Little Crater Campground

Deschutes National Forest — lakeside

Location: La Pine, OR, OR

Price: From $27 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (208 reviews)

Season: May through October

Situated on the edge of the beautiful Paulina Lake, Little Crater Campground is conveniently located within Newberry National Monument. Visitors to this area are taken aback by the incredible views this area has to offer, highlighting volcanic landscapes intermixed with diverse forests, typical of central Oregon. Popular for both its geological significance and multitude of recreational activities, Little Crater Campground is ideal for individual and family camping excursions.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water

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

Little Crater Campground sits on the edge of Paulina Lake within Newberry National Monument, offering incredible volcanic landscapes and diverse forests typical of central Oregon. Campers consistently praise the beautiful lakeside views and the 7.8-mile hiking trail around the lake.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Pacific Marten, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Osprey, Canada Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, and Northern Sagebrush Lizard are verified in the area.

Insider tips for Little Crater Campground: Request a lakeside site when booking—these are highly sought after and offer the best views Book early; this is a federal campground with high demand The boat ramp area can get busy, but sites near it still offer excellent lake access

Skip Little Crater Campground if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available; only self-contained RVs suitable. You require year-round camping—seasonal operations only May through October. You prefer flush toilets—only vault toilets available.

Best time to visit Little Crater Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Newberry Group Camp Site (La Pine, OR), Chief Paulina Horse Camp (La Pine, OR), Paulina Lake Campground (La Pine, OR), East Lake Campground (La Pine, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Little Crater Campground

Cell signal at Little Crater 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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›OR›Little Crater Campground
Little Crater Campground — photo 1
Little Crater Campground — photo 2
Little Crater Campground — photo 3
See all photos
Deschutes National Forest — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Little Crater Campground

Share:
La Pine, OR, OR★ 4.4 (208 reviews)From $27/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Situated on the edge of the beautiful Paulina Lake, Little Crater Campground is conveniently located within Newberry National Monument. Visitors to this area are taken aback by the incredible views this area has to offer, highlighting volcanic landscapes intermixed with diverse forests, typical of central Oregon. Popular for both its geological significance and multitude of recreational activities, Little Crater Campground is ideal for individual and family camping excursions.

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.
ADA sites4 sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
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 camping—seasonal operations only May through October✕ You prefer flush toilets—only vault toilets available

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Request a lakeside site when booking

these are highly sought after and offer the best views

Book early; this is a federal campground with high demand

The boat ramp area can get busy, but sites near it still offer excellent lake access

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

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, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Osprey, Canada Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, and Northern Sagebrush Lizard are verified 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 14.5 miles east on County Road 21( Paulina Lake Road), and 0.5 miles north on Forest Road 2100 570. From LaPine travel 6.8 miles north on Hwy 97, then 14.5 miles east on County Road 21( Paulina Lake Road), and 0.5 miles north on Forest Road 2100 570.

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

Official resources

Newberry National Volcanic Monument Campground 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★ 4.4 (208)
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 Little Crater Campground cost per night?+
What season is Little Crater Campground open?+
Does Little Crater Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Newberry Group Camp Site

La Pine, OR

From $97/night

Chief Paulina Horse Camp

La Pine, OR

From $23/night

Paulina Lake Campground

La Pine, OR

From $27/night

East Lake Campground

La Pine, OR

From $27/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$27 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability