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Bates State Park was once the site of a thriving lumber mill and an adjacent company town set in a lush valley in the Blue Mountains. The mill closed in the mid-1970s. Families--and in some instances their houses--moved to nearby Prairie City and John Day. The mill buildings and town were dismantled; the land sat empty for more than 35 years.
The memory of Bates lives on in many of its community members, and the site is now a state park, thanks in large part to their efforts. When you visit or stay at the park, look for the interpretive panels that describe Bates life in the early to mid 20th century and the steps taking place now to restore the land and waterways.
You can explore Bates on the more than three miles of hiking trails. Viewpoints along the trails overlook the park, old mill pond and valley. The 131-acre park lies along the Middle Fork John Day River, Bridge Creek and Clear Creek. Check the Oregon Department Fish & Wildlife website for fishing regulations.
Campground info
28 primitive sites for tents or self-contained RVs (first come, first served)
Vault toilets
Potable water
Hiker/biker camp with six sites and electric plug-ins
Universal access: 3 campsites are accessible to campers with disabilities.
My husband and I stayed here while biking on the transamerica trail. It’s a short jog away from the route, with all paved roads.
We loved our stay here! The sprinklers were going in the afternoon when we got there but we had places to be in the shade until they were done running. I would much rather have sprinklers running in the afternoon than risk getting our tent sprayed at night.
The restrooms were clean and provided hand sanitizer.
There was an outlet box by the biker/hiker area.
The water from the faucets around the campsite was the coldest water we’ve ever gotten in our camping experience. It was perfect to drink on a hot day and a huge bonus to our ice starved biking hearts.
We took a short hike back to the pond area, it was gorgeous! We loved spending time watching the large variety of birds in that area, and again, there were lovely trees that provided shade for a hot day.
Camp site fees were 8.00 per person. The management does a great job in providing essentials without micromanaging our stay with unnecessary rules. Would def recommend based on a great experience!
We were the only ones, loved the walks to the pond. Extremely clean RV camp ground. We will be back in the spring.
