U.S. Forest Service · Willamette National Forest · Blue River, OR

Alder Springs

This small, rustic site is right on the side of the historic McKenzie Pass Highway. Surrounded by towering Douglas fir trees, this is a perfect spot to be on a warm day. Access to Linton Lake Trailhead in the Three Sisters Wilderness is immediately across the highway from the campground.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-servedFrom $10 per nightPets okFires okTents only

Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.

More like this: first-come in Oregon · tent only in Oregon · pets allowed in Oregon

Alder SpringsAlder Springs
Photo from the area. inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +) (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
4fires
active
Junction Rx (prescribed burn) · 26 mi away
3 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesSingle Campsites - $10 per night. Extra Vehicles - $5 per vehicle, per night

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonLate May (weather dependent) to Late October
ForestWillamette National Forest
FeesSingle Campsites - $12 per night. Extra Vehicles - $6 per vehicle, per night.
RulesTent camping only. Camping is not allowed more than 14 days in a 60 day period. Use of chainsaws in the campground is prohibited. Dogs MUST be on leash at all times within the campground

Willamette National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Alder Springs30°40°50°60°70°January: 10.35 inches of precipitation, 14.7 inches of snowFebruary: 7.84 inches of precipitation, 9.0 inches of snowMarch: 7.99 inches of precipitation, 6.3 inches of snowApril: 6.20 inches of precipitation, 1.1 inches of snowMay: 4.19 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 2.57 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.60 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.84 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 2.10 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 6.02 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowNovember: 10.84 inches of precipitation, 2.9 inches of snowDecember: 12.90 inches of precipitation, 17.1 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 33.0°F averageFebruary: 35.8°F averageMarch: 39.5°F averageApril: 44.8°F averageMay: 52.6°F averageJune: 58.7°F averageJuly: 66.1°F averageAugust: 65.8°F averageSeptember: 59.6°F averageOctober: 48.8°F averageNovember: 38.8°F averageDecember: 32.9°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Belknap Springs 8 N, 10 miles from the campground at 2,152 feet, station USC00350652 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 72 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 51 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From McKenzie Bridge, OR, travel east on Highway 126 for 3 miles to Highway 242. Follow Highway 242 east for 9 miles to Alder Springs Campground.

Nearest townBlue River, Oregon
Coordinates44.1779° N, 121.9103° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Junction Rx

    26 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Camas Ts Rx

    27 mi from the campground

  • Wildfire
    Bench

    42 mi from the campground · 67,071 acres · 90% contained

  • Prescribed
    Sisi Lookout Admin Piles Rx - West

    50 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearSportsman's Warehouse ↗30.6 mi
RV sales & serviceBig Country RV ↗30.9 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Video Tour of Alder Glen Campground , OR (PNCVT)

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Three Sisters Wilderness, which overlaps Willamette National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Guidebooks for Oregon

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Alder Springs?

No. Alder Springs is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Alder Springs?

Single Campsites - $10 per night. Extra Vehicles - $5 per vehicle, per night

Source: Forest Service

Is Alder Springs open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Late May (weather dependent) to Late October.

Source: Forest Service status

Can I bring an RV to Alder Springs?

Alder Springs is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

Are pets allowed at Alder Springs?

Yes, pets are allowed at Alder Springs. Leash rules apply.

Source: Forest Service

Can I have a campfire at Alder Springs?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 4 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Tent camping only.

Source: Fire nearby

What is the nearest town to Alder Springs?

Blue River, Oregon.

Source: Getting there

What if Alder Springs is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Scott Lake (2.6 mi, first-come), Limberlost Campground (7.1 mi), and Olallie On Mckenzie Highway - Willamette (8.4 mi, partly first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby