Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or)

Deschutes National Forest — riverside

Location: SISTERS, OR, OR

Price: From $18 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (26 reviews)

Season: May through October

Located on the upper Metolius River, Riverside Campground is one of a sting of camps that dot the river offering visitors some of the most stunning scenery in central Oregon and easy access to an abundance of recreational activities.The Camp Sherman Fish Viewing Platform allows visitors the chance to view a variety of types of fish while the Metolius Research Natural Area gives bird watchers ample opportunities. Visit the Metolius Fish Hatchery or Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery display ponds to obse

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): moderate signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: Verizon. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 0%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/riverside-campground-deschutes-national-forest-or to be notified when sites open up.

Located on the upper Metolius River, Riverside Campground offers stunning scenery in central Oregon with excellent fly-fishing for rainbow trout, whitefish, bull trout and kokanee salmon, plus abundant hiking opportunities.

Wildlife alert: Mountain lions, black bears, elk, coyotes, and western deer mice present in area. Also pileated woodpeckers, rufous hummingbirds, and green-tailed towhees.

Insider tips for Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or): Book early — this is a federal campground with only 16 sites Bring your own water and be prepared to carry gear 3-5 minutes into the forest Only two vault toilets available for entire campground

Skip Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available. You prefer developed amenities — very primitive facilities. You visit outside May-October — campground is seasonal.

Best time to visit Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or): May-October — Official operating season for the campground.

Nearby campgrounds: Pine Rest Campground (SISTERS, OR), Gorge Campground (SISTERS, OR), Lower Canyon Creek Campground (SISTERS, OR), Jack Creek Campground (SISTERS, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or)

Cell signal at Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) (SISTERS, OR): moderate overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: Verizon.

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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Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) — photo 1
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Deschutes National Forest — riversideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or)

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SISTERS, OR, OR★ 4.3 (26 reviews)From $18/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Located on the upper Metolius River, Riverside Campground is one of a sting of camps that dot the river offering visitors some of the most stunning scenery in central Oregon and easy access to an abundance of recreational activities.The Camp Sherman Fish Viewing Platform allows visitors the chance to view a variety of types of fish while the Metolius Research Natural Area gives bird watchers ample opportunities. Visit the Metolius Fish Hatchery or Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery display ponds to observe and feed different types of salmon and other fish. The Metolius-Windigo Trail, open to hikers, bikers and horses, is more than 100 miles in length and begins near the Metolius River headwaters west of the town of Sisters, Oregon.

Best for:FamiliesSites:Tent
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.
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✕ You prefer developed amenities — very primitive facilities✕ You visit outside May-October — campground is seasonal

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 16 sites

Bring your own water and be prepared to carry gear 3-5 minutes into the forest

Only two vault toilets available for entire campground

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the campground

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 · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: Verizon.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mountain lions, black bears, elk, coyotes, and western deer mice present in area. Also pileated woodpeckers, rufous hummingbirds, and green-tailed towhees.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
541-323-1746· Deschutes National Forest
Getting there →

From Sisters, OR: Travel 9.6 miles northwest on Highway 20, then 4.4 miles north on Forest Road 14.

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.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) cost per night?+
Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) costs $18 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) open?+
Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or)?+
Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or)?+
Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) 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 Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) is rated moderate. Best carrier: Verizon. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) open, and what are check-in times?+
Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility 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.

$18 /night★ 4.3 (26)
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 Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) cost per night?+
What season is Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) open?+
Does Riverside Campground (Deschutes National Forest, Or) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Pine Rest Campground

SISTERS, OR

From $25/night

Gorge Campground

SISTERS, OR

From $27/night

Lower Canyon Creek Campground

SISTERS, OR

From $21/night

Jack Creek Campground

SISTERS, OR

From $21/night

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