The Depot RV Park and Museum is located in Prairie City, Oregon, near John Day, Oregon. On the grounds are 20 RV sites that each have 50 amp electricity hookups as well as WiFi connections, water hookups, and a dump station that visitors can use. There is a camp host that lives on the property to help guests with anything they may need during their stay. The business is within walking distance of restaurants, markets, and stores that are located in downtown Prairie City. On either side of the city are national forests, Umatilla National Forest to the north and Malheur National Forest to the south. According to the camp host, 75% of the county is federally owned land, including the national forests. The grounds of the RV park contain 20 stations, a playground for children staying at the property, as well as a stream that runs through the establishment.
The Depot RV Park and Museum is located east of John Day, Oregon in Prairie City. On the grounds of the property are 20 RV sites that can be used by RVs year-round. All of the sites have 50 amp power, as well as recently upgraded water hookups, WiFi connectivity, and access to a dump station. More than half of the 20 stations are pull-through sites, with some sites on the perimeter of the establishment being back-in. Included at each site, besides hookups, is a charcoal grill as well as a picnic table that guests can use to cook, eat, and play games in the evenings. Each RV site can be used as a dry camping area if visitors want to stay at the property but do not have an RV. The grill and picnic table are still provided to patrons who are tent camping instead of RV camping.
Across the grounds, grass can be found at most of the RV stations, and different types of trees including oak trees and pine trees are scattered around the property. At the RV park, there are coin-operated showers for guests to use, as well as restrooms. Near the RV park area is a museum, the DeWitt Museum, that those staying at the property can visit. Admission is $3 per person, and there is a gift shop inside where patrons can purchase historical books and other paraphernalia related to the museum. The DeWitt Museum is open from May through October for visitors to the area to learn about some of the historical events that took place in the area. Also on the premises is a playground that can be utilized by families who stay on the property. There is also a pavilion in the RV park that guests can use for picnics and other similar activities. The John Day River runs next to the Depot RV Park as well, and the business provides river access for patrons.
The area surrounding the Depot RV Park and Museum has a variety of activities and areas that guests can visit. The property sits on the John Day River and is close to several lakes in the area such as Lagoon Lake, Strawberry Lake, and Oliver Lake. Prairie City and the city of John Day are known for having a variety of hikes nearby, such as Dixie Mountain, and a hike to Upper Strawberry Lake. Strawberry Mountain also has multiple hikes of different ability levels. Besides hiking, Grant County has a variety of museums available for guests to visit. DeWitt Museum, located on the grounds of the RV park, details the history surrounding the Sumpter Valley Railroad, and other museums in the area include the Paleontology Center which has multiple dinosaur bones as well as other ancient artifacts. There is also a Ranch and Rodeo Museum near the park. In eastern Oregon, there are also multiple ghost towns that were used as mining centers in the past but have since been deserted. Some restaurants the camp host recommends to visitors include Austin House which is 10 miles outside of town and is also a historical site that sells prime rib, The Oxbow, and Lemon 88, which is a group hub dinner house.
When guests stay at the RV park, the camp host hopes that they can feel relaxed, and comfortable and that they are able to enjoy the area. Those who stay at the park often comment on a quiet nature of the park, as well as the proximity to things in the city, and the family atmosphere that can be provided at the park. One patron said "This is a very cute place. It has RV camping, a campground, museum, playground, and picnic area that is covered. Great for a summer get-together." The museum also draws people to the park, due to the railroad history that the museum focuses on. If guests schedule tours of the museum ahead of time, the attendants can look on family history websites to see if anyone talked about within the museum is related to the visitors, in an attempt to make the history of the area more personal for those who come to the museum.
While staying at the RV park, the county has policies it asks guests to observe. Pets are allowed to stay with their owners on the grounds, however, they must be on their leashes at all times and be cleaned up after. There are seasonal fire restrictions as well on the use of the charcoal grills, depending on the fire safety during fire season. There is no enforced quiet time on the premises, but the camp host encourages visitors to be considerate of each other during the evenings.
The Depot RV Park has been operating in its current capacity since the year 2016. Grant County owns the establishment and the museum on the grounds, and the city operates the property. In the past few years, all of the power stations at the park have been upgraded to 50 amp capabilities. Additionally, the water hookups were upgraded so the property can welcome guests year-round. Regarding future updates and plans for the property, they plan on continuing to keep the park and museum in working order for visitors.
The museum on the grounds of the park, named DeWitt Museum, was originally a home for a family that used to live in the area. The family that lived there had over 30 foster children that lived with them, and the relatively large size of the building was necessary to house all the children. When the family moved, they sold the building to Grant County, which then turned the home into a museum.
The DeWitt Museum has historical artifacts and documents mainly pertaining to the Sumpter Valley Railroad. The railroad, which ended near the town of Prairie City, Oregon, took 20 years to complete and covered over 80 miles of railroad. Originally, the railway was intended to connect to a major railway that would allow those traveling to connect to different states near and far, such as California or Virginia.
425 S Main Street
Prairie City, Oregon 97869
United States
Campground
Grant County
