No Waldo Campout for 2024
All the Group Campsites weekend dates were taken early this year. We'll try again next year.
Why We're Camping Out
It's time for the Waldo Lake Campout and fun times with Sierra Club friends! Make plans to spend the weekend of September 8-10 at Shadow Bay Campground with other Waldo explorers for hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, paddle-boarding, lakeside relaxing, and breathing in all that forest-generated fresh oxygen.
Part of the Waldo experience is Nature’s dominion: the expansive clear blueness of Waldo Lake, towering trees reaching beyond the horizon, a skyline of buttes and mountains. It inspires wonder, peace and rejuvenation—a chance to soak in forest-quiet. A major fire affected this area last year— Shadow Bay was untouched by the fire and remains a forested oasis at the edge of one of Oregon's most beautiful lakes.
Shadow Bay Campground
The 2023 Waldo Weekend Campout will be held at Shadow Bay Campground on the southern end of the lake. Group Loop B, Sites 25 thru 43, is reserved for Friday and Saturday nights. Vehicle parking is very limited: there are 17 vehicle driveways, but most are short, and parking off the loop road is not allowed. Expect to share a campsite with other campers, so pull your vehicle up the driveway to allow space for someone else behind you. We strongly urge you to carpool. RVs must be short - please see RV section below. The campground has the usual Forest Service toilet and drinking water facilities, but no showers or electrical service.
Because of the significant cost of reserving the Group campsite, you are being asked to pay $25 per person for the entire weekend (two nights). Children under 17 are free. This donation covers the cost of the campground and some other amenities we provide.
Recreational Vehicles (RVs)
Our sites are limited in number, many are short, and we must all share sites to accommodate the expected attendance. Any RVs must be short (truck campers, small motorhome, or pop-top or tear-drop trailers).
Children and Dogs
Children are welcome to the campout, though most hikes will be too difficult for younger children.
Dogs are also welcome to camp if trained and quiet. However, we are asking you to tell us if you are bringing a dog so we can keep a running tally of how many dogs are coming: too many dogs in strange surroundings can make it unpleasant for all, including the dogs. In addition, if you want to bring your dog on a hike, each trip leader will want to know about your dog’s training and experience before accepting it on a hike, and we may need to limit the number of dogs on any one hike for everyone's enjoyment and safety.
Legal Stuff
Each participant will be asked to sign the Sierra Club Participant Agreement form when you arrive for the Campout Weekend. If there are children under 18 in your party, we will ask the accompanying adult to sign a Participant Agreement for each child. And while Shadow Bay Campground is not all that remote, it is many miles from the nearest medical facility and there is no cell service, so if you have a significant medical problem, please let us know.
Registration and Payment
To REGISTER! Register using our Google Form at Waldo Lake Campout 2023 Registration. You will receive an auto-generated confirmation email.
After you fill out the reservation form, you’ll be contacted by the Campsite Coordinator with other details. First come first served. When the campout reservation limit has been reached, you’ll be added to the waitlist. Because there are usually cancellations, you’ll have a good chance of getting a reservation. To ensure the safety of campers, in the event of a nearby forest fire impacting the campout, we will cancel the event and inform you.
To contact us separately, email: juniper.group@oregon.sierraclub.org.
REGISTRATION FEE: $25 per person for the weekend (2 nights), children under 17 free. Payment can be made on arrival by cash or check made out to Juniper Group Sierra Club, or you can mail your check in advance to Juniper Group, 16 NW Kansas, Bend 97703. Sorry, we can't do credit cards.
Hikes and Water Activity
Hikes: There will be a limited number of hikes due to our limited number of certified hike leaders. We will announce the potential hikes on Friday night at the orientation gathering. There will be a variety of hikes proposed, ranging from easy to medium to more difficult.
Paddling Trip: For those who can bring a kayak, canoe, or other non-motorized watercraft a paddling trip will be offered with the campout. The group is limited to ten paddlers who will paddle alongside the lakeshore to areas affected by last year's fire if weather permits. Paddlers will need to attend a separate pre-trip meeting to discuss safety and logistics associated with water activities at Waldo.
Going on your own disclaimer: You can also swim, sail, kayak, bike, or hike on your own, but we cannot organize or assume responsibility for those activities you may choose to do on your own.
Weekend Schedule
Below is the preliminary weekend schedule to get an idea of how the weekend flows and the activities that will be available. We'll revise as we get closer to the campout.
Friday:
- 2 to 7 PM - Check-in to campsite
- Dinner - each party provide own food and eat on their own schedule
- 7 PM - Welcome: Sign-in, brief weekend orientation, hikes proposed.
- Campfire (maybe, depends on Forest Service rules at the time) - toward dark, let's all gather at group campsite, introduce ourselves, have some refreshment (bring your own snacks and drinks), and swap some lies
Photo by Barb Hazen
Saturday:
- 7 AM - Breakfast, each party bring your own
- 9:00 AM – Gather for Outings: we'll divide you into Easy/Moderate/Difficult groups. Leaders will decide which hike to do from the Friday night options based on group preferences.
- 9:30 AM - Depart for Hikes.
- 3 PM - Return from hikes (about).
- 4 PM - Happy Hour in the group campsite. Bring your own beverages and snacks.
- 5:30 PM - Dinner Hour. No Potluck or Grilling this year out of abundance of caution for Covid. There's a large group campsite where we can eat together or retire to your campsite.
- 7 PM - Keep Waldo Wild Campaign Program:
- Impressions: We want to hear about your day in Waldo.
- Outings Programs: Kelly O. Smith, Outings Chair/Coordinator for both Juniper Group and the Oregon Chapter will discuss the impact of Covid on Outings over the last three yeas, talk about how we are restarting our programs, the training available for new and prior Outings leaders, and some new requirements on Outings and leaders imposed by the National Sierra Club for everyone's protection.
- Call to Participate: We'll ask everyone to join our Outings programs and more, and ask for your ideas.
- 8:30 PM 'til 10 PM ... - spinning yarns and strumming and singing at the group campsite. So bring your guitars or other musical devotions and we'll get to know each other the old fashioned way.
Sunday:
- 8 AM or so - Breakfast. You're on your own.
- 8:30 AM - Hikes or other activities on your own - we've tried to organize short hikes for a few years, but with everyone on different schedules for packing up and leaving, it seems to work out better for everyone to "do their own thing". The lake and area is a priceless gem of Oregon, so it's a great opportunity to just "hang out" and enjoy the beauty that is Waldo Lake.
- Lunch on your own, you provide.
- 12 PM - Break camp, head home, happy campers.
- 1 PM - Checkout time from campsites.