Lava Camp Lake Campground
Currently closed due to seasonal highway closure. Highway 242 (McKenzie Pass) is closed for winter and typically opens the third Monday in June, weather permitting. Once the highway opens, the campground operates first-come, first-served through early November.
Air Quality Alert issued August 5 at 2:33PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Air Quality Advisory until further notice. For the Smoke Air Quality Advisory, wildfires burning in the region combined with forecasted conditions will cause air quality to reach unhealthy levels. Pollutants in smoke can cause burning eyes, runny nose, aggravate heart and lung diseases, and aggravate other serious health problems. Limit outdoor activities and keep children indoors if it is smoky. Please follow medical advice if you have a heart or lung condition. An Air Quality Advisory for elevated levels of ozone pollution, or smog, is in effect for Hermiston in Umatilla County. Ozone pollution is expected to reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, pregnant people, older adults and people with heart or respiratory conditions. DEQ expected the Air Quality Advisory to last until 10 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. For additional information...please visit the Web site at http://www.oregon.gov/DEQ
Air Quality Alert issued August 3 at 12:05PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Air Quality Advisory until further notice. For the Smoke Air Quality Advisory, wildfires burning in the region combined with forecasted conditions may cause air quality to reach unhealthy levels. Pollutants in smoke can cause burning eyes, runny nose, aggravate heart and lung diseases, and aggravate other serious health problems. Limit outdoor activities and keep children indoors if it is smoky. Please follow medical advice if you have a heart or lung condition. For additional information...please visit the Web site at http://www.oregon.gov/DEQ
Alcohol Prohibitions
This Order describes acts that are prohibited upon lands, roads and trails within the National Forest System administered by the Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region in regards to alcoholic beverages.
About
Lava Camp Lake Campground is a primitive, no-fee campground located near McKenzie Pass in the Deschutes National Forest. The campground sits at roughly 5,190 feet elevation, surrounded by mountain hemlock and lodgepole pine forests that provide good screening between sites. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring. The campground serves as an excellent basecamp for wilderness exploration, with the Lava Camp Lake Trail providing access to the Pacific Crest Trail, North Matthieu Lake Trail, and Millican Crater Trail within the Three Sisters and Mt. Washington Wildernesses. Central Cascades Wilderness Permits are required for both day use and overnight stays from June 15 through October 15. Access is via Highway 242 (McKenzie Pass Highway), a seasonal road that typically opens the third Monday in June and closes in early November. The campground operates first-come, first-served with no reservations. This is a pack-it-in, pack-it-out area with vault toilets but no potable water, so campers must bring adequate water supplies.
Directions
From Sisters, OR: Travel 14.6 miles west on Highway 242 (McKenzie Pass Highway). Note: Highway 242 is seasonally closed from early November through mid-June.
Amenities
| Water | No |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | No |
| Wifi | No |
| Pets Allowed | Yes |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | No |
| Price | $0 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | — |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | No |
| Pull Through Sites | — |
Contact
| Phone | +1 (541) 549-7700 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | None |
| T-Mobile | None |
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