Topsy Campground is situated in a wonderful oasis in Oregon, cradled by JC Boyle reservoir, with campsites right on the waterfront. JC Boyle Reservoir was impounded behind the JC Boyle Dam on the Klamath River and offers some great shore fishing opportunities.
A little ahead of the campground is another great waterbody, the Upper Klamath Wild and Scenic River, for those who are looking for some more adventurous activities. Rafting is one of the most popular outdoor activities here and many rafters camp at Topsy Campground for convenient access to the whitewater rapids.
This campground provides accessible campsites, restrooms, and fishing docks. Additionally, it has a day-use area for shorter term visitors. Topsy Campground offers rugged shorelines and Ponderosa pine forests to campers and views of high-rising Mountain McLaughlin.
The campground allows the campers to enjoy several recreational activities such as fishing, picnicking, scenic tours, jeep rides, boating, and camping.
Topsy Campground is found 19 miles (30 minutes) southwest of Klamath Falls and just seven miles (13 minutes) from Keno, OR.
From Klamath Falls Oregon, continue west on State Highway 66 for 20 miles until you drive past the town of Keno, Oregon. Take a left on the Topsy Road, which is graveled, and drive for another one and a half miles until you see the sign for Topsy Campground.
Be prepared for the dirt road as soon as you clear off Highway 66 as it is not in the best of conditions. We’d suggest you slow down here and make your way carefully towards the campground. It’s difficult and a little rugged but easily passable. Once you reach the campground, you’ll once again be introduced to comfortable tarmac.
Topsy Campground is located at the waterfront, providing campers with private access to the reservoir. The campground boasts 13 sites for tents and RVs. Four of them are right on the reservoir and the remaining ones aren’t too far away either.
All the campsites come with picnic tables, tent pads, and a fire grill. Other amenities available at the campground include toilets, an RV dump station, drinking water, a boat launch, an accessible fishing pier, and a hiking trail. Restrooms and four campsites are ADA accessible.
You’ll find the campground host on-site to help you make your stay as comfortable as possible. Topsy Campground also has a day-use area, which is especially enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.
The campsites are provided on a first-come, first-served basis and no advance reservations can be made. The campground is seasonal and cannot be accessed year-round. It’s a pet friendly campground.
With so many water bodies all around, fishing is plentiful here. The Topsy Campground provides a fishing dock that is ADA accessible so that picnickers, visitors, and campers of all ages can bait for crappie, brown bullhead catfish, small largemouth bass, and yellow perch in the JC Boyle Reservoir. The best spot to catch plentiful fish is above the Topsy Bridge.
The best thing about JC Boyle Reservoir is that it remains a reliable spot for boating year-round. The water levels hardly ever fluctuate and remain level for boaters to enjoy a spectacular ride down the reservoir and gaze upon the snow-capped high-points of the region.
There are three boat ramps on the reservoir, belonging to BLM or PacifiCorp and allowing everyone to have access. You can also boat and fish for panfish species such as bullhead, crappie, and perch as you float along.
An interesting thing about Topsy Campground is that it can be used as a base camp for the topsy-turvy jeep ride towards the remote Upper Klamath River Canyon along the canyon rim and water’s edge. This canyon runs for 18 miles between John C. Boyle Dam and Copco Reservoir in California.
Also, keep your eyes wide open as this region is known for its rich wildlife and historic values. There are numerous traces of Native Americans found here in the shape of logging camps and ranches.
The region in which Topsy Campground is situated is very green, with large water bodies everywhere. It’s an ideal place for a scenic drive and to treat your eyes to spectacular views. The campground provides access to the 30-mile drive towards the High Lakes region found at the Fremont-Winema National Forest. And it is indeed a scenic tour with the western classic beauty of the National Forest demonstrating its volcanic legacy.
Here, you’ll see snow-capped peaks towering high above you and the 2.3 million acres of forest extending on either side. If you want, you can pull over and head into the wilderness to seek some solitude.
Topsy Campground is a perfect place to have a magical picnicking experience. You can take full advantage of the day-use area and enjoy the waterfront snacking experience. There’s plenty of shade here and you can just lie back and soak in the sun and the sights before you. If you get bored, you can always launch your boat into the reservoir and try hooking some fish for supper.
The upper Klamath River is less than an hour away from Topsy Campground and worth the drive if you have a love for whitewater rafting. The river provides a rafting scale of one to six, with classes suitable for advanced level rafters as well as expert rafters.
However, if you are not a rafter at all but would still like to experience the thrill of rafting, there are also professionally guided trips so that you can participate in this adventurous activity safely.
