I loved the seabirds at this location, flying overhead in formation, and the rumble of trains from both sides of the river off and on during the day. Also fun is seeing the John Day Dam lit up at night—was perfect for late night doggie potty trips! Video
Giles French Park is just a few minutes from Rufus, OR off of I-84. It’s open April 1st to October 31st with a seven day camping limit in any 30 day period. I’ve stayed here a few times over the years and there’s always been space to find a camping spot. You can see in the video it’s a very large dispersed camping area.
Want to stay longer than seven days? Then just go to Rufus Landing after for another seven day stay. Simples. 🙂
Related post: Riverfront Free RV Camping at Rufus Landing Recreation Area in Rufus, OR.
The most popular activity is fishing
You will see boats trawling in the river, folks fishing from the shoreline at times, and many Native American old wooden fishing stands that line the water’s edge—like the one in the featured photo above.
Fishing season is open all year. Throw a line in for a chance to catch spring hatchery steelhead, bass, catfish, and Chinook Salmon during the summer.
Food, gas, and restaurants are just a few minutes away
In Rufus, OR a few minutes away there’s a Sinclair gas station with propane, The Bulldog Diner with excellent hamburgers, and a small market with greasy spoon grill.
There’s also Bob’s Texas T-Bone Restaurant & Lounge. Hungry for a steak, seafood, or shredded pork tacos? Bob’s steakhouse is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day, are closed on Mondays.
Video of Giles French Park Free RV Camping
You’ll see in the video this is a very large, open dispersed camping area with trees for shade and privacy. If it gets crowded on the weekend in summer, there’s additional free camping two minutes away at Rufus Landing.
Cell coverage was strong
I had excellent cellular coverage with my 5G iPhone and Verizon service. I watched movies, uploaded videos, made phone calls, etc.