Best Campgrounds near Hartline, WA

Camping areas around Hartline, Washington include several state parks and dispersed sites situated within the Columbia Basin's dramatic landscape of lakes, coulees, and shrub-steppe terrain. Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park offers tent, RV, and cabin camping with developed facilities including electric hookups, showers, and drinking water. Steamboat Rock State Park, located near Banks Lake, features multiple campground loops including Bay Loop, Dune Loop, and Cove Loop, all providing a mix of accommodation types from tent sites to cabins with varying levels of amenities. Trail Lake Dispersed camping area provides a more primitive experience for those seeking fewer facilities and no reservation requirements.

Road conditions and accessibility vary significantly across the region's camping destinations. Many sites require a Washington Discover Pass for day use or overnight stays, particularly at state park facilities. "The whole area was very interesting, orchards, rocks and water. Worth a visit!" noted one visitor about Steamboat Rock State Park. Summer temperatures can be extremely hot in this high desert environment, while strong winds are common year-round and can impact tent camping. Several campgrounds close seasonally, with many operating from late March through mid-October. Cell service is generally available at developed campgrounds but becomes limited or non-existent at more remote dispersed sites. Water levels in the region's lakes fluctuate seasonally, affecting shoreline camping and boat launch accessibility.

Waterfront access represents a significant draw for campers in the Hartline area, with multiple campgrounds situated along Banks Lake, Lake Roosevelt, and smaller bodies of water. Visitors frequently mention the quality of fishing, particularly for trout and kokanee. A camper described Trail Lake as offering "beautiful views and lake access" despite having minimal facilities. Mixed-use campgrounds that accommodate various camping styles tend to receive higher ratings, with several reviewers appreciating the combination of natural settings with adequate amenities. Wind exposure is commonly cited as a challenge, with one reviewer cautioning: "Make sure you secure down any camping gear/tents/etc as the wind tends to howl through this area at night." The region's unique geological features, including the dramatic Dry Falls formation, provide distinctive scenery not found in other Washington camping destinations.

Best Camping Sites Near Hartline, Washington (98)

    1. Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park

    21 Reviews
    Coulee City, WA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 632-5291

    "We hit this site very early season for a Northern Washington trip. All facilities were open and clean and the site was super quiet and beautiful."

    "I do not suggest the Sun Lakes Resort campsite that is not managed by Washington State Parks unless you like being packed in like sardines. Camping at the state park managed campsite is far better."

    2. Bay Loop Campground — Steamboat Rock State Park

    11 Reviews
    Electric City, WA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 633-1304

    "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."

    "Great camping spot at a state park with trails and lake access. This is a big park with lots of amenities and lots of people in the summer time."

    3. Dune Loop Campground — Steamboat Rock State Park

    7 Reviews
    Electric City, WA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 633-1304

    "Most spots were very nice, and many were right next to the water. My guess is that it's a busy park during peak season, but our shoulder season timing was perfect for peace and quiet."

    "Nice and close to the water. Great for swimming boating hiking you name it! New favorite nearby place!!"

    4. Cove Loop Campground — Steamboat Rock State Park

    6 Reviews
    Electric City, WA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 633-1304

    "Wonderful swimming, boating, fishing and hiking all within walking distance of all campsites.

    Sites are spacious and very well cared for, but not private."

    "Each site has access to nicely manicured lawn. The lake is a lot of fun and great walleye fishing. The bathrooms are starting to get a little old but bring your own camper for full hook ups!"

    5. Sage Loop Campground — Steamboat Rock State Park

    6 Reviews
    Electric City, WA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 633-1304

    "The entrance will be on the right with a sign.

    The whole area was very interesting, orchards, rocks and water. Worth a visit!

    We stayed for an overnight."

    "Nice clean well maintained park with lots of access to the water. Kinda pricey for full hookup. We booked late in the year so we had to move twice within a 5 day stay."

    6. Trail Lake Dispersed

    7 Reviews
    Coulee City, WA
    13 miles
    +1 (509) 633-9265

    "Great spot to disperse camp, no toilets , great for swimming fishing kayaking paddle boarding and disperse camping, sunken boat at edge of water cool feature. Lots of bugs and spiders."

