Badger Lake

Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), and camping costs Single Site: $10 per night. Badger Lake is a National Forest campground near Wamic, Oregon.

Alert First-come, first-served

National Forest · Wamic, Oregon

Badger Lake in the Badger Creek Wilderness, next to the campground. Photo: U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (US federal government work, 17 U.S.C. 105)

Managed by: National Forest

Badger Lake sits inside Mt. Hood National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com. It sits right at the edge of Badger Creek Wilderness; its permit and camping rules and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.

Badger Creek Wilderness: On Badger Lake at one of the main portals to the Badger Creek Wilderness, with the Badger Lake and Badger Creek trails nearby; motorized boats are prohibited on the lake. (fs.usda.gov)

Getting a site

Managed by: National Forest
Reservations: None, first-come
Fee: Single Site: $10 per night

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

What's there

✓ Toilets
✕ Potable water

On site: Toilets. No potable water.

Rules

Stay limit: 14 consecutive days; 28 days total per calendar year

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

Access and cell service

Elevation: 4,510 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 at the campground; 4G LTE and 5G mapped about 0.5 mi away
Verizon: 4G LTE

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.

45.3038, -121.5564 in Hood River. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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Current conditions

Alert Agency notice, as of 2026-09-29: USFS lists an active closure for the Grasshopper Fire affecting this area; check the Mt. Hood NF alerts before going.

Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Badger Lake?

No. Badger 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 Badger Lake?

Camping at Badger Lake costs Single Site: $10 per night.

Is there drinking water at Badger Lake?

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

When is Badger Lake open?

As of 2026-09-29: USFS lists an active closure for the Grasshopper Fire affecting this area; check the Mt. Hood NF alerts before going.

How long can you stay at Badger Lake?

The stay limit at Badger Lake is 14 consecutive days; 28 days total per calendar year.

Is there cell service at Badger Lake?

Yes, outdoors: the FCC's National Broadband Map (data as of December 31, 2025) shows 4G LTE from Verizon at Badger Lake. It shows none at Badger Lake from AT&T or T-Mobile, though AT&T shows 4G LTE about 0.2 mi away and T-Mobile shows 4G LTE and 5G about 0.5 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 Badger Lake?

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

Around Badger Lake

fishypedia.com · 29 miles

The nearest lake with a fishing page is Rowland Lake, whose mapped center point is 29 miles away in a straight line. Stocking record and species: Rowland Lake fishing on fishypedia.com.

Public land · within 15 miles

Public land within 15 miles: Mount Hood Wilderness (10 miles to its center) , and Lower White River Wilderness (12 miles to its center) ; publiclandsdb.com has each unit's camping rules and boundary.

Waterfalls nearby

swimholesmap.com · within 30 miles

The nearest waterfall to Badger Lake, in a straight line: Punch Bowl Falls (waterfall, 27 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.

First-come Bonney Meadows Maupin · National Forest First-come Boulder Lake Dufur · National Forest Reservable Nottingham Hood River · National Forest First-come Fifteenmile Dufur · National Forest

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

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 (closure, fee, reservationSystem, notableFeature), accessed 2026-09-29
fs.usda.gov (stayLimit), accessed 2026-09-29

Photo credits

Photo 1: U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (US federal government work, 17 U.S.C. 105)

First-come, first-served Single Site: $10 per night

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