Best Campgrounds near Yakima, WA

The Yakima area in Washington has some good camping spots along the river and in the surrounding hills. Umtanum Campground sits in the Yakima River Canyon with trails nearby and decent fishing access. Many campers use this area as a halfway point when traveling between Idaho and Olympic National Park. You'll likely see deer, birds, and maybe bighorn sheep in the canyon while camping here. The roads to Umtanum stay in good shape most of the year, and most cars can make it without problems. Winter brings snow that sometimes closes or limits access, so it's worth calling ahead from November through March. Reservations become important in summer when the campgrounds fill up, especially on weekends. The camping around Yakima works well for both people who want to relax by the river and those looking to hike or fish during their stay.

Best Camping Sites Near Yakima, Washington (143)

    1. Yakima Sportsman State Park Campground

    21 Reviews
    Yakima, WA
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 575-2774

    "It’s close to Yakima and great for a place to visit while you’re in “The Palm Springs of Washington”."

    "I head over to Yakima for my sun. This campground never disappoints!

    There are lots of spaces for tents and RVs. Clean and well maintained bathrooms."

    2. Big Pines Campground - Yakima River Canyon

    12 Reviews
    Selah, WA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 665-2100

    $25 / night

    "Lots of sites, reasonably priced, paved roads, near the Yakima River.  The train on the other side of the river will wake you once or twice during the night.  A great stop from Bend to North Cascades."

    "Right on the Yakima river, fishing. Boating, floating the river. Watching Elk, Bighorn Sheep, Eagles and Pelicans."

    3. Circle H RV Ranch

    2 Reviews
    Yakima, WA
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 457-3683

    4. Roza - Yakima River Canyon

    4 Reviews
    Selah, WA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 665-2100

    $15 / night

    "Nice "fee" campground on the Yakima River.  This is and ending point for summer rafting trips that start near Ellensburg, WA and a great place for calm water fun. "

    "Great location and 20 min to Yakima or 15 to reds fly shop."

    5. Umtanum Campground - Yakima River Canyon

    10 Reviews
    Ellensburg, WA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 665-2100

    $38 / night

    "My husband and I don't really ever make our way around the Yakima area, only because the hiking there is more "desert" feel and in the summer the rattlesnakes are out and about."

    "It is a nice split between towns, Ellensburg and Yakima. The hiking is a pleasure in the area, with lots of wildlife. Many deer in the area, even walking through the campsite at times."

    6. Windy Point Campground

    6 Reviews
    Tieton, WA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 338-7869

    $22 / night

    "Hikers and backpackers are especially fortunate to have access to a variety of spectacular trails near the campground"

    "There is a shallow part near the shoreline where the kids had a great time playing in the river. The river itself is wide and very fast moving."

    7. Ellensburg KOA

    19 Reviews
    Ellensburg, WA
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 562-7616

    "This is right off I90 very convenient but close to freeway so some road noise. I90 is the main east west freeway in Washington. It is right on the river and there's a pool."

    "Super nice sites on the Yakima river. My parents rented a cabin and we're wowwed! Nice folks and awesome scenery. Power and water to tent site. Good cell service and wifi. Hope to stay again soon"

    8. Yakima River Canyon Campgrounds (Umtanum, Lmuma Creek, Big Pines, Roza) — Yakima River Canyon

    1 Review
    Selah, WA
    15 miles
    +1 (509) 665-2100

    $15 - $30 / night

    "Dry camping only but close to Yakima. A fly fishing paradise.

    There are train tracks close by which can be a bit noisy. However, trains don’t blow horn when passing by."

    9. Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park Campground

    26 Reviews
    Vantage, WA
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 856-2700

    "This place is close to home for anyone in central Washington, the sites are giant and the views are amazing."

    "This campsite is quiet and has everything you need, full hookups, water, showers, and trails. The campground is small but really clean and nearly every site has a view of the river/lake."

    10. Lmuma Creek Campground - Yakima River Canyon

    1 Review
    Selah, WA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 665-2100

    $15 / night

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Recent Reviews near Yakima, WA

507 Reviews of 143 Yakima Campgrounds


  • Beans
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Burke Lake West

    Post-Dave Rave Car Camping

    Coordinates woulda taken us down a dirt road with a lotta potholes so we just pulled a bit off the road and car camped. It was next to some farmland after a Dave Matthews concert @ the Gorge. No amenities where we were, but quite beautiful.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Teanaway Campground

    Quite the surprise!

    We pulled into this pretty late last night and were happy to still have found a place. It was overall quiet, gentle and welcoming.

    There was a pretty little calico cat that hung out with us for a bit, who happily plopped around us outside. Sleeping was peaceful, and I actually slept the best I had in my tent yet.

    Overall, this is great. Get there a little early to get a good spot so you can see those brilliant stars at night, and maybe have a nice fire in the designated spaces (barring bans!), while enjoying the space.

  • Rebecca  T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Yakima Sportsman State Park Campground

    Peaceful. Clean. Scenic.

