Join your fellow forest lovers for some fresh mountain air, wholesome do-good-ery, and camaraderie with other like-minded adventurers!
Come for a day, or for the week. There’s plenty of fun for everyone.
Our public Base Camp is a free campout in the Mt. Hood National Forest where campers contribute their time to help gather field information about the ecosystem surrounding Mt. Hood. With this information, Bark staff is able to more accurately track the forest, give recommendations about land management, and craft legal positions to help maintain a healthy Mt. Hood National Forest. Join our home away from home as we live, play and learn, creating connections with each other and the forest.
Let us know your interest by signing up here!

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Useful links:
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WHAT TO EXPECT ON A TYPICAL DAY AT BASE CAMP
Campers start the day with a Bark-provided breakfast. For newcomers or anybody wanting a refresher, there are morning training sessions that teach you how to survey the forest and document what you observe. Please be at camp by 9:30 am on the day you'd like to participate.
During the day, we split up into groups to
groundtruth the forest stand or
potential beaver habitat of the day. We will distribute groups so more experienced volunteers can share their knowledge and keep everyone safe and comfortable. Be sure to come prepared and
bring your own lunch.
At the end of the day, campers regroup to debrief over a Bark-provided dinner. We’ve invited local speakers to share their insights and work through interactive workshops and discussion, in order to build community and recognize intersections with other social, environmental, & cultural movements. One of our main goals is to bring people together to advocate the protection of areas threatened by commercial logging.
Campers may arrive as early as 5pm on Tuesday, August 20. Field work starts Wednesday, August 21.
MORE IMPORTANT DETAILS
The entire event is both family-friendly and FREE, thanks to very generous donations from local businesses and supporters.
A NW Forest Pass is not necessary to park. This is a primitive campsite and will not be ADA-accessible. Well-behaved dogs (or other pets) are welcome. Rowdy or disruptive animals and their owners will be kindly asked to leave.
Be prepared for:
- No electricity
- No cell service or wifi
- No garbage pickup: Pack In, Pack Out
- No flush toilets: we will be using dug latrines with a handwash station.
- No plumbing: there will still be plenty of water available
We provide:
- Drinking water
- Basic breakfast (eggs & potatoes or oatmeal & toppings)
- Coffee & tea
- Dinner (accommodating vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free diets; please come prepared to meet your own specific dietary requirements)
- Supplies for groundtruthing and beaver surveys
- Training & knowledge for groundtruthing
Plan to bring yourself:
- Lunch for every day you attend
- Any foods required to meet your specific dietary needs
- We suggest overpacking & planning to layer. You can’t put on your fancy puffy if you left it at home.
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(Yes, even you, the seasoned camper!)
DRIVING & PARKING
To sign up for carpooling, check our
carpool page. Before your carpool leaves, please call the Bark office at to see if there are supplies you can help transport to camp! Drivers: please review Bark’s
Expectations for all Drivers.
Parking will be tight. Please be mindful of space and prioritize carpooling. For those planning to sleep in their vehicle: there are a limited amount of flat spots close to the camp. We can provide recommendations for other areas nearby.
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Check back on this page to receive updated information about location, preparation, and events schedule for Base Camp. Be sure to check out our public
Facebook Base Camp page for daily events + updates.