The Scappoose area sits in the lowlands of the Columbia River at approximately 65 feet above sea level, creating a mild climate where cabin camping is accessible nearly year-round. Most camping cabins near Scappoose, Oregon remain open during winter months when temperatures rarely drop below freezing, though fall and spring bring frequent rainfall with averages of 40-50 inches annually. Rental cabins within an hour's drive offer electricity and heating for comfortable stays even during wet weather.
What to do
Disc golf at multiple parks: Paradise Point State Park has a 9-hole course that plays partly under a freeway overpass. According to one visitor, "Hole one is a fun one that plays under a freeway overpass" while another mentions the 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."
Biking on regional trails: Dairy Creek East at L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park connects to the Banks-Vernonia State Trail. A camper notes, "Open feel, but sites are spacious. Nice playground for kids, fun disc golf course and wonderful access to biking (paved or dirt)." The multi-use trail is ideal for all skill levels.
Fishing in volcanic lakes: Battle Ground Lake State Park Campground offers fishing in a small crater-like lake just 30 minutes from Scappoose. A visitor describes it as "like a mini crater lake. I mean mini like pond size" while another mentions "Great fishing! Trout, bass, blue gill.. swimming area. Store on sites. Nice hike around lake with plenty of spots to rest and fish."
What campers like
Private wooded tent sites: For those seeking non-cabin options, Brooke Creek Hike-in Camp at L.L. Stub Stewart State Park offers secluded spots. "The tent pads are a typical woodsy mix of pine straw, leaves, and loose gravel. Sleeping pads are a blessing, but so are nicely stacked lead piles in a pinch," notes one camper. Another adds, "The walk in is about ¼ mile and the trail into the campground is mostly gravel. There are carts available for hike in campers to use at the campground trailhead if needed."
Clean, well-maintained facilities: Rental cabins typically come with access to maintained washrooms. At Oxbow Regional Park, "The bathrooms are great - showers, running water, and flush toilets!" One camper notes, "Clean campsite with the basic amenities, conveniently only a 30-minute drive from Portland (but doesn't feel like you're near the city at all when you're there)."
Diverse camping options: The region offers everything from basic structures to furnished cabins. Camp Wilkerson provides both options: "Stayed the night in one of their small cabins, very nice sat outside by the fire and just watched the stars, this is a primary horse camp and is surrounded by trails, seen a heard of elk on one of my hikes."
What you should know
Highway noise affects some parks: Several camping cabins near Scappoose have proximity to major roads. At Paradise Point, "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."
Seasonal variations in facilities: Champoeg State Heritage Area Campground offers year-round cabin rentals but amenities change seasonally. "This campground is dripping in green in the spring! It has a very park-like quality with manicured landscaping and very nicely laid-out sites with plenty of space in between."
Limited cell service: Many cabins have poor connectivity. At Seaquest State Park, visitors report "Limited cell service with T-Mobile but it still works! Free WiFi in the day use area." Another camper at a different park notes "No wifi and we had no phone reception. There are emergency phones installed throughout the park."
Tips for camping with families
Playground accessibility: Several cabin campgrounds feature play areas for children. At Seaquest State Park, "My kids loved the addition of a playground. Many parks don't have this and it kept them entertained for hours. There is a bathroom and extra parking right next to the playground."
Junior ranger programs: Seasonal educational activities are available at certain 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. She was great at engaging all the kids and teaching them about the park."
Consider loop selection carefully: Seaquest State Park Campground organizes sites by user type. "This campground is split into three loops; an RV loop, Mixed loop, and a predominantly tent loop. As with other Washington State Parks, the loop and camp spots each have a different cost ranging from $20-$30+ a night."
Tips from RVers
Site numbering affects experience: At L.L. Stub Stewart Memorial State Park, lower-numbered sites offer more privacy. One RVer noted, "I really appreciated other Dyrt reviews that said the shadier, more private sites are numbered below 40. We were in 38."
Site sizes vary widely: Check specific dimensions when booking cabin or RV spaces. A visitor to Paradise Point reported, "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."
Water pressure considerations: Utility hookups at some parks have limitations. One RVer noted, "The water pressure was not very good at around 35 psi. 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."
