Best Glamping near Clallam Bay, WA

Private spaces between tall trees. This campground is close to forks Washington. We were able to get a spot at 5:30 in the afternoon.

Proximity to the beach makes this a necessary stop while exploring the Washington coast.

On out road trip we ended up in forks washington where the twilight flims are based off of. This town is close and the koa was wonderful

These campsites were closed indefinitely due to flood damage, but man were they beautiful when open. The entire Washington area is beautiful. Even though the campsites are currently closed there is lodging available in the Port Angeles area. You can also stay inside the park at Lake Crescent. The area is still open for hiking. I definitely recommend making a stop here during your Olympic National Park visit.

This was our first camping trip, as new Washington locals. While we do not normally do KOAs, this was a good call, as the campground does accept reservations, which is hard to find on the Olympic Peninsula. The campground was a great launching pad for all our explorations, including the Hoh rain forest and Victoria BC (a short ferrry ride away). I would recommend a stay here!

Beautiful but busy area. The sites were laid out weird, with little to no privacy between sites. There was no river access from the campground which was unfortunate. The resort itself was so busy and did not look peaceful to soak in. We spent most of our days exploring the park and the coast. It is nice that it is close to the falls but they are also very busy. Long drive back to civilization. I have stayed at much better campgrounds in Washington, and was a bit disappointed by this one.

Quiet campground. Unfortunately, it was raining quite a bit when we were there and Rialto Beach was closed due to hazardous conditions. Ocean was wild and apparently log depris can fly around. It was your usual well maintained national park campground. Bathrooms were clean. Spots were level. We did NOT have cell reception.

It was close to Forks so you can check out all the Twilight items in the town if you are a twilight fan. You can also check out the La Push beaches. We went there when Rialto beach was closed. Gotta love Washington State rain!!!

This is one of several very rustic dispersed campsites along a ruggedly beautiful stretch of Washington coast that are accessible only by hiking in. You’re set back only a few feet from the rocky beach and therefore exposed to weather coming off the ocean, so be sure to plan accordingly with tent, tarp and appropriate clothing. You have to register/reserve through the Port Angeles ranger station so you can’t just show up and camp. There’s a triangle trail from Ozette trailhead, so you can hike to Cape Alava and go south, and then return by going down to Sand Point and inland, or vice versa. One really cool nearby feature is a series of petroglyphs carved by native people in a nearby stone. It does feel like a sacred place.

Arrived late on a Friday night with our fingers crossed that sites would be available (as this is a 1st come, 1st serve campsite). We were welcomed by a lovely camp host with answers to any question you could imagine, and BONUS!! a dry supply of firewood. Campsites were easy to locate, in an accessible loop, and the cleanest facilities I've seen - plus, each site is surrounded by a good deal of treeline to give you a bit of privacy. We woke up to a cricket and frog orchestra, and the beauty of the PNW outdoors! If you find your home staked to the ground for the weekend, this is a site you want to explore. Close to Hoh Rainforest, Rialto Beach and ocean exploration, and the treaty line between vampires and werewolves (FORKS, WASHINGTON!).

I loved our night at Kalaloch Campground.

As we made our way up Highway 101, we were able to get a last minute reservation at Kalaloch for the night (which apparently can be rare).

It is about 11 minutes south of Ruby Beach (photos!) and has immediate beach access as well. There are fire pits, picnic tables, potable water and restrooms. No showers however. Its a pretty decent sized campground with over 160 campsites. No cell service at all which is good and bad (depending on if you need to to find the place!)

One of the only campsites on the west coast of Washington that is technically part of/near Olympic National park. We loved it!

Stopped here on a bicycle tour during Memorial Day weekend, and there were no camp hosts, rangers, or attendants of any kind. Hiker-biker sites do not require advance reservation and are supposed to be reserved for folks who are traveling without cars. Because no one was managing the campground, car campers had taken over the hiker-biker area, and there were cars parked in the driving lanes with people were setting up tents along the foot paths to the bathrooms. It looked like music festival camping.

The campground is just outside Forks, Washington. After passing through the town, a truck full of men who had been drinking in a parking lot followed me out of town most of the way to the campground. Bad vibes all around in this area.

