Part of Fremont-Winema National Forest, the 1,250-acre Lake of the Woods is a haven for recreational enthusiasts who enjoy outdoor activities such as swimming, boating, trout fishing and hiking. For campers, the lake has two campgrounds and a historic resort with RV sites set along the shores of the lake. Other camping options include sites at another lake within a short drive and backpacking along nearby trails.
Lake of the Woods Mountain Lodge & Resort, which still has a general store that dates to the early 1920s, lies on the northeast shoreline of the lake and has 22 RV campsites set in a wooded section of the resort, including 12 sites with full hookups and 10 with electric and water only. Camping is available year-round, with rates reduced from November to March. Restrooms, showers and an RV dump station are nearby. The resort also has more than 30 year-round cabins, some with lake views, private decks and full kitchens. Other amenities include two on-site restaurants and a full-service marina where guests can rent fishing equipment, motorboats, paddleboats and canoes.
Lake of the Woods Resort operates two U.S. Forest Service campgrounds along the lake, including the Aspen Campground on the lake's northern shoreline. This seasonal campground, typically open from mid-May to late September, includes nearly 60 shaded campsites for tents, trailers and smaller RVs and one group camping area. No hookups are available, although the campground does have fire rings, picnic tables, running water, flush toilets and an RV dump station. A boat launch and day-use area with swimming beach is adjacent to the campground. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance.
Sunset Campground, the other U.S. Forest Service campground along Lake of the Woods, lies on the lake's eastern shoreline near Rainbow Bay. The campground has 64 sites for tents, trailers and smaller RVs set amid a dense conifer forest and gets its name from the scenic views it provides of sunsets over Mount McLoughlin. Similar to Aspen, the Sunset Campground is seasonal and has no hookups but does have picnic tables, fire rings, running water, flush toilets and a nearby boat ramp and swimming beach.
Lake of the Woods Resort also operates a U.S. Forest Service campground along Fourmile Lake, about 7 miles north of Lake of the Woods. The rustic campground is set among a forest of lodgepole pines near the base of Mount McLoughlin and has 29 campsites for tents, trailers and smaller RVs, including 10 sites that accommodate equestrian use. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Overnight backpacking and dispersed camping also is allowed in areas along many hiking trails near Lake of the Woods, including the Pacific Crest Trail and those in the Sky Lakes Wilderness and Mountain Lakes Wilderness areas.
