7 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Several cabin rentals are available within a 30-minute drive of Auburn at state parks and private campgrounds. Kanaskat-Palmer State Park provides heated cabins with bunk beds, picnic tables, and fire pits, creating a simple but comfortable accommodation option. At Lake Sawyer Resort, cabin guests have access to electrical hookups, drinking water, and on-site trash service. "The cabins are heated and have bunk beds, which makes for a cozy retreat into nature in the winter," according to one visitor describing nearby cabin accommodations. Most properties maintain clean bathroom facilities with showers, though some cabins have more limited amenities depending on their location and classification.
Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. Holiday Park Military Camp at Joint Base Lewis-McChord offers cabin accommodations exclusively for military personnel, with full hookups and proximity to American Lake. Fay Bainbridge Park on Bainbridge Island provides cabin options with nearby water access and picnic facilities. All cabins in the Auburn region require advance reservations, particularly during summer months when occupancy rates are highest. Most properties allow pets in their cabin accommodations, though limits typically apply to two dogs per reservation. One camper noted, "Great campground that serves military exclusively. We made a next day reservation due to the weather and just wanted a night away."
Most cabins include beds but require visitors to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries. Basic kitchen supplies like microwaves are available in some cabins, while others provide only outdoor cooking options at fire pits or grills. Several campgrounds offer on-site markets or camp stores selling firewood, ice, and essential provisions. Tall Chief Campground provides year-round cabin access with nearby amenities like showers, toilets, and trash service. When planning extended stays, visitors should note that some facilities like Holiday Park have maximum stay limits of 28 days per cabin. Camp Lakeview, approximately one hour from Auburn, offers cabins with a small store that stocks essentials for forgotten items.
"After flying into SeaTac late in the afternoon this campground was a great place to start our Washington trip and only about 30 minutes from the airport."
"I appreciate there is electric, sewer and water. I use this an overnight point to fill my RV before going off grid."
Available this weekend
from $23 - $74 / night
"We stayed 1 night here for the maiden voyage of our recently purchased travel trailer, which was nice since it's only about an hour away from our place near Seattle."
"It's close proximity to our house allows us to hook up the trailer after work and include a Friday night in our camping weekend!"
Available this weekend
from $23 - $254 / night
"If you can look past the rundown bathrooms and strict rules about dogs and everything else you’re doing then you can appreciate the beauty of Lake Sawyer every morning."
"Excellent location for those with military access to the base - active duty, retired or family. 30/50 amp hookups. Beautiful views of American Lake. Pet friendly."
"It is in the wilderness, on the lake, but it is also fairly close to stores and gas stations. Long term max is 28 days per spot."
"Lots of trees in our section separating us but in other sections your really close to each other. It is first come first serve and lucky us we got 50 amp."
"We really enjoyed our stay here it was very quiet and peaceful sites were long and roomy with a fire ring and picnic table. Good cell service with AT&T and Sprint."
"The campground is in 500+ acre Tolt-McDonald Park, far enough away from any busy road so that there is no traffic noise, just the sound of the Tolt River rapids."
"Camping in Tolt McDonald park for Timberfest in the roof top tent was better than any previous camping I’ve done there."
"However, the celestial yurt had electricity and a little fan that kept it cool even on the hottest week of the summer. Hot tub is wonderful but is clothing optional, so maybe not great for families."
from $40 - $60 / night
"A Quiet oasis tucked into the forest. The new and clean bathrooms and showers were a real treat after a 2100 mile journey from Texas."
"We reserved a space for 1 night the day before. Great communication with Brett, everything went really smooth. The facilities are great and very clean, the park very quiet."
"Unfortunately the restrooms right next to our site were closed so it was a slight walk to the nearest restroom. Restrooms were heated and well taken care of."
"Very friendly next to the lake plenty of things to do walking, biking, hiking, fishing, Military museums, not to far off of I-5. Full hookups laundry shower facilities. Cabins too."
from $12 - $35 / night
"The spaces are packed in fairly tight with no dividing barriers of trees."
"The location was ideal for me as a stop off before the Olympics. I was able to load up on supplies and ready my gear. My tent campsite was generously sized, had a picnic table and a fire ring."
from $25 - $95 / night
GuideNice campground, well maintained and rangers often patrol the campsite loops. Bathrooms are nice but dated, but quite expensive campground. Paying in-person was $49 for an RV spot with utilities, but booking online was $69 for the same site. Can be busy on the weekend.
