(Photo above: Mt. Jefferson | Photos by Timless Photography)
Jefferson County Farm Transforms into Sunset Solar Campground
While Central Oregon’s vacancy rates at hotels and state parks are reportedly at or near max capacity for the solar eclipse on August 21, Sunset Solar Campground in Madras recently released 3,000 RV and tent campsites to the public.
Located on a grassy, 65-acre field, the family farm-turned-campground is ideally located to experience the 2017 Solar Eclipse.
NASA has named Madras the best spot in the U.S. to view the Total Solar Eclipse, in part because the town has a 35 percent better chance of clear skies along the Path of Totality than anywhere else between the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. And, due to its high elevation and flat plateaus, Madras boasts many great viewing areas. The town of 6,500 is also 30 minutes from commercial air service (RDM).
Sunset Solar Campground offers a 1,900-foot circular layout featuring 1,000 meticulously plotted and spacious RV sites and 2,000 tent sites.
Amenities include 120 porta-potties cleaned daily, 24-hour security, ample pet areas, additional parking, access to potable water, bottled water available for purchase, a designated helipad, and panoramic Cascade Mountain views. Five-night campsite rentals will be available from Thursday, August 17 through Tuesday, August 22.
Sunset Solar Campground launched its new website — sunsetsolarcampground.com — to make it easy for visitors to reserve a site.
“We’re very excited about this spectacular, rare event happening right in here our own backyard,” said farm owner Chad Smith. “We thought why not share some of our land with eclipse chasers to give them a nice, scenic place to camp for the weekend.” Smith’s partner in the endeavor, Tracy Owen of Madras added, “We’ve thought of every detail to give our guests a super clean, extremely organized and safe place to spend the solar weekend.” “We’re smack in the path of totality, so it’s going to be just great,” said Owen.
Sunset Solar Campground
In response to the Total Solar Eclipse on August 21 that is expected to draw nearly 40,000 visitors to the small community of Madras, Oregon, farmers Chad and Amy Smith and retired carpenter Trace Owen have transformed 65 grassy acres into a clean and well-organized campground from which sky-viewing travelers can witness this spectacular astronomical event. Located 2 miles west of the Madras city center, Sunset Solar can accommodate 1,000 RVers and 2,000 tent campers.
