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Fall asleep to the sound of crickets and frogs chirping and croaking and wake up to Blue Gill and Rainbow Trout jumping at the bit. This campground is set on the shore of Penland Lake, which also abuts private land and land owned by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). Penland is popular on summer weekends and offers access to fishing, boating, and swimming opportunities. There are seven campsites and two vault toilets on the National Forest portion of the campground, with more campsites located on the adjacent ODFW property. There is also a boat ramp, fishing dock, and benches located on the dam. Picnic tables are available for Day Use on the lakefront as well. There is no potable water or garbage service; please pack out all garbage and dispose of it at home.
From Heppner, Oregon (1 hour): Head south while following Main street which turns into Oregon Highway-207 South. For 0.7 miles south of Heppner take a left turn onto Heppner Spray Willow Creek Road (Forest Service Road 53 and County Road 678) for 22.4 miles. After passing Cutsforth Park, climbing Coalmine Hill, and passing Coalmine Hill campground, continue on the Western Route (Forest Service Road 53 and County Road 678) for 0.2 miles. Turn right to take Forest Service Road 21 (County Road 603) for 2.8 miles. Then take a left on Forest Service Road 2103 (Penland Lane and County Road 849)for two miles. Take a left turn onto Forest Service Road 2103-030, at 0.3 miles you have arrived. From Pendleton, Oregon (1 hour and 54 minutes): Take Southwest Emigrant Avenue to US Highway-395 South for 47.4 miles. At a four-way intersection take a right onto the Western Route Road (Forest Service Road 53, The Blue Mountain Scenic Byway, and County Road 244) for 21.7 miles. Turn left onto Forest Service Road 21 (County Road 603) for 2.8 miles. Then take a left on Forest Service Road 2103 (Penland Lane and County Road 849) for two miles. Take a left turn onto Forest Service Road 2103-030, at 0.3 miles you have arrived.
It's always been one of my favorite places for camping or a overnighter, also good fishing from the shores it is wheelchair accessible has a wheelchair accessible restroom with a larger size toilet area to accommodate for wheelchairs and the disabled
Left a review before, and my rating still stands for the same reasons: Clean bathrooms with no flies, include hand sanitizer and toilet paper (changed in the morning, so they might run out towards the end of the day). Staff come by in the morning to provide landscaping (e.g, trim the weeds on the banks) and check on the campgrounds. I typically find firewood at the fire pit I fish near.
Outstanding lake for fishing! Penland Lake allows paddle or row boats as well as trolling motors. It is a man made lake that may be inaccessible during the winter. It is a very quiet calming place that you can go and relax and fish. The fish always seem to be biting and rage from under leagal size to over 20 inches. Camping is allowed for free. There are clean bathrooms facilities with no water. The lake is very clean and beautiful. There is no garbage cans here, so in order to keep the lake and area beautiful please don't litter and take all your trash with you.
