Overnight in Oregon Sno Parks?

[SportE]

We are having last minute changes to our Christmas plans and now get to spend the Christmas week camping and looking for snow. Plans are coming together for a trip in our Four Wheel Camper from our Bay Area home to Bend, OR with a couple days stop at Mt. Lassen.

I know that there is some overnight RV/camper parking available at Mt Bachelor and was wondering if anyone could tell me if overnight camping was allowed at the sno parks? We have a 4-year-old and I am not sure I want to stay at a commercial ski resort that only has bathroom access during business hours.

Thank you!!
Emily

 

[MarkBC]

That's a great question, and though I live in Bend and have used Sno Parks for decades...I don't know if it's legal to camp overnight.
I know it's OK to park there overnight -- that's where you'd park if you're going to ski in and snow camp in the backcountry. At least, I've done that without problem over the years.
The official ODOT pages for sno parks don't give a clue, as you probably found out already.

 

[SportE]

Of course, Mark since you already live in a perfect place you don't need know how to visit! I should probably just call the ranger station and ask.

It took a while to figure out but we did determine you can camp in CA sno parks with a permit as long there isn't a sign specifically prohibiting it. I am really hoping it is the same in OR.

 

[MarkBC]

Here's a link to the ODOT Contact page if you don't already have it...through which you can, eventually, probably, find an official answer.
Please post here what you find out, if others haven't already.
Good luck.

 

[ski3pin]

Here's what our California Sno Park info states -

Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis at all SNO-PARK sites. No refunds are issued if your favorite SNO-PARK is full. Park and drive carefully within SNO-PARK sites. Watch for pedestrians. Overnight parking, including in-vehicle camping is allowed except where noted or signed at SNO-PARK sites. Tent camping or sleeping outside a vehicle in the parking area is prohibited at all SNO-PARK sites. Do not build campfires on paved areas. Do not litter SNO-PARK sites. Trash containers may not be provided, pack out your own refuse.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Don't know if it is still done,but a Sno Park pass from either Ca. or Or. were good in both states.
Actually the Oregon pass was cheaper.

Years ago when we had the cabin and used the Sno Parks we would get an annual pass.
Worked out better and less expensive.Plus you didn't have to hunt around to find a place to but one.

Thanks for the info Ski.
Frank

 

[MarkBC]

Don't know if it is still done,but a Sno Park pass from either Ca. or Or. were good in both states.
...Frank

Yes, it's still true -- CA permit good in Oregon.
Annual Sno-Park Permit: $25, 3-Day (consecutive) Sno-Park Permit: $9, ​ Daily Sno-Park Permit​ $4​

Fees found on the main Sno-Park page.


Here's the Oregon Sno-Park Brochure:
View attachment Oregon Sno-Park Brochure.pdf

But no mention of camping in these sources, unless I missed it.

 

[Bigfoot]

AFAIK you can RV camp at Oregon Sno-Parks. To tent camp you have to be a couple of hundred feet from the lot. When parked during storms you have to be alert not to get snowed or plowed in.

 

[DavidGraves]

AFAIK you can RV camp at Oregon Sno-Parks. To tent camp you have to be a couple of hundred feet from the lot. When parked during storms you have to be alert not to get snowed or plowed in.

Another simple fact is that the out house door may be blocked closed from plowed and frozen snow.

One might check the Hot Springs motel / campground not too far south of Bend which may well be on your route.......can't remember the name but Google can....maybe Belknap springs....quite close to several Sno Parks.

DavidGraves

 

[MarkBC]

Sno-Parks in Oregon that I've been to are heavily used in winter, by XC-skiers and/or snowmobilers, depending on the location -- that's what they're for. Sometimes dozens of vehicles are parked at popular ones. Outhouses have always been open and maintained in my experience -- it would be an unholy mess if they weren't!

 

[SportE]

Thanks for all the replies.

My husband phoned a forest ranger yesterday who said no one had ever asked him about camping in a sno park before. The ranger suggested that it is probably OK if it isn't expressly forbidden. We're going to call another ranger district for a second opinion today. Some of my hesitation to camp without permission is not wanting to bother our kid if we get kicked out and have to move. Most of my hesitation is I would be unbearable grumpy if we got kicked out and had to move.

We've enjoyed our few nights at the Lake Alpine and Hope Valley sno parks in CA last year.

 

[MarkBC]

...The ranger suggested that it is probably OK if it isn't expressly forbidden.

...Some of my hesitation to camp without permission is not wanting to bother our kid if we get kicked out and have to move. Most of my hesitation is I would be unbearable grumpy if we got kicked out and had to move.

If there are no "No overnight camping" or similar signs posted I would be completely comfortable camping there.

---------------------------
Related:
Many years ago, on a visit to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (the main Visitor Center area), a friend and I ignored the "No camping" signs and parked and slept in the parking lot in the back of her canopy-covered pickup. In the middle of the night, KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!, we were rousted by a NPS Ranger and told to leave. Not sure how he knew there were folks inside the quiet, dark, canopy -- must have X-ray eyes.

 

[hoyden]

I camped at a Sno-Park during my October travels. There was a big parking lot, then a dirt road. I went down the dirt road and there were five or six boondocking spots. A van was in one spot, then a Sportsmobile came in that afternoon. What a great service from Oregon!

 

[Advmoto18]

This is all new to me..

So I sent an email to ODOT several days ago inquiring about camping in the Sno Park parking lot. I have not received a reply. ODOT Admin must be on Christmas holiday skd.

I do not have any immediate or long range plans to use a Sno Park, but, good info for the knowledge book.

 

[sportsman]

We stayed in the Wanoga SnoPark. Plenty of others (RVs with generators creating excellent white noise) in the lot.

We also explored our lower temperature limits in the camper, turned the heater off during the night and the interior temperature dropped below -10C. We had to put our socks on in our sleeping bags during the night, including our 5 year old (t was her birthday,so barely 5 years old).

 

[FreezingMan]

It's a little late but you can camp in Wanoga and Edison Sno Parks near Mt B. Sno park pass is required. The bathrooms and showers are open 24/7 for paid campers at Mt B. At least that what it used to be.


Sent from my iPhone using Wander The West

 

[super doody]

Thanks for all the replies.

My husband phoned a forest ranger yesterday who said no one had ever asked him about camping in a sno park before. The ranger suggested that it is probably OK if it isn't expressly forbidden. We're going to call another ranger district for a second opinion today. Some of my hesitation to camp without permission is not wanting to bother our kid if we get kicked out and have to move. Most of my hesitation is I would be unbearable grumpy if we got kicked out and had to move.

We've enjoyed our few nights at the Lake Alpine and Hope Valley sno parks in CA last year.

Just got back from a day of snow play at Iron Mountain Sno Park on HWY 88. We saw two truck camper families camped there. I would recommend Iron Mountain as an ideal camping location as filled with snow mobiles.

 

[clikrf8]

We stayed overnight in several during off season (fall and spring) in Oregon. Sometimes they are open and sometimes not. Free with vault toilets. Pack it in, pack it out. One on 395 southbound was open; one on 20/126 wasn't but in a more popular area. Another idea for off season camping.