Coulee Dam is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Coulee Dam is surrounded by family-friendly activities. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Washington camping adventure.
"Area was well used, so native grasses were well trampled, as it is the first boat-in camp from Grand Coulee Dam."
"Thought we'd be sleeping in the car in a parking lot after the laser light show at the Grand Coulee Dam, but we found a spot at this nice campground just a fe miles away."
"I always take my boat in because there is a dock, but one time I saw people there with no boat and when they left, they wandered into the woods, so I assume there is some way to hike in and out."
"A Washington Discover Pass is required. 14 day max stay. But once you drive down to the lake/camp sites there is ZERO cell reception."
"Great FREE camping near lakes, fishing. Vault toilets. Limited internet at top of road but none at lake side."
$23 / night
"Dirt trails on the water which is a beautiful little cove on lake Roosevelt. Bald eagles, and lots of bugs. Most often in the summer you can hear the big pow wows going on across the river at night."
"Clearest lake I've ever seen !"
"I love this place no cell service, no power no water just my family and the lake"
ScoutThis place has a vault toilet and small boat launch by way of amenities. No tap, no garbage disposal so make sure to pack in your water and pack out your trash! The water is calm enough to swim here and doesn't get too deep, so could be nice for kids. The wind can get EXTREME at night so stake down your tent and don't leave anything out at night if you want to see it in the morning. Also heard from a local that rattlesnakes like to visit. Enjoy!
LegendRight off the highway, on lake roosevelt. 18 dollars a night. There are fire rings, picnic tables and vault toilets. All short walk in sites. Access to water, great for kayaking.
TravelerWe had this place completely to ourselves when we stayed there...it was amazing! There is lake access with a small dock and boat launch, a common area consisting of covered picnic area with picnic tables, and a public vault toilet. We were camping in a tent trailer; easy access and ample space to turn around. Sites are fairly level and are back-in only...though there appeared to be a spot for RV parking (no hook-ups). There is a line of trees near the camp sites offering partial shade (depending on where the sun is), but the sun gets pretty brutal; other than the covered picnic area, shade is limited.
Note: There was no water available when we visited (locks on pipes & faucet handles removed), so be sure to bring your own!
Wildlife: We witnessed a confrontation between a giant heron and an osprey...it was pretty impressive! The heron made a noise that sounded a lot like what I'd imagine a pterodactyl would have sounded like. Also, we heard what must have been a pack of at least 6 or 7 coyotes a little after 11pm...and then heard wolves howling in the wee hours of the morning. Super cool!
Lake: We didn't have a boat or fishing poles...but I'd imagine that the lake would be great for both. It had a fair bit of algae...so probably not a lake you'd necessarily want to swim in. My husband, however, found the lake to be great for flying his RC float plane. Oh! And there was an old abandoned cabin on the opposite side of the lake...creepy cool.
TravelerI stayed here one night in July 2021. The sites are in groups of four with one gravel/dirt parking spot for each campsite. Behind the parking spots are picnic tables, a tent area and a fire ring for each site. Generally the area is weedy, grassy or dry dirt/sand. Most sites have lake view / access, although it seemed grassy and muddy to get there. Probably ok to put in a kayak or a canoe. It seems like many people come here for fishing and boating.
Sites 8-18 weren’t open when I came.
-Vault toilets. I didn’t use, so I can’t comment. -No water or trash available
Verizon 1 bar 1x (useless?) ATT 2 bars LTE (decent) Both marginally better with a booster
The views were beautiful at sunset.
The larger campground to the south costs $37-$50 a night. That campground is more developed with amenities, grass but very close neighbors. Osbourne campground to the north is also primitive like Jones Bay and also $12 a night but the sites are in one giant parking lot all facing each other so you have lots of neighbors.
TravelerThe campground is beautiful. Because of the fire that destroyed the campground, there is next to no privacy on each campsite.
