Join the fun near Ellensburg. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Ellensburg is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
"This is a great place to camp and ride ORVs they have a beginners loop trailhead attached to this site as well as a trail head to a larger trail system."
"This is a well-known primitive camping area for rock climbers and other outdoor recreation folks (there are also hiking, biking and boating opportunities in the Frenchman Coulee recreation area)."
"Plenty of car camping and is a popular spot for rock climbing. There's a trail down to the waterfall and one toilet but no tp so be prepared."
$10 / night
"Walk in spots. Walk-in is about 100 yards. Quiet. Some wild life. Frogs and sheep. Good place to drop in and find a spot last minute depending on the day and time of year."
"Picnic tables and tent pads on crushed rock probably 1/4-. I couldn’t find where to park."
"The campgrounds are right next to all the climbing vantage has to offer. You can park right next to your site, have fires."
"Right outside the entrance to Mt."
"If you come here you must leave no trace."
LegendWe stayed here 2 nights and will definitely be coming back. Tons of open sites to choose from right along the river. Designated fire rings but currently there's a burn ban. No vault toilets or picnic tables. Pack it in, pack it out! When we first arrived we spent about 20 minutes cleaning the site we chose after the people whom were here before us. Not such a big deal just a little saddening. #1 rule is to leave no trace. Extremely grateful we get to explore and camp on land that is free. We should all do our part and take care of it.
A little surprising that we had cell phone reception with sprint!
Near this area there are a lot or activities. Biking, hiking, swimming, fishing, kayaking.. to name a few!
GuideThis campground seems almost brand new. There are no hookups and no water on site, though there are several vault toilets.
Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, tent pad, and path down to a rocky beach on the Columbia. The sites are definitely not large enough for most RVs, so I'd consider this tent or van camping only.
There's not much shade at the sites, but you can get out of the sun near the river.
The biggest drawback to this spot is that it's just of the highway. You can and will hear air brakes all night. For me, staying on the Columbia was worth it.
GuideThis is a great state park to set up camp. It is always very busy. The sites are relatively spread out. There are two different sections for camping: an upper and lower. To me, the lower section doesn’t seem as nice. It has more trees, but the camp spots seem to be closer together. Likewise, the lower section just feels a little more rough than the upper section. The views are spectacular. There is a boat launch, and a swimming area. Furthermore, there is also a small store, and a mini-mart across the street. What makes this place great is the actual camp sites. They are huge. What makes it difficult for tent camping is there are a ton of sprinklers that turn on frequently. It is important to watch where you stake down your tent. For this trip, we brought our RV and a tent. During the summer, the temperatures during the daytime are hot! Luckily each site is equipped with water and electricity. There is no WiFi, but the cell service is outstanding.
GuideCooper Lake is absolutely stunning and admittedly the campsites are situated pretty well for views and privacy but there are definitely Pros and Cons to this campground.
Pros:
Right on the lake and if not you get a very private site walking distance to water
Great hiking trail
Lake access 24/7
Lot's of big shade trees
No internal combustion motors
Vault toilets in good shape
Dumpsters
Cons:
Extremely busy (and LOUD) day use area
Steep hill and trails to all the sites - pack light and even then it is A LOT of work getting into your site
$18 for a walk in site...? eh a little steep for me
Did I mention the loud day use area with lots of screaming kids?
No bear boxes by the lake so you also have to trek your cooler/dry goods up the hill every night to not attract wildlife.
All in All this was a solid 3.5 stars. There were pros to out weight the cons but in the end if I am going to walk that far to haul my stuff into a site I want it to be pretty remote/serene OR be a little cheaper.
TravelerWe didn't get to camp right next to the water (unfortunately) as all of those spaces were full (for obvious reason). We were able to find a spot just on the other side of the bridge, which was a short walk to the creek. We ended up unhooking our tent-trailer to fit in the site, but there was lots of room and level ground to have set-up a tent elsewhere on the site (it just wasn't accessible with our tent trailer). Gorgeous surroundings, the sound of the rushing water lulled us right to sleep at night.
Vault toilet and potable water.
ScoutThis campground is better suited for tents, not RVs or camper vans. Many of the sites are small and lack privacy, especially those in the west end. We reserved on line and there was no notice that sites 30 and 31 share the vehicle space! Since we were camping in a van, we felt like we were in an ordinary parking lot and not camping. Two strange vehicles parked immediately next two us the whole time. There were some other shared parking sites too. Ok for tent camping because you can tent away from the parking area, but not ok for vehicles.
In addition, people kept walking through our site (and we watched them walk through other occupied sites). One day, my hubby wasn't feeling well, so we took a nap only to be woken by our dog growling because a man and women were peering into the side window of our van! WTH! Numerous people walked through through our site even though the end was a restoration area clearly marked to stay off of, but people walked through it anyway. And, then there were the young men playing football in our site. Oh, and the dogs not on leashes. One knocked me over when it jumped on me from the bushes as I was heading to the restroom at night.
