One of the nice perks about Sisters Creekside Campground is the hot showers. In the past, showers were free and the facilities were OK, but they've recently been renovated and they're much nicer. The downside is that they now charge $1 for a two minute shower. Showers are only open from 7:00am to 10:00pm, which is understandable for the camp host's schedule, but after a late night at the Folk Festival, a midnight shower would have been lovely.
The camp host said that most people spend $3-$4 to get an adequate shower. I take quick showers and have easy-to-wash hair and I spent $1 to get fully showered and shampooed. I thought it was fair, but heard some grumbling from friends who like longer showers.
The new design doesn't solve the problem that there is no dry place to put pants on without getting the cuffs wet, because the whole room has a wet floor. Bring a minimum of stuff - there are two hooks and a spot on top of the small coin box, as well as a tiny cubby in the wall that a bar of soap will fit into.
The camp host has change available until 6:00pm, and there is no change machine, so get change in town or from the host before dinner.
Bathrooms are well lit and maintained, although they are quite noisy, 24/7.
There is a new dish washing area just outside the bathrooms that has two deep sinks and a nice counter. It seemed to get a lot of use throughout the weekend, and I'm sure it cuts down on the number of yellow jackets and other pests.
Yellow jackets were present in the campsite, although not in as many numbers as in western Oregon this year. Due to changes in weather, Oregon has had a record year for yellow jackets and wasps. (In Eugene, for example, one hardware store that normally sells 75 yellow jacket traps a year was out of stock after selling more than 750 traps - it's that bad.) Don't leave protein or sweet stuff out in the open, and be careful when picking things up off the ground.
One of our campers left her cooler outside and it had a lift-off lid. She returned to find it opened and her food mostly eaten, with wrappers and trash strewn about. We suspect raccoons. I had a cooler in my tent though, and had no visitors.
Camp Hosts expect you to check in with them before you setup, even if you've prepaid for your site.
Another new addition is free wi-fi. The host gave us the code when we checked in. We had no trouble getting a strong, consistent signal at a good speed.
This year when we went, the RV's were confined to a separate, but connecting area. No loud generator noise!
The sprinklers come on between 11pm and 1am, and they cover one of the bike trails into the campground, as well as the main path to and from the bathrooms. There is a way around, but you have to look for it.
The campground is a perfect distance for biking or walking to downtown. There is level dirt surface for tenting, with a pine canopy, open enough to see stars if it's no too smoky.
Note that the last few years there have been multiple fires in Oregon and it can get quite smoky as a result. In 2017 smoke from the fires was so bad that the campground was closed and the Folk festival was canceled. This year the smoke was not as bad as last year but definitely in the air. If you're sensitive to smoke, check the air quality before you camp anywhere in Oregon now.
The upgrades to the campground have improved the camping experience and I think the free wi-fi makes up for the cost of the showers. For a city campground, this one is comfy and close. It's near the highway, so it's not real quiet, but if you're visiting Sisters, it's a good option with some upgraded amenities.
