Camping in/near Portland Oregon?

[NCBill]

On our upcoming west coast trip, we will be coming from Sequim, WA on the way to the Maryhill campout. We'd like to stop in the greater Portland area for one night, and maybe make a stop at RV Widget Works as well (Hillsboro, OR).

I've looked at some of the online reviews of Campgrounds around Portland, and they are not good.

From this stop, we will head over to Maryhill, drop off the trailer, and on to Timberline Lodge for one night (wife's bucket list). Then back to Maryhill for the rally.

We lived in WA State for 13 years, so we already have that portion of the trip (to Sequim) planned out.

From Maryhill, we will be heading east towards Utah and then home. We go to southern Utah every year, many years multiple times per year: Zion, Bryce, and Capitol Reef are always on our route.

May stay at Columbia River RV, mixed reviews for sure!

[Donna D.]

Unless you have an absolute need to be in Portland, Oregon, I'd suggest moving further west closer to Hillsboro (and Charlie's) and stay at L.L. Stub Stewart State Park

Portland traffic is just as bad as Seattle's and traversing the city, nearly any time of the day is a PITA.

Or east, stay here: http://sandyrv.com/

Or here, which is also east and just down the road from a Camping World: http://www.rvonthego.com/oregon/port...rview-rv-park/

[NCBill]

Best route to Buxton coming from the north? That park looks very nice.

Looks like I might be able to come down highway 47, crossing at Longview.

Thanks!

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by NCBill

Best route to Buxton coming from the north? That park looks very nice.

Looks like I might be able to come down highway 47, crossing at Longview.

Thanks!

Best? Toss up, through Portland and then Hwy 26. OR Longview to Hwy 30 and then Hwy 47 (which is a bit curvy and slow), but you miss Portland altogether.

[kstock11]

My wife and I loved Champoeg Campground. Beautiful area with a lot of history of the area. The height of the floods many years ago were amazing. The museum was great.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by NCBill

On our upcoming west coast trip, we will be coming from Sequim, WA on the way to the Maryhill campout. We'd like to stop in the greater Portland area for one night, and maybe make a stop at RV Widget Works as well (Hillsboro, OR).

Just FYI, there is no retail store (or inventory) at RV Widget Works. Just me working in a remodeled pole barn. The property is gated, so to stop by you'll need to give me a call to see if I'll be around.

- Charlie Y

[techfan]

Originally Posted by NCBill

On our upcoming west coast trip, we will be coming from Sequim, WA on the way to the Maryhill campout. We'd like to stop in the greater Portland area for one night, and maybe make a stop at RV Widget Works as well (Hillsboro, OR).

I've looked at some of the online reviews of Campgrounds around Portland, and they are not good.

From this stop, we will head over to Maryhill, drop off the trailer, and on to Timberline Lodge for one night (wife's bucket list). Then back to Maryhill for the rally.

We lived in WA State for 13 years, so we already have that portion of the trip (to Sequim) planned out.

From Maryhill, we will be heading east towards Utah and then home. We go to southern Utah every year, many years multiple times per year: Zion, Bryce, and Capitol Reef are always on our route.

May stay at Columbia River RV, mixed reviews for sure!

Ok, going to offer some alternatives. Nice commercial campground in Kelso WA right off I5. A little further down the road a nice state park just south of Woodland WA. Or Battlground State park yet a little further. All on your route and no backtracking before you go 205 to I84 to head East. Any of these is good striking distance to Maryhill.

[drpaddle]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Best? Toss up, through Portland and then Hwy 26. OR Longview to Hwy 30 and then Hwy 47 (which is a bit curvy and slow), but you miss Portland altogether.

We pulled Toto home from LL Stub Stewart park via highway 47 (northbound) and... it's completely doable unless anyone in the tow has a problem with heights and ledges. Portions of the forest have been clear-cut along the road, in very steep terrain in some places. It's narrow, a bit bumpy, and doesn't sport too many guard rails. Heights-adverse passengers may randomly begin singing comforting songs or engaging in long, one-sided conversations with terriers.

People without acrophobia will be just fine. It's definitely prettier than I-5.

Also, expect a good number of logging trucks, driven by folks who know the road and go amazingly fast.

Next time we go to this park (from Gig Harbor), we'll go through Portland and take 26, to keep all the passengers from hyperventilating. YMMV.

[AKCamper]

We stayed at both Jantzen Beach campground and Columbia River RV park last year. Both are really close to Portland so visiting relatives was easy from either one. We liked Columbia River RV park, it seemed safe and the bathrooms were the cleanest we ever saw. We are staying there this summer for a week to visit relatives. Jantzen Beach although easier to get to from the freeway seemed less secure with homeless people going through the trash on occasion and waiting outside the bathrooms for someone to go out that had key access. I felt less likely to leave things outside if we left the campsite. If you want to be close to Portland this is the place to stay. Better make reservations early though since I think 90% of the sites are permanent residents.

[NCBill]

Originally Posted by techfan

Ok, going to offer some alternatives. Nice commercial campground in Kelso WA right off I5. A little further down the road a nice state park just south of Woodland WA. Or Battlground State park yet a little further. All on your route and no backtracking before you go 205 to I84 to head East. Any of these is good striking distance to Maryhill.

Based on Charlie's feedback above, I may just stay north of Portland or even East of there. We definitely need to drop off the trailer before heading up to Timberline Lodge.

I'll look into SP options.

Thanks!