U.S. Forest Service · Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest · Oregon

Watkins Campground

Sites are located on Applegate Lake. There are wheelchair accessible facilities. 14 campsites (tent-sites) with picnic tables, and fire pits. 1 group campsite (20-50 people). No drinking water. Vault toilet. Garbage disposal available during operating season. Seasonal information: The site is free and open during the off-season as a walk-in site (parking at the gate, and proceeding on foot). No services or water are available during the off-season. Please pack out all trash and remember to Leave No Trace.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served14 sitesFrom $20 per nightTents only

More like this: first-come in Oregon · tent only in Oregon

Watkins Campground
Photo from the area. Little Mountain 5 (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons
4fires
active
Soda · 16 mi away · 14 acres
3 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesFees apply during peak season ( early-May through mid-September ): Campsites (14 available): $20/night. Extra vehicle: $5. Off-Season: FREE

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestRogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
FeesFees apply during peak season ( early-May through mid-September ): Campsites (14 available): $20/night. Extra vehicle: $5. Off-Season: FREE
RulesQuiet hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Campfires in developed fire pits only. Fireworks are prohibited. Dogs must be on leash. OHV/ATV use prohibited in the campground. Maximum length of stay: 14 days

Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Watkins Campground30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 4.36 inches of precipitationFebruary: 3.03 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.98 inches of precipitationApril: 2.13 inches of precipitationMay: 1.42 inches of precipitationJune: 0.70 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.52 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.40 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.58 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.33 inches of precipitationNovember: 3.92 inches of precipitationDecember: 5.08 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 40.2°F averageFebruary: 43.0°F averageMarch: 46.6°F averageApril: 50.9°F averageMay: 58.5°F averageJune: 64.7°F averageJuly: 72.0°F averageAugust: 71.0°F averageSeptember: 64.9°F averageOctober: 55.0°F averageNovember: 44.6°F averageDecember: 39.3°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Ruch, 15 miles from the campground at 1,550 feet, station USC00357391 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 27 inches a year.

Getting there

Coordinates42.0238° N, 123.1587° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Soda

    16 mi from the campground · 14 acres

  • Prescribed
    Ti Bar Flat Rx

    39 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Briggs Fmz 31 Rx

    40 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Patterson Rx

    42 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceBlue Compass RV ↗24.6 mi
Outdoor gearPacific Rack Outfitters ↗24.8 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗26.5 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • under 0.1 mi
    Collings Mountain ↗
    6.4 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.6 mi
    Payette ↗
    7.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.8 mi
    Stein Butte ↗
    4.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 1.8 mi
    Cut Off
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 1.8 mi
    Culy
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 1.9 mi
    Harr Ridge
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, bike

Trailheads within three miles

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

Red Buttes Wilderness begins about 4.1 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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.

Guidebooks for Oregon

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Watkins Campground?

No. Watkins Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Watkins Campground?

Fees apply during peak season ( early-May through mid-September ): Campsites (14 available): $20/night. Extra vehicle: $5. Off-Season: FREE

Source: Forest Service

Is Watkins Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Watkins Campground have?

14 sites.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Watkins Campground?

Watkins Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Watkins Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Carberry Group Campground (0.3 mi), Tipsu Tyee Campground (1.9 mi, first-come), and Harr Point Campground (2.5 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby