tokeetee waterfall

Featuring an incredible waterfall, a beautiful campground and even a nearby hot spring – Toketee is a true hidden gem.

 

Finding a sweet spot in Oregon to camp is incredibly hard. Why? There’s just so many options. It’s no surprise that one of the nation’s most beautiful states would offer one of the most incredible camping locations as well. Best used in spring-fall, the Toketee Campground sits next to Toketee Lake along the Umpqua River. This slice of heaven will not disappoint. Here’s your Toketee Camping Guide!

 

tokeetee camping guide
I suggest getting to the campgrounds early, we arrived around 12pm and grabbed a spot tucked near the back. Surrounded by tall, mossy trees and rocks we set up camp. Each site has a fire ring, but you’ll want to bring in your own wood. Everything in the forest is too wet. Each site is surrounded by trees and offers some privacy. There are bathrooms on site as well. To get to the campground, you’ll drive past Toketee Lake and turn right into the campground.

The Toketee Camping Area

After set up, it’s time to explore! Nearby are several attractions, Toketee Falls, Toketee Lake and of course the Umpqua Hot Springs. We suggest timing your visits accordingly:

tokeetee hot springs

  • The Umpqua Hot Springs are a popular destination. I suggest getting their early or late, during bad weather is even better. You can either drive to the trailhead or you can even add a few miles and hike from the campground. Once there, you’ll cross the bridge and head up to the hot springs. There are several pools, one is covered. The top pool is hottest and the lowest pool coolest, make your choice!
  • Toketee Falls can be enjoyed at any time of day, but we suggest visiting during sunset. The sun shines on the water and makes all the colors pop. The hike is very short, only about .8 miles. Follow the blue river water to an overlook. You can also climb over the bars (be careful) and make your way to the bottom using the ropes provided.
    tokeetee camping guide
  • Toketee Lake is definitely a sunrise location, in the spring months you can catch wisps of clouds hanging above the water as the morning light filters in.

 

PACK LIST

  • $15 cash
  • Camping gear
  • Camera
  • Bug Spray
  • Swim suit
  • Hiking shoes
tokeetee camping guideWith only a fee of $10 a night, this campsite has so much to offer. Sitting at a cool 70 degrees, I’ve never slept better in a tent in my life! This campground was busy at night, had a few people rolling through, but still some spots available. This is not a quick overnight spot, you want to enjoy the Toketee area and have a full day ahead of you. The lake is a recreational area, you can take a canoe out or just enjoy the beauty. We would have loved to spend more time here, our hope is to come back next spring with friends. 

Keep in Mind

A few additional things to note, camping at the springs is prohibited. You may find some old campsites, but do not use them! The gates to the parking lot open at sunrise and close at sunset, so if you don’t time your hike properly you could get stuck. Don’t get stuck. The parking lot also calls for a permit, we went ahead and paid ours at the campground with our campsite reservation. It will be $15 for both, $10 for just the campsite and $5 for the hot spring. 
 

Don’t forget to check out my other Outdoor Guides! I hope you enjoyed this Toketee camping guide!