I don't know whether or not this is a nice campground when it is being serviced. It may be, but I had a bad experience here that doesn't give me the confidence to want to return.

This campground is so slammed during the summer camping season that I usually do not get around to going. When half the loops close down for the off season is another story. There are some great spots along the beach, with in a stones throw from the Pacific Ocean. The bathrooms are clean, the showers have great hot water and it is mostly empty off season. The tree covered park is a great place to unwind when needing a nature recharge while away from the city! I love the beach and spend most of my time camping here wondering around in the sand looking for treasures or taking pictures. I usually try to plan a trip with my other VW friends. We share stores of the road, meals made over the fire, our love for Westfalia campers and a cold beer or two. The area has some great sight seeing, beach coaming, great little restaurants, hiking trails and long slow winding roads that call out to me. I make plans to visit at least 4 times a year and I'm never disappointed! I highly recommend this campground if on the Washington coast!

This is another solid spot directly off Highway 101 that is managed By Washington DNR and only requires a Discovery Pass ($30 annually) to stay at! Set pretty close to Highway 101 a mile or so south of the turnoff to the Hoh Rainforest this is a much better bet than actually staying at the campground within the rainforest. If you're lucky you can snag one of the few spots right along the slow, cold and deep Hoh River and have a perfect view from your tent or trailer. Other spots are higher and away from the river but still settled in the trees of the campground. 

I only saw one vault toilet there but there is a second section of the campground I didn't look at that may also have a toilet. There's a self-registration station at the entrance and a handicapped-accessible spot. I wouldn't take giant RV's down to this campground but it can accommodate smaller pull-behind trailers. 

This is really an amazing spot and I'm sure it fills up during the summer. Beware though that this basically free camping can draw some sketchy people and if there isn't a camp host around I wouldn't leave any valuables out of your car(Iknow from experience) but most campgrounds do have host in the summer months.

Campsite Review: This campground in the Sol Duc Valley is composed of several different loops and setups for every type of adventurer. In addition to the lodge with a general store and restaurants, there is an RV only parking lot which seemed a little different as it’s just a parking lot with hookups and a table at the end of each space. There was no separation whatsoever between them. However, the loops are more set into the fairytale-like forest and you feel much more like you’re actually in the rain forest. The campsites themselves seemed to all be kind of small, and a little close together but with nice flat areas, tables, fire ring, and lots and lots of underbrush you can’t really see your neighbors. We stayed at site 38 in loop A which had a nice tent spot set out under the trees along with a decent table and fire ring set back from what is basically a parking lot that was open to the road. When getting your site be careful about the exact size allotment if you’re in a larger vehicle, because these sizes didn’t seem correct. This site is listed as being a 35’ back-in, but it really is just a shared parking lot between this and the site next to it (37) across from the central restrooms. While the site might say it’ll fit your vehicle, the roads are narrow and there are a good number of trees and branches around which may impede your maneuvering if you’re in something large. Because our site and the one next to it have “spaces” for 2 vehicles each, we did have a few people whom would pull up park in the “lot” and then explore around the campground and loop at the board for available spaces which was a little annoying, but at least they aren’t walking through our site.

The toilet facilities in Loop A were clean, but could have used a good once over. They seemed to have been maintained, just not super regularly and thankfully no guests had come in and destroyed them. There was hand soap but unfortunately the hand dryers were broken (which I normally like because of the reduction of trash, but dislike because of the increased noise they produce). You have some potable water/dish cleaning spigots, but nothing is there to catch the waste. There are also a couple of bear proof trash cans and the camp host sold fire wood (pricey at $8 a bundle). However, you can collect downed wood whenever the host isn’t selling wood.

Amenities: standard picnic tables, fire rings, plus flush toilets, potable water, & bear/cougar proof trash cans |Prohibited: pets off-leash

Nearby Hikes: Sol Duc Falls, exploring some old growth forest with a waterfall (highly recommended), Lover’s Lane, Ancient Groves, a self guided nature trail, & a couple lake trails

You’re also just down the road from the Sol Duc Hot Springs, which is 3 different pools with the water pumped into them. At $15 a person, this seemed a little pricey, but you do get access to the showers, so if you’re really desperate it might be an option to clean up and then relax after some strenuous hikes.