The only good thing was that the vault toilet was the cleanest ever vault toilet. No odors!! Kudos to the guy who cleans it!
LegendEastern Washington near the water is my favorite type of landscape. It's a hot, windy, and a true desert climate. When you get near a body of water like you do along the Yakima River, the diversity of life expands and makes for great wildlife watching.
Umtanum Recreation Site is part of several BLM campgrounds lumped together along the Yakima River known as the Yakima River Canyon Campgrounds. All can be reserved ahead of time via the reservation.gov website: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/250985. Standard for most BLM camping in Washington, sites are very basic. Gravel parking, pit toilets, and a picnic table. This place does have a dumpster for trash, not all do. There are no hook ups, no drinking water, and in our case, very little shade. Neighbors are close and there is not a lot of privacy. The day use area is right there too, close to camping and can be loud. It is heavily patrolled by the wonderful BLM folks to keep everything clean and the people orderly. They also give out tickets if you don't mind the warnings for correct passes or day use fees.
The campground itself is one little loop with six sites. The loop is an offshoot of a very large gravel parking area for day use. Mostly boat launching and hiking access to Umtanum Creek and Umtaum Ridge trails. You can check the Information Board for rules on day use and camping fees, passes, and how to check to see if a site is reserved.
We arrived on July 3rd in the afternoon. The campground was very quiet and all the sites were reserved. The morning of July 4th, the recreation site turned into a total madhouse. BLM Rangers, Law Enforcement, making constant rounds to patrol the never ending hoards of people coming to park and float the river. There was a lot of noise, dust, drunk and rowdy folks. Friday was calm again until afternoon, Saturday was not as bad as the 4th but still pretty crazy. It was also hot! No shade to be had in our site. After hiking in the morning, we spent a lot of time across the bridge, in it's shadow, in the river.
If you are using this spot as a base to do some hiking, fishing, or floating it's very convenient. I am sure in Spring and Fall when river floating is not at it's peak, it's gorgeous and peaceful. The raptors and songbirds are splendid. We saw Bighorn sheep on the hill, big rock squirrels, wild turkeys with babies, and fish. No rattlesnakes or ticks, but this is prime territory. Hiking down the Umtanum Creek trail, over the suspension bridge, is one of my favorite hikes ever.
TravelerFirst of all, this is western Washington: it rains! We had two days and two nights of rain. Snow was still on the ground, and it was cold. Fortunately we were in an RV. There are only one or two sites on this logging road that are available for RVs our size (ours is a Class A 35') about a mile up the compacted gravel road from the lake. Road is packed well, washboard in some sections. Great for vans. Secondly, the site was trashed. We picked up a full garbage bag of trash. On the upside, it was very peaceful, and there are very cute little critters--chipmonks, humming birds, and butterflies. Beautiful wildflowers and a beautiful creek running behind the campsite. There are three fire rings, and plenty of places for tents. No water. No electricity. We enjoyed our stay and we sat outside for a couple of hours in the sunshine on our last day.
GuideShort jaunt to the lake which is a popular fishing spot for those willing to carry a boat. Ample room for RVs; no tent camping unless you like sleeping on gravel. Toilet is clean and maintained. Some noise from the off-road vehicle recreation area across the road, but quieter at night. No tree cover for shade but I visited in the springtime and the weather was pleasantly cool.
Tent camping near Ellensburg, Washington offers a chance to immerse yourself in nature, with various campgrounds providing unique experiences and amenities for outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best tent camping spots near Ellensburg, WA?
Ellensburg offers excellent tent camping options within driving distance. South Fork Tieton Dispersed Camping provides scenic riverside sites with designated fire rings in a pack-in, pack-out environment. For tent campers seeking established facilities, Owhi Campground on stunning Cooper Lake offers well-situated sites with good privacy and lake access. These locations provide contrasting experiences—primitive riverside camping or a more developed lake setting with hiking trails—making them perfect for tent campers looking to explore the natural beauty surrounding Ellensburg.
Are there any lightweight travel trailer camping options in Ellensburg for those who want to upgrade from tent camping?
Yes, several areas accommodate lightweight travel trailers for those transitioning from tent camping. Frenchman Coulee Backcountry Campsites can accommodate small camper trailers in certain areas, though access roads require careful navigation. Kachess Lake Logging Road Campsites has limited sites suitable for smaller RVs about a mile up the road. For travel trailer camping, consider sites that mention vehicle accessibility and avoid areas requiring high clearance. Remember that many dispersed camping areas around Ellensburg have uneven terrain, so smaller, more maneuverable trailers work best.
What is the best season for tent camping in Ellensburg?
The optimal season for tent camping around Ellensburg is summer through early fall (late June to September). The area experiences typical Western Washington weather patterns, with rain possible year-round but most consistent dry periods during summer months. Some higher elevation sites like Corral Pass Campground may have difficult access earlier in the season due to steep, slick roads and downed trees. Late summer provides the most reliable weather window, while Rocky Coulee Recreation Area offers an interesting desert-like experience with unique wildlife viewing opportunities during warmer months.
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