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Best Campgrounds near Chelan, WA

737 Reviews

Camping around Lake Chelan in Washington includes several state parks with lake access for summer visitors. Lake Chelan State Park Campground sits right on the water, which works well if you want to swim or launch kayaks easily. Many campers also head to Alta Lake State Park Campground where the hiking trails are good for walking with kids or taking bikes. If you like fishing, Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park has multiple lakes and streams to try your luck. The campsites throughout the area tend to be decently sized, and most have well-maintained bathrooms. During summer, you'll want bug spray since mosquitoes can get bad, especially in the evenings. Some of the camping areas have basic facilities rather than full amenities, but the lake views and surrounding landscape make the trade-off worthwhile. Chelan camping works for both groups with children and people traveling alone.

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Best Camping Sites Near Chelan, Washington (233)

    1. Lake Chelan State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Manson, WA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 226-7688

    "Great option to camp at Lake Chelan about 15 min from Chelan on the quiet south shore."

    "We stayed at Lake Chelan State Patk and had a wonderful experience. We rode our bicycles, but admittedly not a lot of options away from the road."

    2. Beebe Bridge Park

    10 Reviews
    Chelan, WA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 661-4551

    "This is a great glampround right by Chelan, I would have given it 5 stars if it wasn’t right off the highway, we like to go for walks and bike rides with our kids and the location limited us to just the"

    "Walmart up on top of the hill 6 miles in Chelan. They have a dump station here also. Great Place for family and kids..."

    3. Alta Lake State Park Campground

    16 Reviews
    Pateros, WA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 923-2473

    "The park itself is really well maintained, and in a beautiful location. The lake and surrounding hills were beautiful."

    "Alta Lake is a nice, clean park with decent tent sites. We had a site in Loop 2 on the right (on the lake side). It was away from the main area, parking lots, boat launch or store, so pretty quiet."

    4. Daroga State Park Campground

    11 Reviews
    Entiat, WA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 664-6380

    "Typical state park for Washington. Clean and beautiful. A portion of the sights are walk in only, however they do provide wheel barrows to help pack in your gear."

    "Walk in spots for tent camping you have to walk a half mile to camp from your car. Rv spots are nice but close to other ppl."

    5. Antilon Lake Campground

    9 Reviews
    Manson, WA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 682-2576

    "If you're looking to enjoy chelan but avoid the town, antilon is just the place! Extremely peaceful. Tons of wildlife, wild flowers, hiking trails and all around good views."

    "I chose a beautiful spot overlooking the lake and close to a vault toilet. It was clean and well stocked. There was also a dumpster."

    6. Entiat City Park

    11 Reviews
    Entiat, WA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 784-1500

    $25 - $50 / night

    7. Wapato Lake Campground

    2 Reviews
    Manson, WA
    8 miles
    Website

    $25 - $35 / night

    "I decided to stay here instead of trying to find a spot at Lake Chelan. The campground is on a small lake just a few miles from Lake Chelan. I wished I'd had a kayak or canoe. "

    "With two docks for fishing and floating as well as the adjascent boat launch, you’ll be able to play with all your water toys on Wapato Lake!"

    8. Lakeshore RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Chelan, WA
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (509) 682-8023

    9. Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park

    6 Reviews
    Manson, WA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 902-8844

    "Right next to the creek where all you hear is the creek running past you. It muffled the noise from our camp neighbors up above us which was really nice at night."

    10. Chelan Lookout - NF 8410 Dispersed

    3 Reviews
    Manson, WA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 682-4900

    "Lots of spots between Entiat River Rd 19 and this location. Ground is mostly a fine dirt."

    "Sandy dirt camping site near the USGS sensor station. No fires today due to high fire danger, but there was a pit in the camp. Tent right on the ridge. Dirt road was 12 miles up the mountain."

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Recent Camping Photos near Chelan, WA

261 Photos of 233 Chelan Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Chelan, WA

737 Reviews of 233 Chelan Campgrounds

  • Meghan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 26, 2025

    Lake Wenatchee State Park Campground

    Lake Wanatchee State Park - NORTH Campground

    Unlike the South Campground, the North side has a lot less going on--not a bad thing at all, though! Dinged this side a star because there's no view of the lake from the camping area--you have to walk a (short) path to the beach area. There's one central restroom area with 4 individual shower rooms. Great cell service.

  • Meghan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 23, 2025

    Nason Creek Campground

    Nason Creek Campground

    This campground has 3-4 sections on both sides of the road (one being across the bridge). Most sites are reservable on rec.gov, but the best sites are First Come First Serve (no R on the iron site posts) and along the creek/river (at least in the loop we were in)... which I LOVE that concept; we stayed at Site 4 and then moved to Site 3--the best site imo--once that was available. $27/night, camp hosts, well-maintained, flush toilets, dumpsters, great cell service, but there is a little bit of road noise.

  • GoldDust D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 21, 2025

    Pearrygin Lake State Park Campground

    A quick stop over

    Easy to get a last-minute reservation, clean bathrooms and showers, and the camping area was well kept. Would stay again!

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Trail Lake Dispersed

    Nice, but…

    The road is rough but short. Plenty of spots available to park/set up a tent. The lake is large and a beautiful clear blue. The downsides is that it’s close to a loud popular road, the mosquitoes are horrendous, and there’s trash all over the place because it’s a local fishing spot. Overall a decent place to stay.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 18, 2025

    Alta Lake State Park Campground

    Nice for an overnight

    Lake sites have beautiful views, both nice sunrise and sunset. However the RV sites on the lake are basically a parking lot with campers sitting side by side, no privacy, any conversation is easily overheard. Facilities were very clean. Easy to access dump station.

  • Meghan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 16, 2025

    Glacier View Campground

    Glacier View Campground

    We had a great 2-night stay. Arrived Sunday afternoon to the last of the weekenders packing up, then had the place to ourselves. The first few sites had space for RVs, but after that it's primarily hike-in sites, but a one or two sites for a camper van to pull into (which is the option we chose). The sites have great access to water. Amenities include vault toilets and trash. Spotty cell service. A ranger does swing through and checks on receipts. At the moment, it's $24/night cash or you can pay with Scan & Go for an extra online fee plus tax.

  • kThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 15, 2025

    Icicle River RV Resort

    Icicle River campground

    All staff very helpful and nice. Good sites. Close to Leavenworth and hiking. Close to the Enchantments.

  • Meghan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 14, 2025

    Lake Wenatchee State Park Campground

    Lake Wenatchee State Park - SOUTH Campground

    I was really impressed with this state park! The campsites are in a beautiful setting, there's a camp store and picnic area next to the beach, and many restrooms/showers scattered in the camping area. Despite the campground being packed this weekend with families and people of all ages and backgrounds, everyone was respectful of one another and quiet during scheduled the Quiet Hours. Good cell service, too.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 9, 2025

    Johnny Creek Campground

    Lower Johnny Campground

    Lower Johnny had nice sites, #15 felt pretty private and you could hear and see Icicle Creek about 30 feet below the site. Toilet was very clean. Area did not seem as packed in as Eightmile Campground down the road. If being near the water is not a priority, Upper Johnny had lots of very nice looking sites with more availability than the other nearby campgrounds.

Guide to Chelan

Camping near Chelan, Washington, offers a fantastic mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're into hiking, fishing, or just relaxing by the water, there’s something for everyone.

What to do

  • Kayaking and Swimming: Lake Chelan is perfect for water activities. One visitor mentioned, “We did a lot of kayaking early and later in the day and had a wonderful time. The water was calm like glass and so clear” at Lake Chelan State Park Campground.
  • Hiking: There are many trails around the area. A camper noted, “There are paths to take our kids for walks or bike rides” at Alta Lake State Park Campground.
  • Fishing: The lakes and rivers are great for fishing. One review highlighted, “The lakes offer fishing, boating, and swimming” at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park.

What campers like

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness of the parks. A visitor at Lake Chelan State Park Campground said, “The bathrooms were clean and the staff super friendly and helpful.”
  • Spacious Sites: Many campgrounds offer roomy spots. One camper at Wenatchee Confluence State Park Campground remarked, “The spaces were level, lots of grass and enough trees to provide shade at every spot too.”
  • Family-Friendly Activities: Campgrounds often have activities for kids. A review from Leavenworth-Pine Village KOA mentioned, “There was a great shallow area for the kids and Dog to swim around.”

What you should know

  • Mosquitoes: Be prepared for bugs, especially in warmer months. A camper at Wenatchee Confluence State Park Campground warned, “Nice campground, too many mosquitoes. Campground is close to a swamp infested with mosquitoes.”
  • Tight RV Sites: Some campgrounds have close RV sites. A visitor at Leavenworth-Pine Village KOA noted, “The sites were so tight that we could barely fit the provided picnic table next to our trailer.”
  • Limited Amenities: Not all campgrounds have stores or markets. A review from Nason Creek Campground mentioned, “No market, but the hosts are great.”

Tips for camping with families

  • Choose the Right Campground: Look for family-friendly spots. One camper at Lake Wenatchee State Park Campground said, “Great playground for kids and the restrooms were the cleanest of any campground I have been to in years!”
  • Plan for Activities: Make sure to have activities lined up. A visitor at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park shared, “We spent time on and on the water every day. Gorgeous location and super friendly staff.”
  • Pack Snacks: Having snacks handy can keep kids happy. A camper at Alta Lake State Park Campground enjoyed the “snack shack” available at the park.

Tips from RVers

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A review from Daroga State Park Campground mentioned, “The site pads are very narrow which makes them difficult to pull through or back into.”
  • Be Ready for Wind: Some campgrounds can be windy. A visitor at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park noted, “It can sure make for a tough setup of camp.”
  • Bring Extra Supplies: Since some sites lack amenities, it’s good to be prepared. A camper at Lincoln Rock State Park Campground advised, “If you are tent camping, pick a place with plenty of shade.”

Camping near Chelan, Washington, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. Just be prepared for the unique quirks of each campground!

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find the best camping spots in Lake Chelan, WA?

Lake Chelan offers diverse camping options to suit every preference. Lake Chelan State Park Campground stands out with its waterfront sites on the quiet south shore, about 15 minutes from Chelan town. It features excellent water access, boat launching, and a family-oriented atmosphere. For those seeking more remote experiences, Baldy Mountain Dispersed Camping provides incredible sunset valley views along the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route. The area is accessible via NF-8410 road, though high clearance or 4x4 vehicles are recommended. Additional options include Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park and Wapato Lake Campground, which offers a quieter alternative just a few miles from Lake Chelan.

What amenities are available at Lake Chelan campgrounds?

Amenities vary across Lake Chelan's campgrounds. Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park offers clean bathrooms with showers, a nice dock, and a small store right on the lake. The park also provides access to water recreation with boat rentals available nearby. Lake Creek Campground on the Entiat River offers a more secluded experience while still maintaining essential facilities. Most developed campgrounds in the area provide toilets and potable water, while state parks typically offer additional amenities like picnic tables, fire rings, and shower facilities. Cellular reception varies by location, with better coverage at developed sites closer to town. For visitors seeking full hookups, several RV parks in the region offer electricity, water, and sewer connections along with additional conveniences.

Can I find RV camping options at Lake Chelan?

Columbia Cove RV Park offers dedicated RV camping with convenient access to a boat launch, making it ideal for anglers. While sites are somewhat narrow and located within a neighborhood setting, the park provides essential hookups for RV campers. For a different experience, Chelan County Expo Center offers RV camping on a large grassy field with moderately level sites. Those seeking state park amenities can find RV-friendly options at Daroga State Park and Beebe Bridge Park, both accommodating larger vehicles with appropriate hookup options. Most developed campgrounds around Lake Chelan can accommodate RVs, though site lengths and hookup availability vary, so reservations are recommended, especially during peak summer months.

Are there tent-only camping sites available at Lake Chelan?

Yes, Lake Chelan offers excellent tent camping options. Lake Chelan State Park Campground features spectacular tent sites right on the lake, creating an amazing experience for tent campers. The park has a large swimming area and is located about 10 miles from town. Wapato Lake Campground, just a few miles from Lake Chelan, offers lakefront tent sites on a smaller, quieter lake that's perfect for kayaking and canoeing. For more adventurous campers, the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest surrounding Lake Chelan provides numerous dispersed camping opportunities with minimal facilities but maximum privacy. These areas, including Chumstick Mountain locations, see very little traffic compared to developed sites, offering a true wilderness tent camping experience.

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