CampgroundsDB

Nf Catherine Creek Campground

Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), and camping is free. Nf Catherine Creek Campground is a National Forest campground near La Grande, Oregon.

First-come, first-served

National Forest · La Grande, Oregon

Managed by
National Forest

Nf Catherine Creek Campground sits inside Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.

North Fork Catherine Creek Trailhead: Campsites strung out for over a mile along North Fork Catherine Creek from the Buck Creek road up to the trailhead into the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

Getting a site

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

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

What's there

  • ✕ Potable water
  • ✕ Toilets

No potable water and no toilets.

Rules

Quiet hours
10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.

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

Access and cell service

Elevation
3,841 ft

Cell coverage by carrier (FCC map)

AT&T
No coverage at the campground; 4G LTE mapped about 0.4 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.

45.1318, -117.6296 in Union. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Nf Catherine Creek Campground?
No. Nf Catherine Creek Campground 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 Nf Catherine Creek Campground?
Camping at Nf Catherine Creek Campground is free.
Is there drinking water at Nf Catherine Creek Campground?
No. Nf Catherine Creek Campground has no potable water, so bring all the water you need.
Is there cell service at Nf Catherine Creek Campground?
Not at the campground on the FCC map, but AT&T shows 4G LTE about 0.4 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 Nf Catherine Creek Campground 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 Nf Catherine Creek Campground?
Nf Catherine Creek Campground is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Around Nf Catherine Creek Campground

Reservable No. Fork Catherine Group Campground La Grande · National Forest Season Not on record Fee $40 per night for the group site (up to 30 people) First-come Buck Creek Forest Camp La Grande · National Forest Season Late May to September Fee Single Site: $10 per night First-come Catherine Creek State Park Union · State Park Season May 1 to October 6 Fee Not on record Not on record Moss Springs Campground Cove · National Forest Season Not on record Fee Single Site: $10 per night (Recreation.gov Scan and Pay)

More campgrounds: camping near La Grande and campgrounds in Union.

Sources

First-come, first-served Free
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