Kinnikinnick Campground at Laurance Lake - Mt Hood, Oregon
Kinnikinnick Laurance Lake Campground Details
- Number of Campsites: 26
- Avg. Overnight Fee: 22
- Drinking Water: No
- Toilets: Vaulted
- Camphost on Site: Yes
- Fires Allowed: Yes
- Cell Service: No
- Season: May - October
- Nearest Store (Miles): 15
- GPS: 45.457733,-121.663512
- Elevation: 3,000 ft.
- Showers: No
- Firewood for Sale: Yes
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Kinnikinnick Laurance Lake Campground Description
Kinnikinnick Campground on Laurance Lake is located on the north side of Mount Hood near the small town of Parkdale, Oregon just outside of Hood River. Laurance Lake is a man made reservoir with great views of Mt. Hood and offers fishing, boating, swimming and nearby hiking.
Kinnikinnick Campground has 26 campsites with most of them offering walk in only access – though you can park relatively close to your campsite. There are a few sites that can accommodate small RVs or travel trailers and there is a main parking lot where most campers will park their cars and walk to their nearby sites. The reason for this setup is so that the campsites can be a little bit closer to the actual lake. Like most campgrounds some of the sites offer more privacy than others and the campground is fairly well spread out. There is decent water access all around and a boat launch right next to the campground. There is no potable water here so campers will need to pack in whatever water they need to drink. Vault toilets are provided as well as fire pits at each site, picnic tables and garbage containers. Be prepared for windy and cold nights as the lake side campsites do not offer much protection from the elements.
To get here you will go through the town of Parkdale and then follow the gravel and dirt Laurance Lake Road all the way to the campground. The road (forest road 2840) is a single lane paved road with pullouts for RVs and passing and there is a short quarter mile section that is gravel due to a recent washout. The washout area is just about the last place you can get a cell signal before getting to the lake. Parkdale is roughly 7 miles from the campground and is the nearest place to find a convenience/grocery store. Overall Kinnikinnick Campground at Laurance Lake is a decent campground that is ideal for anglers and boaters.
*The campground has recently been renovated and now has 26 campsites, costs $22 per night, $8 per additional vehicle and $5 for day use only permits. A camp host is on site from early May through October and firewood is for sale at campsite #8.
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Would like to give up-date information for Kinnikinnick campground at Laurance lake. Campground is being remodeled, now has 26 camp sites at $16 a night, $8 for extra vehicle a night, and $7 for day-use parking. Camp Host is on site from May 1st thru mid-October when campground is open. Firewood will be for sale at Camp Host site #8. Nearest store is 7 miles away in Parkdale. Some sites can fit small rvs. All sites will have picnic tables and new metal fire pits. Pathways are being redone. Updated photos would be great to see on your website. Thanks for the info on your website.
Thank you Ken I will update the listing. Appreciate the information!
Just to let you know Day Use Fee is still $5 a day, not $7 yet.
Ken, is there no camping allowed until may1?
You can camp before May and its free before the camp host is there.
Ken!
A group of 4 of us are leaving gresham area around 6:20. We should be there by 7:45. Are there any open campsites?
Hope there is room there tomorrow!
Hi there ken we are on our way over there from Canon beach area and need to find a campsite tonight. Do you have any available sites??
Julie!
we are headed up there as well! wont be there till around 8pm. Are there spots available ?
There is no cell service at the campground so the host (ken) or anyone else cannot answer your questions regarding site availability. I can say, though, that this campground is extremely popular and on a summer weekend, like today, you better get there early if you want a site. Your best bet is to go up on Thursday to secure a spot. This has sadly just become a reality of camping in the PNW. More people = more difficulty finding campsites. Best of luck! Edit: if you do get there and it is full consider trying out Nottingham campground off 35: http://www.muddycamper.com/oregon/nottingham-campground/
Hood River Residents, family and friends I am so upset right now! Mom and I took my boys up to Laurence Lake Wednesday. We were having a great week as we do every year and have for probably 10 years. We used to celebrate my Moms brother’s Birthday up there with him and since he’s passed away every year we go up there take a cake and camp. Last night we were permanently kicked out of Laurence Lake by the camp host Ken. Here’s what happened… Friday morning Ken started up his extremely Loud Generator, mom and I just took the boys down to the lake out of our camp spot and played in the Lake and beside it most the day. We came up for dinner about 6 and shortly after he turned it off. Saturday morning same thing he started his Generator, by then I was getting upset! Mom and Trenton had to yell at each other trying to talk back and forth and that’s seriously what you had to do! My Dad and Uncle Roger came up to spend the afternoon with us first thing they noticed was that Generator. Roger went up and asked if they could shut it off and Kens wife told him “We have cats in here that need the Air Conditioner”. That was the end of the conversation we again left our campsite and went down to the lake where it was much more quiet. We came back up for dinner about 7 to the Generator still running. Both Ken and his wife are not there they are down several camp sites visiting with friends or family they had reserved a site for down by the Lake where it’s nice and quiet. We literally can not sit in our camp site and talk to each other over this noise! So uncle Roger shut the Generator off. We got several “Thank you’s” from campers around us. Ken came over asked if we turned it off Roger said yes “I did I’ve listened to it all day we politely asked you to turn it off it is just rude! Not at all what a camp HOST should be doing”. He told us he’d turn it off when he was damned good and ready to turn it off and he’s the host he can do whatever he wants in his campsite! He went into how he doesn’t get the pleasure of just enjoying himself up here and cooling off in the lake he has a job to do and he needs that AC, Roger explained how his wife had just explained earlier how it was for the cats! Either way it’s beside the point who it’s for the point is people come up to the hills to camp in the peace and quiet of nature not to listen to someone’s Generator day in and day out! That was the end of the conversation with Ken, however he went down and called the Police! The video below shows what happened after that. He banned us from going to Laurence Lake if we go up there he will call the cops and we go to Jail for trespassing. ALL of us! Roger said I did it, ban me and I’ll go home don’t punish them. Nope Ken said he wants us ALL gone and ALL banned! We had to pick up our entire camp at 8-9 at night, we rolled off the hill in the dark. Personally I wanted to rip the dudes eyes out or at least knock out a few teeth but he wouldn’t even tell us to leave he made the police come tell us we had to get out! Are we in the wrong here? We didn’t throw the damn thing in the river we simply shut it off, we have names and numbers of other campers who were on our side and who were right there with us wanting that thing turned OFF!
