Best Cabin Camping near Ephrata, WA

We 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!

This campground must cost a mint to maintain - the lawn is midwestern-perfect and trimmed to perfection, the landscaping is gorgeous, and the campground is sprayed nightly if mosquitoes are particularly bad even in the height of August. That being said, there's nothing delineating your site from the neighboring site, so you're really just sharing a lawn with a hundred of your fellow campers. This campground is very popular with families with young children, so be prepared to have kids whizzing around on their scooters at all hours of the day. It was kinda awesome to see kids play in the street in a way i bet they couldn't at home.

So the cabins - that's what you really want. they're air-conditioned, comfortable, and clean. there's a fridge, a picnic table, a fire pit, and your own personal patch of pristine kelly-green lawn. worth EVERY penny!

I really like this place, but a lot of it depends on which level site you want to spring for. I’ll start with the cons: camp sites are pretty close together. Tents sites are real close RV sites are so close that or picnic table was only 6 ft from the sewer connect for the next site. No grass at the mid level trailer hook ups, either. Also the dock was down (I blame COVID), but I can’t hold it against them. Fire pits at each site. Tons of amenities: Pool and hot tub (also COVIDized) shuffle board basketball court, Kids play structure, mini golf board and boat rentals, a store... The lake is great, though, once you get past the first 6 feet of muck. It’s warm, shallow, but appropriately named. The water tastes soap and has a film, but that’s the “healing” part, right? The premium RV sites are great. Bigger, some grassy areas, at least one even has a hot tub. There are also teepees and cabins. It’s a cool little space.

We have been to the Blue Lake Resort during June 2021. The location is awesome, quiet and peaceful for a relaxing vacation. The breeze is welcoming& gentle enough to get fresh air. Very friendly staff, good walking, can get out onto calm rides on water, get some fresh water swimming, catch good fish. Newly added Domes and Glamping sites are nice and they are more attrea We stayed in newly renovated cabin. Very clean with new management upgraded everything they can think of. Cabin has all the amenities including full kitchen. The location is awesome, quiet and peaceful for a relaxing vacation. New Management renovated the entire reort including RV, Camping spots, Cabins and especaially bathrooms. All the amenties water/electric, showers, kayak and motor boats rental are included in rental price. So no surprises at the end. It's a must visit stay place for camping/glamping and dome experience

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.

I have stayed at both. Both are excellent! The resort is clean, comfortable, shaded green grass, and the mechanical hook ups for RV’s are in good working order. Plenty of amenities to make your extended stay enjoyable.

The state park pads are decent. Fire ring and picnic table are provided at no extra cost. Most of the pads are very level. Grass is green, bathrooms clean, and the kids run wild. Close enough to the water to have easy access. There are RV spots in the back that are new. I haven’t stayed there yet, but I’ve driven through. It’s far enough from the main campground to be a lot more relaxed, and more suited for people that do not enjoy the kids running rampant.

Two things that neither place have any control over: wind and mosquitoes. The wind will blow hard at night. It doesn’t matter if it was dead calm when you went to sleep at 2am. Pick up and secure anything that will blow away or be damaged by high wind.

When check out time comes around, the day use area has lots of parking to finish the day in the water.

Very well kept campground. There are bathrooms with showers right in the center of the park. They are sticklers on the parking situation so don’t expect any leeway. I believe it was 2 cars max with one boat and camper. Either way though they will only allow 2 cars. Otherwise quiet hours start at 10:00. you can walk right down to the water. Bars are a 10-20 minutes walk depending on which one you go too. Camp spots have electrical hookups only. It’s a dry campground but as long as you have covers on your beers or are using a cup then they won’t bother you.

Campground Review:

Potholes State Park is located in Central Washington, a bit south of Moses Lake. The climate is arid desert so expect hot days, cool nights, and occasional gusty winds. The park itself has some fun features and if you are into fishing or wildlife watching, I found it to be a great spot for both. The campground is divided into RV or hookup sites, a separate area for tent sites with some cabins mixed in, and a large day use section with a boat launch, restrooms with showers, a huge tree filled lawn with picnic tables, and a pretty fun little play ground. You can reserve ahead on the Washington State Parks reservation website. We did not make a reservation and there were a lot of open sites when we arrived on Saturday, even with the beautiful weather. I strongly doubt that will be the case as the summer continues. I would check ahead to see what you can get before heading out.  

The RV sites have power, water, and sewer. They are arranged like a wheel, you drive around the small center and the other trailers are the spokes in the wheel. There is no barrier between you and your neighbor, but all the sites are grassy and the loops are surrounded by a ring of poplar trees. There is a bathroom with flush toilets and token operated showers centrally for all to share. There are 6 wheels like this, a total of 60 RV sites just opposite of the boat launch and day use area. 

We stayed in the primitive or tent sites in the lower area of the campground. The sites along the water are in full sun most of the day, so be aware if that's not your thing. The sites along the inner part of the loop have a mix of poplars and other trees. That provides some shade and tress for a hammock.  No designated tent pad, but plenty of flat spots. All have a picnic table and fire ring. Not a ton of privacy, but it's much more secluded than the RV sites. Also, the bathrooms down here are vaults. No hand washing or showers for us, at least without a walk. There is a loop towards the group tent site and another towards the boat launch, for a total of 61 sites. Mixed into the primitive sites are cute cabins with air conditioning, if you really want to get away from the heat!

When we arrived, the Ranger at the park office offered to let us drive down and choose what site we wanted. I was sure from looking online, that I wanted one by the water. Once we got to the site I chose, we realized that we would be baking in the hot sun all day with no relief. It was at the beginning of the loop so we got the traffic and dust from everyone driving by and we were right on top of neighbors on either side. My husband went up to see if we could move and the Ranger was so nice! It was no problem to move across the road to a shaded site with trees so we could hang out and put up our hammocks. We had no neighbors the entire time. It got a little noisy on Saturday night with the sounds of other campers having fun, but by Sunday night we were alone and when we left on Monday, there was one other camper in our end of the tent loop with us.  

We encountered lots of animals in the park. The bird sounds are incredible. I wish I would have made a recording. Mourning doves, quail, robins, and red wing blackbirds among the many. Deer walked through the campground and beavers and otters were swimming in the reservoir while we did some fishing from the group camping area. We did not encounter too many bugs, but the season is still early. We did see two snakes. One swimming towards us while we were fishing on the boat, the other in our camp site. This was a baby rattlesnake, not a gopher snake. My husband noticed it as he walked by our picnic table because it hissed at him. It was curled up underneath. Very angry with us and ready for a fight when we got a stick to move him. It put up a good fight. I am just glad we noticed it before we stepped too close in shorts and sandals! I want to be clear, this is not anything against the park. You are in snake country and this is that animals home. Just be aware especially if you have little kids running around. 

We went to Potholes to go fishing with some friends on the reservoir for Walleye and Bass. If fishing is your thing, this park is great. You don't need a boat either. There are plenty of shore fishing spots and hiking trails to pass the time. The businesses right beyond the park have good food, a bar, gas, a golf course, and really good ice cream! I love this area of Washington and I can't wait to go back.  

Product Review:

As a Ranger for the Dyrt, from time to time I get awesome products to put to the test while camping. On this trip, I got to test the RovR RollR 60 Cooler. Check out the product website here: https://rovrproducts.com/product/505229344820/6841244385332

First, the basic stats on this RovR RollR 60. This is a 60 quart capacity, rotomolded body cooler. It has foam insulation and an airtight gasket. It has a fast flow drain plug and is certified bear resistant. It sports all terrain, puncture resistant tires and has an aluminum dual sided padded handle so you can pull it from either side and not clip your heels. The color offering is green, orange, white, or pink at least for this size. The fun features that really set it apart are the inside dry bin, the top mount soft wagon bin for extra gear hauling , and all the extra attachments you can purchase to make your RovR perfect for you. You can add on, for an extra cost, a fishing rod/umbrella holder, dual cup holder, cutting board, stash bag, or bike hitch. Yes, you can attach it to your bike and tow it around! You can also get the wagon bin in other colors /designs. This cooler according to the website promises to compare to the other “high end” pricey coolers out there, if not outperform. RovR even promises to keep ice for 11 days under proper use and conditions!

