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

Kingfisher

Kingfisher Campground is a diamond in the rough. Its unkempt appearance gives it a true nature feel, yet it offers numerous modern conveniences and is close to a variety of recreational opportunities. It lies next to the scenic Hot Springs Fork of Collawash River, a tributary to the Wild and Scenic Clackamas River nearby.

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
KingfisherKingfisher
Photos courtesy of Share the Experience, Steve Schwindt, Share the Experience, Larry Chow · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups23
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 35 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFires
001Back-in35GravelFull6 / 2
002Back-inGravelFullRiverfront6 / 1Yes
003Back-in20PartialRiverfront6 / 2Yes
004Back-in20Partial6 / 2Yes
005Back-in20PartialRiverfront6 / 2Yes
006Back-inGravelPartialRiverfront6 / 2Yes
007Pull-through20Partial6 / 2Yes
008Back-in20PartialRiverfront6 / 2Yes
009Back-inGravelFull6 / 2Yes
010Back-inGravelPartial6 / 1Yes

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 length35 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
Tent padsYes

The campground offers nearly two dozen single-family sites for tent and RV camping. RVs larger than 19 feet, however, may have difficulty negotiating tight turns within the campground. No utility hookups are available. Parking surfaces are either paved or gravel. Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Firewood is available for purchase at the campground.

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
RulesVehicles 36 ft. maximum.

Mt. Hood National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Kingfisher30°40°50°60°70°January: 9.26 inches of precipitation, 3.1 inches of snowFebruary: 7.09 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowMarch: 7.98 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowApril: 6.21 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 4.41 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 3.01 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.61 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.70 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 2.11 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 6.22 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 10.05 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowDecember: 11.30 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 36.9°F averageFebruary: 39.3°F averageMarch: 43.1°F averageApril: 47.9°F averageMay: 54.2°F averageJune: 58.9°F averageJuly: 65.2°F averageAugust: 65.5°F averageSeptember: 60.6°F averageOctober: 50.7°F averageNovember: 42.1°F averageDecember: 36.6°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Three Lynx, 10 miles from the campground at 1,120 feet, station USC00358466 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 69 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 5 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Estacada, travel east on Highway 224 for 26 miles, then turn right on Road 46 and continue for 5 miles. Turn onto Road 63 and continue for 4 miles. Turn onto Road 70 and continue about 2 miles to the campground.

Coordinates44.9773° N, 122.0925° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • The Cascades Scenic Byway, which follows the Clackamas River, is not far from the campground.

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Austin Repair Pile Rx - West

    7 mi from the campground

  • Wildfire
    Austin

    8 mi from the campground · 12,888 acres · 98% contained

  • Prescribed
    Timber Lake/Ripplebrook Admin Rx - West

    8 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Fawn Stew Piles Rx - West

    8 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 gearTimber Town Resale ↗22 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗25.3 mi
RV sales & serviceAdventure Trading RV ↗34 mi

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

Explore

Video

Kiwi Camping Kingfisher 6 Recreational Dome Tent - Key Features

Worth a stop

Kingfisher Campground is at the center of the Mt. Hood National Forest, where a variety of tourist attractions and historic sites draw thousands of visitors every year. A map of the area can be found at the Ripplebrook Camp Store about 9 miles north of the campground. Bagby Hot Springs is located about 5 miles southwest of the campground. A popular site for soaking and relaxing, the springs are in a heavily wooded area. The available bathhouses are fed by three major hot water springs and several minor outlets in the area. A historic guard station was built there in 1913. The city of Estacada is 35 miles northwest of the campground, with a variety of dining and shopping options, groceries and fuel.

  • 3.1 mi
    Dickey Creek ↗
    5.9 mi trail
  • 3.2 mi
    Thunder Mountain
    1.2 mi trail
  • 3.7 mi
    Skookum Lake
    1.2 mi trail
  • 3.8 mi
    Bull of the Woods
    3.9 mi trail
  • 4.8 mi
    Bagby ↗
    11.5 mi trail
  • 4.9 mi
    Riverside
    3.7 mi trail

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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The campground is located in the Mt. Hood National Forest along the banks of the Hot Springs Fork of Collawash River, just north of the Bull of the Woods Wilderness. It is situated in a mixed evergreen forest at an elevation of about 1,250 feet. A variety of birds and wildlife make their homes in the area.

Recreation

Catch and release fishing for trout is allowed on the main fork of the Collawash, but the streams are closed to fishing. Whitewater rafting and kayaking are popular activities in the area. At least one 5-mile stretch of the more than 17-mile river boasts class III-IV whitewater. Visitors enjoy hiking in the Bull of the Woods Wilderness, which is south of the campground and offers numerous trailheads. Several primitive forest roads nearby are open to mountain biking.

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 Kingfisher?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Kingfisher?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Kingfisher open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Kingfisher have?

23 sites, including 23 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Kingfisher?

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 Kingfisher?

Yes, pets are allowed at Kingfisher. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Kingfisher?

Catch and release fishing for trout is allowed on the main fork of the Collawash, but the streams are closed to fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Kingfisher is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Raab (3.5 mi), Bagby Campground (4.1 mi, first-come), and Riverford Campground (4.2 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby