A bucket list item for every Oregonian, Smith Rock is an amazing natural wonder with layers of geological history and recreational opportunities to enjoy at the 650 acre park. As one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon, visitors flock here during the summer, but the hiking trails are open year ‘round so no need to wait.
Sunset
Last summer, a spontaneous trip to eastern Oregon resulted in a memorable camping experience at this unique destination spot. Our first overnight at Smith Rock State Park, we had a front seat view of the most amazing sunset! With constantly evolving colors, we couldn’t stop taking pictures;)
Day Walks
There are a couple of day-walks through Smith Rock and along the Crooked River. Each end of the park will give you a different set of picturesque views but they are all connected so you can start anywhere. Not pictured here – the steep climb up Misery Ridge!
Not being rock climbers ourselves, we didn’t partake in any of the 1500 routes available at this rock climbing destination spot. That being said, we enjoyed watching the experts work their way up the steep faces from several viewing spots at the visiting area as well as from below as we walked along the Crooked River.
Sunrise
After such a colorful sunset the night before, we were treated to an unexpectedly gorgeous sunrise the next morning. The valley was clear giving us a picturesque view of the snowy mountains in the distance.
Campsites
Smith Rock has a nice camp ground for walk-in tent camping. The bathroom and showers are located near the parking and designated cooking area. Campfires are not an option but many folks utilized clever small propane set-ups and leveraged those awesome Yeti coolers for meals.
Campsites are not well defined though there are pretty obvious cleared spots all along the ledge and amongst the trees. That being said, it appeared you could just throw your tent out anywhere in those designated field areas and spend the night for $8 per person! Love the accessibility of our State Parks:)
Sunset
In fact, our two-day camping trip garnered us TWO lovely, but distinctly different, sunsets! On the second night, we were treated to a golden setting with a lingering purple hue as we settled in for the night.
Come again soon!
Not our first visit to Smith Rock and certainly not our last:) It’s been a few years since we did the challenging Misery Ridge hike and we’d like to camp again with a little more planning the next time. Already dreaming of summer and the opportunity to do this trip again.
Tabitha Crystal Eck 