Glamping near Kalama, Washington offers varied experiences across seasonal conditions. Winter temperatures in the region average 35°F to 45°F, while summer brings averages of 65°F to 85°F with limited rainfall. The area sits at elevations ranging from 20 to 500 feet above sea level, with proximity to both the Columbia and Kalama Rivers creating distinct microclimates throughout the camping season.
What to do
River recreation access: Toutle River RV Resort provides easy access to river activities. "You can walk down to the river, play on the field, drive up to Mt St Helens visitor's center," notes one camper, highlighting the resort's value as a hub for regional exploration.
Disc golf courses: Paradise Point State Park Campground features a 9-hole disc golf course integrated into the landscape. "The disc golf course is entertaining, but not super challenging. Located on barely 10 acres the designers have done a good job using every bit of the land here," explains a reviewer who appreciated the course design.
Mountain biking trails: The trail networks at L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park offer varied terrain for cyclists of different skill levels. "There are lots of trails directly accessible from the campground including the Banks-Vernonia Bike Trail as well as other hiking, biking and equestrian trails," reports a camper who enjoyed the trail connectivity.
What campers like
Waterfront settings: Camp Kalama RV Park earns praise for its river access. "Access to the Kalama river. We kayaked around it was nice," mentions a reviewer who appreciated the straightforward water access.
Communal fire areas: At the Brooke Creek Hike-in sites, the shared fire pits create natural gathering spaces. "There are not fire pits in the sites—the fire pit areas are shared in central places in the campground," explains a camper, noting this layout encourages community interaction.
Forest immersion: Seaquest State Park Campground offers dense forest camping just off main roads. "Very shaded and dense forest. No cell (occasionally 1 bar LTE AT&T). Too heavily forested for Starlink," reports a camper highlighting the true forest experience despite easy access.
What you should know
Highway proximity: Several campgrounds near Kalama sit close to major roads. "Freeway is really really close to the whole camp site. You can hear vehicles at night. If you're a light sleeper or need nature noises when camping - this is not the site for you," warns one Paradise Point camper.
Limited cell service: Connectivity varies significantly between sites. "No cell service with T-Mobile but it still works! Free WiFi in the day use area," notes a reviewer at Seaquest State Park, highlighting the spotty but functional coverage.
Seasonal crowding: Camp Wilkerson experiences varying levels of use throughout the year. "When we visited, there were at most 2-3 other groups in the area so we were very spread out and had lots of privacy," reports one off-season visitor who enjoyed the solitude.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: The playground at Seaquest State Park provides dedicated recreation space. "My kids loved the addition of a playground. Many parks don't have this and it kept them entertained for hours," shares a parent who appreciated this amenity.
Junior Ranger programs: Educational opportunities await at several regional parks. "At night the campground had a great Junior Ranger program with a very enthusiastic park ranger that kept the almost 50 people/kids entertained," notes a visitor to Seaquest State Park who recommended the program.
Group camping layouts: Four Directions Retreat offers unique group camping experiences. "There are tons of outdoor activities to partake in and you can even hang out with the goats on the property," mentions a visitor who appreciated the family-friendly atmosphere.
Tips from RVers
Site selection strategy: The RV loops at Paradise Point require careful consideration for larger rigs. "We put the size of our RV in the state website and it gave us site 50. We arrived and it was IMPOSSIBLE to get our rig in that site due to the trees," cautions one RVer about the site mapping accuracy.
Hookup placement: At Stub Stewart State Park, hookup configuration affects setup. "The water and sewer hookups were in the middle of the site, with electric being at the back of the pad. The water pressure was not very good at around 35 psi," reports an RVer noting the technical aspects of the site.
Satellite reception considerations: Tree cover impacts connectivity for satellite-dependent campers. "We had a clear shot to the north sky for Starlink, but it's doubtful we'd get a southern sky shot from this site due to the mature trees," explains an RVer at Stub Stewart who found limited satellite angles.
