5 PEAKS RV PARK, JOSEPH, OREGON

Our Opinion: Rave, if you have a self-contained RV.  Tiny (6 spaces), beautifully maintained, one block off the Main Street of Joseph.

Date of Stay: June 23-July 5, 2011

Weather During Stay:  Mountain-style summer weather - sun, clouds, rain, warmth, cold, wind, calm.

Site Description:  6 sites arranged in an L shape on a small, level, gravel lot.  All sites are FHU with cable TV.  Our site (site 1) had 50 amps, but apparently is the only one that does.  Each site has a sturdy picnic table. 

All sites backup to a wooden fence, so views are better for motor homes than for trailers.  On a cul du sac at the end of a gravel road, there is sufficient space for easy maneuvering of large rigs.  Lots of trees and flowers in the immediate area, and a clean, easy to use recycling station next to the small dumpster.

5 Peaks RV Park is intended for self-contained RV’s only: no restrooms, no showers, no laundry facilities.  This is not the place for tent or van camping.

Rate: The park has an interesting and unusual fee scale, starting at $30/night.  $120 pays for 6 nights (so if you pay $30/night for the first 4 nights, you might as well stay 6!) and each additional night is $20.  The monthly rate is $325.  We paid $20/night, the “6 days+“ rate, a very good price.

Phone/radio/TV: Strong Verizon signal for phones and aircard, and a good signal on the free campground WiFi.   38 channels on cable TV.   NPR on 89.5. 

Elevation/Landscape/Terrain:  The small town of Joseph is at the end of a long road at the foot of the snow-capped (even in late June) Wallowa Mountains.  Elevation is 4,150 feet.  The near view from the park is of the owners small home and yard, and beyond to looming mountaintops over the trees, flowers, and small homes of Joseph.  Enchanting!

Lighting/Noise: Very quiet and dark at night. 

Favorite Sites: We had Site 1, closest to the owner’s home, and enjoyed it.  Site 2 is the most spacious site, and site 3 is nestled in the corner of the L.  Sites 4-6 face west. 

Hiking/Walking: Enjoyable walking all around this appealing town.  Walk to the small (but well-supplied) grocery store, or stop by the bakery for fresh coffee and pastries in the morning.  Wallowa Lake State Park is 6 miles farther south; pleasant walking there.  Drive a bit farther to hike the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

Comments: The first time we came to Joseph, we stayed in the pretty state park - but no cell service, no WiFi.  That’s fine when we are vacationing, but for a longer-term stay, we like all the amenities of home - including modern communications.  5 Peaks is the best of all possible worlds for us - tiny, friendly, beautifully maintained - and we enjoy the in-town convenience.  Very accommodating owners.