This Olympic National Park Campground along the Washington coastal route is highly coveted, and frequently packed. If you’re lucky enough to get a reservation, or a cancellation (see the Dyrt Alerts), you’ll be treated to some of the best sunsets that the Olympic Peninsula has to offer, if you don’t mind a little traffic noise. 

Many of the campsites are tucked away under the spreading canopy of trees and moss, and little sunlight filters in. While others face the ocean and have more expansive views of the sky. We were lucky to grab one of the latter and had plenty of open sky for solar power and satellite internet. 

The bathrooms offer clean flush toilets and sinks, but no showers. The sites all have the typical picnic table and fire ring, but pay close attention to size limits within each site on recreation.gov because the sizes vary widely as does the space between sites. 

Activities abound in this park of the park, road cycling, nearby hiking in the forest, or miles and miles and miles along the wide sand beach. The shore is quite shallow here so the tidal flats are very wide. Many different beach access areas within a short drive bring you to different types of beaches, some with sea stacks, stellar tide pooling rocks and backcountry trails.  Head to the Kalaloch Lodge for a tasty dinner out!

Many NPS Park Ranger programs meet at these different beach locations. The Hoh Rainforest Visitor’s Center is about an hour and 20 minutes from the Campground. Also be aware of the traffic congestion at any of the visitor centers in Olympic NP, which can have you waiting for several hours to get into the park. 

The nearest town with groceries, laundry and restaurants is Forks, about 45 minutes away, but the nearby Kalaloch Lodge served an excellent table, reservations suggested.

This Olympic National Park Campground along the Washington coastal route is highly coveted, and frequently packed. If you’re lucky enough to get a reservation, or a cancellation (see the Dyrt Alerts), you’ll be treated to some of the best sunsets that the Olympic NP has to offer, if you don’t mind a little traffic noise. 

Many of the campsites are tucked away under the spreading canopy of trees and moss, and little sunlight filters in. While others face the ocean and have more expansive views of the sky. We were lucky to grab one of the latter and had plenty of open sky for solar power and satellite internet. 

The bathrooms offer clean flush toilets and sinks, but no showers. The sites all have the typical picnic table and fire ring, but pay close attention to size limits within each site on recreation.gov because the sizes vary widely as does the space between sites. 

Activities abound in this park of the park, road cycling, nearby hiking in the forest, or miles and miles and miles along the wide sand beach. The shore is quite shallow here so the tidal flats are very wide. Many different beach access areas within a short drive bring you to different types of beaches, some with sea stacks, incredible tide pooling rocks and backcountry trails.  Head to the Kalaloch Lodge for a great dinner out, then walk along the beach at sunset.

Many NPS Park Ranger programs meet at these different beach locations. The Hoh Rainforest Visitor’s Center is about an hour and 20 minutes from the Campground. Also be aware of the traffic congestion at any of the visitor centers in Olympic NP, which can have you waiting for several hours to get into the park. 

The nearest town with groceries, laundry and restaurants is Forks, about 45 minutes away, but the nearby Kalaloch Lodge served an excellent table, reservations suggested.

Campground Review:

Bogachiel State Park is poised right between the Olympic Peninsula Coast near Forks, Washington and La Push and the Hoh Rainforest. It's incredibly lush, so even though some campsites are closer together it never feels crowded. Instead, it has a lovely, meandering vibe.

I appreciate that there are a two campsites reserve just for bikepackers or walk-ins, as well as the larger car camping sites. There is also a group campsite and a ADA-accessible campsite for disabled campers. The bathrooms have showers, and are also ADA-accessible. RVs under 40 feet in length can be accommodated, too.

Named for the Bogachiel River that extends out of the Hoh Rainforest towards the Pacific, you can get your feet wet here and even go tubing. The location is pretty ideal— it's a reasonable drive from both Portland and Seattle and equidistant between the beach and the mountains, so it's a great basecamp from which to further explore the Olympic Peninsula over a multi-day camping trip. There are plenty of amenities to make your stay comfortable, but you still feel like you're really in nature, which is nice.

