CampgroundsDB

Ottertail Lake

Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), and camping is free. Ottertail Lake is a National Forest campground near Hood River, Oregon.

Alert First-come, first-served

National Forest · Hood River, Oregon

Managed by
National Forest

Ottertail Lake sits inside Mt. Hood National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com. It sits 0.5 miles outside the boundary of Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness; its permit and camping rules and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.

Getting a site

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

What's there

  • ✕ Potable water
  • ✕ Toilets

No potable water and no toilets.

Access and cell service

Elevation
3,815 ft

Cell coverage by carrier (FCC map)

AT&T
No coverage at the campground; 4G LTE mapped about 0.1 mi away, 5G about 0.2 mi away
T-Mobile
4G LTE; 5G mapped about 0.1 mi away
Verizon
No coverage at the campground; 4G LTE mapped about 0.2 mi away
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.

45.5844, -121.7781 in Hood River. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Open in Google Maps Directions

Current conditions

Alert Agency notice, as of 2026-09-29: USFS EDW: decommissioned campground still open for free dispersed camping (no toilets, no water).

Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Ottertail Lake?
No. Ottertail 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 Ottertail Lake?
Camping at Ottertail Lake is free.
Is there drinking water at Ottertail Lake?
No. Ottertail Lake has no potable water, so bring all the water you need.
When is Ottertail Lake open?
As of 2026-09-29: USFS EDW: decommissioned campground still open for free dispersed camping (no toilets, no water).
Is there cell service at Ottertail Lake?
Yes, outdoors: the FCC's National Broadband Map (data as of December 31, 2025) shows 4G LTE from T-Mobile at Ottertail Lake. It shows none at Ottertail Lake from AT&T or Verizon, though AT&T shows 4G LTE about 0.1 mi away and 5G about 0.2 mi away and Verizon shows 4G LTE about 0.2 mi away. The map is carrier-reported and modeled for outdoors, so expect weaker service in canyons, under trees, and inside a tent or vehicle.
Who manages Ottertail Lake?
Ottertail Lake is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Around Ottertail Lake

fishypedia.com · 8.2 miles

The nearest lake with a fishing page is Ice House Lake, whose mapped center point is 8.2 miles away in a straight line. Stocking record and species: Ice House Lake fishing on fishypedia.com.

Public land · within 15 miles

Public land within 15 miles: Wyeth State Recreation Area (7.4 miles to its center) , Starvation Creek State Park (8.4 miles to its center) , Viento State Park (9.3 miles to its center) , Wygant State Natural Area (9.9 miles to its center) , and Vinzenz Lausmann Memorial State Natural Area (10 miles to its center) ; publiclandsdb.com has each unit's camping rules and boundary.

Hot springs and waterfalls nearby

swimholesmap.com · within 30 miles

Nearest to Ottertail Lake, in straight-line miles: Punch Bowl Falls (waterfall, 6.2 miles), Carson Hot Springs (hot spring, 10 miles), Oneonta Falls (waterfall, 14 miles), Multnomah Falls (waterfall, 16 miles), and Wahkeena Falls (waterfall, 17 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.

First-come Wahtum Lake Hood River · National Forest Season Not on record Fee Single Site: $30 per night; additional vehicle $10 per night First-come Black Lake Hood River · National Forest Season Not on record Fee Single Site: $20 per night First-come Rainy Lake Hood River · National Forest Season Not on record Fee Single Site: $20 per night Reservable Lost Lake Hood River · National Forest Season Not on record Fee Single site $45.00

More campgrounds: camping near Hood River and campgrounds in Hood River.

Sources

First-come, first-served Free
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