Blackhorse Campground

Wallowa Whitman National Forest — riverside, hiking

Location: Joseph, OR, OR

Price: From $10 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Situated along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway and Wild and Scenic Imnaha River, Blackhorse Campground offers campsites for both tents and trailers/RVs. Popular activities include fishing in the river, picnicking and exploring along the byway. The nearby Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA) offers numerous opportunities for visiting and exploring interpretive and historic sites and hunting during the fall big game seasons.

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/blackhorse-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Blackhorse Campground sits along the Wild and Scenic Imnaha River with access to the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway and nearby Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. The location offers excellent opportunities for fishing, hiking, picnicking, wildlife viewing, and photography.

Wildlife alert: Bighorn Sheep and Rocky Mountain Mule Deer present in area; also Red-tailed Hawks, Western Tanagers, American Dippers, and garter snakes (Thamnophis elegans vagrans).

Insider tips for Blackhorse Campground: Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand. Located along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway with access to Hells Canyon NRA interpretive and historic sites. Fall big game hunting season available in nearby Hells Canyon NRA.

Skip Blackhorse Campground if: You need RV hookups; most sites have no hookups.. You prefer year-round camping; seasonal operations only May through October.. You need more than 14 total campsites available..

Best time to visit Blackhorse Campground: June-October — Official primary use season is June 1 to October 31; campground operates May through October..

Nearby campgrounds: Ollokot Campground (Joseph, OR), Coverdale Campground (Joseph, OR), Hidden Campground (Or) (Joseph, OR), Indian Crossing Campground (Joseph, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Blackhorse Campground

Cell signal at Blackhorse Campground (Joseph, 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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Wallowa Whitman National Forest — riverside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Blackhorse Campground

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Joseph, OR, OR★ 4 (0 reviews)From $10/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Situated along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway and Wild and Scenic Imnaha River, Blackhorse Campground offers campsites for both tents and trailers/RVs. Popular activities include fishing in the river, picnicking and exploring along the byway. The nearby Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA) offers numerous opportunities for visiting and exploring interpretive and historic sites and hunting during the fall big game seasons.

Best for:HikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
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.
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; most sites have no hookups.✕ You prefer year-round camping; seasonal operations only May through October.✕ You need more than 14 total campsites available.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand.

Located along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway with access to Hells Canyon NRA interpretive and historic sites.

Fall big game hunting season available in nearby Hells Canyon NRA.

Best: June-October

Official primary use season is June 1 to October 31; campground operates May through October.

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: Bighorn Sheep and Rocky Mountain Mule Deer present in area; also Red-tailed Hawks, Western Tanagers, American Dippers, and garter snakes (Thamnophis elegans vagrans).

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
800-111-1111· Wallowa Whitman National Forest
Getting there →

From Enterprise, Oregon travel south on Oregon State 82 towards Joseph for about 6.5 miles; In Joseph turn left on Oregon State 350 and go about 8 miles to the Wallowa Loop Road; Turn right on the Wallowa Loop Road (also known as the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway) and travel on this road which eventually becomes Forest Road 39 for 30 miles; The campground is on the left near the Imnaha River. From Halfway, Oregon head east out of town for 1 mile on Record Road to Highway 86; Once on Highway 86 go 9

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

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Blackhorse Campground cost per night?+
Blackhorse Campground costs $10 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Blackhorse Campground open?+
Blackhorse Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Blackhorse Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Blackhorse Campground?+
Blackhorse Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Blackhorse Campground?+
Blackhorse Campground 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 Blackhorse Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Blackhorse Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Blackhorse Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Blackhorse Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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.

$10 /night★ 4 (0)
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 Blackhorse Campground cost per night?+
What season is Blackhorse Campground open?+
Does Blackhorse Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Ollokot Campground

Joseph, OR

From $15/night

Coverdale Campground

Joseph, OR

From $10/night

Hidden Campground (Or)

Joseph, OR

From $10/night

Indian Crossing Campground

Joseph, OR

From $15/night

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