A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

Mckay Crossing Campground

Forest Service campground in Deschutes National Forest, Deschutes County, Oregon. 4,774 feet. 5.8 miles from La Pine.

Managed by
Forest Service Deschutes National Forest
Elevation
4,774 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
15 15 standard non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

McKay Crossing Campground is located off the beaten path along Paulina Creek. It provides campers with seclusion from the main road and the tranquility of hearing the creek flow. This area is good for bird watching, particularly in the wetlands located west of the campground.

For more information about the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=66159

Recreation

Boating, swimming and fishing are popular activities enjoyed by visitors during spring, summer and fall months, while skiing and snowmobiling are popular during the winter.

Anglers have the opportunity to fish in the surrounding clear, cold lakes and streams for abundant salmon and trout.

Hikers and backpackers have access to a variety of trails in the area, including several in Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

The Crater Rim Trail is a favorite high country trail, boasting vast stretches of forest, deserts and mountains extending from all sides of the trail.

Nearby Peter Skene Ogden National Recreation Trail parallels Paulina Creek, passing several waterfalls along the way, as it ascends 8.5 miles to the spectacular Paulina Lake.

Facilities

McKay Crossing Campground can accommodate RV, trailer or tent-campers however electric and water hookups are not available. All sites are equipped with a picnic table and fire pit and the campground has vault toilets available.

Natural Features

Paulina Creek divides this campground into two sections with sites 1-5 in one loop and sites 6-15 in an adjacent loop. A large waterfall is within a very short walk and brings the sound of falling waters to the camp sites near by.

Nearby Attractions

Visitors enjoy traveling the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, known as Oregon's Highway in the Sky, which climbs into the clouds on a 66-mile drive through the Cascade Range, weaving past snow-capped peaks and alpine lakes.

Lava Lands Visitor Center in nearby Bend, Oregon, is a great starting point for visitors to learn about the diverse landscape and history of the area through interpretive programs and exhibits.

Lava River Cave, located in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument is also nearby for campers to explore. At 5,211 feet in length, the northwest section of the cave is the longest continuous lava tube in Oregon.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping

The land around Mckay Crossing Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated June 12, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.