U.S. Forest Service · Deschutes National Forest · Sisters, OR

Blue Bay

Blue Bay Campground is situated in a diverse forest of pine and fir on the south shore of Suttle Lake in Deschutes National Forest. Its proximity to high alpine lakes, lush forests and towering peaks in nearby wilderness areas make it a popular destination for individual and group camping excursions.

More like this: reservable in Oregon · big rigs in Oregon · pets allowed in Oregon

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
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Photos via Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups24
Host/management1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 50 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

24 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresRating
001Back-in36GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1YesStandard
002Back-in36GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1YesStandard
003Back-in32GravelPartial6 / 1YesStandard
004Back-in30GravelPartial6 / 1YesStandard
005Back-in28GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1YesStandard
006Back-in28GravelPartial6 / 1YesStandard
007Back-in30GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1YesStandard
008Back-in36GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1YesStandard
009Back-in34GravelPartial6 / 1YesStandard
010Pull-through40GravelPartial6 / 1YesStandard

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length50 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesOnce your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.

Blue Bay Campground offers standard sites that accommodate both tents and RVs, but no hookups are available. Picnic tables and campfire rings with grills are provided, as are vault toilets and drinking water.

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.
ForestDeschutes National Forest
BookingReservations can be made online through Recreation.gov or by calling toll free 1-877-444-6777 (International 606-515-6777 or TDD 877-833-6777).
FeesSingle Campsite Rate: $30/night. Double Campsite Rate: $60/night. One vehicle included with reservation – Each Additional Vehicle: $10.00. NOTE: Holders of a Golden Age and Golden Access Passports and Senior and Access Passes are entitled to the following discounts on expanded amenity recreation…
RulesMaximum site spur length is 50 feet. The water system will be turned on in the month of May depending on weather conditions and will be turned off no later than September 30, or upon the campground closing, whichever, is earlier to prevent potential damage from cold temperatures.

Deschutes National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Blue Bay20°30°40°50°60°January: 10.84 inches of precipitationFebruary: 7.79 inches of precipitationMarch: 7.76 inches of precipitationApril: 6.03 inches of precipitationMay: 4.01 inches of precipitationJune: 2.81 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.66 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.77 inches of precipitationSeptember: 2.28 inches of precipitationOctober: 5.88 inches of precipitationNovember: 9.98 inches of precipitationDecember: 11.58 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.6°F averageFebruary: 32.1°F averageMarch: 34.7°F averageApril: 38.8°F averageMay: 46.2°F averageJune: 51.5°F averageJuly: 59.2°F averageAugust: 59.1°F averageSeptember: 53.8°F averageOctober: 44.3°F averageNovember: 35.0°F averageDecember: 29.8°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Santiam Junction, 10 miles from the campground at 3,750 feet, station USC00357554 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 70 inches a year.

Getting there

From Sisters, travel approximately 13 miles northwest on Highway 20/126. Turn left onto Forest Road 2070 (Suttle Lake Campgrounds). Travel just less than 1/2-mile to Blue Bay entrance on the right.

Nearest townSisters, Oregon
Coordinates44.4200° N, 121.7319° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Bench

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

  • Prescribed
    Camas Ts Rx

    31 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Junction Rx

    34 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Slow Dxp/Lemiti Rx - West

    34 mi from the campground

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

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗25 mi
Outdoor gearRedpoint ↗27.8 mi
RV sales & serviceBig Country RV ↗29.4 mi

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

Explore

Video

(4K UHD) REVIEWING EACH CAMPSITE @ Blue Bay Campground on Suttle Lake! | Deschutes | Centr

Worth a stop

Visitors can explore wilderness areas, lakes, reservoirs, wild and scenic rivers and approximately 1,600 miles of trails that comprise nearly 2.5 million acres within the Deschutes National Forest and the adjacent Ochoco National Forest.

  • 0.5 mi
    Suttle Tie ↗
    5.5 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Lake Creek
    4.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.9 mi
    Two Lakes
    1.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.2 mi
    Suttle Lake Loop
    3.6 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 1.4 mi
    Dark Lake
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.6 mi
    Trail #14.1 - Loop Tie
    0.2 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski

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 →

Willamette National Forest begins about 0.9 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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 →

Natural features

Suttle Lake is surrounded by mixed conifer forest. Its waters are deep and clear, formed in a terminal moraine, deposited by glacial ice about 25,000 years ago. Lake Creek flows eastward from Suttle Lake to the Metolius River. The clear, cold Metolius flows north from headwater springs through diverse coniferous forests and a volcanic landscape with extinct volcanoes, cinder cones, calderas and ancient lava flows.

Recreation

Popular activities in the area include hiking, fishing and motorized boating in the summer months, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. Numerous non-motorized trails can be accessed from the campground and in the surrounding area. The 3.2-mile Suttle Lake Loop Trail meanders through the developed recreation areas on Suttle Lake. The trail follows the wooded shoreline of the lake, providing opportunities for fishing or picnicking along the way. For fishing, boats are most commonly used on Suttle Lake. Float tubes are adequate, and wading is possible in some areas. A few areas are fishable from shore. The lake sustains an excellent population of naturally reproducing kokanee, brown trout, whitefish and crayfish. The campground has a shallow boat ramp area, and most campsites have easy access to the waterfront. Motorized and non-motorized boats are allowed on Suttle Lake.

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 Blue Bay?

Sites at Blue Bay are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations can be made online through Recreation.gov or by calling toll free 1-877-444-6777 (International 606-515-6777 or TDD 877-833-6777). Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Blue Bay?

Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Blue Bay?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Blue Bay open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Blue Bay have?

25 sites, including 24 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Blue Bay?

The longest site here provides 50 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Blue Bay?

Yes, pets are allowed at Blue Bay. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Blue Bay?

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. Maximum site spur length is 50 feet.

Source: Fire nearby

Is there cell service at Blue Bay?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 4G LTE, and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Blue Bay?

Popular activities in the area include hiking, fishing and motorized boating in the summer months, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Blue Bay?

Sisters, Oregon. Visitors can explore wilderness areas, lakes, reservoirs, wild and scenic rivers and approximately 1,600 miles of trails that comprise nearly 2.5 million acres within the Deschutes National Forest and the adjacent Ochoco National Forest.

Source: Getting there

What if Blue Bay is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are South Shore (0.3 mi), Scout Lake (1 mi), and Link Creek (1.2 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby