The best camping near
Carson, WASHINGTON

I have stayed there twice now. I love it so much! Both times we have snowshoed in and even thou the conditions weren’t perfect, we had a Blast!

Be prepared for the semi trucks waking you up! So loud! I got a large spot by the stream/river which was very nice and calm. Bugs were not bad.

We went during the week because the weekends are too insanely busy. Loved our walk-in camp spot, had a fabulous time. Our site had easy access to the lake. Vault toilets were very clean. Good hikes nearby. Lots of people enjoying the lake.

I just couldn’t get over hearing the semi trucks on 26. But… There’s a nice view of Hood on the south side of the lake. Vault toilets. It was July, bugs were not bad. There were a tons of baby frogs everywhere on the northside of the lake, it was crazy to see. Good hiking nearby.

I just couldn’t get over hearing the semi trucks on 26 from our campsite. But… We had a nice spot. We felt safe. Vault toilets only. It was July, bugs were not bad. There were a tons of baby frogs everywhere on the northside of the lake, it was crazy to see. Good hiking nearby.

I wouldn’t say its a”campground” since it’s dispersed camping but that’s what I prefer. Good spots to set up camp. Be prepared it can get quite chilly overnight.

This campground is a very nice one to check out when adventuring in the lower portion of Washington.    Much like its single site counterpart the options offered at this campsite are well thought and well placed.    I noticed that the campground itself was very well maintained and offered many features including water spigots in common areas, clear walking paths to facilities and ample parking for the campers.   

Each site was equipped with standard features including fire rings and picnic tables.  But the real advantage to this location in particular is its proximity to some of the more lengthy trails in the park.   

Initially I was a bit confused as to where the camp was, my cell signal was weak and I could not seem to find the campground until I finally gave up and just decided to go on a hike first.    In doing so I was able to navigate to higher ground closer to the Beacon Rock and from there I pulled up a map to locate.    My suggestion is with AT&T to have an offline map loaded when traveling to this area.    While some areas do feature great signal others are more spotty like this one.

The campground was filled with campers and I spoke to a ranger when visiting who mentioned that group sites typically book in advance on weekends but can be more easily picked up on the fly during weekdays from Monday to Thursday with Tuesdays and Wednesdays being the optimum day for last minute travelers to the area.

Sites here can be a bit costly depending on the group size, but the additional offering the camp provides is the ability to rent all sites for those needing a large group. This must be done well in advance but can offer many benefits for larger groups. Much like other state facilities in Washington you will need to display your Discover Pass on each vehicle parked on property. One pass does not cover multiple cars upon a single use.

No frills RV-only park near Troutdale. Many RV pads are cracked and uneven. Location is right next door to a saloon and also has frequent police visits.

Weekly and monthly rates available. Daily rate not too expensive. Many if not most of the residents are long-timers.

Bathrooms, laundry facilities on-site. Not overly impressed, but in need of a spot at the mouth of the Gorge, you could do worse.

Ainsworth State Park is a gorgeous state park in the heart of the Gorge with great hikes and views of the Columbia river, all not far from Portland. The campsites, however, are located right next to the History Columbia River Highway, making for loud camping experience, though you are near all the great park activities. And when I say close, I mean you can see the highway from your tent.

Its location near Portland makes it very popular, and it is often full. Restrooms and showers available.

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A visit to Beacon Rock State Park is one for the memory book. Not only is the campground itself a woodland wonderland with winding paths through tall old growth forest areas, but the surrounding area of the park itself is impressive with exciting things to do around every corner. 

Located along the Columbia River, the park has the asset of water activities while also the beauty of waterfall paths, public spaces ideal for family gatherings and of course the iconic Beacon Rock itself which towers above the surrounding area as one of the more unique look outs you will find. 

I visited this park on a warm and blustery day. I started out hiking the Beacon Rock itself where I was impressed by the views and challenged by the ongoing ascent of the switchbacks. Following my challenge of the morning, I moved over the campground itself. Mid afternoon on a busy day, I expected to be turned away as the park was pretty crowded but instead I was impressed to find that the campground still had a few sites available and was able to settle into one for a few hours of R&R. 

The sites were large enough to comfortably park my small car and have plenty of room to spread out. While I don’t see this camp being great for excessively large rigs, I did see a few smaller and mid sized units on the loop. 

Sites were basically fitted with tables and fire rings while common spigots were located in several locations around camp for those needing water. Both trash and recycling receptacles were placed near the kiosk of camp, something which you will not find unless you travel all the way around the loop. 

I enjoyed this site because of the access it had to the trail system beyond the Beacon Rock trail(which is located across the street from the camp). Several trails spur off the back side of the camp near an overflow parking area for those who need more than one car for their adventures. 

Even as the camp filled up there was enough spacing that it didn’t seem to be loud and short of a few dogs barking here and there it was pretty quiet into the evening. 

A centralized restroom and bath house was such a perk and justified the higher pricing of the site which I did feel was pretty high overall but somewhat fitting for the area. The showers were coin operated with every 3 minutes costing$0.50 a great investment after being on the road and staying at another campground previously which was having water issues which prevented me from being able to take a shower the night before. The showers were hot, the pressure was good and the overall impact of this was game changing!!! 

Tips: 

• Bear Warning- This area is a bear zone however you will not find bear boxes like you will at other campsites in the area. For this reason you need to come prepared and make sure you are able to secure your items in a safe way. 
• Other Campsites- There are several campsites beyond the mainly advertised loop. You can find these a bit further down the road and they offer RV hook ups and also equestrian camping. No Supplies No Problem- At this campsite you are only a short distance from town so if you do happen to forget something and need it the drive to a store or station is very short. 
• Cell Service- This is one of the few locations in the area I did have cell signal with AT&T!!