Quietude + the "It" Factor
Very close to 5 stars, which I will only give for spectacular locations like the Four Corners area or the Oregon Coast. But Cold Creek is very thoughtfully laid out, within some spectacular scenery and off of some great trails (Bells Mtn., Yacolt Burn, Tarbell… see pics!), + it's a bit of a last option within the Sunset/Rock Creek/Battle Ground Lake quadfecta. That's probably due to its smaller size and an added difficulty in finding. What is does mean is it's extra quiet, this + campsites that are often nicely down or around the bend of 30-50 foot paths, adding to the seclusion and quiet. Helpful, chill camp host mom with a friendly young son, plus a refreshing creek with a small waterfall. She said people take down the Forest Service road signs all the time, though this campground still wasn't hard to find, partly due to the large trail map signs sprinkled throughout the area.