draws groups and big rigs with pet-friendly sites, drinking water, and rates from $9 to $11 nightly. Head O' Boulder Forest Camp pulls lone wolves into Whitman National Forest's quiet groves, perfect for tent-to-RV upgraders seeking trailhead access. Both spots launch you into fly fishing on the Powder River and mountain biking Elkhorn loops.
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Bates shines for its preserved 1920s logging camp at Bates State Park. Visitors tour steam donkey engines and the millpond where loggers once swam. Trails lead to Anthony Lakes, a glacial basin eight miles away packed with trout fishing and wildflowers in July. This tiny spot draws history buffs and hikers escaping Bend's bustle.
Bates State Park and Head O' Boulder Forest Camp top the list. Bates State Park lies right in town with group sites, pets allowed, drinking water, and big rig access at $9 to $11 nightly. Head O' Boulder sits two miles northeast in dense forest, ideal for primitive setups near hiking trails.
Yes, both Bates State Park and Head O' Boulder Forest Camp welcome pets on leashes. Bates State Park enforces standard rules near its millpond trails, keeping sites clean for wildlife viewing. Head O' Boulder adds forest quiet, but pack out waste to protect black bears and deer.