    "The lake is large and a beautiful clear blue."

    7. Coulee City Community Park

    4 Reviews
    Coulee City, WA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 632-5331

    "Its a great family campground there is a park to play plus your right by the lake so kids and adults are wading in and swimming all day."

    "Great location to so much fantastic outdoor activity. Fall is definitely my favorite time to go."

    8. Blue Lake Resort

    12 Reviews
    Coulee City, WA
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 770-2267

    "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 nice walkable paths and waterfront. Keep your eyes open for the Blue Lake Resort. Great place to bring the family and pets. kayaking and fishing was Fun for the kids. Enjoy your time..."

    9. Ankeny #1

    4 Reviews
    Coulee City, WA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 754-4624

    10. Spring Canyon Campground — Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

    10 Reviews
    Coulee Dam, WA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 754-7889

    $30 / night

    "We came here to enjoy the lake.  The campground was right on the lake shore with a great sand beach!

    They sites are pretty close together but were usable. "

    "Nice campground overlooking the waters of Lake Roosevelt, created by Grand Coulee Dam. A reviewer stated that there are pit toilets only but there are flush toilets also."

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Recent Reviews near Hartline, WA

271 Reviews of 98 Hartline Campgrounds


  • Meghan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 30, 2025

    Goose Creek RV Park & Campground

    Goose Creek RV Park & Campground

    Quiet little RV Park in a quiet little town. Warm showers and laundry facility on site. RV park wi-fi was pretty bad. AT&T cell service worked great when 5G was shut off and used LTE instead.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Trail Lake Dispersed

    Nice, but…

    The road is rough but short. Plenty of spots available to park/set up a tent. The lake is large and a beautiful clear blue. The downsides is that it’s close to a loud popular road, the mosquitoes are horrendous, and there’s trash all over the place because it’s a local fishing spot. Overall a decent place to stay.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 18, 2025

    Alta Lake State Park Campground

    Nice for an overnight

    Lake sites have beautiful views, both nice sunrise and sunset. However the RV sites on the lake are basically a parking lot with campers sitting side by side, no privacy, any conversation is easily overheard. Facilities were very clean. Easy to access dump station.

  • GThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 10, 2025

    Goose Creek RV Park & Campground

    Nice, Green, Quiet, Enjoyable Stay!

    This is a really nice park, a gem in the middle of wheat and ancient lava flow fields. Great staff, well maintained and green, lush grass. Restrooms, showers and laundry are available, full hookups for all sized rigs (30/50). Small, quaint town, great burgers at Billy's Burgers, a really great spot for a stopover or as a base to Lake Roosevelt. Long and short-term stays are here, but nothing seems run-down or questionable. Sites are large. I'd stay again, for sure. The park store was really well-stocked with RV essentials, impressive for how small the space is. Another gem in town was steps away, a hardware store, where I purchased everything I needed for some cabinet repairs to my trailer; good prices, nice people.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 5, 2025

    Jameson Lake

    Peaceful

    Peaceful and quiet, but can imagine right time of year it could get really busy because there’s a lot of space for camping. Minus one because you need to pay/need a pass to stay.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 5, 2025

    Trail Lake Dispersed

    Trash Everywhere

    We checked out about 5 campsites here and each was covered in trash. One even had a full black garbage bag. Looks like a place for people to go and party. It was a shame because the views were beautiful and I would’ve loved to stay and paddle-board.

  • Mark M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 16, 2025

    Alta Lake State Park Campground

    Lovely Campground

    Two Loops. Loop off the lake has larger sites with more privacy and view of the cliffs. The loop in the lake has lake views but the sites are on top of each other with no privacy. There are concessions for the kids on a large grass beach area with floats you can use. The view is amazing.

  • bThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 9, 2025

    Trail Lake Dispersed

    Nice Lake, bugs are very friendly 😁

    Enjoyed our time here. The entrance is not marked that I can see. Follow the directions to a Bob wire fence where you turn in. There is a turn off not too far in on the right. I assume there are more campsites. Unfortunately, when we went, there was a sizable mud puddle that I didn't feel like driving through. I'll explore that next time. But further ahead it opens up to the beautiful lake. The campsite(s) are surrounded by the lake. Kinda like a peninsula. It's a large area with room for a good size group or maybe up to 5 individual sites. There were remnants of a few fire rings. Only one other small family camping when we were there. The water is nice and cool. Good for cooling down on a hot day. Saw a few people fishing from small boats. There are no trees for shade. But there are lots of very friendly bugs that want to say hi. When we first arrived, it was pretty breezy. As soon as it died down the welcoming community came out in full effect. Which just happened to correspond with when we were making dinner for the night. They, of course, invited themselves. It got so bad that as soon as we were done cooking, we each took our plates, and scurried away to our tents to eat and turn in for the night. There was a good variety of bugs. Mosquitoes, small flies, no see'ems. They probably wouldn't bother you too much if you had a fire going and maybe some bug repellent. But bugs are to be expected when you're next to water. And since there were lots of bugs there were also lots of birds to watch. As far as the actual camping, it's kind of a chore to set up tents just because the ground is so rocky. But if you have a good mallet and sharp tent steaks as well as some patients you'll be fine. It got pretty cool during the evening, even chilly overnight. So it was pretty comfortable overall. There is a noise factor to deal with though there are some roads nearby so you do hear cars throughout the night. But overall, it's a pretty nice place with a beautiful lake. The cell reception for T-Mobile was great. It seems to be a first come camp. I believe it is free. We have a Discovery Pass. But we saw zero signs to say either way and there was no pay station. We would definitely come back. Just with better bug protection and floaties for the lake😁

  • Laura B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 2, 2025

    Trail Lake Dispersed

    So many mosquitos!!

    Beautiful spot, but literally the most mosquitos I’ve ever seen (and I used to work in the woods of northern Maine). My family can deal with basically any conditions and we bailed to drive into the night after 30 minutes of painful tent set up.


Guide to Hartline

Camping options near Hartline, Washington range from established state parks with full amenities to primitive dispersed sites across the Columbia Basin. The area sits at approximately 1,900 feet elevation with summer temperatures frequently exceeding 90°F from June through August. Water levels in Banks Lake fluctuate considerably between seasons, affecting shoreline camping locations and boat launch access.

What to do

Hiking at Steamboat Rock State Park: The dramatic rock formation rises 800 feet above Banks Lake, offering moderate to challenging trails. "We enjoyed this place alot. We walked over to a nice sandy beach and kids walked aways into water before it got deep. We really enjoyed this place... We hiked part of the ways up but didnt go all the way," notes a visitor to Bay Loop Campground.

Fishing opportunities: Banks Lake provides excellent fishing conditions for walleye, bass, and trout. "Fishing was fair for walleye, bass. Hiking was abundant. Easy in and out," reports a camper from Bay Loop Campground. The fishing season typically extends from April through October, with early mornings and evenings being most productive.

Water activities beyond swimming: Rentals available at multiple locations. "There is a boat ramp and and rental boats and small store. If you get a beach front campsite you can beach your boat at your site," explains a visitor to Blue Lake Resort. Several campgrounds offer kayak, paddleboard, and motorboat rentals ranging from $25-50 per day.

What campers like

Beach access for swimming: Sandy beaches provide safer water entry for families with small children. "The swimming area is a short walk away. There's also a second swimming area and a playground within the park that is a quick drive," reports a visitor to Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park.

Wildlife viewing opportunities: Expect to see deer, wild turkeys, and waterfowl. "We enjoyed the deer, pheasant and wild turkeys wandering the grounds," mentions a visitor to Bay Loop Campground. Morning and evening hours provide the best wildlife viewing conditions.

Lake views from most campsites: Many established campgrounds place tents and RVs near water. "Really pretty site! There's beach access with clear water and it's all nestled between canyons. Very quiet but doesn't feel isolated," explains a camper at Spring Canyon Campground. Water visibility often exceeds 10 feet in clearer lakes like Roosevelt.

