Fort Spokane Campground — Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

Overview

Fort Spokane Campground is a great destination for history buffs, birders and boaters, and the perfect location for travelers who like a combination of history and recreation. Visitors can enjoy boating, fishing, birding or taking in the scenery around the lake at this year-round campground. The facility lies on the shoreline of Lake Roosevelt next to the grounds of a former military fort constructed to keep peace between early settlers and American Indians. Located in the former guardhouse, located in the middle of historic Fort Spokane, the visitor center and museum are open seasonally, from Memorial Day to Labor Day of each year. During the summer of 2023, the Fort Spokane Visitor Center and Museum will be open Friday through Sunday, 11am to 3pm. These hours begin May 26 and end September 3. For an audio description of the park brochure, visit the Publications or Accessibility page of our website: nps.gov/laroLake Roosevelt is a 130-mile lake of the Columbia River created by the Grand Coulee Dam. Named after President Franklin D. Roosevelt, it is part of the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area and managed by the National Park Service.

Recreation

Fort Spokane boasts some of the best bird habitats in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. The prime viewing spot is Hawk Creek, only a few miles away. Birders often see Peregrine falcons, Blue herons, finches, Bald eagles, osprey and even the occasional Golden eagle. The former guard house of the fort is still standing and has been converted to a visitor center and museum directly across the street from the campground. The center is open from June through Labor Day, teaching visitors about the military history and Indian boarding school through interpretive programs and exhibits. An interpretive trail around the grounds is open year round, for a more self-guided tour. The lake is abundant with walleye, bass, rainbow trout and salmon, making it a popular place for fishing throughout the year; the shoreline along Fort Spokane does not typically freeze in winter and the campground's boat-launch is open all year.

Natural Features

Fort Spokane lies on the water amidst Ponderosa pines and shrubs. It is near the confluence of the Spokane River and the Columbia River (Lake Roosevelt). The lake has comfortable temperatures during summer, even though much of the water originates from glaciers and snow in the cold, high Canadian Rockies. The lake area is abundant with wildlife, including moose, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, birds and fish.

Nearby Attractions

Just across the road from the campground is the Ft. Spokane Visitor Center. Inside the old gaurd house you will find a small museum. There are also trails that include a self guided tour of the grounds.

Contact Info

This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (509) 754-7889.

Charges & Cancellations

All changes and cancellations must be made through recreation.gov Late Cancellations or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.