Alder Glen Recreation Site

Nestucca River Recreation Area — riverside

Location: Salem, OR, OR

Price: From $15 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (45 reviews)

Season: May through October

Camping season is generally May-September, with Alder Glen and Elk Bend remaining open through the weekend following General Western Oregon Coast 2nd Season for elk. During months with reduced sunlight, potable water may be turned off. Be prepared to bring your own wash and drinking water.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/alder-glen-recreation-site to be notified when sites open up.

Alder Glen offers affordable camping ($15/night) with basic amenities in a scenic area along the Nestucca River, with verified wildlife viewing opportunities including wapiti, Pacific wrens, and American dippers.

Wildlife alert: Wapiti (elk) are present in the area; the campground stays open through early elk season. Northern red-legged frogs also confirmed in the region.

Insider tips for Alder Glen Recreation Site: Book early on recreation.gov — this is a federal campground with only 11 sites and high demand Bring your own drinking water during fall/winter months when potable water is turned off Use the Recreation.gov Mobile App to pay for non-reserved sites if you arrive without a reservation

Skip Alder Glen Recreation Site if: You need RV hookups — this campground has none. You're visiting November-April — campground is closed seasonally. You want guaranteed water access in October — potable water is turned off during reduced sunlight months.

Best time to visit Alder Glen Recreation Site: May-September — Official camping season with reliable potable water availability. September-October (weekends after 2nd elk season) — Extended season for Alder Glen specifically, though potable water may be turned off during reduced sunlight months.

Nearby campgrounds: Rocky Bend Group Campground (HEBO , OR), Elk Bend Recreation Site (Salem, OR), Fan Creek Recreation Site (Salem, OR), Dovre Recreation Site (Salem, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Alder Glen Recreation Site

Cell signal at Alder Glen Recreation Site (Salem, OR): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
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Nestucca River Recreation Area — riversideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Alder Glen Recreation Site

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Salem, OR, OR★ 4.4 (45 reviews)From $15/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Camping season is generally May-September, with Alder Glen and Elk Bend remaining open through the weekend following General Western Oregon Coast 2nd Season for elk. During months with reduced sunlight, potable water may be turned off. Be prepared to bring your own wash and drinking water.

Best for:Wildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV90 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — this campground has none✕ You're visiting November-April — campground is closed seasonally✕ You want guaranteed water access in October — potable water is turned off during reduced sunlight months

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early on recreation.gov

this is a federal campground with only 11 sites and high demand

Bring your own drinking water during fall/winter months when potable water is turned off

Use the Recreation.gov Mobile App to pay for non-reserved sites if you arrive without a reservation

Best: May-September

Official camping season with reliable potable water availability

Best: September-October (weekends after 2nd elk season)

Extended season for Alder Glen specifically, though potable water may be turned off during reduced sunlight months

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Wapiti (elk) are present in the area; the campground stays open through early elk season. Northern red-legged frogs also confirmed in the region.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
503-375-5646· Nestucca River Recreation Area
Getting there →

From Beaver, Oregon: Trip takes is about 17 miles from Beaver, Oregon. Head east on Blaine Rd. At Blaine, take a slight right to continue onto NF-85/Upper Nestucca Rd. The main road will switch from NF-85 and Upper Nestucca River Rd, which finally turns into Nestucca River Rd. Alder Glen Recreation Site will be on the right.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Nestucca River Recreation Area fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Nestucca River Recreation Area before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Alder Glen Recreation Site cost per night?+
Alder Glen Recreation Site costs $15 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Alder Glen Recreation Site open?+
Alder Glen Recreation Site is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Alder Glen Recreation Site have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Alder Glen Recreation Site?+
Alder Glen Recreation Site can accommodate RVs up to 90 feet.
How do I make reservations at Alder Glen Recreation Site?+
Alder Glen Recreation Site is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Alder Glen Recreation Site?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Alder Glen Recreation Site is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Alder Glen Recreation Site open, and what are check-in times?+
Alder Glen Recreation Site is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Explore Oregon Recreation: Nestucca RiverNestucca River National Back Country Byway
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$15 /night★ 4.4 (45)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Alder Glen Recreation Site cost per night?+
What season is Alder Glen Recreation Site open?+
Does Alder Glen Recreation Site have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Rocky Bend Group Campground

HEBO , OR

From $75/night

Elk Bend Recreation Site

Salem, OR

From $75/night

Fan Creek Recreation Site

Salem, OR

From $15/night

Dovre Recreation Site

Salem, OR

From $15/night

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