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

Lava Lake Campground

Lava Lake Campground is located along the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway within the heart of Central Oregon's Cascade Range.

Reservable · Recreation.gov44 sites40 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Lava LakeLava LakeLAVA LAKE CAMPGROUNDLAVA LAKE CAMPGROUND
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov
3fires
active
Junction Rx (prescribed burn) · 15 mi away
2 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups38
Tent-only5
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 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftShadePeople / vehiclesFiresRating
001StandardPull-through40Partial6 / 1YesStandard
002StandardBack-in30Partial6 / 1YesStandard
003StandardBack-in36Partial6 / 1YesStandard
004StandardBack-in36Partial6 / 1YesStandard
005StandardPull-through40Partial6 / 1YesStandard
007StandardBack-in40Partial6 / 1YesStandard
008StandardPull-through40Partial6 / 1YesStandard
009StandardBack-in30Partial6 / 1YesStandard
010StandardPull-through40Partial6 / 1YesStandard
011StandardBack-in40Partial6 / 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 length40 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

This waterfront campground features 44 sites some of which are designated as tent-only while others provide space for small RV's and trailers. Lava Lake Campground also has a day use area and boat ramp.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Lava Lake Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.97 inches of precipitation, 17.9 inches of snowFebruary: 2.04 inches of precipitation, 14.9 inches of snowMarch: 1.72 inches of precipitation, 8.4 inches of snowApril: 1.25 inches of precipitation, 2.0 inches of snowMay: 1.32 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowJune: 0.90 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.45 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.59 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.61 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.45 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowNovember: 2.60 inches of precipitation, 8.9 inches of snowDecember: 3.62 inches of precipitation, 20.7 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.4°F averageFebruary: 32.5°F averageMarch: 36.9°F averageApril: 41.8°F averageMay: 49.8°F averageJune: 56.5°F averageJuly: 64.9°F averageAugust: 64.0°F averageSeptember: 56.9°F averageOctober: 46.5°F averageNovember: 36.2°F averageDecember: 29.5°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 in25 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Wickiup Dam, 17 miles from the campground at 4,358 feet, station USC00359316 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 20 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 74 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Bend, travel 38.4 miles southwest on Cascade Lakes Hwy (46), then 1.0 miles east on Forest Road 4600 500.

Nearest townBend, Oregon
Coordinates43.9150° N, 121.7681° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Junction Rx

    15 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Camas Ts Rx

    45 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Rx Cold Springs

    49 mi from the campground · 158 acres

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

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearREI ↗24.3 mi
RV sales & serviceBlue Compass RV Bend ↗26.4 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗31.7 mi

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

Explore

Video

Lava Lake & Little Lava Lake / Oregon / RV & Tent Campground Favs!

Worth a stop

Visitors can explore wilderness areas, wild and scenic rivers, lakes and reservoirs and approximately 1,600 miles of trails within the Deschutes National Forest. Lava Lands Visitor Center in nearby Bend, Oregon, and the unique geological landscape of Newberry National Volcanic Monument draw visitors to the region as well. Visitors will also enjoy traveling the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway which climbs into the Cascades from Central Oregon's high desert valley over a 66-mile drive weaving through snow-capped peaks and alongside alpine lakes.

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 →

Natural features

Lava Lake is located on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountain Range at an elevation of 4,740 feet surrounded by mature pine forests with bull rushes and lava outcroppings lining its shores.

Recreation

Lava Lake Campground offers access to hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing and scenic driving.

Guidebooks for Oregon

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

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

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Lava Lake Campground?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Lava Lake Campground?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Lava Lake Campground have?

44 sites, including 38 standard sites without power and 5 tent-only sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Lava Lake Campground?

The longest site here provides 40 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 Lava Lake Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Lava Lake Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Lava Lake Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 3 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

Is there cell service at Lava Lake Campground?

FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is the nearest town to Lava Lake Campground?

Bend, Oregon. Visitors can explore wilderness areas, wild and scenic rivers, lakes and reservoirs and approximately 1,600 miles of trails within the Deschutes National Forest.

Source: Getting there

What if Lava Lake Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Little Lava Lake (0.5 mi), South Campground (3.4 mi), and Mallard Marsh Campground (3.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby