Thread: Family Campsites..Firearms included?

Could some of you direct me and my wife to some family campgrounds or camping areas? All of our children are finally old enough for us to take them on camping trips. Not the kind of camping where you have running water, bathrooms and electricity. More along the lines of parking the automobile, walking a short distance and then setting up camp.Our youngest is a 3 yo. Preferable that has a nice size field for looking up at the stars at night and a creek to play in. A place that allows open campfires and firearms.

Thanks alot. Father of four

Head out towards Sweet Home...then up Quartzville rd...lotsa open lands, creeks, lakes, etc. Cool area & very quite. I never head out there w/o my carry piece! (some scary backwoods folks in dem parts!)

Thanks. Do you know if the Lewis Creek park or Sunnyside Park allows firearms and open campfires? And is it legal for us to just pull over on Quartsville rd north of those parks and pitch a tent? I'm not willing to go too far off the path with my family quite yet. Thanks!

I don't think the 'parks' allow firearms, but there is plenty of ODF land around there...just check your maps. And yes, once you get up Quartzville just a bit past the resevoir, there are plenty of spots to pull to the side of the road & camp, complete w/ firepits. VERY nice area...if you go, check out McDowell creek waterfalls...hidden treasure.

Thanks a bunch. I was google mapping it. It looks nice.

Anyone else? Thanks!

You can have your firearm anywhere on any National Forest (not to be confused with National Parks, State Parks and various other governmental land-management entities) and shoot it (responsibly....bear in mind that there are a multitude of laws and regulations that deal with irresponsible behavior with firearms) pretty much anywhere EXCEPT in developed areas and in any other area where shooting is prohibited. National Forest are, as a rule, less restrictive in terms of camping and in terms of shooting that any other public lands other than BLM lands.

In Developed Areas (these are areas with picnic tables, sometimes running water, sometimes toilets, always signs and and most always rules....in other words....Campgrounds) you can have your firearm, you just cannot shoot it within those areas. That is because there are a lot of people congregating in a relatively small area. Refer back to responsible behavior.

So seek out Undeveloped placed to camp and you can pretty well enjoy yourself like in the old days and make shooting a part of what you do with your family.

You can camp anywhere you want on National Forest land, unless the particular area within the particular Forest has specific prohibitions against camping. There are relatively few places on any National Forest anywhere where camping is specifically prohibited and also where shooting is specifically prohibited. But there are some among the hundreds of thousands of square miles there are to go. It is not difficult to determine where those are. Just ask.

Spent many years camping the quartzeville/greenpeter area, and had to find other locations. The bottom feeders from Sweethome like to blast down the roads at nite and fire their firearms randomly. We have been robbed at nite, threatened, and nearly killed on the water by drunk boaters. The Linn County Deps. are sorely understaffed and can't patrol this hellhole adequately. One fourth of July a murder was done at the Rocky Top bridge turnaround camping spot. Seems a Meth fan caught his old lady in the sack with a buddy and capped them both.
Use at your own risk. Greydog.

How long has it been since all you described happened grey? I remember my dad saying it was pretty rough up there in the early 70's but the last 8 years or so that I've been going up there I've never had a problem. People have been friendly for the most part, Sheriff patrols a couple times a day and will sometimes stop in for a friendly chat. I don't think twice about heading up there to camp. Although, I will admit people do go way to fast on the road at night, never heard random gun fire accompanying it. Just my .02

Been about 5 years since the last madness trip. I felt that good sense should prevail. I personally had a confrontation with a drunk redneck trying to kick us out of the campsite we had occupied for three days saying that his group needed the site because they had more in their party. I'm too old for that crap. Greydog.

I'm sorry to hear that. You wonder what goes through some people's heads. No common sense or common courtesy.

Well now. This isn't the type of camping I intended to take my family on. Racing rednecks blindly shooting at the trees in the middle of the night.

Anyone else know of any "less violent" family camping areas?

Best part about camping is finding your own place IMHO. Head to the national forest and just go for it.

Be careful "just going for it " when looking for a campground. The "Greenies" have made this much more difficult lately. You might disrupt the sleeping habits of the drab breasted sapsucker or some such crap. Greydog.

unfortunately I think any place you go that is easily accessible is going to have its degenerates. That said, there are some nice areas above Detroit off of the 46 road. That road runs from hwy 22 all the way to 224 so if you are coming from Portland that would be easier. The Olallie Lake area is very scenic, with lots of short to long day hike options and excellent fishing.

Originally Posted by Natty Bumpo

You can have your firearm anywhere on any National Forest (not to be confused with National Parks, State Parks and various other governmental land-management entities) and shoot it (responsibly....bear in mind that there are a multitude of laws and regulations that deal with irresponsible behavior with firearms) pretty much anywhere EXCEPT in developed areas and in any other area where shooting is prohibited. National Forest are, as a rule, less restrictive in terms of camping and in terms of shooting that any other public lands other than BLM lands.

In Developed Areas (these are areas with picnic tables, sometimes running water, sometimes toilets, always signs and and most always rules....in other words....Campgrounds) you can have your firearm, you just cannot shoot it within those areas. That is because there are a lot of people congregating in a relatively small area. Refer back to responsible behavior.

So seek out Undeveloped placed to camp and you can pretty well enjoy yourself like in the old days and make shooting a part of what you do with your family.

You can camp anywhere you want on National Forest land, unless the particular area within the particular Forest has specific prohibitions against camping. There are relatively few places on any National Forest anywhere where camping is specifically prohibited and also where shooting is specifically prohibited. But there are some among the hundreds of thousands of square miles there are to go. It is not difficult to determine where those are. Just ask.

Thanks for taking the time very valuable info to me!