U.S. Forest Service · Deschutes National Forest · Oregon

Mckay Crossing Campground

McKay Crossing Campground is located off the beaten path along Paulina Creek. It provides campers with seclusion from the main road and the tranquility of hearing the creek flow. This area is good for bird watching, particularly in the wetlands located west of the campground.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov15 sitesNo hookupsPets okFires ok

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
McKay CrossingMcKay CrossingMcKay CrossingSite 2
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Junction Rx (prescribed burn) · 17 mi away
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups15
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

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

SiteEntrySurfaceShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresRating
01Pull-throughGravelPartial8 / 1YesStandard
02Back-inGravelPartialRiverfront8 / 1YesPrime
03Pull-throughGravelPartialRiverfront8 / 1YesPreferred
04Back-inGravelPartialRiverfront8 / 1YesPrime
05Back-inGravelPartial8 / 1YesStandard
06Back-inGravelPartialRiverfront8 / 1YesPrime
07Back-inGravelPartialRiverfront8 / 1YesPrime
08Back-inGravelPartialRiverfront8 / 1YesPrime
09Back-inGravelPartialRiverfront8 / 1YesPrime
10Back-inGravelPartialRiverfront8 / 1YesPreferred

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
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

McKay Crossing Campground can accommodate RV, trailer or tent-campers however electric and water hookups are not available. All sites are equipped with a picnic table and fire pit and the campground has vault toilets available.

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: $19/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 fees: - A 50 percent discount on…
RulesMaximum site spur length is 26 feet.

Deschutes National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Mckay Crossing Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.86 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.91 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.54 inches of precipitationApril: 1.16 inches of precipitationMay: 1.71 inches of precipitationJune: 1.09 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.52 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.55 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.75 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.44 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.43 inches of precipitationDecember: 3.16 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 29.7°F averageFebruary: 32.1°F averageMarch: 37.0°F averageApril: 40.6°F averageMay: 48.8°F averageJune: 54.6°F averageJuly: 62.5°F averageAugust: 61.6°F averageSeptember: 54.9°F averageOctober: 44.9°F averageNovember: 35.1°F averageDecember: 28.3°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Sunriver, 12 miles from the campground at 4,180 feet, station USC00358246 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 19 inches a year.

Getting there

From Bend, OR: Travel about 23.5 miles south on Highway 97 then 3 miles east on County Road 21 (Paulina Lake Road) until you see the sign for McKay Crossing at FS road 2120. Travel a few miles on this sometimes washboard dirt road to reach the campground.

Coordinates43.7164° N, 121.3773° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Junction Rx

    17 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 ↗9.3 mi
Outdoor gearREI ↗23 mi
RV sales & serviceBlue Compass RV Bend ↗23.9 mi

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

Explore

Video

McKay Crossing Campground - Deschutes National Forest, OR

Worth a stop

Visitors enjoy traveling the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, known as Oregon's Highway in the Sky, which climbs into the clouds on a 66-mile drive through the Cascade Range, weaving past snow-capped peaks and alpine lakes. Lava Lands Visitor Center in nearby Bend, Oregon, is a great starting point for visitors to learn about the diverse landscape and history of the area through interpretive programs and exhibits. Lava River Cave, located in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument is also nearby for campers to explore. At 5,211 feet in length, the northwest section of the cave is the longest continuous lava tube in Oregon.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Newberry #80 ↗
    28.9 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 0.8 mi
    Newbery #80 South
    2.2 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 1.3 mi
    Newberry #11 ↗
    7.1 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 2.2 mi
    Pso Bridge Tie
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.3 mi
    Peter Skene Ogden ↗
    8.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.6 mi
    Newberry #120
    3 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski

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 Deschutes 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

Paulina Creek divides this campground into two sections with sites 1-5 in one loop and sites 6-15 in an adjacent loop. A large waterfall is within a very short walk and brings the sound of falling waters to the camp sites near by.

Recreation

Boating, swimming and fishing are popular activities enjoyed by visitors during spring, summer and fall months, while skiing and snowmobiling are popular during the winter. Anglers have the opportunity to fish in the surrounding clear, cold lakes and streams for abundant salmon and trout. Hikers and backpackers have access to a variety of trails in the area, including several in Newberry National Volcanic Monument. The Crater Rim Trail is a favorite high country trail, boasting vast stretches of forest, deserts and mountains extending from all sides of the trail. Nearby Peter Skene Ogden National Recreation Trail parallels Paulina Creek, passing several waterfalls along the way, as it ascends 8.5 miles to the spectacular Paulina 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 Mckay Crossing Campground?

Sites at Mckay Crossing Campground 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 Mckay Crossing Campground?

Single Campsite Rate: $19/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 fees: - A 50 percent discount on…

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Mckay Crossing Campground?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Mckay Crossing Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Mckay Crossing Campground have?

15 sites, including 15 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Mckay Crossing Campground?

Mckay Crossing Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Mckay Crossing Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Mckay Crossing Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Mckay Crossing Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Maximum site spur length is 26 feet.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Mckay Crossing Campground?

Boating, swimming and fishing are popular activities enjoyed by visitors during spring, summer and fall months, while skiing and snowmobiling are popular during the winter. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Mckay Crossing Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Prairie Campground (2.4 mi), Ogden Group (2.4 mi), and Paulina Lake Campground (5.1 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby