Tollbridge Campground

About this campsite

Campground: Tollbridge Campground. Operated by Umatilla National Forest.

Location

Tollbridge Campground•OR

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Weather Forecast

via Open-Meteo

SUN☀️

28° / 10°

—

MON☁️

30° / 15°

💧 1%

TUE☁️

24° / 12°

💧 1%

WED☁️

24° / 9°

💧 1%

THU☁️

29° / 12°

💧 5%

Nearby Campsites

within 50km

33.0 km away

Camp Rabbanah

Campground: Camp Rabbanah. Operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

35.1 km away

DITCH CREEK GUARD STATION CAB

Overview Ditch Creek Guard Station, located about 27 miles southeast of Heppner, Oregon, is a comfortable little cabin that accommodates six overnight guests, with additional space for tent camping outside. Equestrian campers are welcome and a corral with trough is provided. The guard station was originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the mid-1930s. It is a classic example of forest structures of that era and is eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. It was used by forest fireguards who would ride their horses deep into the forest’s interior to look for wisps of smoke from lightning strikes or to check on communications lines along Forest Service roads. It became a recreation rental in 1997. Recreation The route to the cabin is located off the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway, which boasts incredible views. Over 26 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails, ranging between 4,100 and 5,300 feet in elevation, traverse forests and meadows throughout the Heppner Ranger District. Fishing opportunities abound in nearby streams, Penland Lake, and Bull Prairie Lake. Other activities include hunting for deer and elk, mushroom and berry picking, wildlife viewing, and enjoying the scenic landscape. Facilities The cabin is a one-story building containing a bedroom, living room, kitchen with nook, and a bathroom. The cabin does not meet accessibility standards due to narrow doorways and halls. A picnic table, campfire ring and a 20' X 20' horse corral with water trough are located outside. Guests may pitch tents in the yard for additional sleeping options. The bedroom contains two bunk beds, a dresser, and a chair, and the living room is furnished with a futon, loveseat, side table, a dining table with four chairs, and a heating stove. A cook stove, fire extinguisher, cookware, silverware, and dishes are included in the kitchen. All appliances and lighting are propane, which is provided by the Forest Service. Potable water is available. Guests must bring food, bedding, toiletries, matches, flashlights, first aid kits, and any other camping gear. Cleaning supplies are provided in a closet by the door and guests are expected to clean the cabin before they leave. Natural Features The cabin sits near Ditch Creek on a large, flat lawn surrounded by a dense pine forest at an elevation of 4,800 feet. The creek is one of numerous small perennial streams that flow south into the North Fork John Day River. There is a small pond adjacent that is also stocked with fish. Deer and elk are likely to be seen in the area, and as evening falls, guests can watch bats flit and swoop above the yard. Contact Info For local information, please call (541) 676-9187 or call (541) 676-2155 for general information. Nearby Attractions The nearest town with a general store is Heppner, a 27 mile, 40-minute drive away, although ice and some food options are available at the Morrow County OHV park 30 miles or 37 minutes away.

35.9 km away

Olive Lake Campground (OR)

Overview Nestled on the edge of a lake, high in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon, this popular campground is only 8 miles west of the historic Fremont Powerhouse and 12 miles west of the old mining town of Granite. The campground features 28 campsites and 7 accessible toilet facilities. Other features include a 2-mile hiking trail around the lake with nearby access to wilderness and scenic area trails, a boat ramp and 2 docks. Besides beautiful scenery, the lake offers many opportunities for wildlife viewing--particularly a nesting pair of osprey that return annually. Activities in this area include fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, hunting, and photography. Within 20 miles are several historic sites. Recreation A 2-mile hiking trail encircles the lake, providing access to more secluded spots where solitude can be enjoyed. Bicyclists can also enjoy the trail although there are a couple of spots bikes might need to be walked, depending on skill level. Anglers can fish for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout, and kokanee and crawfish boils are a popular dinner option. There are 2 boat docks adjacent to the campground, as well as a boat ramp and trailer parking. Motorized boats are allowed on the lake, but wakes and jet skis are not allowed. There are opportunities for viewing wildlife such as deer, elk, bear, river otters, and osprey. Mushroom and berry picking are available in season. Other nearby trails access the North John Day Wilderness Area and Vinegar Hill Scenic Area. An interpretive sign about the beetle infestation is located in a few spots within the campground. Facilities The campground features 20 tent/RV campsites, 2 group sites, 6 tent only sites and 7 accessible toilet facilities. Other features include a 2-mile hiking trail around the lake with nearby access to wilderness and scenic area trails, a boat ramp and 2 docks, and an interpretive sign. There is no potable water. Potable water can be obtained from Fremont Powerhouse, 7 miles east of the campground from May 15-Sept 30. Nearby Attractions The area around Olive Lake is rich in history. The dam and gates on the north side of the lake were constructed as part of a hydroelectric system to support gold mining activities within the northern Blue Mountain Region. Historically, water from the lake flowed through a wooden pipeline to the Fremont Powerhouse, where it was used to produce electricity for mines and towns in the area. Fremont Powerhouse is located approximately 7 miles east and the historic moning town of Granite is 12 miles east of Olive Lake along Forest Road 73.

36.5 km away

Coalmine Hill Campground

Campground: Coalmine Hill Campground. Operated by Umatilla National Forest.

41.1 km away

CARETAKERS CABIN

Overview Caretaker's Cabin allows guests to relax in the outdoors at the historic Fremont Powerhouse site. As one of four cabins located at the site, the cabin offers flexibility for large groups, like weddings or reunions. Guests can rent all cabins (see Congo Gulch, Hilltop Hideaway, and Miner's Retreat) and also pitch tents in the grassy yard. Caretaker’s Cabin sits on a hill beside Miner’s Retreat and has parking access beside it. The cabin can accommodate up to 10 guests. Winter access may require skis, snowshoes or snowmobiles. In the 1800s, the North Fork John Day drainage was bustling with gold and silver mining. Around 1903, local mines began to notice a decline in earnings and promoted construction of a cheaper power source in an effort to operate the mines more economically. As a result, the Fremont Powerhouse was constructed and began operation in 1908. Two dams were constructed at Olive Lake and water from the lake was piped through an eight-mile-long wood and steel pipeline to the powerhouse to generate the much-needed electrical power. The Caretaker’s Cabin house was constructed in the 1930s to shelter workers who monitored the pipeline for leaks and kept the powerhouse operating. The entire site and pipeline are listed as an historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. Recreation Guests can hike on North Fork John Day Wilderness trails or go mountain biking on forest roads. A drive along the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway is a treat, as are activities like huckleberry and mushroom picking, bird watching, wildlife viewing and photographing the vast landscape. Nearby Olive Lake offers boating, fishing and swimming. Facilities The cabin is a 2-story house with wood siding and a shake shingle roof that can accommodate 10 guests. The cabin features: · two bedrooms upstairs with dressers, 2 twin beds, and 2 full-over-queen bunkbeds; · parlor with 2 futons and end tables; · dining room with a table and chairs to seat 10; · kitchen with refrigerator, electric stove/oven, microwave, coffee pot, toaster, cookware, and dishes; · bathroom with flush toilet and claw-footed tub (no shower). Outside there is a fire ring and picnic table--prior to arrival please contact the District office to determine whether fires have been banned. The cabin has electric lights and electric wall heaters. Cleaning supplies are also provided and renters are required to clean the house before they leave. Water is available June through September only. No water or indoor plumbing from October to May. Instead, an outhouse is available for use. In these seasons, guests are asked to bring plenty of water for drinking, cooking and washing. Other items to pack year-round include food, bedding, a first aid kit, flashlight, matches and all other basic camping gear. Click here for more cabin details. Natural Features Perched on a small rise at about 5,000 feet in elevation, the cabin is set on a hillside under a large spruce tree. A grassy lawn in front spreads to the three other cabins in the area. The forest lies in the Blue Mountains and is home to Ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, larch and Douglas-fir. Birds in the area include the black-backed woodpecker, American kestrel and the boreal owl. Black bear, cougar, wolves, elk and deer are among the native land mammals. Click here to learn about bear safety. Nearby Attractions The cabin is located less than 6 miles from Granite, Oregon, a ghost town that once bustled with prospectors and pioneers. The town provides groceries and fuel. Opportunities for horseback riding are within 10 miles of the cabin.