Eagle Creek Overlook Campground Group Site

Some people say the government can do no right. I say they can, and do. This is proof of it for 80 years! Built efficiently and with lasting quality, creating jobs; maintained in great condition for all those years; rentable for a song, by you, John Q Citizen!
You think the private sector rules over all? Well this location is not on any private sector online maps. It closes in Winter and disappears in fog. But it is here, like Brigadoon.
Once upon a time, they built the Bonneville Dam. This park site was a standalone hill, East of Eagle Creek and North of the Columbia River Highway and railroad. It was built in the Depression as a park to view the construction of the dam. Many area families had members employed in the dam’s construction who came to picnic and watch. Of course people could watch too, as the native families’ fishing rapids of tens of thousands of years disappeared and salmon runs declined. Today a few fishing platforms are visible over still water North of the park.
Eagle Creek Overlook Park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The government hired 18 – 25 year olds for construction projects. They built the lodge, a stone wall ringing the overlook, stone stairs descending toward, but not reaching the Columbia, stone stairs down to a day-​use area by Eagle Creek — probably the best wading spot, stone water fountains, and numerous stone campfire pits, many with heavy iron grills. Hand hewn rock.
The land has a fine native plant community, surprisingly free of invasives for the years. It’s a beautiful ecosystem of fir, scrub oak, a few alders, madrone, snowberry, salal, Oregon grape, lilies, rose, ferns and more. But there are still unwelcome Scotch broom infestations, grasses, and we might have spotted poison oak.
The old original lodge is one main room, maybe 20 by 30 feet and clean, but unfancy cold water bathrooms with flush toilets, men and women, each with minimal electric lighting. No heating, but a fireplace in the main room which would probably be ineffective. The lodge includes under its roof a patio area about 10 by 40 feet facing the river shaded from rain with picnic tables. Sure the lodge is an officially designated historic building. No other supplied lighting or electricity in the campground. Mobile net reception.
Throughout the campground are stone drinking fountains, some with side taps, so you are set with fresh water. There are also garbage cans, but a large group might need to transport out your own excess garbage. If you use the site, you are responsible for basic cleanup. It is a beautiful piece of land, please don’t abuse it!
The campground faces I-​84, rail tracks; and Washington 14 and rail track; and toward Bonneville dam. All run 24×7 with truck, train and water noise. So bring earplugs or stay up if you have sensitive ears!
Weekends are popular. But this could be a corporate retreat location weekdays if those execs could rough it. They want cold water budget, right?
To visit, take the Eagle Creek exit from I-​84 Westbound. At the stop sign in front of the fish hatchery, turn left. Follow the road North under I-​84 and the railroad. Ignore the dead end sign and continue past the day use area on the left and up the hill through the gate to the right. Research the permit rules if you have to park your car outside the overlook park, they do check and ticket. Welcome the sheriff to roll through.
To get back to Portland from the park, you have to travel East to Exit 44 — Cascade Locks, then reverse. Sometimes there, maybe by the Char Burger parking lot, you may find native fishers selling fresh caught or fresh smoked salmon direct.
This campground is a group campground you can rent for $ 75 – 125 per day May to October. No individual camping. The fee gets you a campground that can accommodate up to 90 tent campers and car park for about 30 cars.
So you can do the math!
Trailers reduce the numbers. Tents can be set up in a shaded mature fir grove with picnic tables and fire rings. There is a sunny grass field, tentable, and a small lodge. No bonfire focal point. Official check in time is 2pm, checkout noon.
Book online at
Even for the best reviews, I like to leave room for improvement. What would really make this site more awesome would be a new hot shower building. Know that would increase the price. The other thing would be a private «friends of» volunteer group to remove the non-​native plants and perform maintenance and upgrades.
You can check availability online through the web address. There is also another campground I did not visit on the South side of I-​84 above the fish hatchery.
The Eagle Creek Overlook campground is a government campground, though noisy, capturing the very best of Oregon outdoors in the Columbia Gorge. Available for large groups at a ridiculously low price!