Camping options near Burbank, Washington include multiple Army Corps of Engineers parks along the Snake River. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F from June through August, with minimal rainfall throughout the camping season. Most campgrounds in the area operate from mid-May through early September, with the regional terrain featuring irrigated lawns amid the naturally arid Columbia Basin landscape.
What to do
Water activities on Lake Sacajawea: Fishhook Park provides direct water access with a small swimming area. "We had a short walk to the shore with our paddle boards and a great day on the river," notes one visitor to Fishhook Park, while another mentions "Fishing was great off of the docks."
Boat launching options: Several campgrounds offer boat launches for exploring the river system. "There is a boat launch and dock" at Fishhook Park according to a recent visitor, while Charbonneau Park features "a nice protected boat launch" and waterfront access.
Local exploration: The Tri-Cities area provides shopping and services within driving distance. As one camper at Hood Park notes, "Town is close by so you can do other things (Groceries, laundromat etc.....) while waiting for check in." Another camper adds, "The Nary National Wildlife Refuge is very close."
What campers like
Spacious, grassy sites: Many campgrounds feature generous site spacing and maintained grounds. At Hood Park, campers appreciate that "sites end up pretty well spaced apart so you might only have 2 or 3 neighbors then a ton of lawn before another neighbor." Similar feedback comes from COE Lake Sacajawea Charbonneau Park where visitors describe "a clean, grassy park setting."
River views and access: Multiple campgrounds provide direct river frontage. One camper notes Hood Park "is right on the snake river, so you can practically fish from your camp site if you want." Another mentions Charbonneau Park offers "a nice campground for locals to get away for a weekend set along the Snake River."
Shower facilities: Several campgrounds provide shower access, with varying quality. A Fishhook Park visitor mentions "free, clean hot showers centrally located," while Hood Park offers "real showers" according to another review.
What you should know
Summer heat and insects: The area experiences intense summer temperatures and seasonal bugs. At Fishhook Park, campers report, "The trees were in bloom and bugs hatching & swarming, so that was a huge hurdle." Another notes, "Bathrooms were ok, but no lights at night."
Train noise: Some campgrounds experience railroad disruption. A visitor to Charbonneau Park mentions, "It also has trains going by all night," while a Franklin County RV Park camper notes it's "exactly what you would expect to find at a fairground RV Park."
Reservation knowledge: Corps of Engineers campgrounds have specific booking procedures. A Hood Park visitor advises, "If you are a long rv, be cautious as the reservation line has little knowledge of sites." Another mentions, "Make reservations on Recreation.gov first. Even if you are showing up at 7:30 at night."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several campgrounds offer dedicated play areas. Hood Park features "a large playground, amphitheater" and according to one camper, "Campground seemed to have nice vibe with kids on bikes." Charbonneau Park provides "a clean, grassy park setting with a decent sized park nearby for kids with a swimming area."
Kid-friendly programming: Some parks offer organized activities for children. At Pasco Tri-Cities KOA, families appreciate that it has "lots of activities for the family" and is "convenient for that weekend getaway." Hood Park offers "interpretive events for kids in the evenings. They even had some movies on the weekends."
Safety considerations: Night lighting varies between campgrounds. One Charbonneau Park visitor mentions, "a very bright street light shown through our blinds all night," while Fishhook Park campers note, "bathrooms were ok, but no lights at night."
Tips from RVers
Hookup specifics: Many campgrounds offer electric but limited water connections. At Hood Park, RVers note "No water or sewer hookups. Lots of nice sites." Fishhook Park campers report similar arrangements: "RV sites have water and electric plus 11 tent sites in a grassy common area."
Leveling and size considerations: Site conditions vary across campgrounds. A visitor to Fishhook Park notes, "The back-in sites are wide enough to comfortably fit a TT, 5th wheel or RV and your toad or other vehicle side-by-side. The pull-through sites are very large. All sites have gravel camper pads and most appeared very level."
Pet-friendly policies: Multiple campgrounds welcome pets with certain restrictions. At Hood Park, "dogs must remain leashed in all public areas" while Charbonneau Park accommodates pets with "great accessibility to water" making it popular for pet-friendly camping near Burbank, Washington.
