Camping Around Smith

Any tips on places I can pull off of to sleep for the night, fireroads or such? I will just be sleeping in the car and don't feel like paying for a campsite.

from this website (go to destinations, find your climbing spot, and look for camping beta)

Camping & Fees

There is a $5.00/car fee to use Smith Rock that can be paid for at the kiosk in the main parking lot. For $30.00 you can buy a season pass at Redpoint Climber's Supply in town.

There are two options for camping at Smith. For a fee you can camp at the Smith Bivy area which is adjacent to the park-- look for the sign just before the main parking lot. There are bathrooms, water, and a cooking area; no fires are allowed.

The second option is the "Grasslands" campground (officially known as Skull Hollow). To get there take either Wilcox Avenue or Smith Rock Way East until you reach Lone Pine Road-- take a left. After a few miles of cow pastures look for a sign on the left for Skull Hollow (Here's a Google Maps link with directions from the park). If you hit Hwy. 26 you've gone too far. Skull Hollow is a free BLM camping area with basic port-a-potties and camp fires are allowed. There is no water available here so stock up beforehand. It's first-come first-served and can fill up on busy weekends.

[UPDATE] Skull Hollow will no longer be a free campground as of May 15, 2009. This is ostensibly due to the less desirable characters that stay for long periods of time at the campground (no, I'm not talking about trad climbers!); there have been increasing amounts of gear theft as of late, and the popularity of the site is beginning to take a toll on the facilities. There will be a $5 per night charge, and a 14-day limit for all campers.

Actually, climbers are almost exactly the demographic that is the problem. Among land managers, "climber" has become very similar to "criminal" in meaning. They typically violate rules and regulations, refuse to pay even reasonable fees, and bitch all the time, while being among the worst at making permanent and expensive "modifications" of facilities. Their pretense that they can place bolts and other structures on the land at their whim is incredibly galling to many managers.

They have a complete personal belief in their exceptionalism that borders on the completely insane.

Did you know that most places now have a LAW against "sleeping in your car" outside of designated areas?

Just pay the five bucks and let the locals think there is some reason for them to be lenient with us. That somebody actually gains from having climbers around. People who come in and flop all over the county while not contributing a dime to the local economy makes us all look bad.

Do something radical, do something that will benefit our community. Act like a normal recreationalist and a respectful user of their resources. That stuff has been put in place to benefit us. Act like you appreciate it.

You will blow far more than $5 in gas buzzing around looking for a flop, especially at Oregon prices.

Above post is hilarious

You can park on the other side of the fence at grasslands for free