Penland Lake

Its 7 sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), camping is free, and it is open from Late May to mid-November. Penland Lake is a National Forest campground near Heppner, Oregon.

First-come, first-served

National Forest · Heppner, Oregon

Managed by: National Forest

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

Penland Lake: Lakeshore campground on Penland Lake, known for bluegill and rainbow trout; electric boat motors only, no gas motors. Parts of the shoreline are private or ODFW land.

Getting a site

Managed by: National Forest
Reservations: None, first-come
Fee: Free

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

Sites and hookups

Total sites: 7

✓ Toilets
✕ Potable water

On site: Toilets. No potable water.

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

Rules

Campground host: None

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

Access and cell service

Elevation: 4,969 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.

45.1172, -119.3188 in Morrow. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Open in Google Maps Directions

Season and winter services

Penland Lake is open from Late May to mid-November , at 4,969 ft.

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

Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Penland Lake?

No. Penland Lake 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 Penland Lake?

Camping at Penland Lake is free.

How many campsites does Penland Lake have?

Penland Lake has 7 campsites.

Is there drinking water at Penland Lake?

No. Penland Lake has no potable water, so bring all the water you need.

When is Penland Lake open?

Penland Lake is open from Late May to mid-November.

Is there cell service at Penland Lake?

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 Penland Lake 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 Penland Lake?

Penland Lake is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Around Penland Lake

First-come Coalmine Hill Heppner · National Forest Reservable Cutsforth Park Campground Heppner · County First-come Divide Well Ukiah · National Forest Reservable Anson Wright Park Campground Heppner · County

More campgrounds: camping near Heppner and campgrounds in Morrow.

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 (hostOnSite, season, notableFeature, sites, toilets, water, fee), accessed 2026-09-29

First-come, first-served Free

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