Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area is right off I-84 in Oregon state. This is a boon and a curse for this beautiful little park. Located just 25 miles east of Pendleton, Oregon, it is highly accessible, granting anyone who wants to visit the opportunity to do so. However, the proximity to this freeway makes it quite a bit louder than can be appreciated just reading about it. I cannot recommend stopping at this park for a restful overnight stay unless you are already attuned to constant highway noise and/or sleep with earplugs on the regular.

Now, if noise is not an issue for you, then this is a great little place to camp. There are 16 sites with full hoop-ups for the camper people that read this and 32 sites for tents. There are hot showers and flush toilets available as well. Scattered throughout the park are more flush toilets. There is also an equestrian area as well as a group area. For the traveler that lacks their own accommodations, there are a few cabins available for rent as well.
We tent camped, and I feel that the the $19/night was pretty good since it included access to the shower facility. The endless noise at night makes it difficult for me to justify paying more than that in the tent tho. Perhaps the cabins block out quite a bit of the noise and they would be a decent alternative. The cabins run between$26-$58 a night depending on whether it is a duplex cabin or single and if it is pet friendly or not. Sites with electric hookup cost $27 for residents and $34 for non-residents. Full hookup sites are $29/$37. Horse camp sites are available for $19 and each additional vehicle for any of the locations is $7 a night. The group tent site is available for $71 and showers for non-campers cost $2. Sites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance here.

We found a trail that seems to connect the various loops of the park to the group side of the park. We were pleased to find that there were a large variety of wildflowers and mushrooms along the trail. It is a casual walk and not very strenuous at all. There is also a display which shows what a typical wagon that the pioneers brought over from St. Louis, Missouri, would have looked like. Do not poke the saws too hard, they still have some bite to them.
Between the park and the highway is a marshland with some elevated decking to let you get into the wetlands and check out the flora and fauna more closely without getting wet. In the group area is a space large enough to play some games and there is a basketball hoop in the parking area as well that could be used to pass some time.

For a brief respite from traveling on the freeway, I think Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area is a great idea. For a restful night to prepare for another day of travel, I cannot recommend this campground for everyone. It was filled with quiet campers, but the constant drone of the freeway was just too much for us and I feel that with all the reviews I read, it was the same for many other people as well. Enjoy a visit to this little bit of history and happy adventuring!

Official link https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=16

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