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Camping along Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway is a great way to really experience this part of Central Oregon. There are a number of campgrounds scattered all along Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway from end to end, most of which are paid for sites along lakes.
There are also a handful of free campsites along Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, two of which we stayed at and really enjoyed! We’ll be discussing those two campsites, which are both totally free, and another two campgrounds that are technically free to camp at, though you must pay for parking.
Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway Camping | South End
Lava Flow Campground
Location | Lava Flow Campground
Price | free
Spaces | 6-8 sites
Water | no
Toilets | two vault toilets
Reservations | no
Trash | no trash services, use dumpster up the road at Quinn River Boat Ramp
Picnic Tables | yes, one per site
Fire Rings | yes, one per site
Opening Times | April – October (see notes below)
Duration of Stay Allowed | 14 days
Getting to Lava Flow Campground
Lava Flow Campground is a great place to stay on the south side of Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. When using Google Maps, and coming from the south, we were directed to leave Cascade Lakes Highway and drive on a dirt road for quite a long time. This is definitely not recommended!
Instead, drive on Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway unit you see a small brown sign that states, “Lava Flow Campground”, pointing to the left. This will give you direct access to the campground, and you won’t be going through the area that’s closed for eagle nesting. The drive in this way is really pretty too, right along the actual lava flow!
Finding A Campsite
When we were at Lava Flow Campground in October 2020, there was a taped off area due to a tree snag above. Be sure to mind the tape and not drive or park in that area. There are six campsites with picnic tables and fire rings to choose from. Most of them are pretty flat, and pretty spacious too. Unfortunately, due to the tree snag, there are no pull through sites, and instead each is a back in or out site.
Opening Times of Lava Flow Campground
Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway camping is open when the byway is open. Due to snow fall, this scenic byway, and the campgrounds along it, are closed in the winter, typically November-April.
When accessing Lava Flow Campground, if you see signs stating the road is closed for eagle nesting, be sure to turn around and enter a different way. There is only a partial area that is closed through the end of August for the eagle nesting, and in fact, it doesn’t affect the campground, though it does close off the Lava Flow boat launch area.
Highlights of Lava Flow Campground
Lava Flow Campground is an actual campground with proper picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets making it a great place to take the family. It’s a very unique camping experience with the actual lava flow going right behind most of the sites!
We really enjoyed how quiet the campground was and just the peacefulness of the area with the trees and little critters!
Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway Camping | North End
Sparks Lake Camping
Location | Sparks Lake
Price | free
Spaces | 6-7 spaces, three on water (read more below)
Water | no
Toilets | none, bring your own
Trash | dumpster near entrance
Picnic Tables | no
Fire Rings | no
Opening Times | April – October
Duration of Stay Allowed | 14 days
Reservations | no
Getting to Sparks Lake Camping
Sparks Lake is located on the northern end (closer to Bend) side of the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. Soda Creek Campground is an official campground at Sparks Lake, however, there’s also a day use area, and free dispersed camping too!
Set your GPS to Sparks Lake Day Use, and once you start seeing the lake, you’ll notice open parking areas / fire rings. The road is very bumpy, with lots of large potholes, so be sure to drive slowly. We saw RVs, trucks with trailers, and both small and large cars all making the drive.
Finding a Campsite
There are three campsites that are on the water side of the road, which in our opinion are the best sites of the seven. However, all three of them are pretty exposed, and the one we stayed at you really are parking right on the edge of the road.
The other sites are much bigger parking areas cut out of the trees and are perfect for those with bigger vehicles and RVs. Since there are only a few sites at this location, we recommend arriving early, and on a weekday to avoid crowds!
What are the Campsites Like?
None of the campsites at the Sparks Lake dispersed camping are pull-through sites. Likewise, there is no turn around in the area, but instead a large turnaround / parking area at the day use at the end of the road. The campsites on the water are not flat for vehicles, but some have “flattish” places for tents.
The campsites opposite of the water are flat and have lots of space for both tents and flat car parking!
Since this really is dispersed camping, you don’t have anything more than a parking area with a fire ring made by others with rocks. Be sure to be prepared with your own toilet, and water supply.
Highlights of Sparks Lake Camping
Dispersed camping at Sparks Lake was literally what we had be dreaming of when thinking of Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway camping! I had this picture in my head of us parked up right on a lake with the ability for a morning paddle, and Sparks Lake brought just that!
There are amazing views of the mountains and great opportunities for photography at Sparks Lake, both night and daytime shots as well.
Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway Camping For Free | In The Middle
When we visited Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, we stayed at the above mentioned locations. We got in late on night one, and Lava Flow Campground was the perfect place to pull in without having to drive much of the scenic byway in the dark.
The free camping at Sparks Lake was a great way to end our time in the area. Arriving in the evening, just before sunset, and then spending the night and next day at Sparks Lake before heading into Bend was perfect!
