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Cottonwood Canyon State Park, The Dalles, OR

Photo: Finetooth, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sports & Outdoors

Cottonwood Canyon State Park

Rugged desert canyon park on the lower John Day River with cliffs, grasslands, river access, camping, and dark-sky viewing.

89600 Biggs Rufus Highway, near The Dalles, Oregon · The Dalles, OR

About Cottonwood Canyon State Park

Cottonwood Canyon State Park covers more than 8,000 acres of steep river cliffs, side canyons, and dry rocky grassland in north-central Oregon. The John Day River runs through it, and the lower river is known for steelhead, catfish, and smallmouth bass fishing, with a popular boat launch across the water at J.S. Burres. Visitors can hike the river trails, camp at the Lone Tree Campground or in rustic cabins, and explore backcountry on foot. Wildlife includes elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and many birds of prey, and spring brings wildflowers. The park holds an International Dark Sky Park certification, so its night sky is a major draw. Cell phone coverage is absent, and the park is remote and undeveloped, so visitors should plan ahead and carry water.

  • #state park
  • #camping
  • #hiking
  • #river
  • #fishing

What's around here?

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