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

Bureau of Land Management campground

Sharps Creek Recreation Site

Bureau of Land Management campground, Lane County, Oregon. 1,087 feet. 15.4 miles from Cottage Grove.

Elevation
1,087 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
12 12 standard non-electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Lane County

Overview

Payment is done via Electronic Fee machine on site ONLY. NO CASH PAYMENTS ACCEPTED ON SITE

Reserve a site at Sharps Creek on recreation.gov or pay when you arrive for non-reserved campsites using the Recreation.gov Mobile App. You must download before you reach the site since there is no cell reception in the drainage.

Step off the beaten path and explore a delightful gem nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains with ties to the historic Bohemia Mining District, 18 miles southeast of Cottage Grove. The site offers a 12-unit campground, day-use picnicking area, and a nearby swimming hole formed naturally among rounded boulders at the base of an overlook extending above Sharps Creek. Cool and delightful waters entice the visitor to swim or simply 'dabble' along the bank while enjoying the surrounding beauty of the forest. For those with a penchant for gold panning, the site offers exciting opportunities to try one's skill and luck!

The Springfield Office of the Northwest Oregon District of the Bureau of Land Management manages the Sharps Creek Recreation Site.

Recreation

Sharps Creek Recreation Site consists of a small, family campground and a day-use area overlooking Sharps Creek. A swimming hole at the base of the overlook provides a refreshing place to cool down on hot, summer days. All swimmers should use caution.

Facilities

Sharps Creek Campground offers 12 campsites with easy access to the day use swimming area next door. The campground has vault toilets and running water. There is no Cellular Service at the site.

Natural Features

Sharps Creek campground and the surrounding area are home to large canopy trees such as Douglas fir, western hemlock, red cedar, red alder and big leaf maple. The forest understory features a host of native plants like rhododendron, salal, various fern species, salmonberry and vine maple. On the forest floor, oxalis, Calypso orchids and mosses compliment the scenery. A diverse variety of bird life, from the seldom seen pileated woodpecker, northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet to the ever-present Oregon junco, frequent this area. Signs of larger animals, such as raccoon, mink, bear, elk, deer and beaver are evident.

Nearby Attractions

The Row River National Recreation Trail / Covered Bridges State Scenic Bikeway is located less than 4 miles northwest of Sharps Creek Recreation Site.

Dorena Lake

City of Cottage Grove

The description, directions and fees are the Bureau of Land Management’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • day use area
  • gold panning
  • picnicking
  • water access
  • water activities

The land around Sharps Creek Recreation Site

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 July 15, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.