Camping on the Deschutes River

BLM maintains several campsites on the Deschutes. Camping on the river’s edge makes a great end to a fabulous day. Campsites are a ‘first come, first served’ option. Most of the campsites are not road accessible, float in option only. They vary in size to suit a variety of groups. The sites accessed by boat only are free of charge. The BLM puts out a waterproof boater guide that lists all campsites, as well as a list of the rapids and lots of other information as well. Contact the Prineville BLM office to order one.

Camping in Maupin

The City of Maupin offers camping for a fee. Maupin City Park has tent and rv parking as well as a boat ramp. They are located along the banks of the Deschutes and offer showers and bathrooms. Riverview Campground is also located in Maupin with green grass, outdoor bathrooms and tent camping.

Overnight Rafting Options

Upriver put in sites are Warm Springs State Park, Mecca Flat Campground and Trout Creek Campground. Take outs for this section of river are Harpham Flat, Maupin City Park and Sandy Beach (last take out before Sherars Falls – all boaters must exit here).
The lower section of river (below Sherars Falls) offers put in sites at Buck Hollow, Pine Tree, Beavertail and Mack’s Canyon with a take out at Heritage Landing. Either section can be rafted in as little as 2 days, but if fishing and/or hiking is on your list of things to enjoy on your trip, you may want to add a day or two!

Portable Potty Requirement

All overnight rafters must carry a portable, non-bagged scat system. You can bring one of your own, or we can provide one for you – at no extra charge as long as it’s not used. Most campgrounds have an outdoor bathroom, maintained by the BLM. If you were to camp in a spot that doesn’t have one onsite, you must use the portable potty bucket. That makes it yours to keep! There are scat machines for cleaning located at Maupin City Park, as well as at Heritage Landing.