Pros: -Stars were incredible- we saw the milky-way and a few shooting starts -clean flushable bathrooms -views, access to hikes -cool lake to swim in -cellphone service (although we opted to put our phones in airplane mode to unplug) -family friendly
Cons: -noise: during quiet hours there was zero enforcement of quiet time. We had a camp next to us partying until 1am and another group up at 6am putting up a canopy and being incredibly loud -no privacy at campsites -there is a fire ban, so if you are hoping for s’mores make sure to bring a propane stove (not a con for us, but may be for others) -bees: there were so many bees. If you are allergic I recommend staying away. We had a screened in canopy and still managed to get several inside -not a ton of shade, mostly because of precious fires
ScoutDocked here in mid Sept 2020 to camp for the night. Area was well used, so native grasses were well trampled, as it is the first boat-in camp from Grand Coulee Dam. Vault toilet, fire pits and picnic tables for 4 sites bioat dock supports up to 8 boats. Overall nice camp spot.
RangerWe stayed a couple of nights in the cabins in this campground when they were brand new in 2013. Personally, I'd be wary of tent camping in the summer here because it gets very hot. Returning from a day hiking on the rock and chilling in the AC of the cabin was priceless.
The location is great, you can walk right from the camp area up the mesa which has incredible views, or go swimming in the lake or any other water based activity. It's a short drive to town where there's a grocery store and the Grand Coulee Dam, which is a must-see if you're in the area. At night they do laser light shows, which was a fun side trip.
The facilities are great, water tap nearby, picnic table and fire pit with grill at the site, and clean restrooms with showers (that you pay for). The bathrooms get pretty sauna like in the heat but are survivable. We had a blast trying our hardest to grill things on the fire pit, though we did break down and use the microwave in our cabin at least once... The minifridge in the cabin was also nice for that. Glamping at it's finest!
LegendThe spaces were quite large and not very shaded. The lake is nice, but you can't see it from any of the campsites. Lake Ellen West is by far better. If you go down the road a little, there is a beautiful view of the lake. Vault toilets, picnic tables and fire rings are available. There are also dumpsters.
LegendGeneral: Three campgrounds (Sage, Dune, and Bay Loops with a total of 136 full hook-up sites and 26 standard sites) in the main park plus primitive sites at Jones Ba (44) and Osborn Bay (36) with vault toilets and no water, 12 boat-in sites north of the main campground and five campsites for equestrian campers in Northrup Canyon. There are also three cabins in the Bay Loop that each sleep five.
Site Quality/Facilities: We stayed in the Bay Loop. The sites were all very generous in size and spaced a decent distance apart. The drives are paved and can accommodate large RVs. Each site has a large metal picnic table and fire grate (although there was a fire ban when we were there). Park volunteers were very visible throughout our stay maintaining the campsites.
Bathhouse: The bathhouse in the Bay Loop was the more modern of the two I saw. It was clean and had one shower stall BUT there were NO hooks or bench (other than a useless tiny shelf above the sink) to put toiletries; my bag fell and the top of my moisturizer container broke making a huge mess! There are also two all-in-ones. Showers were 50 cents for every three minutes and I managed to do a three-minute shower!
Activities: So much to do but you have to bring your own toys! I had read there were kayak and SUP rentals but could not find where to do this anywhere in the park. There is a swimming beach, boat launch, fishing pier (and fish cleaning stations in each camp loop), basketball, volleyball, playground, and paved walking trails connecting the beach and all the camp loops. I was disappointed that the Steamboat Rock trail was closed when we were there due to fire danger. Also, the concession stand selling burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, etc. is closed on Monday and Tuesday and, of course, we were there on a Monday!
The scenery is beautiful, and the campground is very well-maintained. The price is steep ($50) but at least you don’t have to pay extra for the Discover Pass. All in all, we had a very nice stay here and would come back again, hopefully to hike the Steamboat Rock trail with the reward of Huckleberry ice cream.
Tent camping near Coulee Dam, Washington, offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, perfect for those looking to escape into the wilderness.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Coulee Dam, WA is Plum Point — Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.
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