USDA Forest Service · Oregon
Shadow Bay
USDA Forest Service · Oregon, United States
- Sites
- 57
- Hookups
- 55 no hookups
- Season
- June 26 to October 30
- Max RV length
- 40 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 5,479 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- SHADOW BAY ACCESS (NFSR 5896000) · asphalt · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Willamette National Forest
- Nearest town
- Oakridge
- Address
- P.O. Box 8516, Oakridge, OR, 97463
- Phone
- 801-226-3564
- Activities
- Boating, Canoeing
19 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Shadow Bay Campground rests on the shores of Waldo Lake in a forest of towering conifers. This large recreation area provides plenty of things to see and do like sailing, canoeing, fishing and swimming.
Recreation
Waldo Lake is circled by the Jim Weaver Loop, a 22-mile hiking and biking trail. The Shoreline Trail lines the lakeside of the campground and takes hikers and bikers to a network of other trails. From there, hikers can continue into the Waldo Lake Wilderness, but mountain bikers are not allowed in Wilderness.
The lake offers boating and swimming. A boat ramp is located on-site.
Facilities
This 92 site campground is less busy than its neighboring campground, North Waldo, resulting in a quieter atmosphere. Nineteen sites are reservable. Garbage containers and gray water disposal areas are available at the campground.
Natural Features
Shadow Bay Campground is located on a large bay at the south end of Waldo Lake. It is considerably wetter than either North Waldo or Islet Campground, supporting a more diverse and prolific ground cover, and also more mosquitos.
Situated high on the western slopes of the Oregon Cascades at 5,400 feet in elevation, Waldo Lake is one of the purest lakes in Oregon (9.8 square miles with a maximum depth of 427 feet). It has no permanent inlet to bring nutrients into the lake for plant growth. The lack of plant life contributes to its purity, allowing you to see to depths of 120 feet on a calm day.
Nearby Attractions
Explore Waldo Lake and surrounding hiking trails for views of the snow-capped North, Middle and South Sisters, three of the seven major peaks in Willamette National Forest.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37° | 24° | 10° | 49° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 34° | 24° | 1° | 49° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 40° | 25° | 15° | 64° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 43° | 28° | 14° | 64° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 51° | 36° | 27° | 70° | 8 of 11 |
| June | 64° | 41° | 30° | 83° | 2 of 11 |
| July | 76° | 51° | 38° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 76° | 52° | 41° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 66° | 45° | 35° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 58° | 36° | 28° | 74° | 5 of 10 |
| November | 44° | 30° | 22° | 59° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 34° | 25° | 12° | 52° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Islet Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 33 sites
- Gold Lake Campground (OR) · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 4 sites
- North Waldo · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 43 sites
- Princess Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 30 sites
- Trapper Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 28 sites
All public campgrounds in Oregon · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-01. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.