Little Crane

Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), camping is free, and it is open year-round. Little Crane is a National Forest campground near Prairie City, Oregon.

First-come, first-served

National Forest · Prairie City, Oregon

The roadside sign for Little Crane Campground. Photo: USDA Forest Service, Malheur National Forest, Public domain (US federal government work, 17 U.S.C. 105)

Managed by: National Forest

Little Crane sits inside Malheur National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.

Little Crane Creek: Small campground above 5,500 feet on Little Crane Creek with stream fishing and solitude.

Getting a site

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

Source: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-28

What's there

✓ Toilets
✕ Potable water

On site: Toilets. No potable water.

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: 5,500 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.

44.1951, -118.4127 in Grant. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Open in Google Maps Directions

Season and winter services

Little Crane is open year-round .

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

Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Little Crane?

No. Little Crane 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 Little Crane?

Camping at Little Crane is free.

Is there drinking water at Little Crane?

No. Little Crane has no potable water, so bring all the water you need.

When is Little Crane open?

Little Crane is open year-round.

Is there cell service at Little Crane?

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 Little Crane 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 Little Crane?

Little Crane is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Around Little Crane

fishypedia.com · 22 miles

The nearest lake with a fishing page is Beulah Reservoir, whose mapped center point is 22 miles away in a straight line. Stocking record and species: Beulah Reservoir fishing on fishypedia.com.

First-come North Fork Malheur Prairie City · National Forest First-come Crane Crossing Prairie City · National Forest First-come Elk Creek Prairie City · National Forest First-come Crescent Prairie City · National Forest

More campgrounds: camping near Prairie City and campgrounds in Grant.

Sources

apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-28
broadbandmap.fcc.gov (cellCoverage), accessed 2026-09-27
fs.usda.gov (water, quietHours, season, notableFeature), accessed 2026-09-29

Photo credits

Photo 1: USDA Forest Service, Malheur National Forest, Public domain (US federal government work, 17 U.S.C. 105)

First-come, first-served Free

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