U.S. Forest Service · Mt. Hood National Forest · Oregon

Riley Horse Campground

Riley Campground is an equestrian facility located northwest of Oregon's majestic Mt. Hood. Horse corrals are tucked into the forest near the campsites, and several horseback riding trails can be accessed from the campground. A variety of recreational and sightseeing opportunities are available for visitors to enjoy.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov14 sites35 ft maxPets ok

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
RILEY HORSE CAMPGROUNDRILEY HORSE CAMPGROUNDRILEY HORSE CAMPGROUNDRILEY HORSE CAMPGROUND
Photos via Recreation.gov
4fires
active
Grasshopper · 19 mi away · 93,972 acres
3 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Equestrian13
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

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

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
001Back-in37GravelPartial6 / 2Yes
002Back-in27GravelPartial6 / 2Yes
003Back-in23GravelFull6 / 1Yes
004Back-in50GravelPartial6 / 2Yes
005Back-in45GravelPartial6 / 2Yes
006Back-in50GravelPartial6 / 2Yes
007Back-in37GravelPartial6 / 2Yes
008Pull-through80GravelFull6 / 2Yes
009Back-in40GravelPartial6 / 1Yes
010Back-in42GravelPartial6 / 2Yes

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

Max vehicle length35 ft
PetsAllowed

The campground offers single-family equestrian campsites. Most of the sites are equipped with horse corrals or cross rail hitching posts, tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Horse owners are responsible for cleaning up after their horses. The campsites are intended for equestrians, but may be used by others. McNeil Campground (1/4 mile away) and Lost Creek (1 �½ miles away) are good alternative sites for those without horses. McNeil does not accept reservations. Horse corrals or hitching racks are provided at the sites.

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.
ForestMt. Hood National Forest
FeesThis site is operated by Alaska Recreational Management, a concessionaire. Camping: $23/night for single site. $8/night for extra vehicle. Day Use: $10/day/vehicle

Mt. Hood National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Riley Horse Campground30°40°50°60°January: 12.61 inches of precipitation, 48.8 inches of snowFebruary: 9.64 inches of precipitation, 39.5 inches of snowMarch: 9.41 inches of precipitation, 35.6 inches of snowApril: 7.78 inches of precipitation, 17.6 inches of snowMay: 5.75 inches of precipitation, 4.2 inches of snowJune: 4.01 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowJuly: 0.88 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.09 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.06 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowOctober: 8.42 inches of precipitation, 3.8 inches of snowNovember: 12.69 inches of precipitation, 30.6 inches of snowDecember: 14.43 inches of precipitation, 51.6 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 31.8°F averageFebruary: 32.0°F averageMarch: 34.5°F averageApril: 37.8°F averageMay: 44.9°F averageJune: 50.2°F averageJuly: 58.4°F averageAugust: 59.3°F averageSeptember: 54.4°F averageOctober: 44.9°F averageNovember: 35.9°F averageDecember: 30.5°F average0 in20 in40 in60 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Government Camp, 8 miles from the campground at 3,980 feet, station USC00353402 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 90 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 232 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Sandy, travel Highway 26 for 18 miles to Zigzag. Turn north onto Lolo Pass Road. Continue for about 4 miles, then turn right on Forest Road 1825 and continue for less than a mile. Bear right, staying on Forest Road 1825, and cross the Sandy River Bridge. Continue for another half-mile, to Forest Roads 1825-382.

Coordinates45.3825° N, 121.8615° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Fishing is available in nearby Lost Creek, as well as the Sandy River, which is not far from the campground.

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Grasshopper

    19 mi from the campground · 93,972 acres · 98% contained

  • Wildfire
    The Narrows

    20 mi from the campground · 305 acres · 98% contained

  • Prescribed
    Stone Ck/Clackamas Guard Station Rx - West

    21 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Timber Lake/Ripplebrook Admin Rx - West

    22 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 gearMountainology ↗4.4 mi
Dump stationStevenson Trailer Sewage Dump Station ↗21.5 mi
RV sales & serviceLook No Further RV's ↗34.3 mi

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

Explore

Video

(4K UHD) REVIEWING EACH CAMPSITE @ Riley Horse Campground! | Mount Hood National Forest |

Worth a stop

A deviation from the road coming into the campground (Forest Road 1825), will lead to a trailhead for spectacular Ramona Falls, on the Sandy River. The 7.1-mile, moderately difficult trail leads to cascading waterfalls and is one of the most popular hikes in Mt. Hood National Forest.

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 Mt. Hood 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.

Natural features

The campground is situated in the Old Maid Flat geologic area of Mt. Hood National Forest at an elevation of about 2,100 feet. It sits alongside Lost Creek and is near the Sandy Wild and Scenic River. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area.

Recreation

Several hiking, biking and horseback riding trails can be accessed from the campground, including the 5.3-mile Cast Creek Trail, which was reconstructed in 1998 and leads from the campground to the Zigzag Mountain Trail. Combined with the nearby 4.9-mile Horseshoe Ridge Trail and part of the Zigzag Mountain Trail, visitors can make a nearly 14-mile excursion. The Sandy River Trail follows the river and stretches about 3 miles. Anglers can expect a variety of trout, salmon and whitefish. The rivers are popular for fly fishing. Scenic drives and picnicking are also popular activities.

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 Riley Horse Campground?

Sites at Riley Horse Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Riley Horse Campground?

This site is operated by Alaska Recreational Management, a concessionaire. Camping: $23/night for single site. $8/night for extra vehicle.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Riley Horse Campground?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Riley Horse Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Riley Horse Campground have?

14 sites, including 13 equestrian sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Riley Horse Campground?

The longest site here provides 35 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 Riley Horse Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Riley Horse Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Riley Horse Campground?

Several hiking, biking and horseback riding trails can be accessed from the campground, including the 5.3-mile Cast Creek Trail, which was reconstructed in 1998 and leads from the campground to the Zigzag Mountain Trail. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Riley Horse Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are McNeil Campground (0.3 mi, first-come), Lost Creek (1.2 mi), and Tollgate (4.7 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby