Camping near Rainier, Oregon takes place in a forested region with moderate elevation changes between 20-200 feet above sea level. This Columbia River-adjacent area experiences significant seasonal precipitation, with winter months receiving 5-7 inches of rainfall monthly, creating varied camping conditions throughout the year. Most campgrounds remain accessible by standard vehicles despite seasonal weather changes.
What to do
Hiking to waterfalls: Beaver Falls Trailhead offers free dispersed camping with access to a short hiking trail leading to a waterfall. "Beautiful waterfall after a short hike. Great for an evening dip," notes a visitor to Beaver Falls Trailhead. The trail entrance is located on the far left side of the parking area.
Frisbee golf: Toutle River RV Resort maintains a disc golf course on property among other recreational amenities. A camper describes it as having "random trails, a playground, big green fields, volleyball court, etc. Plenty to keep them busy and felt completely comfortable letting them run around."
Horseback riding: Camp Wilkerson features dedicated horse camping areas and trail systems. "This is a primary horse camp and is surrounded by trails, seen a heard of elk on one of my hikes," mentions one visitor. Trail difficulty varies, with the Liahona trail noted as the most accessible for non-equestrians.
Fishing access: Multiple locations provide fishing opportunities, particularly for bass species. "Silver Lake is one of the best Large-mouth Bass fishing lakes in Washington State. We also have a lot of Crappie, Trout, Perch, Bluegill, Catfish, Warmouth, Pumpkin Seed, and two kinds of Carp," reports a camper at Silver Lake Resort.
What campers like
Proximity to Mount St. Helens: Several campgrounds serve as convenient base camps for volcano exploration. A camper at Seaquest State Park notes: "Johnston Ridge Observatory was closed when we were there but we were still able to see some amazing views and get some nice hikes in nearby."
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain well-serviced bathrooms. At Hudson-Parcher Park, "Hosts are great people. Camp is clean and well maintained, especially the restrooms. And respectful campers any time I've ever stayed here."
Riverside camping options: Multiple sites offer water access. One visitor to River Bank says: "This place is just off the interstate a couple minutes but you feel like you're out in the country. Riverfrontage is delightful. No hookups you must be self-contained."
Budget-friendly options: Free and low-cost sites exist throughout the region. One camper appreciated Beaver Falls Trailhead as "a large pull out on a quiet road in the woods... Very nice for a late night pull in. Not somewhere I would settle in for a few days, just a stop over."
What you should know
Train and highway noise: Some campgrounds experience significant transportation noise. "It's noisy because the highway is literally right by you," notes one Silver Lake Resort visitor, while a Toutle River RV Resort camper states: "Was hard for us to get a good nights sleep in between a highway and train tracks."
Variable site spacing: Campground density varies considerably. At Paradise Point State Park, "Some were very apparent that it was smaller than other sites, but I loved that each site came with picnic table. Also some camp sites did not accommodate for multiple tents because uneven grounds and tree stumps."
Seasonal closures: Water access points may close during certain periods. "The water access was completely closed off," reported a camper at Toutle River RV Resort during an off-season visit.
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies by location. A visitor to Seaquest State Park mentions: "No cell (occasionally 1 bar LTE AT&T). Too heavily forested for Starlink. Had to leave early Monday morning since we were working and needed internet."
Tips for camping with families
Multiple playgrounds: Hudson-Parcher Park features several play areas for children. "They have plenty of wood for sale. We had a smaller space (site 3) but it accommodated a large tent and our RV. There was a stream behind our site. Lots of playground area (3 of them)."
Junior ranger programs: Educational opportunities exist at certain locations. "At night the campground had a great Junior Ranger program with a very enthusiastic park ranger that kept the almost 50 people/kids entertained. She was great at engaging all the kids and teaching them about the park," reports a visitor to Seaquest State Park Campground.
Yurt options: Seaquest State Park provides alternative accommodations. "The yurt village was my favorite part about this campground. If you are camping with a large family this would be a perfect spot to try and rent all the spaces. you would essentially have your own bathroom, outdoor play area and there is a camp host dedicated solely to the yurts."
Open fields for games: Camp Wilkerson offers spacious areas for activities. "We had a birthday camping weekend here and it was wonderful!! Its about 30 minutes from any bigger towns and very relaxing. There are tent sites rv sites and even a horse camp area!"
Tips from RVers
Site selection for noise reduction: At Paradise Point State Park, campers recommend: "There's the sites more out in the open that are closer to the freeway. Then there's a bunch further away in both a meadow and the woods. Obviously if possible, stay away from the freeway."
Full hookup pricing: Costs vary by service level. At Hudson-Parcher Park, "Full hookups $33, Water and Electric $30 a night" according to a recent visitor. Some parks charge additional fees for unscheduled arrivals, with one camper noting: "There is a $5 extra charge for not reserving so be prepared for that."
Big rig accessibility challenges: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger vehicles. "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. We couldn't even continue out the secondary loop because it was so narrow and had trees on the inside of turns."