Product Review:

As a Dyrt Ranger, I'm lucky enough to occasionally have the opportunity to test and evaluate products. On this trip, I tested Ethnotek's Padu Dopp Kit Toiletry Bag, the Padu Zipper Pouch, and the Chaalo Pocket Travel Bag.

One of my biggest pet peeves any time I'm living out of a backpack is losing all my small items only to find them rattling around in the bottom of my pack later. Whether I'm camping or traveling, I like knowing exactly where all my charger cables, chapstick, hand sanitizer, pens, sunscreen, makeup, and hairpins are. The Padu Dopp Kit Toiletry Bag and Padu Zipper Pouch were perfect for wrangling all that ephemera within my big backpack.

Both the Padu bags are surprisingly roomy. I was impressed with how much I could fit into them. There are a number of thoughtful details, too. The Toiletry Bag is pretty on the outside, but the inside is made of water-resistant fabric, so I don't have to worry about spilled hand cream ruining my bag. There's also a mesh pocket so you can easily confirm the contents at a glance. The other interior pocket is made of that same water-resistant material, which is nice for keeping things like your toothbrush clean and separate.

The Padu Zipper Pouch is smaller and simpler, with no interior pockets. Still, it was plenty big enough to hold all sorts of things, like a few phone chargers, sunglasses, and my spare battery pack. I like that you can order both products in a variety of different exterior patterns, too. It makes it even easier to stay organized when I don't have to worry about mixing up my bags. It's also wonderful that these are sturdy and practical, but pretty enough that I can carry them as a clutch bag. Perfect for when you're trying to travel light and need your gear to pull double duty!

The Chaalo Pocket Travel Bag can definitely play multiple roles, too. You can use it to keep your essentials in one place within your larger backpack, like your keys, wallet, passport, credit or transit cards, point-and-shoot camera etc. It's long nylon strap, though, lets you use it as a cross-body or shoulder purse, too, just the right size for excursions where a day pack would be too much. No fumbling around looking for the car keys— there's an interior key clip. No looking for a pen, either, with the three pen slots. I was glad to have this when we wanted to leave Bogachiel and grab brunch at the River's Edge Restaurant on the Quileute Indian Reservation thirty minutes away.

Like the two Padu bags, the Chaalo is also a really attractive bag that is as nice-looking as it is sturdy. That's a bonus for me— sometimes I get tired of outdoor gear that is all about performance but leaves something to be desired in the aesthetic department. Bogachiel is in such a beautiful part of the world. It's nice to have bags that are just as attractive.

For FULL VIDEO Review CLICK HERE

When traveling in the PNW, a handy item to consider is the Discover Pass. Not only does it allow access to all of the State Parks, but it also unlocks the limitless possibilities of FREE camping throughout the state of Washington. 

I stumbled upon many campground which could be utilized throughout the state by simply having the pass, something which is somewhat of a secret they don’t share with you when you first visit the state itself. 

Picking up this pass guarantees you unlimited access to these facilities for one calendar year and is only$40. 

For more details about the Discover Pass CLICK HERE 

Campground Review: 

One of the many locations I found along the way was the HOH OxBow Campground, a semi improved campground just a short distance from the entrance to the Olympic National Park’s unique rainforest. When it comes to FREE camping in the area this is one of the more easily accessible sites with a quick turn out right off the 101. 

Staying in this area you can expect larger campsites with picnic tables and fire rings and a single vault toilet for the location. There are around 10 campsites at this location and if you are traveling with friends each of these has plenty of room for 2-3 rigs or cars. 

I found this site does fill however there are also some smaller pull outs over by the fishing area if you are looking to stay in your smaller vehicle. I pulled in later in the evening and needed a location for the evening which was relatively close to the rainforest, the next day’s adventure. It was pouring so camping in a tent was out of the question. I found a single parking/pull off area and discovered that you can stay here as well so it was perfect. 

