Shady Cove

Federal campground in Willamette National Forest

Location: Lyons, OR, OR

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Shady Cove campground remains closed due to wildfire damage. This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

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

Shady Cove offers affordable camping at $20/night with direct access to swimming holes like Three Pools and Opal Pool, plus proximity to hiking, waterfalls, and activities within Opal Creek Wilderness. Google reviewers consistently praise its location and cleanliness.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear and American Pika present in area. Also Northern Pygmy-Owl, Lewis's Woodpecker, Rufous Hummingbird, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Common Garter Snake.

Insider tips for Shady Cove: Arrive early — first-come, first-served basis only with limited sites Bring cash or use Recreation.gov mobile app Scan and Pay feature on-site Nearest store in Gates is 30 minutes away — stock supplies before arrival

Skip Shady Cove if: You need hookups — no hookups available. You require advance reservations — first-come, first-served only. You visit outside May-October — campground closed seasonally.

Best time to visit Shady Cove: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Elkhorn Valley Recreation Site (Salem, OR), Elk Lake (Or) (Detroit, OR), Gold Butte Lookout (Mill City, OR), Piety Island (Detroit, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Shady Cove

Cell signal at Shady Cove (Lyons, 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›Shady Cove
See all photos
Federal campground in Willamette National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Shady Cove

Share:
Lyons, OR, OR★ 4 (0 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Shady Cove campground remains closed due to wildfire damage. This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites: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.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

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 hookups — no hookups available✕ You require advance reservations — first-come, first-served only✕ You visit outside May-October — campground closed seasonally

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Arrive early

first-come, first-served basis only with limited sites

Bring cash or use Recreation.gov mobile app Scan and Pay feature on-site

Nearest store in Gates is 30 minutes away

stock supplies before arrival

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 and American Pika present in area. Also Northern Pygmy-Owl, Lewis's Woodpecker, Rufous Hummingbird, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Common Garter Snake.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Willamette National 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 — Willamette National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Willamette National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Shady Cove cost per night?+
Shady Cove costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Shady Cove open?+
Shady Cove is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Shady Cove have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Shady Cove?+
Shady Cove is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Shady Cove?+
Shady Cove 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 Shady Cove?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Shady Cove is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Shady Cove open, and what are check-in times?+
Shady Cove 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.

$20 /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 Shady Cove cost per night?+
What season is Shady Cove open?+
Does Shady Cove have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Elkhorn Valley Recreation Site

Salem, OR

From $14/night

Elk Lake (Or)

Detroit, OR

From $6/night

Gold Butte Lookout

Mill City, OR

From $80/night

Piety Island

Detroit, OR

From $12/night

Own a campground nearby?

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

List your campground →
$20 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability