USFS Sweet Home Ranger District – Lost Prairie Campground

Lost Prairie Groups Campground is located 37 miles east of Sweet Home on Highway 20. The campground is at an elevation of 3,200 feet on 7 acres adjacent to Hackleman Creek.

Park Location

From Sweet Home, OR, follow Highway 20 east for 38 miles and look for signs for the Lost Prairie Group Site.

Park Usage

This site was originally a campground that has been converted to a group site with a 75-person capacity limit. There are 10 individual campsites. Sites #1-4 are back-in, paved surface sites suitable for tents and accommodating of trailers ranging up to 42 feet long depending on the site. Sites #5 -10 were originally walk-in sites less that 60 feet from the main area which can still be utilized for tents. Each individual site has a picnic table and fire pit. There is a paved parking area which can be used for RV parking with capacity for up to 6 RV’s There are two double vault toilets, one behind site #1 and an accessible one near the parking area. Drinking water is available from a handpump well at the front of the campground.

Lost Prairie Group Site is located along the Over the Rivers and Through the Woods Scenic Byway and is nestled among the forest in the Cascades at an elevation of 3600 feet. Lost Prairie is only 15 minutes from the McKenzie River National Scenic Trail and Clear Lake. Numerous other trails and lakes are close by as well.

Reservations may be made up to 12 months in advance of arrival date by reserving online at Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777.

Lost Prairie Campground

Reservations, Cancellations and Changes must be made through Recreation.gov

If I book this reservation today, what are my options to change or cancel?

Please remember that reservations at these facilities prevent other visitors from using these sites. Planned changes to your stay should be made as far in advance as possible. You can make changes to your reservation ahead of your arrival date in My Reservations via the Rec.Gov website

Changes

If your new stay dates are completely different from your original stay dates, there is a $10 change fee (per reserved site). There are no additional fees for:

Adding or removing nights to your stay.
Changing to a different campsite.

Balances will adjust based on your new stay’s nightly rate.

Cancellations

You can cancel the reservation any time before the date of your scheduled arrival. You will receive a refund for your stay, minus the following fees:

$10 cancellation fee
Any reservation fees (only if paid when booking)
Any previous change fees

Late cancellation penalties may also apply:

What is “Late”?

For individual campsites, a late cancellation applies starting from midnight 1 calendar day before your scheduled check-in. For cabins and group sites, a late cancellation applies starting from midnight 14 calendar days or fewer before your scheduled check-in.

Late Fee

In addition to the fees listed above, a late cancellation will also subtract your first night’s recreation use fee from any refund owed. As of the expected check-in day, cancellations or changes to your stay are not possible through My Reservations. It is at the facility’s discretion to support additional Late Cancellations, No Show, or Early Departure updates – on-site personnel may not be able to assist. These changes carry penalties and may forfeit recreation use fees. For additional details, please visit here.

Group Fee: $200/night

Lost Prairie Group Site is close to numerous hiking and boating opportunities. The McKenzie River trail, Echo Basin, Crescent Mountain, and Browder Ridge trails are all within fifteen minutes drive. Clear Lake, Smith Reservoir and Suttle Lake are all close by and offer boating and fishing opportunities.

Clear Lake Resort is just down the road from Lost Prairie Group Site on Hwy 126 with a restaurant, boat rentals and excellent hiking. It is unique and well known for its clarity and standing dead trees created by the eruption of Sand Mountain. The West Cascades Scenic Byway and Santiam Pass-McKenzie Pass Scenic Byway are in close proximity to the site. Numerous short hikes to lakes, waterfalls and scenic vistas are along both routes.

Part of the historic Santiam Wagon Road, Lost Prairie is a natural meadow near Hackleman creek where a scouting party looking for a new wagon route across the Cascades became lost. After several days of frustration, one member of the party climbed a tall tree and spotted Sand Mountain to the east, regaining his bearings.