Camping at South Steens and Page Springs just got easier. You can now pay your overnight fees electronically! 

Are you thinking about visiting Steens Mountain this summer? If you’re planning to stay at South Steens or Page Springs campgrounds, don’t worry about bringing cash for overnight fees. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has gone virtual! Electronic payment options are now available at these popular locations.

In April, a Remote Off-grid Kiosk, or ROK, was installed at South Steens Campground. The ROK is solar powered and doesn’t need cellular service or an Internet connection. It is guaranteed secure and easy to use: 

• Physically park or set up in your desired campsite.

• Visit the ROK — located in the parking area just outside the family campground entrance — and follow the prompts on the touch screen. (Enter your site number, add extra vehicles, enter your Access Pass number if you have one, etc.). 

• Use the built-in charge card reader to pay, and watch your receipt(s) print out right in front of you. 

• Hang the receipt on your campsite post.

ROK payments are not immediately processed. Transactions are digitally stored in the cloud and will process when the BLM does a manual synchronize several times per week. 

At Page Springs Campground, a new electronic payment option called Scan & Pay is up and running as of June 29. Scan & Pay is web-based and administered through rec.gov. To use this option, you’ll either need to have an Internet connection (cellular service is available at Page Springs) or have already downloaded the rec.gov mobile app on your device (cellular service not required with a downloaded app). Like the ROK, Scan & Pay is safe and simple:

• Physically park or set up in your desired campsite. If the site is vacant, it is available.  Sites at Page Springs are not reservable.  

• At the pay station — located at the campground entrance near the information board — scan the posted QR code with your smartphone.

• The QR code will take you to rec.gov. Follow the prompts. (Enter your site number, add vehicles, etc.) Then, pay virtually. Nothing will print out, but you will receive a confirmation number for your payment. Remember this number, as you’ll need it in the next step.

• Take a yellow recreation fee permit envelope, fill it out with the appropriate information (including your confirmation number from rec.gov), and hang it on your campsite post. 

Scan & Pay transactions will process immediately if you are using an Internet connection. If you are offline and using the downloaded app, your payment will process once you return to cellular service. 

“We are excited to provide these heavily-requested payment methods for the public,” BLM Assistant Field Manager Mandy DeCroo said. “Traditional cash and check payments will still be accepted. We’re just adding a necessary service for those wishing to use bank cards instead.”

These electronic options will also help meet agency direction to use more e-commerce technology in recreation business, potentially increase fee collection compliance, and reduce the amount of staff time required to bank cash payments.

The ROK and Scan & Pay options will be tested for functionality and efficiency in 2022. If things prove successful, the BLM will consider these or other e-commerce technologies for additional sites across the district. 

Note: Rec.gov has traditionally been used for campsite reservations. That is not the case for Page Springs Campground. Sites at this location remain available on a first come, first served basis. Rec.gov is serving as the site’s e-payment manager only.

For more information about camping on Steens Mountain, call the BLM at (541) 573-4400.