Pine Creek Trailhead
Open for camping. No reservations required; first-come first-served. Check-in 2:00 p.m., check-out 12:00 p.m., quiet hours 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Air Quality Alert issued August 10 at 9:49AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Air Quality Advisory until noon PDT Wednesday. Check with your local health or air agency for current restrictions on woodstove use. There are often exceptions for those who use wood exclusively to heat their homes and those with limited income. People can take the following precautions to protect their health: * Follow local burn restrictions to prevent deteriorating air quality. * Avoid strenuous outdoor activity in smoky conditions. * People with heart or lung problems and young children are especially vulnerable. These people should stay indoors while smoke levels are high. * Use certified High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters in indoor heating ventilation, cooling, and air purification systems. * Avoid using wood-burning stoves and other sources of indoor smoke if possible. For additional information...please visit the Web site at http://www.oregon.gov/DEQ
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
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
Pine Creek Trailhead is a free, first-come first-served primitive campground in Malheur National Forest that doubles as the primary access point to the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness via Pine Creek Trail #201. The facility offers 5 campsites, each equipped with a fire ring and picnic table, along with vault toilets and ample parking. The trailhead is particularly well-suited for equestrians, featuring tie stalls for horses with stock water available approximately half a mile away in the drainage on the east side of Baldy Mountain. A separate Pine Creek Horse Camp nearby offers two additional sites with a newly built two-slot horse corral. Campers should come prepared as no potable water is available and all trash must be packed out. Wilderness regulations apply once on the trail, prohibiting motorized vehicles and mountain bikes. The area transitions through ponderosa pine stands and mixed vegetation, with spectacular wildflower displays in spring and early summer.
Directions
From Prairie City, OR, go west approximately 6 miles on US Highway 26 to the junction with County Road 54. Follow County Road 54, which becomes Forest Service Road 5401. Follow Forest Service Road 5401 to the junction with Forest Service Road 811. Follow Forest Service Road 811 all the way to the trailhead.
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
| SM.FS.malpubinfo@usda.gov | |
| Phone | +1 (541) 575-3000 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | Yes |
| T-Mobile | None |
Useful Links
| USFS Pine Creek Trailhead | |
| USFS Pine Creek Horse Camp |
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