Best Tent Camping near Davenport, WA

We 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.

I 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.

General: 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.

This is a gorgeous camping area. 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. I’m camping at the top of the trail which has a few spots for those with RV’s. The road that leads down to the lake/camping area is steep and winding. I would not suggest anything over 25 foot length try to go down because you may not get back up. If you’re pulling a car or trailer you’ll want to be mindful. But many trucks pulling aluminum boats drive down to the boat launch that goes to the upper lake.

There is a second site about 22 minutes away (coffee pot recreation site) that is more accessible friendly for larger rigs and setups and a boat launch to the lower lake.

This is the primitive portion of Steamboat Rock State Park along the Columbia River. There is a boat launch and vault toilet but no water or garbage. There are large cottonwood trees to shade the sites. When we were there in October, their golden foliage shone in the sunlight.

The sites are small and close together. Campsites are in either side of a gravel road leading to the boat launch. There are 12 sites plus an ADA site. There is a small day use only area. There were only 3 other campers when we stayed so it was quiet.

There is a golf course next to the campground. My Verizon signal was strong. The campground us situated far enough from the highway that road noise was negligible.

ETA: there is a dispersed site across the highway on public lands. Photos show the evening glow of the rocks.

**Campground Review: **

 Pend Oreille County Park Is a deceptive name as it is really a large piece of beautiful forest land off highway 2 run by the county. There are miles of hiking/biking trails in this dense forest. The day use is free and has plenty of parking. There are also a large open picnic shelter, ADA accessible vault toilet, Picnic tables, grills/fire pits, and potable spigots. There is also a nice little stream that runs through the day use area during the spring. 

The campground is only$10 a night per site, which is a great deal for what you get. There are 26 sites that each have A picnic table, firepit and area for a tent. There are no defined pads but plenty of cleared area. The best thing about this place is how dense the trees overhead are, the whole area is well shaded for those hot summer days. Another great thing about this place is that I have yet to see it packed, which is strange as it is right off the 2. Even though it is close to the 2, there is enough forest in between that you don't hear any cars. Overall great campground for weekend getaways!

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Product Review:

 One great benefit of being a Ranger for The Dyrt is that I get to try out products occasionally- today the product I am reviewing is.. Men's Rebel Stretch Shell Jacket from Red Ledge. To start I have to say this is the neatest rain jacket I have owned. It is super light weight and rolls up to fit in a ziplock bag! I was impressed with the way it kept water out during a freak monsoon I was in. The zipper is a very cool waterproof design that has 2 separate zipper heads, I found this useful to leave the bottom unzipped a little for easier access to pants pockets. Another great feature of this was the design of the pockets. They are VERY large and secure. There seem to be velcro and cinch cords everywhere ensuring a great sealed fit. The hood has a built in bill which was really nice, though I have yet to adjust the hood correctly so it doesn't flop forward a bit too much. The shell is actually very warm so I will be using it as a full jacket, this will be nice come winter. 

When purchasing be sure to order a size larger if you plan to wear a full sized jacket under it. My XL wont fit over most of my xl jackets but will fit over a large.

 Over all this is a super well made jacket and you can tell the design was a labor of love. I would recommend this to anyone buying a raincoat for backpacking or just all around use. Thank you Red Ledge!