Magone Lake Campground

Malheur National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: John Day, OR, OR

Price: From $13 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Magone Lake Campground is situated along its namesake lake. Visitors enjoy fishing, canoeing, swimming, mountain biking and hiking. The campground is set in a forest of White Fir and Ponderosa Pine.

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

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

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

Magone Lake Campground offers clear, clean water ideal for fishing, kayaking, and paddle boarding in a scenic forest setting of White Fir and Ponderosa Pine, with excellent stargazing due to minimal light pollution.

Wildlife alert: Northern Pacific Rattlesnake present in area; also expect Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Great Blue Herons, Ruffed Grouse, and Western Painted Turtles.

Insider tips for Magone Lake Campground: Book early—this is a popular federal campground with only 21 sites All sites include picnic tables and fire rings; plan accordingly as facilities are outhouse-style toilets Bring a self-contained RV or tent; no hookups available

Skip Magone Lake Campground if: You require RV hookups. You need campground access outside May through October seasonal window. You prefer developed facilities over remote forest camping.

Best time to visit Magone Lake Campground: June-September — Campground operates May through October; summer months offer optimal conditions for swimming, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and canoeing activities..

Nearby campgrounds: Magone Lake (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 Campground

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

Magone Lake Campground

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John Day, OR, OR★ 4 (0 reviews)From $13/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Magone Lake Campground is situated along its namesake lake. Visitors enjoy fishing, canoeing, swimming, mountain biking and hiking. The campground is set in a forest of White Fir and Ponderosa Pine.

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
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Drinking Water

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 require RV hookups✕ You need campground access outside May through October seasonal window✕ You prefer developed facilities over remote forest camping

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with only 21 sites

All sites include picnic tables and fire rings; plan accordingly as facilities are outhouse-style toilets

Bring a self-contained RV or tent; no hookups available

Best: June-September

Campground operates May through October; summer months offer optimal conditions for swimming, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and canoeing activities.

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 expect Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Great Blue Herons, Ruffed Grouse, and Western Painted Turtles.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
1111111111· 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 west and drive approximately 1 mile to Forest Road 3618. The campground is about 1 mile from the turnoff. From Prairie City, Oregon, take U.S. Highway 26 approximately 3 miles west. At the junction of County Road 18, travel north approximately 10 miles. Turn west on Forest Road 3620 and travel approximately 1 mile to Forest

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 Campground cost per night?+
Magone Lake Campground costs $13 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Magone Lake Campground open?+
Magone Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Magone Lake Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Magone Lake Campground?+
Magone Lake Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Magone Lake Campground?+
Magone 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 Magone Lake Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Magone Lake Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Magone Lake Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Magone Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Malheur National ForestGrant County Chamber of CommerceLeave No Trace
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.

$13 /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 Magone Lake Campground cost per night?+
What season is Magone Lake Campground open?+
Does Magone Lake Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Magone Lake

John Day, OR

From $25/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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