Welch Creek

Its 6 sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), camping costs Single site: $8 per night ($5 per vehicle beyond two); group site 6: $25 per night; fees through November 15, and it is open from Memorial Day to Mid-November. Welch Creek is a National Forest campground near Dale, Oregon.

First-come, first-served

National Forest · Dale, Oregon

Managed by: National Forest

Welch Creek sits inside Umatilla National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.

Desolation OHV trailhead: The campground doubles as a trailhead for the Desolation OHV trail system and has a 4-stall stock corral; Olive Lake is about 13 miles east on Forest Road 10. (fs.usda.gov)

Getting a site

Managed by: National Forest
Reservations: None, first-come
Fee: Single site: $8 per night ($5 per vehicle beyond two); group site 6: $25 per night; fees through November 15

Source: fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-29

Sites and hookups

Total sites: 6
Group sites: 1

✓ Toilets
✕ Potable water

On site: Toilets. No potable water.

Source: fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-29

Access and cell service

Elevation: 4,439 ft

Cell coverage by carrier (FCC map)

AT&T: No coverage at the campground; 4G LTE mapped about 0.2 mi away
T-Mobile: No coverage mapped
Verizon: No coverage mapped

Source: FCC Broadband Data Collection, data as of December 31, 2025

Outdoor coverage each carrier reports to the FCC at this campground's map point, and the nearest mapped coverage within about half a mile. The FCC map only includes 4G LTE at 5/1 Mbps or better and 5G; a weaker signal, a text, or an emergency call may still get through, but don't count on it. These are carrier predictions, not measurements, and can be wrong either way: real service in canyons, under trees, and inside a tent or vehicle is often weaker. 5G speeds are the FCC's 7/1 and 35/3 Mbps tiers. This product uses the FCC Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the FCC.

44.8770, -118.7788 in Grant. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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Season and winter services

Welch Creek is open from Memorial Day to Mid-November , at 4,439 ft.

Sources: epqs.nationalmap.gov, accessed 2026-09-29; fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-29

Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Welch Creek?

No. Welch Creek is first-come, first-served: there is no reservation system, so arrive early to claim an open site.

How much does it cost to camp at Welch Creek?

Camping at Welch Creek costs Single site: $8 per night ($5 per vehicle beyond two); group site 6: $25 per night; fees through November 15.

How many campsites does Welch Creek have?

Welch Creek has 6 campsites, including 1 group site.

Is there drinking water at Welch Creek?

No. Welch Creek has no potable water, so bring all the water you need.

When is Welch Creek open?

Welch Creek is open from Memorial Day to Mid-November.

Is there cell service at Welch Creek?

Not at the campground on the FCC map, but AT&T shows 4G LTE about 0.2 mi away. The FCC's National Broadband Map (data as of December 31, 2025) shows no 4G LTE or 5G from AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon at Welch Creek itself, and nothing from T-Mobile or Verizon within about half a mile. The FCC map only includes 4G LTE at 5/1 Mbps or better and 5G; a weaker signal, a text, or an emergency call may still get through, but don't count on it.

Who manages Welch Creek?

Welch Creek is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Around Welch Creek

fishypedia.com · 27 miles

The nearest lake with a fishing page is Anthony Lake, whose mapped center point is 27 miles away in a straight line. Stocking record and species: Anthony Lake fishing on fishypedia.com.

First-come Oriental Campground Dale · National Forest First-come Gold Dredge Dale · National Forest First-come Head O' Boulder Forest Camp Austin Junction · National Forest First-come Driftwood Dale · National Forest

More campgrounds: camping near Dale and campgrounds in Grant.

Sources

apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-28
epqs.nationalmap.gov (elevationFt), accessed 2026-09-29
broadbandmap.fcc.gov (cellCoverage), accessed 2026-09-27
fs.usda.gov (sites, season, fee, toilets, water, notableFeature), accessed 2026-09-29

First-come, first-served Single site: $8 per night ($5 per vehicle beyond two); group site 6: $25 per night; fees through November 15

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