ScoutI wanted to like this campground, but I wouldn’t stay here again for more than maybe one night.
There are signs EVERYWHERE warning about theft, which immediately tells you something about the area. I didn’t have anything stolen, but I was extremely careful about what I left out.
The biggest problem is that you’re basically on your own after hours. There is no campground host, no posted after-hours ranger number, and no non-emergency number at the campground or through the park’s phone system. The staff hours also seem very limited and inconsistent. I arrived around 6:30 PM and nobody was there, and staff didn’t seem to return until around 9–10 AM.
The bathrooms were dirty, out of toilet paper, and the showers were cold. One morning there was a large unleashed dog in the women’s bathroom that growled at me while its owner was showering. I believe she may have been homeless and using the facilities. Again, there was nobody around to contact about it.
Another night, people were extremely loud until almost midnight. Same problem: no host, no ranger and no non-emergency number. Unless something is serious enough for 911, you’re left to deal with it yourself.
There are also a lot of homeless people and visible drug addicts/drug activity around Federal Way. I had been warned about the area before coming here, and I understand why.
The park itself is pretty and might be fine for a quick overnight stay, but for multiple nights, I wouldn’t recommend it. Between the theft warnings, lack of after-hours staff, weird staffing hours, and no way to report non-emergency problems, I never really felt comfortable settling into my campsite.
GuideWe had such a wonderful stay at American Heritage Campground! The campground has a peaceful, welcoming atmosphere, and you can really feel the history and care that has gone into the property over the years.
We stayed at site 6 which was right by the playground, laundry, pool (closed for the season), and 2 individual bathrooms. There’s more bathrooms in the main bath house with showers! Our site was also able to use the WiFi since it was close to the front of the campground
A huge part of what made our stay so special was our host, Rita. She was incredibly kind, welcoming, and made us feel right at home from the moment we arrived. Learning that the campground has been in her family for over 40 years makes the experience even more meaningful. You can tell how much pride and love she has for the campground and the people who visit.
If you’re looking for a beautiful, relaxing place to stay in Olympia with a personal touch that you just don’t get at the big commercial campgrounds, we highly recommend American Heritage Campground. We’re grateful we got to meet Rita and experience a little piece of her family’s history. We’ll definitely be back!
Edit: we walked around in the morning and found the farm (sheep and chickens), frisbee golf, horse shoes, volleyball and a pavilion. This would be such a fun spot in the summer!
TravelerThere is single camp-host here, the facility’s are in a deep state of disrepair, and the campground is overcrowded when full.
LegendI’m giving this park only four stars because the roads coming into the park and the road through the park are very narrow and winding. I probably wouldn’t bring a trailer more than 32 or 33 feet long in here as there are tight curves around trees. Did have electric and water. But as others have said, kind of surprised that it doesn’t have a dump station. Very nice walking trail through the forest and next to a lake where one could go swimming or boating. We were here in midweek in September and the park was only about 1/4 full. Our site number 26 was nice, but not very level. Showers were clean and hot water. Very nice play ground.
GuideWe spent one night here. Short walk to the riverside.
TravelerI like this park. Beautiful views. Very pleasant and clean. Right next to I-90, easy on and off. Though the highway sounds are a constant. Periodic trains from the other side of the lake (though I find this a positive). Full hook up spots. Can accommodate larger rigs, but a few spots are a little tight to get into. Also a very good hamburger spot near by.
TravelerI stayed there for one night on my way back to Seattle, and it was perfect for what I needed. Very quiet back there. The people were all super nice and accommodating. They had a dump site, restrooms outside and heated restrooms attached to the office area. I really loved that two of the permanent residents would do security at night as well. Being a woman and traveling alone, that made me feel very safe. Highly recommend this place!
GuideQuiet, but we were here mid week in late August….
Cabins near Auburn, Washington offer access to both the Cascade foothills and Puget Sound. Located approximately 30 miles southeast of Seattle, the Auburn area sits at elevations ranging from 40 to 500 feet above sea level with average summer temperatures between 70-85°F. Cabin rentals in this region typically stay open year-round, with some facilities offering heated accommodations suitable for winter camping.
