Magone Lake

Malheur National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: John Day, OR, OR

Price: From $25 per night

Price range: $25–$60 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (10 reviews)

Season: May through October

Magone Lake Campground is situated along its namesake lake in the northern reaches of Malheur National Forest in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. Visitors enjoy fishing, canoeing, swimming and hiking.For facility specific information, please call (541) 575-3131.The campground offers both a picnic shelter and overnight campsite for groups to reserve. These sites can accommodate up to 75 people each.

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

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

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

Magone Lake Campground offers clear, clean water ideal for fishing, kayaking, and paddle boarding in a scenic setting within Malheur National Forest's Blue Mountains. The area features minimal light pollution, making it excellent for stargazing and night sky viewing.

Wildlife alert: Northern Pacific Rattlesnake present in area; also Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Great Blue Heron, Spotted Sandpiper, Ruffed Grouse, and Western Painted Turtle.

Insider tips for Magone Lake: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 2 sites and high demand. Bring a kayak or paddle board for the clean, clear lake water. No hookups available; ensure RV is self-contained before arrival.

Skip Magone Lake if: You need RV hookups — none are available at this campground.. You're visiting outside May-October — campground is seasonally closed.. You prefer larger campgrounds — only 2 sites total available..

Best time to visit Magone Lake: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during this period only, as verified in known issues..

Nearby campgrounds: Magone Lake Campground (John Day, OR), Lower Camp Creek Campground (John Day, OR), Sunshine Guard Station (John Day, OR), Dixie Campground (John Day, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Magone Lake

Cell signal at Magone Lake (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 — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Magone Lake

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John Day, OR, OR★ 4.7 (10 reviews)From $25/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Magone Lake Campground is situated along its namesake lake in the northern reaches of Malheur National Forest in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. Visitors enjoy fishing, canoeing, swimming and hiking.For facility specific information, please call (541) 575-3131.The campground offers both a picnic shelter and overnight campsite for groups to reserve. These sites can accommodate up to 75 people each.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersSites: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 RV50 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites2 sites
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsBoat Launch

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 at this campground.✕ You're visiting outside May-October — campground is seasonally closed.✕ You prefer larger campgrounds — only 2 sites total available.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 2 sites and high demand.

Bring a kayak or paddle board for the clean, clear lake water.

No hookups available; ensure RV is self-contained before arrival.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during this period only, as verified 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: Northern Pacific Rattlesnake present in area; also Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Great Blue Heron, Spotted Sandpiper, Ruffed Grouse, and Western Painted Turtle.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
541-820-3800· Malheur National Forest
Getting there →

From John Day, Oregon, take U.S. Highway 26 east for approximately 9 miles. At the junction of County Road 18, travel north approximately 10 miles. At Forest Road 3620, turn left and drive approximately 1 mile to Forest Road 3618. The campground is 1 mile from the turnoff. The reservable group site is on the right, the shelter is in the day use area on the left. From Prairie City, Oregon, take U.S. Highway 26 approximately 3 miles west. At the junction of County Road 18, travel north approximate

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 Magone Lake cost per night?+
Magone Lake costs $25–$60 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Magone Lake open?+
Magone Lake is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Magone Lake have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Magone Lake?+
Magone Lake can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet.
How do I make reservations at Magone Lake?+
Magone 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 Magone Lake?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Magone Lake is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Magone Lake open, and what are check-in times?+
Magone Lake is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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.

$25 /night★ 4.7 (10)
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 Magone Lake cost per night?+
What season is Magone Lake open?+
Does Magone Lake have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Magone Lake Campground

John Day, OR

From $13/night

Lower Camp Creek Campground

John Day, OR

From $6/night

Sunshine Guard Station

John Day, OR

From $60/night

Dixie Campground

John Day, OR

From $8/night

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Magone Lake — Malheur National Forest | CamperWatch