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

Driftwood Campground

This lovely campground is situated on the banks of the Wild and Scenic North Fork John Day River. Driftwood features 6 campsties and 1 accessible toilet. There is a put-in site for rafting. There is no potable water or garbage service, so please pack your garbage home. Attractions in this area include swimming, non-motorized boating, and fishing. Water levels are low in mid to late summer, which can impede use of boats. The campground provides good access for big game hunting. In addition, the Oriental Trailhead is about 8 miles west, providing access to both OHV and wilderness trails.

More like this: first-come in Oregon · tent only in Oregon

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesSingle site: $8/night (extra $5 per vehicle exceeding the two-vehicle-per-site allowance.)

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

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonLate May
ForestUmatilla National Forest
BookingNot reservable
FeesSingle site: $8/night (extra $5 per vehicle exceeding the two-vehicle-per-site allowance.)

Umatilla National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Driftwood Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.60 inches of precipitation, 7.2 inches of snowFebruary: 1.35 inches of precipitation, 5.6 inches of snowMarch: 1.70 inches of precipitation, 5.8 inches of snowApril: 1.76 inches of precipitation, 2.3 inches of snowMay: 2.34 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowJune: 1.48 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.62 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.57 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.66 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.60 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowNovember: 1.65 inches of precipitation, 3.6 inches of snowDecember: 1.83 inches of precipitation, 8.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 31.4°F averageFebruary: 33.7°F averageMarch: 38.8°F averageApril: 43.6°F averageMay: 51.1°F averageJune: 57.1°F averageJuly: 65.3°F averageAugust: 65.4°F averageSeptember: 57.9°F averageOctober: 47.3°F averageNovember: 37.3°F averageDecember: 30.4°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Long Creek, 24 miles from the campground at 3,740 feet, station USC00355020 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 17 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 33 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates45.0182° N, 118.8591° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Mccully

    31 mi from the campground · 13,604 acres · 91% contained

  • Prescribed
    Birdtrack 621 Broadcast Rx

    34 mi from the campground · 377 acres

  • Prescribed
    Bird Track 610/607A Rx

    37 mi from the campground · 141 acres

  • Prescribed
    Greenwood Rx

    43 mi from the campground · 38 acres

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

Explore

Video

Driftwood Too Review

Worth a stop

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Umatilla 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.

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 Driftwood Campground?

No. Driftwood Campground is first-come, first-served. Not reservable Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Driftwood Campground?

Single site: $8/night (extra $5 per vehicle exceeding the two-vehicle-per-site allowance.)

Source: Forest Service

Is Driftwood Campground open right now?

Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Late May.

Source: Forest Service status

Can I bring an RV to Driftwood Campground?

Driftwood Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Driftwood Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Gold Dredge Campground (2.3 mi, first-come), Drift Fence Campground (3.8 mi, first-come), and Tollbridge Campground (4 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby