North Davis Creek Campground

The day we drove around exploring (and ended up with a flat tire) we checked out several areas and campgrounds, and discovered North Davis Creek Campground. After Training Camp we decided it would be a nice, quiet place to hang out for a week or so. With a full larder and water tank we headed for the campground, our friends Bill and Grayce joining us for the first two days. The campground is admittedly a bit dusty, as are all the high Cascade lake campgrounds, but the dust is a small price to pay for all the benefits.

The North Davis Creek campground is located right on North Davis Creek, which flows into the western arm of Wickiup Lake. On the map below, the creek is the top of three that lead from the highway east to the main channel.


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The lake itself is actually a reservoir, and the largest of the Cascade lakes. The little arm feels more like a small lake and is perfect for canoeing or fishing without the commotion of the motorized boats that frequent the larger area. Upon driving through the small campground one might assume it to be a boring dry camp, with only one site exposed to the water. Not so! Exploration on foot revealed a wealth of stunning views.

View from our site

We moved in to site 7, the best lake exposure, but the least flat of all the sites so we've spent the week adjusting and readjusting our chairs so we don't creep downhill.

All of the sites on the outside of the loop have exposure to either the lake (sites 3,5 and 7), or one of the creeks, or the spring.

North Davis Creek

All are beautiful views, and most are fairly flat. Wildflowers are still blooming around the creeks, even this late in the year.
The gentle sound of the rushing creeks can be heard from all of the sites. North Davis Creek is fairly large and flows through a broad log and moss covered bed past several of the sites (12 is especially nice) then tumbles loudly over a rocky slope just as it enters the lake.

First canoe lesson

We had no trouble launching our canoe from the beach, and decided this is the perfect place for Shiner to learn how to be a canoe dog. She wasn't to sure about the whole procedure at first, and we were afraid that her enthusiasm for swimming would cause her to jump out, but she learned quickly with a little encouragement and a few short lessons.

The little lake-like fingers of Wickiup are perfect for canoeing, and exploring the margins where the crystal clear blue water laps against the reeds is a pleasant afternoon amusement. There are a few other kayaks and canoes around, but the population is nothing like we encountered at Hosmer.

This is definitely the place to go to avoid crowds. Though several trucks and cars cruised the campground as though looking for a site, as of Friday night, out of 14 camp sites only four were occupied, on Saturday there were eight occupied, but all but three of us had cleared out by Sunday morning. Two of us are here for a week or more.

We've had the beach pretty much to ourselves, to canoe, play on the sand, toss a stick for Shiner to retrieve in the water, and watch the wildlife. The margins of Wickiup have several areas that allow "dispersed camping", meaning no organized campground. Park and what you see is what you get. Those campers often come here to launch their kayaks or canoes, but there were never enough vehicles to cause a problem in camp. 

One afternoon we saw an osprey sail over the lake and fly off with a small fish, while later in twilight a young mule deer wandered out of the woods on the opposite shore and grazed awhile, then turned and went back into the woods, leaving us free to watch the blue heron fishing on the bank.

Our site is somewhat elevated above the shore, so we have a perfect vantage point for watching the changing reflections as the wind and currents shift.

Source for North Davis Creek

A walk along the north side of the campground, along the trail behind the campsites, has wonderful views of the creek, complete with little rushing falls and wildflowers. Behind site 10 there's a log bridge over the water. The other side is pretty dense with threes, but Shiner and I were determined so we wended our way through the dense shrubbery and ended up at a pile of lava rock that appears to be the source for the creek.

I would guess that actually the drainage from Davis Lake goes underground and seeps out under the rocks, perhaps joined by other springs. It's quite surprising to see all the clear, sparkling water gush out from under a pile of boulders!

The view of fog on the lake in the early morning is stunning, but it quickly dissipates as the day warms up. This definitely beats watching plastic boats and a parking lot full of people!

We can tell autumn is fast approaching. Though the elevation is only a bit over 4,000 feet, the nights are chilly. 30 degrees is a common overnight temp, though the days usually reach mid 70's to 80's. The contrast in temperatures makes for some beautiful early morning views, with fog drifting among the reeds, and between the layers of trees.

There is a boat ramp of sorts in the campground, but it's not well maintained and is fairly steep. There is also drinking water available in the campground, but you have to work a bit to get it.

Vault restrooms and trash containers complete the amenities, but the scenery more than makes up for the lack of services.

Some of the 14 sites are specifically designed for tents, but we had no difficulty finding several that would accommodate our 30 foot trailer. The road in is gravel, but adequately maintained.

Every evening we watch as the clouds drift by and the setting sun casts it's glow - cotton candy clouds some nights, on other nights the sky is as clear as can be, and then we know we can count on a colder morning. It's been down to 30 on several mornings, though the days are in the high 70's to low 80's. 'Can't beat that for perfect weather.

Finally, after a week of pure relaxation, it's time to pack up and head for "civilization". We'll be staying at Crescent Junction RV Park for two nights as we get caught up on laundry and housekeeping before we settle in to Armitage, a Lane County RV park, in preparation for the first Duck game of the season.