“Freebie” Site Review – Kla-Mo-Ya Casino, Chiloquin, OR
An easy and green overnight spot just north of Klamath Falls in S.Oregon
Location: Kla-Mo-Ya Casino, Chiloquin, OR
Coordinates: 42.536278, -121.884208 Link to map location HERE
Cost: FREE. Unknown stay limit.
How We Found It: From overnightrvparking.com.
Nearest Dump/Water: On-site trash and porta potties. Nearest dump & water at Collier Memorial State Park ~5 miles north.
- Access – 5/5
Super-easy access here. The Casino is just off Hwy 97, road is paved throughout and there are marked RV parking slots in the middle of the large asphalt parking lot. RV’s can also park around the perimeter of the lot, but are asked to stay clear of the passenger parking areas right in front of the Casino. - Nature – 3/5
Despite the fact that this is right off the highway it has a surprising amount of nature. The surrounding area is pine trees, so your view is likely to be nice and green, plus there is a large on-site field to walk/exercise doggie. Limited walking in the woods north of the Casino too. - Isolation – 1/5
Not much in the way of isolation here. This is a well-known overnight spot so you are not likely to be alone. There were 5 other RVs in the lot while we were there. In addition the Casino operates a travel center next-door with gas/diesel/propane so you will find truckers using the parking lot (especially the north area closest to the trees) overnight too. So, you are likely to have truckers as neighbors too. On the positive side the parking lot is large enough to allow you some privacy, and all the people who were there while we were in the area were very considerate about noise. - Pet Friendliness – 5/5
Great spot for pooch. NO doggies allowed in Casino, but they have a HUGE onsite field specifically for doggies and provide on-site doggie bags too. Limited walking in the woods next-door, but there are MILES of hiking trails just north along the Williamson River in Collier Memorial State Park.
Overall Rating = 3.5
Summary: We were looking for an easy overnight (with preferably a bit of green) to stay near Collier Memorial State Park (which was pre-season and so closed) and Kla-Mo-Ya Casino fit the bill perfectly. The Casino itself is not very large, but it has a very large, flat parking lot as well as a comprehensive next-door Travel Center (gas/diesel/propane), plus it’s RIGHT off Hwy 97 making it a super easy multi-purpose stop spot. RV’s can stay for free for multiple nights (unknown stay limit, no check-in required) as long as they don’t block the passenger parking spots nearest the Casino. There are marked RV spots in the middle of the lot, plus lots of space around the perimeter. As an added bonus there is a HUGE doggie field right next to the lot plus nice, green views of pine trees all around. The only negative? Since the Casino operates the Travel Center next-door this is also a popular trucker overnight spot, so you will likely have truckers as neighbors during the night. Most just come to sleep, but some do idle their engines and if you’re parked too close it will keep you awake. The truckers tend to park at the far northern end of the Casino (in the dirt parking area), so just avoid that area if you stay here. Also, since you are close to Hwy 97 you WILL get some road-noise. Overall however we found this a super-easy and surprisingly green spot to spend a few nights. We loved the doggie-field and appreciated the easy access to Collier Memorial (Logging Museum & hiking trails). If we come back for a longer stay we’ll stay at the nearby NFS or State Park sites (see below), but for short stays this is a perfect stop.
Extra Info: Excellent cell/data signal with 4 bars on Verizon LTE and 3 bars on ATT 4G. Porta potties by the RV parking area plus toilets in the Casino and a few trash cans around the parking lot. NO hookups or dump station on-site.
Extra, Extra Info – OTHER CAMPING:
- State Park Camping -> Collier Memorial State Park is just ~5 miles north of here and gets outstanding reviews, plus it can take “beast-size” RVs. If the park is open (May 1 – Oct 1) it is well worth the stop.
- Forest Camping -> Just a mile down the road from Collier, Williamson River Campground is a lovely forest service campground that can also accommodate “beast-size” RVs. Only $10/night. Opens Mid-May.
Great review!! I hope to use it someday when I get all the way up that way. Safe travels!
Such thorough reviews! Thanks for the time and energy taken to produce them.
Idea for future blog post…….How to review RV parks,campgrounds, etc. I as a new RVer might want to start giving reviews on sites such as Campendium or RVParkReview. Tips from experienced reviewers would be appreciated.
Your blog brought back memories from 40 years ago. I worked at Crater Lake NP and my daughter went to school in Chiloquin. My best friends were Modoc and Klamath. I worked with the Organization of Forgotten Americans of which Tribe members were involved. Such good times in that area for ten years. Also worked for Winema NF.
What a great set of memories! Thanks for sharing your history of this place. I always love hearing from folks who have a connection to the spot I’m visiting. It brings it to life for me!
Nina
This is very helpful. We will be traveling this way next spring. Thanks for the info.
Excellent. Thanks.
Wow, what a timely review. We just pulled into a casino just west of Oklahoma City. FHUs with parking just off of the edge of the main parking lot. Best thing—-it’s totally FREE! Free, I guess, if you can control yourself in the casino.
FHUs for free is definitely a rarity! Most of the Casinos we’ve stayed at are dry-camp only, but every now and then you find a gem. And of course, like you said it’s only free if you manage to stay out of the Casino itself LOL.
Nina
So appreciate the reviews of these little gems along the road! It’s especially helpful to know where the truckers like to park when they come in after dark 🙂 Love all the trees.
Wow, Nina, fun to see you review our home town casino. Since we live just across the lake, we never have used the parking areas, but we do use the Crater Lake Junction fuel stop all the time! It is cheaper than the Pilot farther north in Chemult along highway 97 and has the unique quality of being one of the few stations in Oregon where you can pump your own gas! It is Indian land after all, so Oregon rules don’t apply. Although I am quite used to sitting comfortably in my car while someone else does the honors and have learned to quit bellyaching about the extra time it might take. yay Oregon!
How fun that this is your “local” spot! I had no idea you were so close, otherwise I probably would have popped in to see you. And funny how I didn’t think at all about the self-pump. It always takes me a while to remember that when I get back into OR.
Nina
This is a helpful and informative review, thank you for sharing it with us.
Hi Nina, have you ever checked out the Williamson River Campground? I have stayed many times at Collier State Park but for some reason never went farther up the road..I’m just wondering if it is a nice spot.. I have enjoyed the electricity at the state park for the fridge and the A/C and the hot showers. I seem to remember they were free?
Thanks,
David
YES! In fact we drove over to check it out while we were in the area and really liked it. Nice, large sites, could easily fit our size. Lots of space and privacy. It’s primitive though. So, no hookups, pit toilets only…but it’s only $10/night too. Collier definitely has more amenities, but the NFS campground is lovely.
Nina
We will be coming that way on our way back from Ellensburg Wash. If you see a really old, 11″ ft cabover, but repainted truck camper, with a silver “05” Ram, also pulling a silver Jeep TJ, and three dogs, let us buy you a soda!!
Our three dogs are 2 Queensland Heeler/German Shorthair mixes, and the “ankle bitter” size is a Min-Pin. The truck has a running horse decal on the lower front fenders, and an Arabian Horses, sticker on the back door. Since we also have horses, we find the “Free” type camping, and the much larger site help a real blessing.
We’re already ahead of you at this point, but sounds like you have a great trip planned…with some excellent doggies in tow 🙂
Nina
So, I have never done the ‘free camping ‘ thing before. I just have a pickup with canopy I am currently setting up to camp in. When a person camps in these free spots, can we use our Colman stove on the tailgate to prepare a meal or do we have to buy food in the casino restaurant? I can’t afford much, so cooking my own food is probably what I have to do 90% of the time.