Lake Simtustus RV Park & Fish Camp

Outstanding location and facility. Always well-​maintained. Owners Carl and Debi are as nice as they come. We have been staying here each Summer for years and will continue to do so.

What a lucky find!
A friend and I were headed over Hwy 26 to Smith Rock for a night of camping when along came the Pelton Dam. The river below (actually Lake Simtustus — a part of the Deschutes River) looked so blue and inviting that we decided to take a pit stop and look around the area. As we drove down toward the water, we took in the beautifully-​jagged terrain and the high desert air.
Just 3 miles into our scenic turn-​off, we ran into the Lake Simtustus RV Park. The first thing we noticed was the tiered camping/​parking area lined with trees, overlooking the lake, and surrounded by gorgeous canyon walls. KJ and his dog Nikki greeted us with a big smile and showed us around. Because it was the winter season, almost all the spots were open, however, the air was warm and the sun was shining (the beauty of the eastern side of the Cascades). The bathroom is heated, the running water was hot, and the toilets were spotless! MUCH, MUCH better than any public campground; maybe even cleaner than YOUR bathroom! How could we say no? So we ditched our Smith Rock plans and went with our gut.
Although this is primarily an RV park with hookups galore, KJ was nice enough to set us up with the best spot on the lot and allowed us to pitch our tent and use the rock fire pit. He even set us up with firewood! We sat around the fire and took in the silence (even being just off the main highway, we couldn’t hear a single car!). The sunset was definitely one for the books. Perfection…
Being open year-​round, I am sure Lake Simtustus will have much more to offer in the warmer seasons… but I do not have a single complaint for our winter excursion. Maybe we just got lucky with our timing, but I will definitely be going back for more!

I’m pretty sure I had my favorite camping experience here.
We tried to outrun a summer storm but ended up staying here.
The huge thunder & lightening storm reflected off the cliffs back at us all night.
Our campsite had it’s own little private dock.
Awesome.