Clackamas Lake

Mt. Hood National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Estacada, OR, OR

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (60 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Clackamas Lake Campground is a great camping destination, especially when nearby Timothy Lake sites are full. The facility is located in the Clackamas Lake Historic District in Mt. It provides access to fishing, swimming and leisurely boating, as well as a number of trails and historic points along the way.The campground is nestled in a heavily wooded forest of pine trees, with partial views of Oregon’s highest peak.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Fishing

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

Clackamas Lake offers a peaceful camping alternative when nearby Timothy Lake is full, featuring beautiful lake views, large sites, and a helpful camp host. Anglers will enjoy fishing opportunities and visitors can access swimming, boating, hiking, and historic sites within Mt. Hood National Forest.

Wildlife alert: Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Varied Thrush, Barrow's Goldeneye, Sandhill Crane, Canada Jay. Mosquitoes reported by campers.

Insider tips for Clackamas Lake: Book early—this is a federal campground with high demand Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available Sites are very large; plan to stay multiple days for a peaceful retreat The lake is small and shallow—bring a wetsuit if swimming, as water is very cold

Skip Clackamas Lake if: You need RV hookups—none are available. You prefer motorized boating—only non-motorized boats are allowed. You're sensitive to mosquitoes—they are active during camping season.

Best time to visit Clackamas Lake: Year-round — Campground operates year-round, though seasonal operations noted in known issues.

Nearby campgrounds: Clackamas Lake Historic Cabin (ZIGZAG, OR), Oak Fork Campground (Timothy Lake, Or) (TIMOTHY LAKE, OR), Gone Creek Campground (Timothy Lake, Or) (Timothy Lake, OR), Stone Creek Campground (Timothy Lake, Or) (Timothy Lake, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Clackamas Lake

Cell signal at Clackamas Lake (Estacada, 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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Mt. Hood National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Clackamas Lake

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Estacada, OR, OR★ 4.2 (60 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Clackamas Lake Campground is a great camping destination, especially when nearby Timothy Lake sites are full. The facility is located in the Clackamas Lake Historic District in Mt. It provides access to fishing, swimming and leisurely boating, as well as a number of trails and historic points along the way.The campground is nestled in a heavily wooded forest of pine trees, with partial views of Oregon’s highest peak.

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

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
Max RV120 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Fishing

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 prefer motorized boating—only non-motorized boats are allowed✕ You're sensitive to mosquitoes—they are active during camping season

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 as there are no hookups available

Sites are very large; plan to stay multiple days for a peaceful retreat

The lake is small and shallow

bring a wetsuit if swimming, as water is very cold

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round, though seasonal operations noted in known issues

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: Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Varied Thrush, Barrow's Goldeneye, Sandhill Crane, Canada Jay. Mosquitoes reported by campers.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
503-630-5721· Mt. Hood National Forest
Getting there →

From Sandy, travel east on Highway 26 for approximately 40 miles to Skyline Road (Forest Road 42). Turn right on Skyline Road and continue south for 10 miles to the Clackamas Lake entrance sign. Turn left and head east less than half a mile to the campground entrance.

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

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Clackamas Lake cost per night?+
Clackamas Lake costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Clackamas Lake open?+
Clackamas Lake is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Clackamas Lake have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Clackamas Lake?+
Clackamas Lake can accommodate RVs up to 120 feet.
How do I make reservations at Clackamas Lake?+
Clackamas Lake 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 Clackamas Lake?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Clackamas Lake is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Clackamas Lake open, and what are check-in times?+
Clackamas Lake is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapAlaska Recreational Management
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.

$30 /night★ 4.2 (60)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Clackamas Lake cost per night?+
What season is Clackamas Lake open?+
Does Clackamas Lake have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Clackamas Lake Historic Cabin

ZIGZAG, OR

From $200/night

Oak Fork Campground (Timothy Lake, Or)

TIMOTHY LAKE, OR

From $24/night

Gone Creek Campground (Timothy Lake, Or)

Timothy Lake, OR

From $28/night

Stone Creek Campground (Timothy Lake, Or)

Timothy Lake, OR

From $28/night

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