Camping at Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground in Southern Oregon
Traveling along I-5 on your way to Valley of the Rogue?
Check out my guide to Eating Up I-5 for the best road food stops!
LOCATION
Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground is located on the banks of Southern Oregon’s Rogue River. It’s right off I-5, just 13 miles south of Grants Pass and 18 miles north of Medford.
ABOUT THE SITES
- Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground has 150 RV sites, 8 tent sites, and 8 yurts. There are also three group camping areas for tents.
- The Campground is open year round.
- Tent sites cost $19 per night.
- RV sites start at $30 per night.
- Tent sites are located in a small loop near the park entrance, far from the RV loops. We didn’t have the chance to check these sites out, but drove past this area on our way in and out of the park. It’s a very shady spot, with a much more secluded feel than the RV loops.
- RV sites don’t offer as much privacy. Those in the middle of Loops B, C, D, and E are pretty close together. Those on the outside of loops B and D have more space, especially since no one is camping behind them.
- RV sites in Loop F tend to be larger. This area appears to be used for long-term stays, as many RVs had wooden stairs leading to their doors. Some owners also created cozy outdoor patio areas.
- All sites offer some shade. The tent sites are especially shady.
- We stayed at campsite #B14. It had a convenient pull-through driveway, but was surrounded by other campsites.
- Pets on leash are allowed at Valley of the Rogue.
FUN STUFF
- Walk or bike the River’s Edge/Rogue Greenway Trail. The River’s Edge Trail follows an easy gravel path that passes through the Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground. Occasional river views, interpretive signs, and picnic tables are found along the trail. Please note that bikes are not allowed on some sections. The River’s Edge Trail intersects with the Rogue Greenway Trail, a bike-friendly, mostly paved path that continues for seven miles.
- Check for evening programs at the campground amphitheater.
- Go fishing! The Rogue River is famed for steelhead and salmon fishing.
CURRENT INFO & RESERVATIONS
- Visit the Oregon State Parks website for more info.
- For reservations, go to the Oregon State Parks reservation page.
Reservations can be made up to six months in advance. You may have to call to reserve certain sites. Most campsites will book up in advance, especially for summer weekends, but there are often a few last minute sites available.
WE STAYED HERE
June, 2021, 1 night
AMENITIES
- Flush toilets
- Drinkable water
- Hot showers at no extra cost (gotta love our Oregon State Parks!)
- Firewood for sale (when no burn ban is in effect)
- All RV sites offer water and electrical hookups, and some also offer sewage
NEARBY & NOTABLE
- Medford is located 18 miles south of Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground. As the largest town in Southern Oregon, Medford is a good place to stock up on groceries or access other needed services.
- Ashland is 30 miles south of Valley of the Rogue. Come for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, explore the quaint historic town, or relax in beautiful Lithia Park.
- Grants Pass is 13 miles to the north. From here you can take a jet boat ride on the Rogue River and access more of Southern Oregon’s gorgeous scenery.
- The Illinois River, located west of Grants Pass, is the place to go to experience amazing swimming holes. We loved this area so much, I wrote an online guide about it!
- Oregon Caves National Monument, another of Southern Oregon’s treasures, is a little over an hour’s drive from Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground.
THE VERDICT
By my standards, Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground isn’t a destination campground. In other words, I wouldn’t plan a weekend trip just to stay here. But it’s a great place to stop for the night on a road trip along the I-5 corridor, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need. Campsites are generally well cared for, restrooms and clean and offer free hot showers, and the trails are ideal for a casual stroll or bike ride. There aren’t many campground like this so close to I-5. Plus, since there was no need for generators and many campers prefer to hang out inside their RVs, it was pretty quiet at night. Of course, there is some traffic noise from nearby I-5.
It’s worth noting that for some, Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground is a destination unto itself. Its proximity to the Rogue River, famed for its fishing opportunities, draws masses of RV travelers. Honestly, compared with many freeway-adjacent RV parks I’ve seen, Valley of the Rogue is quite nice. It may lack the sense of seclusion that many tent campers crave, but many of the RV sites are shady and well spaced, while the nearby hills and the Rogue River (which, to be clear, is not visible from the campsites) provide a scenic setting.
Our Experience
It was our first real night of camping on a two-and-a-half week trip. Our ultimate destination was Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, but in the meantime, we needed a place to spend the night. Even for a quick stop, a pleasant campground was preferable, one where we could relax around the campfire and enjoy an evening walk.
The evening was still young when we pulled into our campsite at Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground. We set up camp, then Michael settled into the trailer for a nap (unfortunately, he wasn’t feeling well) while I took the kids out exploring.
The campground loops were filled with RVs. In fact, ours was one of only a few small travel trailers, and tent campers were nowhere to be seen. The small tent camp loop is located near the state park entrance, nearly a mile down the road from the RV sites.
As we wandered past the RV sites, we noticed that the last loop, Loop F, seemed to be set up for long-term stays. Wooden stairs at each occupied site led directly to the front and back doors for each RV. It was a homey touch, and I wondered if some campers spent their entire summer here.
As we left the last of the campsites behind, we came to a large open space, which gave us a good view of the nearby hills. The brush fire we’d passed by earlier on our drive down I-5 still smoldered, the puffs of smoke illuminated under the evening sky. Fortunately, this small fire posed no threat, although a faint acrid smell of smoke still hung in the air.
We wandered back to our campsite, pausing to check out the Rogue River from a couple of overlooks. The placid river meandered calmly past the campground and houses that lined the opposite bank. It was a far cry from the wild whitewater that many imagine when they think of the Rogue, but beneath the surface I could still sense its immense power.
The next morning it was time to pack up and go. Soon, we would cross the border into California, leaving the Pacific Northwest behind. But first, I couldn’t pass up a free hot shower! This was a camping luxury we would soon be without, and I savored every last minute. No doubt about it, our camping trip was off to a fantastic start.