The next morning I woke to a chilly morning but no rain and decided to walk around and explore and was welcomed into the natural beauty of the area. From where I was parked there was a small walking trail which departed the campground and ran alongside a river and to some spectacular views. A small boat launch was perfect for canoes or kayaks and is a popular area for fishing in this region. 

This site allows up to 7 days at a time, as do many DNR Managed Lands. You can stay here with a Discover Pass but must display it on your front dash at all times. Camping items must be attended to at least once every 24 hours otherwise you will be considered to have abandoned them, so don’t use this as a home base and explore a longer hike without checking in. 

Because this is a limited service site you will be required to pack in and out all of your trash as there are no pick ups or trash cans. You also cannot collect fire wood from the area and must bring your own. 

Something I really did appreciate about this location was the overall peace which came from exploring it. Though it was just off the roadway, I heard absolutely no road noise. I also noticed posted signs prohibiting ATVs from the area to keep the peace and quiet. 

TIPS: 

• Bring everything you will need for camping as this is a Primitive Campground and offers no store options. Should you forget something I suggest visiting Forks which is a short distance north along the 101. 

• Make sure you bring a raincoat. This area is known as a rainforest for a reason, it receives over a hundred inches of rain each year and usually this comes in the form of a constant drizzle. While you might be tempted to bring an umbrella but this can prove to be more cumbersome than helpful. 

• Download offline maps before coming to this area, especially if you have AT&T, service through this area is very limited and sparse. 

**Points Of Interest To Check Out: **

• Ruby Beach- Also known as Driftwood Beach this location is just south of the campground and offers great views of some unique aspects of the Washington coastline. You will most enjoy seeing the many creations people leave on the beach from the washed up logs from the surrounding forest. 

• Forks- This community is a unique place to visit in the state as it has been a part of the film industry for several projects, most famously known as the area for which they filmed Twilight. In addition to some familiar locations you can find a few interesting places to stop in town which have a lot of historic value. 

**Product Review: **

As a Ranger for the Dyrt I am able to check out some amazing gear and provide feedback from my travels and the practicality of usage. For this trip I was able to check out some very useful items from Banner & Oak. 

Did you know that you lose the vast majority of your body heat through not covering your head? Studies prove that over half of your body heat is lost through your head when not covered. Reasoning relates to the amount of skin exposed accounting for 7% of your total skin surface area and most of that rarely covered, unlike much of the other portions of your body. 

A quick way to ensure your body stay warmer during cooler conditions or to keep you feeling cozy on a typically rainy day is to wear a hat. 

On the day I visited the HOH OxBow Campground it was especially chilly following a night of excessive rains. Though I had several Banner& Oak hats with me, the one I reached for was the Banner& Oak Range Beanie in the Color Olive. 

The beanie retails for$24, a bit higher than I typically would spend on a beanie, but it was apparent as to why the additional cost once I put it on. Unlike many beanies I have tried over my adventures this one is a bit thicker as it uses a double layered knit. It is resistant to most elements through its construction and quickly became a favorite for cold weather. Despite being a thicker set material I found it to fit snug without being to tight on my head and it allowed me to style it in several ways depending on my need. 

For the cooler day of hiking through the rainforest, where it later began to rain I wore the hat in a more slouchy offset to the back styling. When I was a little further down the road toward Crater Lake and stumbled upon freezing temperatures and light snow, I was able to place the beanie more firmly on my head and lower on the ears for more coverage and warmth. 

All in all between the fit, color and options it provided me for warmth I would rate this as one of my go to items when it comes to cool weather travel. The investment in good headwear is important and often times overlooked when it comes to packing for an adventure, but this one proves that it is a necessary point which should be considered on every travel check list. 

TIPS: 

• When shopping on Banner & Oak check out the men’s section even if you are a woman. The hats on the site do vary from section to section slightly and in my opinion some of the more fun hats are featured on the men’s listing.
•  Remember when packing for winter to bring closed back hats and beanies as opposed to snapbacks with open vents this will keep you warmer when you travel during cool weather. 
• Consider wearing a beanie when you sleep in colder weather, this will keep your body temperature much higher even when in a tent.

discover pass is needed and they are adamant about checking for them. not a lot of cell service great for some piece and quiet !