Deschutes Nat’l Forest

Sisters District

Click on the stars in the map to be led to the campgrounds in the Sisters District

THE DESCHUTES NAT’L FOREST – SISTERS DISTRICT is located on the east side of the Cascade Mountain Range.  This side is considerably dryer and sunnier than the west side. The vegetation is much different also. The district starts near the top of the Cascades at Suttle Lake and goes east to the Three Creek area at the base of the Three Sisters Wilderness. As one drives from the summit to Sisters and then on to Redmond or Bend, you will notice that the vegetation changes quickly from a dense Douglas Fir forest to the sparsely vegetated High Desert of Eastern Oregon. Although this district is not large, it is loaded with great campgrounds of different types.One of the attractions of the area is the town of Sisters itself. This historical town has kept its western flavor and has plenty of good restaurants and fun shops to spend your time and money. The town attracts people of all sorts. It is not uncommon to see movie stars, country western singers, sports celebrities, company CEOs of course the occasional ski resort owner. There are all sorts of attractions going on all year, rodeos, quilting shows, concerts, and great skiing during the winter.

          But most campers really come for the natural beauty. With the Sisters Wilderness Area to the south and the Jefferson Wilderness Area to the north there is ample nature to interest everyone. The Pacific Crest Trial cuts through the area for the hikers and for the less ambitious there are plenty more less rigorous hikes or drives to take. The Sisters USFS office is located at the northwest end of town right as Hwys. 126 and 20 meet. Stop in there to pick up more information about the area. The Sisters Chamber of Commerce is also a help. Click on the Sisters Chamber name to go to a great website that will give you all sorts of ideas for fun events to attend in the summer and winter. The Chamber is located a couple blocks off the main road on the road to the Three Creeks Area.

          The first campground area that you come to as you travel from west to east on Hwy 20 is the SUTTLE LAKE AREA. Suttle Lake is located on the south (right side) side of the highway. There are four great campgrounds in this area. Three are on Suttle Lake and one is on nearby Scout Lake. Almost all of the campground sites are great for RV or tent camping. 

          The next area is the METOLIUS RIVER AREA. This area is a must see attraction even if you are just passing through. Drive in toward Camp Sherman and stop at the Head of the Metolius to see the headwaters of the river and then continue on into the quaint town of Camp Sherman. The campgrounds are along the river as you continue your drive.

There are various campgrounds around the town of Sisters. We have grouped these sites together as the SISTERS AREA. The campgrounds are of different types but the one thing there have in common is their close proximaty to the town of Sisters.

          If you like the mountains, you will love the THREE CREEK AREA. Nestled at the base of Broken Top Mountain just east of Faith, Hope, and Charity (The Three Sisters), these campgrounds are located close to or on the Three Creek Lake. The camping is spread out and often has snow drifts through the summer. Don’t miss the Tam McArthur Trail!

          Probably the most popular camping is found in the LAKE BILLY CHINOOK AREA. The camping is on the Billy Chinook Reservoir formed from the convergence of the Metolius River, Crooked River and Deschutes River. The boating and swimming are great.

            In addition there are several campgrounds in REMOTE AREAS around the Sisters District. These campgrounds have few amenities but are free.