I was excited to take it to sunny, warm Eastern Washington and test it on a fishing trip with friends. I knew it would spend a full day out in the direct sun, be opened and closed countless times, get banged around at speed, and have to be drug to the boat and back by hand. Also, my friend is a fishing guide and a Yeti fan, so I was looking forward to his opinion.

RovR’s instructions are to pre-chill the cooler 24 hours prior to loading with a sacrifice bag of ice and only add cold items to the cooler when ready. When it was time to load, none of my “sacrifice” ice had melted at all from the prior day. We were able to fit most everything we needed for food into the cooler for the whole long weekend. It is large but fit in the back of the SUV without an issue. When we arrived at Potholes, we set it out in out campsite and got to work with dinner and beverages. Everything was icy cold with no melt. Our fishing guide friend came over and fully checked out the RovR. He was pretty impressed! He thought it was cool looking and loved the wheels and handle, a feature his large Yeti does not have. That and his Yeti is poo brown not beautiful green like my RovR. The next day, we drug the RovR across two campground loops over to the boat launch. The mini monster truck tires handled all the dirt and gravel with ease. It was easy to pull and maneuver. We loaded it on the boat and had a full 9 hour day of fishing for Walleye and Bass in full sun. Even at speed, the RovR did not bounce or wander around on the bow. Overall, it did a great job and I am very happy with its performance!

My favorite feature has to be the dry bin inside. It keeps items cold but dry. I can’t tell you how many wet egg cartons and soggy zip lock bags I’ve dealt with over the years. If you camp for any length of time, at some point you inevitably have a chilly swimming pool of food. Not with the dry bin! I was able to load my salsa, meat and cheese, eggs, but it will also hold liquor or wine upright and cold. The bin is held down with a screw in disk so it’s removable if you have a need for more room. While my ice was fairly melted by Monday, everything was still icy cold. I am also sure that if it was not left out in the 80 plus degree sun ALL day, it would have performed admirably. But again, all my food and drinks were still as cold as before the day of sun, so that’s really saying something about performance potential. Also, when we arrived home, the wagon bin was great for throwing the headlamps, shoes, hammocks, and all the other loose items into it and hauling them down to be put away in one trip. It never leaked or showed condensation. It was also easy to open and close, unlike some of the other fancy coolers, even though it has similar rubber gasket type latches.

The only issue I have with my RovR RollR 60 is that it’s heavy! Fully loaded, my husband and I had to team lift it into the back of the SUV. My kitchen is also downstairs so to load it and get it to the garage I have to maneuver it up and down our stairs. It’s not an easy task. The other super minor, picky complaints are the handle, which is really comfortable to pull and hold in your hand, hangs centimeters from the ground. In our dusty campsite, the handle got really dirty which makes your hands really dirty. If you are trying to prep food out of your cooler that might be an issue. Finally, the wagon bin that the RovR comes with is white in color, initially. I don’t know about you, but I get pretty dirty while camping. White is an unfortunate color choice for the outdoors. We left it behind completely for fishing even though when flat it makes a nice cushion to sit on. You can get other super cool prints, but you have to buy them separately. Once my white bin becomes super gross I will definitely upgrade.

It doesn’t matter if you have an RV or prefer the tent, a good cooler is an absolute must. And, if you are going to invest the money in a cooler, why not buy one that not only performs at an outstanding level but has some neat features and a little spunk as well?

We have made 2 trips to Blue Lake Resort during 2021 year. The place is quite serene and beautiful. I highly recommend staying in the dome with lake view. The morning and evening views are spectacular. The staff was very friendly and accommodating to our requests. Free kayak and paddle board was icing on the cake. The lake breeze and the freshness of air kept me 2 more days than planned. The public restrooms and showers were very clean. Another advantage was the dedicated cooking sites. Couple of days it was hard to use the outside cooking due to wind and those enclosed cooking sites were a great option. This saved us from traveling for food. Second time we stayed in the renovated cabin. Well thought layout and having a dedicated kitchen and bathroom is very convenient. The only drawback is, these cabins are not waterfront. You still have the view of water but not as good as the dome or glamping site. Kids enjoyed the glamping sites more than the cabins. Prices are reasonable and most of the facilities(kayaks/paddleboard) are included in the pricing. Kids enjoyed the kayaks and paddle boards. Overall it’s a good value and we will be regular here.