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Spool Cart Campground

Wallowa Whitman National Forest — riverside, fishing

Location: La Grande, OR, OR

Price: From $10 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: Late May through September

Spool Cart Campground is nestled in the forest on the banks of the Grande Ronde River. This developed campground has 13 sites suitable for tents and small trailers with paved roads and accessible toilets. The terrain consists of forested areas with a mix of trees and open spaces.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Fishing

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

Spool Cart Campground offers affordable riverside camping on the banks of the Grande Ronde River with direct access to the Eagle Cap Wilderness and nearby outdoor recreation at just $10/night.

Wildlife alert: Northern Pacific Rattlesnake and Valley Garter Snake present in area. Also Snowshoe Hare, American Beaver, American Great Gray Owl, Red-naped Sapsucker, Canada Jay, Wild Turkey, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake.

Insider tips for Spool Cart Campground: Book early — federal campground with only 13 sites and seasonal operation fills quickly. Campground is on the Grande Ronde River with verified fishing access and water recreation. From La Grande, take I-84 West to exit 252 (Highway 244 towards Ukiah), then travel 12 miles west on Highway 244 to Forest Road 51.

Skip Spool Cart Campground if: You need hookups — no hookups available at most sites.. You plan to visit outside Late May through September — campground is seasonal only.. You require RV facilities — site types listed as tent-suitable with small trailers only..

Best time to visit Spool Cart Campground: Late May - September — Official operating season per RIDB data; forest conditions optimal during primary use season..

Nearby campgrounds: Bird Track Springs Campground (La Grande, OR), Spring Creek Campground (La Grande, OR), Mud Lake Campground (NORTH POWDER, OR), North Fork John Day Campground (Or) (Ukiah, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Spool Cart Campground

Cell signal at Spool Cart Campground (La Grande, 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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    CamperWatch›OR›Spool Cart Campground
    Forest campground camping
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    Wallowa Whitman National Forest — riverside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

    Spool Cart Campground

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    La Grande, OR, OR★ 4 (0 reviews)From $10/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
    On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

    Spool Cart Campground is nestled in the forest on the banks of the Grande Ronde River. This developed campground has 13 sites suitable for tents and small trailers with paved roads and accessible toilets. The terrain consists of forested areas with a mix of trees and open spaces.

    Best for:AnglersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
    LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

    Verified facts

    RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
    Check-in2:00 PM
    Check-out12:00 PM
    SeasonLate May through September
    Stay limit14 days
    HookupsNo hookups.
    Max/site6 people

    Amenities

    RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
    Essentials
    Fire Rings
    Recreation
    Picnic Tables
    Family & Pets
    Fishing

    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 at most sites.✕ You plan to visit outside Late May through September — campground is seasonal only.✕ You require RV facilities — site types listed as tent-suitable with small trailers only.

    Insider tips & when to go

    CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

    Book early

    federal campground with only 13 sites and seasonal operation fills quickly.

    Campground is on the Grande Ronde River with verified fishing access and water recreation.

    From La Grande, take I-84 West to exit 252 (Highway 244 towards Ukiah), then travel 12 miles west on Highway 244 to Forest Road 51.

    Best: Late May - September

    Official operating season per RIDB data; forest conditions optimal during primary use season.

    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 and Valley Garter Snake present in area. Also Snowshoe Hare, American Beaver, American Great Gray Owl, Red-naped Sapsucker, Canada Jay, Wild Turkey, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake.

    Location

    Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
    Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
    800-111-1111· Wallowa Whitman National Forest
    Getting there →

    From La Grande, Oregon travel north for 8.5 miles on Interstate-84 West to exit 252 (Highway 244 towards Ukiah); Turn off the Interstate onto Highway 244 and travel west for 12 miles to Forest Road 51; Turn left on Forest Road 51 and go south for about 5 miles; The campground is on your right, along the river.

    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 — Wallowa Whitman National Forest fills fast in peak season.
    • Check current road conditions at Wallowa Whitman National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

    Frequently asked questions

    RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
    How much does Spool Cart Campground cost per night?+
    Spool Cart Campground costs $10 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
    What season is Spool Cart Campground open?+
    Spool Cart Campground is open Late May through September. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
    Does Spool Cart Campground have hookups?+
    No hookups.
    What is the maximum RV length at Spool Cart Campground?+
    Spool Cart Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
    How do I make reservations at Spool Cart Campground?+
    Spool Cart 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 Spool Cart Campground?+
    According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Spool Cart Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
    What season is Spool Cart Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
    Spool Cart Campground is open Late May through September. 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.

    $10 /night★ 4 (0)
    SeasonLate May through September
    Check-in2:00 PM
    Check-out12:00 PM
    Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
    Dates full? Get an availability alert
    FAQ
    How much does Spool Cart Campground cost per night?+
    What season is Spool Cart Campground open?+
    Does Spool Cart Campground have hookups?+
    All 7 questions →

    Nearby Campgrounds

    Bird Track Springs Campground

    La Grande, OR

    From $10/night

    Forest campground camping

    Spring Creek Campground

    La Grande, OR

    From $10/night

    Mud Lake Campground

    NORTH POWDER, OR

    From $16/night

    North Fork John Day Campground (Or)

    Ukiah, OR

    From $8/night

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