East Lake Campground

Deschutes National Forest — lakeside

Location: La Pine, OR, OR

Price: From $27 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (134 reviews)

Season: May through October

East Lake Campground sits at the edge of beautiful East Lake in the caldera of Newberry Volcano. Most sites in this campground are on the lake or no more than a few minutes walk away. There are opportunities for bird watching, bicycling, sightseeing, and canoeing.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Boat Launch

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

East Lake Campground sits at the edge of beautiful East Lake in the caldera of Newberry Volcano with most sites on the lake or within a few minutes walk. The area offers bird watching, bicycling, canoeing, nearby hikes into lava rock, and close waterfalls, with East Lake being shadier than other lakes making it ideal for beating summer heat.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Pacific Marten, North American River Otter, Osprey, and Canada Jay present in the area.

Insider tips for East Lake Campground: Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand Expect cold nights at 6,500 feet elevation even in fall; bring warm sleeping gear East Lake is known as a good fishing spot

Skip East Lake Campground if: You need RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites, only suitable for self-contained RVs. You plan to camp November through April - seasonal operations May through October only. You prefer warmer nighttime temperatures - elevation and location result in cold evenings.

Best time to visit East Lake Campground: September — Fall camping with amazing views and warmer water temperatures before seasonal closure in October. May-June — Campground opens in May; earlier in season may offer better availability before peak summer.

Nearby campgrounds: Cinder Hill Campground (La Pine, OR), Little Crater Campground (La Pine, OR), Chief Paulina Horse Camp (La Pine, OR), Newberry Group Camp Site (La Pine, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at East Lake Campground

Cell signal at East Lake Campground (La Pine, 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 — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

East Lake Campground

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La Pine, OR, OR★ 4.2 (134 reviews)From $27/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

East Lake Campground sits at the edge of beautiful East Lake in the caldera of Newberry Volcano. Most sites in this campground are on the lake or no more than a few minutes walk away. There are opportunities for bird watching, bicycling, sightseeing, and canoeing.

Best for:FamiliesSites: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.
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Flush 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 at most sites, only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You plan to camp November through April - seasonal operations May through October only✕ You prefer warmer nighttime temperatures - elevation and location result in cold evenings

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand

Expect cold nights at 6,500 feet elevation even in fall; bring warm sleeping gear

East Lake is known as a good fishing spot

Best: September

Fall camping with amazing views and warmer water temperatures before seasonal closure in October

Best: May-June

Campground opens in May; earlier in season may offer better availability before peak summer

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, Pacific Marten, North American River Otter, Osprey, and Canada Jay present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
541-383-5300· Deschutes National Forest
Getting there →

From Bend, travel 23.5 miles south on Hwy 97, then 16.6 miles east on County Road 21 (Paulina Lake Road). From LaPine travel 6.8 miles north on Hwy 97, then 16.6 miles east on County Road 21 (Paulina Lake Road).

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.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does East Lake Campground cost per night?+
East Lake Campground costs $27 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is East Lake Campground open?+
East Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does East Lake Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at East Lake Campground?+
East Lake Campground can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at East Lake Campground?+
East 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 East Lake Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at East Lake Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is East Lake Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
East Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Newberry National Volcanic MonumentCampground 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.

$27 /night★ 4.2 (134)
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 East Lake Campground cost per night?+
What season is East Lake Campground open?+
Does East Lake Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cinder Hill Campground

La Pine, OR

From $27/night

Little Crater Campground

La Pine, OR

From $27/night

Chief Paulina Horse Camp

La Pine, OR

From $23/night

Newberry Group Camp Site

La Pine, OR

From $97/night

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