With that said, there is more free camping along Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. A couple of the places are listed below, as well as links provided to a post on how to find more free camping in the area.
Devil’s Lake
Location | Devil’s Lake
Price | free camping, however, must pay parking fee May 1 – Sept 30
Spaces | 10 walk in tent sites
Water | no
Toilets | vault toilet only in parking lot
Trash | pack it in, pack it out
Picnic Tables | yes
Fire Rings | yes
Opening Times | open when accessible – end of October
Duration of Stay Allowed | 14 days
Reservations | no
Getting to Devil’s Lake Camping
Devil’s Lake Campground is directly off of Cascade Lake Scenic Byway via a paved road with a large paved parking area. There is more parking areas along the highway, however, those are really just pullouts for the road. Head straight to Devil’s Lake and then you’ll park and need to hike/walk into your campsite! Be warned here, as this is one of the main parking areas for hiking up South Sister and the lot can get full on busy days!
Finding a Campsite
There are ten walk in designated sites at Devil’s Lake. These sites can be accessed by foot or horse. Camping is only allowed in the designated campsites.
What are the Campsites Like?
Campsites are flat and in a circle right on our outlet to Devil’s Lake. A few of the sites back up pretty close to the lake itself. You can hear road traffic from the nearby highway. Sites are equip with picnic tables and fire rings.
Highlights of Devil’s Lake Camping
Great access to the South Sister hike, a hike that takes all day. Waking up at Devil’s Lake is the perfect way to start a full day on the mountain trails. This is a very heavily trafficked area though, so be prepared for crowds of people. Devil”s Lake itself is a gorgeous lake with turquoise waters. It’s not a lake for swimming though, as the water is quite shallow. You may have a chance to paddle board on the lake though!
Todd Lake
Location | Todd Lake
Price | free to camp, however, $5 parking fee
Spaces | 3
Water | no
Toilets | yes
Trash | in parking area
Picnic Tables | yes
Fire Rings | yes
Opening Times | end of May – end of September
Duration of Stay Allowed | 14 days
Reservations | no
Getting to Todd Lake Camping
Todd Lake is a walk in campground right off of Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. It’s near the Bend side of the byway, and is closed in the winter due to snowfall. Todd Lake Campground is on the far side of the lake, meaning you must walk nearly halfway around the lake to reach the three designated campsites.
Finding a Campsite
There are only three designated campsites at Todd Lake, all of which are on the far side of the lake, roughly 10 minutes walking from the Todd Lake Day Use parking area. If you get to the campsites and none are available, you must walk back to your car and find another campground in the area. With this being a highly trafficked area, we suggest having a back up plan and/or camping during the week instead of on the weekends.
What are the Campsites Like?
The three campsites all sit overlooking the lake.
Highlights of Camping at Todd Lake
The views from Todd Lake campsites are meant to be fantastic. The sites sit right on the lake, with Broken Top across the water, making for some great photographs. Even if you don’t get to stay at Todd Lake, the hike to the campground and around the lake itself is really nice!
Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway Camping for Free | Tips + Tricks
- Be sure to use best practices when camping for free in the wilderness. Remember to leave no trace, and as my dad always says, leave a place better than you found it.
- Pack a nice picnic meal and an easy dinner for your night at Todd Lake! It makes the trip more memorable and less stressful!
- Always check to be sure the road is actually open when visiting Cascade Lakes, and check to see if snow is in the forecast! With the higher elevations, you don’t want to get stuck there!
- Bring compact gear for easier fit into your vehicle and lightweight packing for the walk-in sites.
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GET INSPIRED | Blue Basin … a place in Oregon that doesn’t seem real!
Getting To And Around Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
Flying | There is an airport in Redmond, but flights don’t really go there from many places outside of Oregon. The “international” airport in Southern Oregon is Medford International Airport. Look for flights from your location to MFR (or Medford, Oregon), although fair warning prices for flying into Medford are a bit more than Portland.
Portland (PDX) is probably the best option for flights, and will honestly probably be the cheapest place to fly into. This is the search engine we use when booking flights. Eugene, Oregon sometimes has random good deals flying into their airport too!
Rental Cars | If you’re not from the area or don’t have your own car, you’ll want to rent a car to get drive Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. Public transportation in Oregon is a joke, so renting a car is certainly your best bet! No need to rent a big off roading vehicle for any of these campgrounds on Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, we accessed them all with a 2004 Dodge Neon, (a very small car)!
Training | Klamath Falls, Oregon offers the only train stop in the area with the Amtrak trains. You can train to Klamath Falls from places all up and down the west coast and then rent a car from there to explore Central Oregon. The drive from Klamath Falls to Central Oregon is really pretty, so it’s not a bad place to train into!
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