Cultus Lake Campground

Deschutes National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: BEND, OR, OR

Price: From $21 per night

Price range: $21–$22.83 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (101 reviews)

Season: May through October

Cultus Lake is one of the few lakes along the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway that allows high speed motorized water craft. Cultus Lake Campground offers opportunities for waterskiing, windsurfing, swimming, sailing and jet skiing, as well as, access to trails leading into the Three Sisters Wilderness. Cultus Lake Campground offers visitors 55 campsites suitable for tents, trailers and RVs under 30 feet.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Fishing, Boat Launch

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

Cultus Lake offers exceptional water recreation including waterskiing, windsurfing, jet skiing, and swimming on a pristine blue lake with excellent visibility. The campground also provides access to trails into the Three Sisters Wilderness and boasts a 4.6/5 rating from 52 Google reviews.

Wildlife alert: Gray wolves, Sierra Nevada red foxes, and American black bears present in the area. Also bald eagles, ospreys, and valley garter snakes.

Insider tips for Cultus Lake Campground: Book early—this is a popular federal campground Bring a boat or plan water activities; the lake allows high-speed motorized craft Stay at the west side boat-in campground for a more secluded experience

Skip Cultus Lake Campground if: You need RV hookups—none available at most sites. You're sensitive to mosquitoes—they're reported as heavy in certain seasons. You seek a quiet experience—review mentions loud groups and music during peak times.

Best time to visit Cultus Lake Campground: July-September — Peak season within May-October operating window; avoids mosquito issues reported in early season and shoulder months.

Nearby campgrounds: Cultus Lake Boat In - Little Cove Campground (Bend, OR), Cultus Lake Boat In - Big Cove Campground (Bend, OR), Cultus Corral Horse Camp (BEND, OR), Cultus Lake Boat In - West Campground (Bend, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cultus Lake Campground

Cell signal at Cultus Lake Campground (BEND, 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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Deschutes National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cultus Lake Campground

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BEND, OR, OR★ 4.2 (101 reviews)From $21/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Cultus Lake is one of the few lakes along the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway that allows high speed motorized water craft. Cultus Lake Campground offers opportunities for waterskiing, windsurfing, swimming, sailing and jet skiing, as well as, access to trails leading into the Three Sisters Wilderness. Cultus Lake Campground offers visitors 55 campsites suitable for tents, trailers and RVs under 30 feet.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites: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 RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesBoat Launch
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—none available at most sites✕ You're sensitive to mosquitoes—they're reported as heavy in certain seasons✕ You seek a quiet experience—review mentions loud groups and music during peak times

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground

Bring a boat or plan water activities; the lake allows high-speed motorized craft

Stay at the west side boat-in campground for a more secluded experience

Best: July-September

Peak season within May-October operating window; avoids mosquito issues reported in early season and shoulder 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: Gray wolves, Sierra Nevada red foxes, and American black bears present in the area. Also bald eagles, ospreys, and valley garter snakes.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
541-323-1746· Deschutes National Forest
Getting there →

From Bend, OR: Travel 46 miles southwest on Cascade Lakes Hwy (46), then west on Forest Road 4635 for 2 miles.

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

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cultus Lake Campground cost per night?+
Cultus Lake Campground costs $21–$22.83 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Cultus Lake Campground open?+
Cultus Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cultus Lake Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Cultus Lake Campground?+
Cultus Lake Campground can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at Cultus Lake Campground?+
Cultus Lake 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 Cultus Lake Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cultus Lake Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cultus Lake Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Cultus Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
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.

$21 /night★ 4.2 (101)
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 Cultus Lake Campground cost per night?+
What season is Cultus Lake Campground open?+
Does Cultus Lake Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cultus Lake Boat In - Little Cove Campground

Bend, OR

From $22/night

Cultus Lake Boat In - Big Cove Campground

Bend, OR

From $22/night

Cultus Corral Horse Camp

BEND, OR

From $23/night

Cultus Lake Boat In - West Campground

Bend, OR

From $22/night

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$21–22.83 /nightNo booking fees
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