    I was only there a few hours. This is a great go-to spot when fresh air, trees, or restful nap are what you need. Tent camping available. No over night camping allowed.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 5, 2025

    FS Road 44 Dispersed

    Rough road great sites

    Super spread out sides, can get close to the river towards some in the back. Multiple fire pits per site.

  • James W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 5, 2025

    Whispering Pines RV Campground

    Appropriately named

    This is a pretty RV park with beautiful pine trees and nice sites. It was windy, so they truly were “Whispering Pines.” Our site had water and 30/50 amp, but no sewer. The camp was not full, and we were nicely spaced with other campers leading to lots of privacy. The restrooms and showers were nice and clean. It is close to I-90, so there is road noise, but it did not bother us as much as some of the other reviewers. There are also trains, but again, we did not really notice them. There were families with children, but we couldn’t tell whether they were vacationing or residents. We didn’t meet the staff in person, but they were quite helpful with the booking. All in all, this is a fine place to stop off of I-90.

  • J
    Aug. 5, 2025

    Taneum Cabin

    HANTAVIRUS CABIN

    I want to start by saying that I have low expectations for hygiene and cleanliness, especially in rustic forest service buildings. But this cabin failed to meet my extremely low bar with its out of control mouse situation (see photos).

    First, much of the information currently available online is incomplete or inaccurate so here's some irl deets as of August 2025:

    This cabin is smaller than it looks in the pictures. It's maybe 300-400 sq feet. 

    There is a flush toilet and shower inside the cabin. Shower is small. The hot water is HOT. You have to walk through the bedroom to get to the bathroom.

    Lights: Don't rely on lighting being provided. As far as we could tell, the propane lights were disconnected? (There is also zero info on how to light them.) There were three LED mini lanterns, none of which had working batteries. 

    Kitchen supplies:  Generally ok (the usual amount of beat up) but bring your own silverware. There were three metal spoons and a handful of plastic forks when we were there. WASH EVERYTHING BEFORE USE.

    There is one bedroom with a reasonably comfortable double or queen bed. BYO bedding. The walls don't go all the way to the ceiling, so don't expect privacy.

    There is a futon couch in the "living room" area. It is very beat up and extremely uncomfortable. Do not attempt to sleep on this if you value your ability to sleep or to have a functioning back. It's really, really bad. I am not exaggerating.

    There is a small dining table with two chairs. There is one rocking chair.

    The stove and frig (which included a freezer) worked great. 

    The cabin is about 40' off of a road that is frequented by OHV enthusiasts. It has a very large parking area which is shared by the camp host for the two campgrounds down the road. He told me he is not the host for the cabin, however.

    AFAIK, there was no host for the cabin and no one is regularly checking on it? There were candles (which aren't allowed) left by previous guests. 

    There is a nice creek across the parking area and past the camp host site. 

    The worst: MICE. And mouse poop. EVERYWHERE. 

    I saw reports of mice in other reviews and wasn't too worried. Mice happen in the woods! I arrived with sanitizing wipes and snap traps. 

    I would have had to work for days to clean that place up. There was mouse poop everywhere. Cabinets with pots and pans had mouse poop and torn up paper towels. Mouse poop on the counter. Mouse poop on the rocking chair. Mouse poop on the futon. 

    At night, so many mouse noises. Among other areas they are living in the chimney/wood stove area. Good luck to whoever first tries to light a fire this fall! 

    The worst area was under the sink. There was a hole leading to the wall space, which was packed with torn paper towels and mouse poop, pee, and some black stuff (mold?) Another hole led to an area under the cabinets, which also had a giant pile of shredded paper and mouse feces.

    I killed three mice over the two nights we were there. They were definitely deer mice, aka the ones that carry hanta virus. We wore masks when sweeping. I felt bad for my friends who slept in there (I slept in my van outside.)

    I expected mice, but I didn't expect there to be zero evidence of anyone trying to deal with them or ensure the basic safety of guests. It is crazy that they charge $125 /night for this and fail to do even the absolute minimum of caretaking.

    If the mouse situation wasn't such a horror show, I would give this four stars. The cabin itself would be nice if anyone cared about it.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 1, 2025

    Tieton River spot

    Nice spot on the river

    Four or five spots with fire circles, next to hwy 12 but the river drowns out the highway noise. Gorgeous spot on the river

  • m
    Jul. 31, 2025

    SunCountry Golf Course & RV Park

    073025: Just Called To Reserve

    7-30-2025

    1. Just planning and called to reserve: we got in.  Attendant behaved as a newbies lacking info; but made it through.

    2. Website obsolete; appears as last update was June 2022.

    3. No current reviews.

    4. Park map show adjacent to golf course: of course!

    5. We'll update this review, accordingly.


Guide to Yakima

Camping near Yakima, Washington, offers a mix of stunning landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Explore the Yakima River: The river is perfect for kayaking and fishing. One camper mentioned, “The sites are clean, not super private but also not cramped. The lake is great for kayaking and paddleboarding” at Indian Creek.
  • Hiking Trails: There are numerous trails nearby. A visitor at Umtanum Campground said, “The hiking is a pleasure in the area, with lots of wildlife. Many deer in the area, even walking through the campsite at times.”
  • Wildlife Watching: Keep an eye out for local wildlife. One camper noted, “We saw Bighorn sheep on the hill, big rock squirrels, wild turkeys with babies, and fish” while staying at Umtanum Campground.

