News

Dec 26, 2023

Camping at the Gorge this summer? Pack these 5 tips from festival veterans

This summer, thousands of concertgoers will make the pilgrimage to the Gorge

This summer, thousands of concertgoers will make the pilgrimage to the Gorge Amphitheatre, an iconic Northwest music venue nestled into the Columbia River Gorge in George, to see their favorite artists on tour or at festivals like country throwdown Watershed and electronic dance blowouts Bass Canyon and Beyond Wonderland.

When thinking of the Gorge, people picture an idyllic hillside venue facing the Columbia River and its surrounding canyons. Fans reminisce about sitting on the amphitheater's hill, admiring the colors of the sunset reflected against the stage and river below.

People also have Gorge-gone-wrong stories, recalling a time they were caught unaware and underprepared for the realities of showering and sleeping outside for a concert (or multiple concerts across multiple nights).

Camping, clothing, walking, eating, safety: Beyond this summer's lineup, there are things that music lovers should consider when planning to camp at the Gorge. The Seattle Times spoke with three Gorge regulars for pointers to help you actually have a good time while camping for this year's shows and festivals.

Before the tips, some ground rules. The different festivals and concerts that come to the Gorge, operated by Live Nation Entertainment, have different rules on things like reentry and opening times for camping. Always read the fine print depending on your event; regulations may be different from the last time you visited the Gorge. For many events, you are not allowed to leave and reenter the grounds.

For general rules, head to gorgecamping.com, where you’ll find a map, frequently asked questions and details on camping. Here are some quick hits:

• You must have a concert ticket to be at the campground, and a camping ticket does not include concert admission.

• Campsites are assigned in order of arrival and may house up to six people. All campers must be present at check-in.

• You may bring food and drinks, and quiet time is generally 2 a.m. to 8 a.m.

• One vehicle pass is included with your camping ticket; if your vehicle exceeds size limits, you’ll be required to purchase an additional vehicle pass.

The Gorge is massive, and not all its campsites are made equal. Bathrooms, showers, proximity to parking and the venue, price: You’ll have a different experience at the Gorge depending on where you stay. You’re going to be doing a lot of walking regardless, but there's a steep disparity between the venue's Standard and cushy Oasis camping.

All areas have showers and bathrooms, but those aren't made equal, either. Standard campers must pay for showers and use portable toilets, while higher tiers get nicer, private restrooms and free showers. You’ll find portable toilets and water refills around the grounds.

In Standard camping, you’re a healthy walk from the front gate, while Gold and Oasis campers sleep steps from the venue. The venue publishes a map at gorgecamping.com/map, but it's subject to change, and it's difficult to capture the hilly dustiness of the Gorge's high desert landscape, which gets hot in the daytime and cold at night. Bring layers and sturdy walking shoes (more on clothing later).

Standard camping is like real camping, so you’ll need the basics: sleeping bag, sleeping pad and tent. Nicer campsites have more comfortable sleeping situations, shorter walks, nicer views … you get it.

While considering where to stay in the Gorge's various campgrounds, distance is the dealbreaker for most. Shylene Jones, a Seattleite and veteran raver who is attending Bass Canyon this year, said she has camped in different tiers and found that Gold Camping is best for her group.

"At Standard camping, they don't have a lot to offer," Jones said. "The only things that will be provided for basically all campgrounds are showers and bathrooms. It's like porta-potties and you have to pay for the showers. And then, once you get up the tiers, you get these bathrooms that are in trailers, which are slightly nicer."

You’ll also get more space as you move up the camping tiers. While Standard sites are about 15 feet by 25 feet, Premier, Terrace and Gold sites have more space, with the latter maxing out with space for an RV in 20-by-50-foot lots.

There are also Glamping sites and the aforementioned Oasis area, which features furnished canvas tents and a lounge. For the full lay of the land, see gorgecamping.com/camping-levels.

You get what you pay for: Gold Camping can cost twice as much as Premier and Standard sites (with prices varying by event). Per Bass Canyon's camping website, this year's Gold Camping rate for a group of up to six is $429, plus fees. Standard Camping costs $139.50 plus fees; Premier goes for $269.50; Gold camping (with power 30- and 50-AMP hookups) goes for $629 and $729, respectively; Terrace camping costs $899; and Glamping and Oasis sites reach from $1,225 to $2,095.

"Walking is a lot easier within the amphitheater, but in general, the Gorge is very big," Jones said. "I think a lot of people underestimate that. And then they choose a camp that is far away because they want to be cheap, but walking back and forth from the Standard camp to the venue, I get winded with dust in my lungs."

There are a variety of food vendors in the amphitheater itself, hawking festival food at concert prices: pizza, tacos, fried chicken. And you can buy overpriced food, drinks, toiletries, ice and basic necessities at the campgrounds’ general store, which is located by General, Premier and Terrace camping.

But you’ll want to bring all the necessities with you to the Gorge. Your ticket may not guarantee reentry, firstly, and if it does, George isn't exactly a hotbed of civilization. You’ll find a McDonald's in Quincy, about 20 minutes away, and gas there or closer by, in George. The nearest Walmart is about 40 minutes away. Pack for the weekend.

Chloe Christensen, a Portland resident and Bass Canyon veteran, said she enjoys eating food from the chicken vendor when she's in the venue, but each meal costs about $20.

When Christensen attended her first rave, she brought sandwiches and cereal. But she soon started toting a miniature portable grill to the Gorge, which are allowed in the campgrounds, to cook more substantial meals for her group.

"I have a mini portable grill now with a little tank where I can actually cook eggs in the morning and bake, so that's been a huge improvement on just camping in general," Christensen said. "I’ll make myself breakfast and lunch and then I will probably buy food once I’m inside the festival as well."

A blazing day at the Gorge can end with a cold night of camping.

Jones said it's important to prepare clothing according to the temperature. In the daytime, people wear shorts and tank tops, while at night, the wind picks up and folks wear sweatshirts (and silly animal onesies).

Jones said she typically buys VIP passes at the amphitheater, allowing her to skip the general admission lines and go freely out of the venue so she can bring supplies with her as it turns to the evening, including warmer clothing.

"If you get general, you have to stay in the venue until you want to leave," Jones said. "If you get the wristband, you’re allowed to reenter and you can go back to your campsite and get something warm. If that is not the case, a lot of people bring bags (with) like a blanket or something that is easy to convert into something warm."

Remember, you’re camping: Dress for changing weather, and bring extra layers.

At the Gorge, it helps to have a buddy. More specifically, it's important to be able to coexist with your neighbors, should you have to ask them politely to quiet down at 3 a.m. while you’re exhausted and trying to sleep.

Whether a festival attendee travels to the Gorge alone or is in a big group, the chances of having a memorable time are higher if you make friends with fellow concertgoers around the grounds.

The easiest place to meet new people is at one's campsite, said Caity Cahalin, a decadelong raver from Portland. By developing a network of friends at Gorge festivals she's attended, Cahalin is frequently running into people throughout the concerts she attends.

She recommends a friendly approach; Cahalin enjoys setting up her campsite on the first day and introducing herself to everyone around her.

"Everyone's so nice," Cahalin said. "You just make all of your friends with your neighbors and you share stuff if you forget something, because they might have it. The neighbors make it a lot more fun and everyone is really respectful of each other."

When Cahalin travels with her belongings, she feels secure. But understand that the liability for securing your own goods lies with the camper.

Cahalin locks her valuables in her vehicle and rents out lockers while in the amphitheater. Even if she may have left something in the tent, she relies on her neighbors to report suspicious activity.

For emergencies, the event's ground control officers also monitor the campgrounds. Cahalin said they’re typically an affirming presence.

"The ground control at the Gorge typically walks around and asks if you’re OK," Cahalin said, explaining that polite workers will assure people that even if they’re intoxicated, they just want to ensure concertgoers are feeling all right.

"They kind of have that middle ground, where it's not like an actual paramedic with a flashlight on you," Cahalin said. "It's really cool they do that."

Log in

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming anotherperson will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyoneor anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ismthat is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link oneach comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitnessaccounts, the history behind an article.

Please select all the ways you would like to hear from us:

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.

The Yakima Herald-Republic is hiring.