To clarify this person was escorted out by the police for being threatening and trespassing. They might have understood what was going on if they hadn’t been drinking all day long.
To be clear unless Ken told you to say this you are wrong sir so check your information before you post rumors:) The police didn’t care if they stayed but they had to tell the family to leave because Ken was too much of a coward to do it himself ?
Not a rumor and Ken didnt tell me to post this. Ken did ask them to leave his stuff alone. They threatened him physically. Yes, i heard that as well. As a camp host, calling the police is what he is told to do.
Well guess you should not touch other people’s property! Just like if someone came to your home uninvited..trespassing! There is no rule against having the generator running during the day and if you spend even 5 mins by their trailer you’ll realize how warm it is compared to the more shaded camp site you were in.
As a family who was there the same time as you and spent time by the running generator, with my kids learning from the camp hosts, you didn’t have to yell to be heard! The men in your camp felt they had to tell cause they were intoxicated! Cause well everyone could see and hear you all being loud and obnoxious.
We had a great time and can’t wait to go back along with telling all our friends and family about the camp ground!
Aside from “Heather” the “family campers” trying to smear Ken the camp host name by posting negative reviews across the web.
We had a great time besides the ridiculously drunk “family” campers that finally got escorted out by police and now are hosting a hate crime against the camp host’s Ken and Renee. The campground is very clean, bathrooms are as good as they get, well managed, and “Camp host Ken” was one of the most friendly and professional people we have met. Ken is super friendly and will provide you with a ton of information in and around this area. 7/21/17 – 7/23/17
The family getting “kicked out” had nothing to
Do with them being drunk. They laugh loud and proud and don’t have to be drunk to do so and they weren’t. A camp host shouldn’t have a loud generator because they should know that they make a lot quieter ones and also people go up there to relax and have a good time not to hear a damn generator all freaking day.
Emily, Your stupidity pains me.
It was a 90+ degree day, a air conditioner is all they have to keep cool while working in the direct sunlight. Any camp host or camper has the right to run there generator during non quite hours of the day. The generator in question is of legal sound decibel levels, In fact our entire group had a short birthday celebration on the picnic table directly behind the said generator and we all could hear and talk to each other easily. Your “Family” made a poor decision when they decided to shut down Kens generator when he was not around and without asking, and as far as his response of kicking you out… Lets just say your lucky it wasn’t my generator you turned off in my campground! Grow up and own the fact you did wrong. Apologize to the camp host and maybe they will release your suspension from the park.
PS. You guys were so drunk the police officer would only let 1 person legally drive home that night and you had to leave the other vehicles behind.
We made our first of what will be many camp trips here last weekend! We had so much fun and my girls learned a lot from Camp Host Ken and Renee! They were very knowledgeable of the area and the creatures too. We can’t wait to plan our next trip!
This is a Beautiful lake with lots to offer, however as long as camphostlocals Ken is in charge I can not recommend it to anyone. Should you drive up to take a look at it maybe stop and take some pictures he will hunt you down take your license plate number and threaten to call the police on you if you don’t pay him your day use fee! Same thing if you try to go up and have a nice dinner with some friends who are camping he will tell law enforcement you stayed the night and try to prosecute you for theft of services. He’s a very rude man, has no compassion and has no right to have the power he thinks he has over people!
Follow the park rules and you’ll have zero problems with Ken, He’s doing his job and does it very well. If your NOT rude to him you will quickly see how friendly and helpful he is. Campground is well managed, very clean, and a great place to visit for a day or camp overnight.
Better add, in those pics the dog is not leashed! Camp host Ken will be all over that, he may even call the cops! I’ve gone there for years, and seen Ken harass people over the pettiest things. He will find something to bug you about, even if it’s just standing in your campground for an hour lecturing you about other campers.
Don’t let one families negative cyber bullying comments ruin it for you. Go check it out, Say Hi to the friendly camp hosts Ken and Renee and enjoy a beautiful lake!
Ken,
Can spots be reserved?
Hi There, I really want to book a site for Sept 2023 but I’m a little worried regarding what I have read in reviews and on the official website about the road to get there. There have been many comments about the road being really rough at some parts. Can someone comment what type of car they used to get to the sites? We only have a basic 2012 Honda Civic, no truck or jeep or anything like that. Will we be able to make it with that car or is that a really bad idea? We have never been here so we have no point of reference. Thank you!