North Fork John Day Campground

Located at the border of the Umatilla and the Walloa-Whitman National Forests and at the junction of the Blue Mountain and Elkhorn Scenic Byways is the North Fork John Day Campground, a 20 site Forest Service campground.

15 of the sites are large enough for RVs, while the remaining 5 are limited to tents only. A couple located nearest the highway require a short walk to the camp site located at the edge of the wild John Day River north fork. 

Each site is basic, with only a table and a fire pit. The sites are spread out amongst a gravel road. The walk-in tent camping sites are near the entrance, while the next several sites have gravel parking spots and are located in more exposed locales. And at the back of the campground are several sites surrounded by young conifer trees, as well as the group sites.

There are also horse tie ups and the trail heads for the route into the John Day Wilderness and the John Day North Fork River Trail are located back here. Near the center of the campground is the camp host, the horseshoe pits, and a short path leading to a bench overlooking the river.

Group sites are $25 per night; standard sites are $8 nightly. Most sites can be reserved on Recreation.gov.

The campground remains open except during periods when snow accumulates in the area. The open season tends to be May-November, with the camp host leaving around Labor Day. However the campground will remain open to campers as long as it is accessible.

Three ADA compliant vault toilets serve the campground. There is no water and no trash collection here.