What campers like:

  • Spacious Sites: Campers appreciate the roomy sites. A review for Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park Campground highlighted, “The sites have a massive amount of room to spread out.”
  • Clean Facilities: Many campgrounds are well-maintained. A visitor at Yakima Sportsman State Park Campground mentioned, “They have great bathrooms and showers, picnic and covered areas.”
  • Beautiful Views: The scenery is a big draw. One camper at Big Pines Campground said, “Pleasantly surprised. Lots of sites, reasonably priced, paved roads, near the Yakima River.”

What you should know:

  • Noise Levels: Some campgrounds can be noisy. A camper at Indian Creek warned, “The highway noise was very loud (even through my earplugs).”
  • Limited Amenities: Not all campgrounds have water or electric hookups. A review for Hause Creek Campground stated, “There is no running water, so we brought our own.”
  • Wildlife Caution: Be aware of wildlife in the area. A camper at Umtanum Campground mentioned, “We were warned there’s a lot of rattlesnakes in summer.”

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds. A visitor at Ellensburg KOA said, “Kids loved the activities and amenities.”
  • Safety First: Bring shower sandals, especially if the showers are not well-kept. One camper at Yakima Sportsman State Park Campground advised, “Bring some shower sandals because the showers are dirty...but they are FREE.”
  • Plan for Weather: Be prepared for wind and temperature changes. A camper at Sand Hollow Campground noted, “Because of location it gets very windy and very cold at night.”

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A review for Rimrock Lake Resort mentioned, “Tightly spaced sites but the setting more than makes up for it.”
  • Bring Extra Supplies: Stock up on essentials before arriving. A camper at Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park Campground said, “They have coin showers $1 = 2 tokens 1 token 3 min hot water.”
  • Be Mindful of Noise: Some campgrounds are near busy roads. A visitor at Vantage Riverstone Resort Campground mentioned, “It’s warm here in July. It has very clean bathrooms and a large laundry room.”

Yakima camping offers a variety of experiences, from serene riverside spots to family-friendly campgrounds. Just remember to check the amenities and plan accordingly!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best times of year to go camping near Yakima, WA?

Late spring through early fall offers the best camping weather in the Yakima area, with summer bringing hot, dry conditions ideal for outdoor activities. Umtanum Campground - Yakima River Canyon showcases Eastern Washington's desert climate with hot, windy conditions during summer months, perfect for wildlife watching along the river. Summer temperatures can be quite high, making water-adjacent sites particularly appealing. The South Fork Tieton Dispersed Camping area experiences typical Yakima County weather patterns with warm, dry conditions prevailing in summer. Spring brings moderate temperatures and blooming desert flora, while fall offers cooler temperatures and less crowded campgrounds. Winter camping is limited due to cold temperatures and seasonal closures at many sites.

Where are the best campgrounds in Yakima, Washington?

Yakima offers several excellent camping options for outdoor enthusiasts. Yakima Sportsman State Park Campground is a popular choice located close to town, making it convenient for visitors. The park features developed campsites with amenities including shower facilities, though availability may vary seasonally. For those seeking a more rustic experience, Windy Point Campground near Naches provides beautiful scenery with basic amenities like water and toilets. The area's diverse landscape, from desert terrain to riverside locations, offers varied camping experiences to suit different preferences. Many campgrounds in the region provide access to outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and wildlife watching in Eastern Washington's distinctive environment.

Can you camp along the Yakima River?

Yes, the Yakima River offers excellent camping opportunities with several designated campgrounds along its shores. Yakima River Canyon Campgrounds provide riverside camping with options including Umtanum, Lmuma Creek, Big Pines, and Roza sites. These campgrounds are particularly popular with fly fishing enthusiasts. Roza - Yakima River Canyon is a fee campground that serves as an ending point for summer rafting trips from Ellensburg, with overnight fees around $15 per car/site. The campgrounds feature established fire pits and BBQ areas, though the surrounding area is very dry during summer months. Nearby train tracks may create some noise, but trains don't typically blow their horns when passing.

How much does camping cost in Yakima campgrounds?

Camping costs in Yakima vary by location and amenities. At Yakima River Canyon Campgrounds, fees run about $7.50 per night with an Access Pass, offering basic dry camping. The Ellensburg KOA, located near the Yakima River, charges premium rates typical of KOA properties ($35-60) but includes amenities like a swimming pool and convenient interstate access. State parks like Yakima Sportsman State Park typically charge $20-35 per night depending on the season and amenities. RV parks generally range from $30-50 nightly, with monthly rates available at some locations. Most public campgrounds along the Yakima River require either a Discover Pass or site-specific fee payment, with some offering self-pay stations at entrance points.