Tully Lake Campground

This was my very first camping trip and k loved it! I even like that it’s rustic and you can’t drive your vehicle to the site. They have carts to haul your stuff. Everything is clean and well maintained, and the staff was helpful and friendly. The ranger station has all the necessary supplies and you can even charge your phone. This was the trifecta for us, where we could fish, kayak, and swim! We really enjoyed our stay and look forward to booking again soon!

We stayed at site 1, which was HUGE and extremely private. Sites closer to the water that we saw were less private, but still very peaceful and spread out. No cars at all at the campsites, which was great for peace of mind as our toddler roamed around. It also made for a super quiet stay. We rented kayaks right at the campground for a paddle around Tully Lake. Great trip! We will be returning.

Score a campsite at this Army Corps of Engineer owned/Trustees of the Reservation operated campground and you can either paddle or walk into your site. Trustees membership offers a small discount on the rate.

There's a canoe/kayak launch near the campground, so if you have a waterfront site you may choose to paddle your gear over. Some of the sites do not have waterfront access, however, and you'll definitely want to take advantage of the carts provided. Campsites are very basic, with only a picnic table and fire ring. 

Canoes and kayaks are available for rental. Volleyball and horseshoes are near the entrance. You may purchase firewood. The bathrooms offer flush toilets and a single shower on each site, plus a dishwashing sink outside. From some of the sites, this will be a long walk during the night. The mural inside is beautiful. 

From the main entrance, collect a cart, load your gear, and following the appropriate divergent path from the parking lot or bath house (they are color coded). Some of the sites are located on a small rise; I suspect that was appreciated the night 4" of rain fell recently! One site gives you an island to yourself.

Cell coverage is pretty close to absent or poor in most of the area, so download any maps you might want (driving, trail, geocaching) before you arrive.

Near the dam is a larger boat launch with parking. I was there in July and wildflowers were blooming. A disc golf course is also near the dam and was seeing a fair amount of activity. We hiked the 4-mile loop around Tully Lake. The highlight was Doane's falls, a very quick walk from the campground area. There's no formal swimming area and you can't swim at the boat launches, but you are able to swim from your campsites if you so desire.

I took most of my photos during a December visit (which is why the picnic tables are often resting against trees), but returned in July.