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Starr Campground

Malheur National Forest — hiking

Location: John Day, OR, OR

Price: From $6 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Starr Campground is located just off of US Highway 395 making it very easy to get to. The campground has an upper level that is closer to the highway, yet still set back amongst beautiful ponderosa pines. The lower part of the campground is set further back in the pine trees allowing for a more secluded experience.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets

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

Starr Campground offers convenient access off US Highway 395 with a mix of upper-level sites near the highway and lower secluded sites among ponderosa pines, making it ideal for hunters, hikers, and wildlife enthusiasts. Google reviewers praise its quiet atmosphere, well-spaced sites suitable for RVs, and proximity to trailheads and John Day Fossil Beds.

Wildlife alert: North American Porcupine, American Beaver, Pronghorn, Western Tanager, Hammond's Flycatcher, Lewis's Woodpecker, and Williamson's Sapsucker documented in the area.

Insider tips for Starr Campground: Book early—this is a federal campground with high demand Choose lower-level sites for a more secluded pine forest experience away from highway noise Bring a self-contained RV as no hookups are available Multiple trailheads are within 7 miles for hiking access

Skip Starr Campground if: You need RV hookups (water, electric, sewer). You prefer year-round camping (seasonal May-October only). You want to avoid booking far in advance.

Best time to visit Starr Campground: May-October — Verified operating season for the campground.

Nearby campgrounds: Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin (John Day, OR), Wickiup Campground (John Day , OR), Murderers Creek Guard Station (John Day, OR), Parish Cabin Campground (John Day, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Starr Campground

Cell signal at Starr 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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    CamperWatch›OR›Starr Campground
    Starr Campground — photo 1
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    Malheur National Forest — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

    Starr Campground

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    John Day, OR, OR★ 4 (0 reviews)From $6/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
    On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

    Starr Campground is located just off of US Highway 395 making it very easy to get to. The campground has an upper level that is closer to the highway, yet still set back amongst beautiful ponderosa pines. The lower part of the campground is set further back in the pine trees allowing for a more secluded experience.

    Best for:HikersFamiliesSites: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
    Hookups2 electric sites
    Pull-throughsAvailable
    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 (water, electric, sewer)✕ You prefer year-round camping (seasonal May-October only)✕ You want to avoid booking far in advance

    Insider tips & when to go

    CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

    Book early

    this is a federal campground with high demand

    Choose lower-level sites for a more secluded pine forest experience away from highway noise

    Bring a self-contained RV as no hookups are available

    Multiple trailheads are within 7 miles for hiking access

    Best: May-October

    Verified 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 · 0%
    AT&T
    4G · 0%

    FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

    Wildlife nearby

    iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
    Alert: North American Porcupine, American Beaver, Pronghorn, Western Tanager, Hammond's Flycatcher, Lewis's Woodpecker, and Williamson's Sapsucker documented in the area.

    Location

    Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
    Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
    1111111111· Malheur National Forest
    SM.FS.malpubinfo@usda.gov
    Getting there →

    From the town of John Day, OR., travel south on US Highway 395 approximately 16 miles. The campground will be on the right.

    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 Starr Campground cost per night?+
    Starr Campground costs $6 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What season is Starr Campground open?+
    Starr Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
    Does Starr Campground have hookups?+
    No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What is the maximum RV length at Starr Campground?+
    Starr Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
    How do I make reservations at Starr Campground?+
    Starr 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 Starr Campground?+
    According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Starr Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
    What season is Starr Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
    Starr Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

    Official resources

    Malheur National ForestLeave No TraceGrant County Chamber of Commerce
    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.

    $6 /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 Starr Campground cost per night?+
    What season is Starr Campground open?+
    Does Starr Campground have hookups?+
    All 7 questions →

    Nearby Campgrounds

    Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin

    John Day, OR

    From $40/night

    Wickiup Campground

    John Day , OR

    From $6/night

    Murderers Creek Guard Station

    John Day, OR

    From $50/night

    Parish Cabin Campground

    John Day, OR

    From $8/night

    Own a campground nearby?

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    $6 /nightNo booking fees
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