What you should know

Intense wind conditions: Sudden strong winds can damage camping equipment, particularly at night. "It got very windy at night even though it was completely calm when we went to bed. Just a warning to be sure to stake your tent out if you are tenting it like we were. Our tent tried to make a break for it when we were unpacking in the morning," cautions a visitor to Ankeny #1.

Mosquito problems near lakes: Insect activity increases dramatically at dusk. "Lots of bugs. Saw a few people fishing from small boats. There are no trees for shade. But there are lots of very friendly bugs that want to say hi," warns a Trail Lake camper. Bug activity peaks from June through August and intensifies near sunset.

Variable campsite quality: Site privacy and amenities differ significantly across campgrounds. "I was there for a trail run race that went deep in the Sun Lakes back country and the floor of the Dry Falls area. Just stunning scenery. The camping itself is the standard state park experience, sites close together, not much for privacy. But they are nice spots, and well maintained," reports a Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park visitor.

Tips for camping with families

Cabins for extreme heat protection: Air conditioning provides crucial relief during hot summer days. "We went here during the summertime and the cabins were just awesome they have a little AC unit in there which made it great to relax and after we had gotten home from hiking around in the rocks," explains a visitor to Cove Loop Campground. Cabin rates typically range from $75-95 per night.

Water safety precautions: Lake depths can change abruptly. "We walked over to a nice sandy beach and kids walked aways into water before it got deep," notes a Bay Loop Campground visitor. Designated swimming areas provide the safest conditions for children.

Playground locations: Several campgrounds offer dedicated play areas. "It was nice and quiet during our stay. The views were beautiful especially of the Grand Coulee Dam," mentions a Spring Canyon Campground visitor. Most playgrounds lack shade protection during midday hours.

Tips from RVers

Hookup variations by loop: Different campground sections offer varying levels of services. "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," reports a visitor to Sage Loop Campground. Most full-hookup sites require advance reservations during peak season.

Water pressure concerns: Some campgrounds struggle with consistent pressure during busy periods. "The water coming out of the spigots is hot so I assume the pipes weren't buried deep enough," notes a Blue Lake Resort camper. RVers should consider bringing a pressure regulator and water filter.

Dump station availability: Not all campgrounds provide on-site dumping facilities. "There are no hookups at this location. First time boon docking, so we were not sure what to expect," explains a Spring Canyon Campground visitor. Most campgrounds with dump stations charge a $5-10 fee for non-campers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Hartline, Washington and how do I get there?

Hartline is a small town in Grant County, Eastern Washington, located about 26 miles northeast of Moses Lake and 15 miles east of Coulee City. The nearest major highway is US-2, which runs east-west through the area. If you're coming from Spokane, take US-2 west for about 90 miles. From Seattle, take I-90 east to US-2 and continue northeast. The area is accessible year-round, though winter driving conditions can be challenging. Many visitors pass through while exploring Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park, which is about 20 miles northwest of Hartline.

What camping options are available near Hartline, WA?

Several excellent camping options surround Hartline. Steamboat Rock State Park offers multiple campgrounds including Sage Loop, with beautiful views and access to Banks Lake. Alta Lake State Park Campground provides lakeside camping with well-maintained facilities and beach access. For more primitive options, Jameson Lake offers dispersed camping in a remote setting. Lake Roosevelt provides multiple camping opportunities, including Jones Bay Campground with water access and basic facilities. Most campgrounds in the region require either a Washington Discover Pass or camping fees ranging from $18-30 per night.

What is there to do near Hartline, Washington?

The Hartline area offers diverse outdoor recreation opportunities. Water activities abound at Spring Canyon Campground, which features a sandy beach perfect for swimming and boating on Lake Roosevelt. Off-roading enthusiasts can explore Moses Lake Mud Flats and Sand Dunes for some exciting terrain. Hiking trails are available at Osbourne Bay Campground, where you can enjoy the golden cottonwood trees in fall and Columbia River views. For a unique experience, visit the dramatic geological formations at Dry Falls, one of the largest waterfalls to have ever existed. Fishing is excellent at several nearby lakes, particularly during spring and fall seasons.