Hiking trails access: Kanaskat-Palmer State Park cabins provide easy access to river trails. "Beautiful, clean campground. Short hike to river spots that are perfect for wading or fishing. 10 minute drive from Deep Lake which is beautiful and great for swimming and paddle boarding," notes Ashlie M.
Water activities: Fay Bainbridge Park offers beach access from cabin sites. "Great place for families that looks to be kept really clean. There is a ship playground for the kids and beach volleyball court," writes Brandon K. The park features beach volleyball courts and a pirate ship playground for children.
Fishing opportunities: Some cabin locations near Auburn provide direct fishing access. "Lots of great fishing spots," reports Cody F. about Kanaskat-Palmer's river access. During peak salmon runs in fall, fishing opportunities improve at several waterfront cabin locations.
Clean facilities: Kanaskat-Palmer State Park maintains high cleanliness standards in their cabins and bathrooms. "The park rangers are so nice and helpful it was like stepping back in time. The spaces are very private and spread out. Everything is clean including the bathrooms," according to Jeff O.
Family-friendly amenities: Several cabin locations include features specifically for children. "Loved this campground and camp here about once a month. The sites are large with lots of trees. One loop has electricity (no water or sewer hookups but has a dump station) and the other does not. It has 6 very clean individual (one person) bathrooms with a shower in each," states Kelly P.
Close to major attractions: Auburn-area cabins provide convenient access to attractions. "We love coming here. It's close proximity to our house allows us to hook up the trailer after work and include a Friday night in our camping weekend!" explains Shay F. about nearby cabin options that work well for weekend trips.
Reservation requirements: Most cabins require advance booking, especially in summer. "We got lucky and snagged the very last spot here on a Saturday in late September. It's a beautiful campground, very peaceful, other campers were quiet and respectful," notes Laura M.
Bathroom facilities: Camp Lakeview cabins provide bathroom access. "The bath house isn't too far and was usually well stocked and clean. There is a playground next to a volleyball court and basketball court. A small beach with a large dock was available for use during the day as well as a boat launch and fishing dock," explains Julia B.
Noise considerations: Nearby transportation can create occasional noise at some cabin locations. "We heard a couple trains while there, but the noise wasn't too loud. Never heard the fire siren that they warned us about. Overall, it was a good camping experience for a quick trip and would return!" says Jay F.
Camp store availability: Some cabin rentals include on-site shopping options. "They have a little store in case you forget something and firewood that's way cheaper than buying elsewhere," mentions Kira M. about the convenience store at Camp Lakeview.
Playground access: Tolt MacDonald Park cabins provide family-friendly features. "Tolt McDonald park was great! It was close to home, very clean, and very quiet," reports Evan F. The park includes multiple recreation options for children.
Water safety: Consider cabin locations with safer water access for children. "We usually take the kids to the lake at Nolte state park (approx. 3 miles away) for water play," suggests Kelly P. about managing water safety concerns.
Off-season benefits: Some families prefer cabin stays during shoulder seasons. "We went here in October and dry camped with our 30' Motorhome so not the typical experience others would have in a true RV site. The only downside is the showers were a little dirty and the campspots are pretty close together," shares Cody F.
Privacy considerations: Cabin sites offer varying levels of privacy. "The sites are large and pretty private. We have stayed in site 42 which is a back in spot with fire pit and table above the back of the pad. Also, we have enjoyed site 38, a pull through that gave us nice wooded views and privacy," recommends Shay F.
Hookup availability: Lewis North Travel Camp provides cabins with hookup options for military personnel. "If you have access, use it. $50 for FHU. The laundry is fine. The bathhouse is big and well maintained. There are two separate buildings with these facilities," notes Andrew.
Site leveling: Not all cabin and RV sites are level. "The gravel pull through was so not level the jacks pushed the front tires 6 inches off the ground. But there was lots of private space and the trails were beautiful as they wrapped around the river," shares Cody F. about certain sites.
Seasonal considerations: Weather impacts cabin comfort differently throughout the year. "Absolutely beautiful! Very welcoming and queer friendly! The yurt was lovely but it's definitely meant for the cooler months," explains Ken C. about the seasonal variations at accommodations near Auburn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Auburn, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Auburn, WA is Dash Point State Park Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 79 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Auburn, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 52 cabin camping locations near Auburn, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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