Dixie Campground

Malheur National Forest — riverside, hiking

Location: John Day, OR, OR

Price: From $8 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Dixie Campground is a short drive off of Highway US 26 near Dixie Summit. This is a great destination for berry picking, it is also a wonderful base camp for anyone wanting to hike, hunt or just explore the Malheur National Forest. There is a day use picnic area before you enter the overnight campground.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets

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

Dixie Campground offers spacious, private forest sites at an excellent value ($8/night) and serves as a great base for hiking, hunting, and berry picking in the Malheur National Forest. Google reviewers consistently praise its quiet atmosphere, clean facilities, and proximity to recreational activities.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear and Mountain Goat present in area. Also watch for Black-capped Goshawk, Western Red-tailed Hawk, Ring-necked Pheasant, and Say's Phoebe.

Insider tips for Dixie Campground: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 9 sites and high demand. Camp near the entrance if concerned about mosquitoes; lower sites reported more mosquito activity. Sites are set deep into forest for maximum privacy and shade.

Skip Dixie Campground if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available; only self-contained RVs suitable.. You require year-round access — seasonal operations May through October only.. You prefer developed amenities — vault toilets only, no showers or other facilities mentioned..

Best time to visit Dixie Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.. Late summer/early fall — Google reviews note elevation provides cooler temperatures during heat waves, making it an escape from lower elevation heat..

Nearby campgrounds: Deerhorn Campground (John Day, OR), Middle Fork Campground (John Day , OR), Sunshine Guard Station (John Day, OR), Oregon Campground (Wallowa-Whitman) (Baker CIty, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Dixie Campground

Cell signal at Dixie Campground (John Day, 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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Malheur National Forest — riverside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Dixie Campground

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John Day, OR, OR★ 4 (0 reviews)From $8/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Dixie Campground is a short drive off of Highway US 26 near Dixie Summit. This is a great destination for berry picking, it is also a wonderful base camp for anyone wanting to hike, hunt or just explore the Malheur National Forest. There is a day use picnic area before you enter the overnight campground.

Best for:HikersFamiliesSites: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
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 — no hookups available; only self-contained RVs suitable.✕ You require year-round access — seasonal operations May through October only.✕ You prefer developed amenities — vault toilets only, no showers or other facilities mentioned.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 9 sites and high demand.

Camp near the entrance if concerned about mosquitoes; lower sites reported more mosquito activity.

Sites are set deep into forest for maximum privacy and shade.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Best: Late summer/early fall

Google reviews note elevation provides cooler temperatures during heat waves, making it an escape from lower elevation heat.

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: American Black Bear and Mountain Goat present in area. Also watch for Black-capped Goshawk, Western Red-tailed Hawk, Ring-necked Pheasant, and Say's Phoebe.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
1111111111· Malheur National Forest
Getting there →

From the town of Prairie City, OR., travel 8 miles east on Highway 26, the campground will be on the left.

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

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Dixie Campground cost per night?+
Dixie Campground costs $8 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Dixie Campground open?+
Dixie Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Dixie Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Dixie Campground?+
Dixie Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Dixie Campground?+
Dixie 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 Dixie Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Dixie Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Dixie Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Dixie Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Malheur National ForestLeave No Trace OrganizationGrant County Chamber of Commerce
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.

$8 /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 Dixie Campground cost per night?+
What season is Dixie Campground open?+
Does Dixie Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Deerhorn Campground

John Day, OR

From $8/night

Middle Fork Campground

John Day , OR

From $8/night

Sunshine Guard Station

John Day, OR

From $60/night

Oregon Campground (Wallowa-Whitman)

Baker CIty, OR

From $10/night

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