Big Creek Meadows Campground
Big Creek Campground is small and increasingly popular with OHV recreationists, located just off the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway. It also provides access into the North Fork John Day Wilderness and there is ample parking for truck and stock trailers at the trailhead. It is set in a riparian area, so surrounding areas can be quite wet well into June. It features 3 campsites and an accessible vault toilet. There is no potable water or garbage service, so please pack out all garbage and dispose of it at home. Trail access. This campground contains a trailhead into the North Fork John Day Wilderness that accesses Big Creek Trail #3151 to the south.
More like this: first-come in Oregon · free in Oregon · tent only in Oregon
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | No fee for day use or camping. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | Late May |
| Forest | Umatilla National Forest |
| Fees | No fee for day use or camping. |
| Rules | Wilderness restrictions apply within the North Fork John Day Wilderness. |
Getting there
| Coordinates | 45.0090° N, 118.6189° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireMccully
21 mi from the campground · 13,604 acres · 91% contained
- PrescribedBpfz 2026 Fall Pile Rx
22 mi from the campground
- PrescribedGalena Rx
24 mi from the campground · 531 acres
- PrescribedBirdtrack 621 Broadcast Rx
26 mi from the campground · 377 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Explore
Video
Big Meadow Campground Tour | Hidden Gem in Rock Creek, Inyo National Forest
Worth a stop
- 2.4 miForks Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 4.3 miMiner's Cabin Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
Trailheads within three miles
- 1 miWinom Campground & Trailhead ↗Umatilla National Forest · Season Late May
- 2.4 miForks Trailhead ↗Umatilla National Forest · Season Late May
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
North Fork John Day Wilderness begins about 0.7 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 0.7 miNorth Fork John Day Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 120,694 acres
- 9.4 miUmatilla National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,498,100 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Guidebooks for Oregon
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Reference
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to camp at Big Creek Meadows Campground?
Nothing. Big Creek Meadows Campground is listed as free. No fee for day use or camping.
Source: Forest Service
Is Big Creek Meadows Campground open right now?
Open as of Oct 26, 2026. Season Late May.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Big Creek Meadows Campground have?
3 sites.
Source: Forest Service
Can I bring an RV to Big Creek Meadows Campground?
Big Creek Meadows Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Big Creek Meadows Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Winom Campground & Trailhead (1 mi, first-come), Oriental Campground (5.9 mi, first-come), and Umapine Campground (7.8 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby