Looking for the best campgrounds near Gifford Pinchot National Forest, WA? Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Gifford Pinchot National Forest is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Gifford Pinchot National Forest and user-submitted reviews.
$20 - $40 / night
"This campground is located along what is possibly the best waterfalls in Washington state."
"The fire pit is spacious and has several areas to hang up hammocks and a dog tethering system.
The bathrooms are a 2 minute walk towards the river and we’re very clean odor free during our stay."
$25 - $45 / night
"While my husband trekked up Mt Adams, I sat and enjoyed this peaceful lake with beautiful scenery.
There is a tent only loop and an RV/Tent loop."
"Our campsite was spacious for three couples and three dogs, and the lake is absolutely gorgeous to float on. Bathrooms are pretty well kept up, and there is firewood for sale with the camp host."
"The waterfalls were beautiful, with a passing river that had a short hiking trail (< .5 miles) along it. We didn't do our research, but the site doesn't offer much in terms of hiking."
"It's another of the smaller campgrounds with only 5 walk in sites. I usually stay in smaller places or go dispersed style when possible.
It's a bumpy windy road down to the campground."
"This is a lovely lake campground in the forest with gorgeous views of Mt. Adams. The campsites are private and separated. There was a few mosquitoes when we went, but not too bad."
"Just got back from a quick overnight trip up to Council Lake."
$18 / night
"Bit of a drive in, and since it’s FCFS, definitely get there early if you want a good spot."
"This is a lovely and small first-come, first-served campground along the banks of picturesque Horseshoe Lake. It's an amazing setting with most sites having a view of the lake."
"Enter Trout Lake Creek campground. Quiet, unassuming and, miraculously, with 3 campsites left."
"The Sleeping Beauty trail is a short drive and well worth the effort. This is truly a hidden local gem and only about 20-25 minutes from the tiny community of Trout Lake, at the base of Mt. Adams."
$27 - $50 / night
"Iron Creek is a great camp site in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The river runs near the camp was a great spot for the kids and dogs to play. Camp sites were large spacious and private."
"There is a path from our campsite that join the bigger walking loop around the campground and access to the river. We were there after the July 4th holiday so it was quiet."
"Elk Meadows is far up a well paved road just before the entrance into national forest land. "
"Elk Meadows is a lovely site with plenty of shade on the vast majority of the spots (the ones that sit on the edge of the meadow, with the best view, have less shade than those in the center)."
"I've been to Ollalie Lake Campground several times in the last few years. Most recently in Aug 2019. I like that it's quiet and small, with only 5 spots, and limited day use parking."
"The paramount feature of this campground is the beautiful Mount Adams directly across the lake."
"A Lake or a pond is your front view, the back is cliffs, prairie, and wildlife. Spent the day with a Fishing Guide (1-509-860-7233). I hope the pictures show how great this place is."
GuideIron Creek is a great camp site in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The river runs near the camp was a great spot for the kids and dogs to play. Camp sites were large spacious and private. I would highly recommend this campground!
LegendOklahoma campground is mainly a pleasant overflow area if you can't find a site at the slightly more scenic Panther Creek campground down the road. Clear and flat, Oklahoma was named for where an influx of settlers were coming from in the late 1900s. The nice features are ease of use, being next to a wonderfully wild little stream and under great tree cover. Hiking and exploration are amazing within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest area, so you're within a prime natural space here.
LegendMoss Creek is in prime middle south territory of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest wonderland, right by the Big Lava Bed, Lil' Huckleberry Mountain, the Pacific Crest Trail, Forlorn Lakes and the Mt. Adams Ranger Station. That each site is so uniquely its own is what makes this special - the raw campsites right by the road, the dip down to #8, right by a creek, that #12 sits up with a beautiful forest view right out the door (see pic) and the very helpful/pro-active campground hosts behind. Moss Creek isn't crowded and is easy to find, right by Hwy. 14. So what if it's not spectacular scenery-wise. You just can't go wrong here.
LegendWhat a great way to spend our weekend. This place was a wonderful place to stay while hiking within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Washington offers so many hikes and beautiful places to see the best views. Mountains everywhere! This campground was great, located just off the road. It is pretty easy to find, and you dont have to go up a bad forest road to get there. The campground is great, pretty basic. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire ring. The people who must have stayed at our campsite before didnt really do a good job of cleaning. We picked up after them, which wasnt a huge deal to us. The campsites were a decent size- fit our tent, hammock and 4 people comfortably. The hiking was great. Highly recommend checking out the hiking spots nearby. The most amazing views ever!!
