Camping options near Bucoda, Washington include private RV resorts and established campgrounds within 30 miles of this small town. Situated between the Cascade foothills and Puget Sound lowlands at approximately 320 feet elevation, the area experiences mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Most campgrounds remain accessible year-round, though seasonal facilities typically operate April through October.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: At Thousand Trails Paradise RV Campground, campers can fish in two stocked ponds without leaving the grounds. "My grandson loves coming here with us the two ponds they stock with fish," notes one regular visitor.
Explore Mount St. Helens: Camp at Toutle River RV Resort as your base for volcano exploration. "We used this campground as our base camp for exploring the area. Walk down to the river, play on the field, drive up to Mt St Helens visitor's center," reports a camper who used this location as a gateway to the volcanic monument.
Swimming options: Paradise RV Campground offers multiple pools for different swimming preferences. "This campgrounds has an awesome swimming area with three pools, one 8ft deep, one 6ft, and one wading pool. Also has a large spa," writes a visitor highlighting the aquatic amenities.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Visitors appreciate the maintenance standards at Gig Harbor RV Resort, noting "The campground is quiet, except for the nearby construction. The staff is super friendly and accommodating... the laundry facilities are clean and reasonably priced."
Family-friendly activities: Chehalis RV and Camping Resort receives praise for its organized events. A family noted, "Kids are helping review campgrounds we visited this summer. They loved that there was scavenger hunts for pigs in morning, tractor rides in afternoon, face painting, slushees, movie in lodge, crafts, slushees, a great store, basketball court, pools."
Natural setting: Many campgrounds maintain wooded areas that campers value. "This is a very quiet campground, activities we found at the campground to keep busy was shuffleboard which we enjoyed for the first time. The Billards table was in really good shape too," observed a visitor to Paradise RV Campground.
What you should know
Site selection matters: At Toutle River RV Resort, location within the campground significantly affects experience. "It gets stranger the further you get from the center of the park. Off on the edges the spots get more weedy, there's a railroad track on one side and the freeway on the other."
Seasonal availability: Several campgrounds operate limited schedules. Paradise RV Campground runs from April 25 to September 22, making it unavailable during fall and winter months.
Power reliability concerns: Some campgrounds report electrical issues. At Paradise RV Campground, one camper noted: "Older facilities. A lot of RV sites with no water and non-functioning electric. Power issues with high demand. Pool closed due to power problem."
Tips for camping with families
Activity planning: Thousand Trails Chehalis offers activities specifically for children. "An RV resort is not my typical go to place for camping, but a friend and I were heading back from the Oregon coast and wanted a place to park my Jeep so we could sleep in the roof top tent! This place was great for it, and really had all of the amenities."
Playgrounds and recreation: Toutle River RV Resort maintains extensive recreation options for children. "There's a frisbee golf course that we didn't use but looks fun, really nice playground for the grandkids that's a fort, a store, swimming pool, a recreation hall with nice paintings on the outside and showers and bathrooms nearby."
Tent camping with facilities: Some primarily RV-focused parks accommodate tent campers too. At Gig Harbor RV Resort, "This is definitely a RV resort, but there are 5 or 6 tent camping sites under some big trees which provide shade almost all day. Nice bathroom and showers."
Tips from RVers
Extension needs: At Washington Land Yacht Harbor, hookup positioning may require extra equipment. "All sites are back in. All connections are in the back so imagine hooking up at a parking lot at the concrete stoppers. Sewer and electric, make sure you got enough tubes and extensions."
Maneuverability challenges: Some rv campgrounds near Bucoda, Washington have tight spacing. At Majestic Mobile Manor & RV Park, one RVer reported: "It was a quiet place but obviously has a lot of full timers. It took a long time to get set up because of the ridiculously small amount of space I had to maneuver my 33ft RV and my 8ft extended cab truck."
Reservation clarity: Verify exact terms when booking extended stays. At Washington Land Yacht Harbor, a camper warned: "We called a month ahead and reserved a space for our 5th wheel for a month... we get there and were told, they don't have any month to month sites, we would have to rent week to week for $100 a month more."
