Hike-In Tent Campground: "Cheap Tent Sites Surrounded by Woods" L.L. Stub Stewart State Park Hotel Tip by glabah

Scattered throughout the forest near the Park Welcome Center, you will find a number of hike-in tent sites. These are collectively known as the Hike-In Tent Campground.

There is a cart available at the visitor's center for those taking equipment from their vehicles to the tent campground. The walk from the visitor's center is about 1/4 of a mile, and involves a long slow downhill slope, followed by a short steep uphill section. This trail is fairly wide, and is gravel the entire way.

It should, however, be understood that parking is extremely limited for the tent campground, and campers are informed that they need to talk to park staff if they have more than one vehicle.

Water is available at several locations in the campground, as are several pit toilets. Showers are available up the hill at the RV and standard camp sites.

People are not allowed to have horses in the primitive tent campground.

Some of the sites are very close to the hiking trail that connects the Banks-Vernonia Trail to the Visitor's Center, and others are quite far away. Being close to the trail means you have a lot more people walking by, but it also means it is easier to transport your stuff to your camp site.

Many of the sites are not sized for particularly large tents.

There is a self-service pay station for you to pay your fee, which is $10 per camp site during the peak season.

Unique Qualities: The fact that you are surrounded by dense woods means you are more likely to hear wildlife.

The fact that you are required to haul all your equipment in seems to reduce the amount of noisy neighbors and crowding here.

Comparison: least expensive
Directions: Enter park and follow signs up hill to Welcome Center. From Welcome Center, campground trail is near the exit of the parking lot, uphill from center. Can also come entirely by trail from Banks-Vernonia Trail.
Price: less than US$20
Theme: Campground
Website: http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_255.php