Big Pool

Federal campground in Willamette National Forest

Location: Idanha, OR, OR

Price: From $90 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (1 reviews)

Season: May through October

Big Pool is a small, shady, group site campground situated between Forest Service Road 18 and Fall Creek. Expect heavy use during summer weekends.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/big-pool to be notified when sites open up.

Big Pool is a small, shady group site campground situated between Forest Service Road 18 and Fall Creek, offering a peaceful setting in the Idanha, OR area. The campground provides basic amenities including fire rings and picnic tables.

Wildlife alert: Gray wolves, wapiti (elk), Northern Spotted Owls, and Snowshoe Hares are present within 8km of this location.

Insider tips for Big Pool: Book early—this is a federal campground with high demand. Bring a self-contained RV or plan for tent camping; no hookups available. Call (801) 226-3564 for facility-specific information before arrival.

Skip Big Pool if: You need RV hookups—none are available.. You plan to visit outside May-October—campground is seasonal.. You prefer less crowded sites—expect heavy summer weekend use..

Best time to visit Big Pool: May-October — Official operating season as verified by campground data.. May-June or September-October — Avoid heavy summer weekend use as noted in RIDB description..

Nearby campgrounds: Big Meadows Horse Camp (Idanha, OR), Lost Lake - Willamette (Or) (Blue River, OR), Fish Lake Remount Depot Cabins (MCKENZIE BRIDGE, OR), Lost Prairie Group Site (Cascadia, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Big Pool

Cell signal at Big Pool (Idanha, 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.

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Federal campground in Willamette National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Big Pool

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Idanha, OR, OR★ 4 (1 reviews)From $90/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Big Pool is a small, shady, group site campground situated between Forest Service Road 18 and Fall Creek. Expect heavy use during summer weekends.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites: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
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

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—none are available.✕ You plan to visit outside May-October—campground is seasonal.✕ You prefer less crowded sites—expect heavy summer weekend use.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand.

Bring a self-contained RV or plan for tent camping; no hookups available.

Call (801) 226-3564 for facility-specific information before arrival.

Best: May-October

Official operating season as verified by campground data.

Best: May-June or September-October

Avoid heavy summer weekend use as noted in RIDB description.

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: Gray wolves, wapiti (elk), Northern Spotted Owls, and Snowshoe Hares are present within 8km of this location.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Willamette National Forest

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 — Willamette National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Willamette National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Big Pool cost per night?+
Big Pool costs $90 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Big Pool open?+
Big Pool is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Big Pool have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Big Pool?+
Big Pool is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Big Pool?+
Big Pool 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 Big Pool?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Big Pool is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Big Pool open, and what are check-in times?+
Big Pool is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●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.

$90 /night★ 4 (1)
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 Big Pool cost per night?+
What season is Big Pool open?+
Does Big Pool have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Big Meadows Horse Camp

Idanha, OR

From $25/night

Lost Lake - Willamette (Or)

Blue River, OR

From $21/night

Fish Lake Remount Depot Cabins

MCKENZIE BRIDGE, OR

From $85/night

Lost Prairie Group Site

Cascadia, OR

From $225/night

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