LegendGreat campground in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Smallish campground with about half the spots right on the river. Nice day use area slightly separated from the camping. Picnic tables and fire rings. Mostly tents when we were there, but there's also pull-through driveway type spots that could fit a trailer. At just $12 per night, price can't be beat.
Plenty of trees and grass. Most spots are slightly exposed to the turn-around road, but still feels private since there's space and trees between the spots.
Not too far from Mouton Falls, which are amazing, plus other hiking and swimming areas nearby.
LegendGifford Pinchot National Forest is a veritable wonderland, let's put that on the table right away. Lava flows, waterfalls, views of huge mountains and huge rivers, tons of berry picking, the Pacific Crest trail... it's ridiculous. So enter Kalama, with easy access, varied campsite sizes, space between a lot of them and a crazy - and I mean crazy - amount of trails. And if you like mushrooms... O M to the G. Check out the photos! We woke up in the morning and marched up Mt. Saint Helens. With or without horses (they couldn't fit in the trunk), with or without beer, it just doesn't get any better than this.
GuideThis is my go-to campground when visiting the Gorge area. Located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, just north of the town of Carson. Its about a 20 minute drive to the Columbia river, and 10 minutes to the small town of Carson. Its tucked away down a beautiful Forest road. You are nestled amongst towering old growth trees, wild ferns and thimbleberries, with Panther Creek running alongside the camp. The 2018 season had excellent campground hosts, I hope they return next year! They were very friendly and had helpful tips for trails in the area.
The pit toilets were clean, though heavy smell of ammonia which is not unusual at campgrounds like this. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. There are potable water pumps, as well as garbage and recycling. Frequented mainly by families, and some PCT hikers, as it is located just of the PCT trail. They have first come first serve as well as reservable sites. It fills up quickly on the weekends, so if you dont have a site reserved I highly recommend getting there early. Each regular site is $18 a night. Enjoy!
LegendThis is the kind of campground that we love, small, quiet and lovely. Tucked right on the banks of the East Fork of the Lewis River and on the edge of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, this is a great get away for anyone in the Vancouver / Portland area. The campsites are small with pull-through parking that could accommodate rigs up to 35’ or up to three vehicles. It’s short enough to walk it before pulling in to see if you’ve got enough room to turn around.
The sites all have fire rings, and picnic tables and a small tent pad. The vault toilet buildings have taken the brunt of 3 decades of the Washington moss and lichen so were further along the way toward decomposition than I normally like in a bathroom building and smelly, but they were clean enough to use. The water was clean and good tasting and the campground hosts were friendly and efficient.
The campground was pretty forested, but we were able to still charge up our solar powered system even on cloudy days in one of the less wooded sites. We didn’t even need to pull out our portable solar panel, which we often do when camping in forested areas, allowing the camper to be in the shade, keeping it cool, and being able to put the panel out in the sun.
Nearby recreation opportunities are endless, from the world-class paddling on the Lewis River to many nearby creeks and streams. The area is a waterfall chaser’s dream, with many parks and hiking trails within 20 miles, just follow the road back downstream and stop at the many parks along the way. The road is pretty narrow and I wouldn’t recommend riding road bikes along the busy paved roads, but further into the forest the dirt road offers some great access and is perfect for gravel bikes.
In this area you’re about 20-30 minutes from suburban Vancouver WA, where pretty much everything is available, including some pretty fabulous wineries. Check 'em out!
GuideThis is a great base camp for exploring the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
The campground and facilities is very clean and well maintained. Most sites are in a wooded area with good shade.
The day use area is along the river with boat ramp and dock. However, THERE ARE NO FALLS. The other reviewer's photos are not from here. There is a damn downstream which creates a slow moving river good for boating. The river is very cloudy murky green a result of ash and sediment runoff from the Mt St Helens eruption.
Loops:
A-Loop: water & electric. A mix of shaded and open grassy sites. Outer are pull through, inner are back in. You will find the most private sites in this loop.
B-Loop: no utilities, possibly tents only. These are the only sites which are not paved. Many are right next each other. It's like they had it laid out well but then jammed in a few more as an afterthought.
C-Loop: Group RV water & electric. This loop is interesting. It’s a paved circle with a treed center with group tables and firepit. Circle your RVs like a wagon train.
D-Loop: water & electric. This is an RV neighborhood where everyone has a "Welcome to our campsite" sign and there's a common covered area with tables. Sites have the table to rear of site.
Discovering pet-friendly camping spots near Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington allows you to enjoy the great outdoors with your furry companions. Here are some excellent options that cater to both you and your pets.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Gifford Pinchot National Forest is Lower Falls Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 26 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 173 dog-friendly camping locations near Gifford Pinchot National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
