Best Cabin Camping near Index, WA

Several campgrounds near Index, Washington provide heated cabin rentals with varying amenities. Wallace Falls State Park Campground in Gold Bar offers rustic cabins with basic furnishings, while Flowing Lake Park & Campground features heated cabins with bunk beds that provide comfortable winter accommodations. "We typically visit the cabins here in the winter, so we don't usually partake in the summer activities of swimming, boating, etc., but we do love coming here in the winter. The cabins are heated and have bunk beds, which makes for a cozy retreat into nature," notes one visitor. Thousand Trails Thunderbird in Monroe provides cabin options with more extensive amenities including electricity and indoor plumbing. Most cabins include picnic tables and fire rings outside, with varying levels of interior furnishings depending on the location.

Cabin sizes range from small one-room structures to larger family accommodations that sleep 4-6 people. Most state park cabins require advance reservations, especially during summer months when availability becomes limited. Pet policies vary by location, with some cabins being pet-friendly while others prohibit animals entirely. Jim Creek Wilderness Recreation Area cabins feature "a porch swing, campfire ring, table and grill outside. Most cabins have an electric heater and a heat stove inside. The heat stove heats up the entire cabin very well!" Private cabin rentals typically cost more than standard campsites but provide protection from weather and greater comfort. Winter cabin camping is particularly popular in this region, with some locations offering seasonal wood supplies for heating.

Visitors should plan to bring their own bedding, pillows, and cooking supplies as most cabins provide only basic furniture and sleeping platforms. Kitchen facilities vary widely, from simple countertops to small refrigerators and microwaves in premium units. Flashlights and lanterns are essential for cabins without electricity. While some campgrounds have on-site stores with basic provisions, the town of Index has limited shopping options, so most cabin campers bring groceries from larger towns before arrival. Bathroom facilities are typically shared unless staying in deluxe cabin units with private facilities. Many cabins include outdoor cooking areas with fire pits or grills, though fire restrictions may apply during dry summer months.

Best Cabin Sites Near Index, Washington (37)

    1. Tolt MacDonald Park, WA

    22 Reviews
    Carnation, WA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (206) 205-5434

    "The campground is in 500+ acre Tolt-McDonald Park, far enough away from any busy road so that there is no traffic noise, just the sound of the Tolt River rapids."

    "Camping in Tolt McDonald park for Timberfest in the roof top tent was better than any previous camping I’ve done there."

    2. Wallace Falls State Park Campground

    3 Reviews
    Gold Bar, WA
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 793-0420

    "I picked enough berries to share with my crew. There is nothing better than perfectly ripe blackberries on a camping ⛺️ trip."

    "We arrived and only had hammocks to camp in and the two walk up sites did not provides trees to manage our hammocks."

    3. Thousand Trails Thunderbird

    7 Reviews
    Sultan, WA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "WiFi wasn’t the best but hot spots worked well enough. Showers and restrooms were clean"

    "This is a good campground just off Hyway 2 and on the river, some site are directly next to the river, however, we choose a site on the other side of the road due to the full hookup there."

    4. Old Cascades Highway Dispersed

    7 Reviews
    Skykomish, WA
    18 miles

    "couple miles East of Skykomish, up a paved road, the campsite is just before you go over the bridge on your right and had enough room for high clearance vehicles to pull into it and smaller cars have roadside"

    "We really enjoyed our spot off of Old Cascades Highway. There are a few good tent spots that are pretty tucked away."

    5. Flowing Lake Park & Campground

    12 Reviews
    Everett, WA
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 568-2274

    "We typically visit the cabins here in the winter, so we don’t usually partake in the summer activities of swimming, boating, etc., but we do love coming here in the winter."

    "Site I was in was very big with plenty of space ( picnic table/fire ring) and I got a site with electric/water. The site also has a connecting trail which was nice."

    6. Tall Chief Campground

    15 Reviews
    Fall City, WA
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "Lots of trees in our section separating us but in other sections your really close to each other. It is first come first serve and lucky us we got 50 amp."

    "We really enjoyed our stay here it was very quiet and peaceful sites were long and roomy with a fire ring and picnic table. Good cell service with AT&T and Sprint."

    7. Lake Wenatchee State Park Campground

    46 Reviews
    Leavenworth, WA
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 763-3101

    "Quite liked this campground, a few things to note first about the site then the park."

    "I was really impressed with this state park!"

    8. Kanaskat-Palmer State Park

    30 Reviews
    Ravensdale, WA
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 226-7688

    $20 / night

    "We stayed 1 night here for the maiden voyage of our recently purchased travel trailer, which was nice since it's only about an hour away from our place near Seattle."

    "It's close proximity to our house allows us to hook up the trailer after work and include a Friday night in our camping weekend!"

    9. Hollyhock Farm

    1 Review
    Duvall, WA
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 453-5535

    $35 - $65 / night

    "The sites were secluded from one another within a beautiful forest, the toilet was clean and fairly close to the sites, parking was easy and the host was a total gem! Highly highly reccomended :-)"

    10. Blue Sky RV Park

    5 Reviews
    Preston, WA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (425) 222-7910

    "A Quiet oasis tucked into the forest. The new and clean bathrooms and showers were a real treat after a 2100 mile journey from Texas."

    "We reserved a space for 1 night the day before. Great communication with Brett, everything went really smooth. The facilities are great and very clean, the park very quiet."

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Cabin Reviews near Index, WA

295 Reviews of 37 Index Campgrounds


  • S
    Sep. 6, 2023

    Camano Island State Park Campground

    Group Camp Stay

    We stayed with several families at the group site with a mixture of trailers, tents, and tents on cars. The trailers ranged in size from 22’ to 36’ and we found ample space for each.

    This site has close access to the bathrooms shared with those staying in the cabins. Peekaboo views of the water between the trees.

    The site has several campsites that branch off of the road through the site which is also a trail. It has a central gravel area for a large group or trailers next to a large field area. There is no kitchen shelter, just picnic tables, fire pits, and a grill.

    The site feels very private but you have people passing on the trail/road, which runs through the middle of camp, at regular intervals.

    The park is full of steep hills which can make those with mobility challenges or kids wanting to ride bikes tough. The road to the beach is very steep.

    Bring bug spray as mosquitoes were vicious as well as the yellow jackets.

  • J
    Jul. 7, 2018

    Lake Easton State Park Campground

    Perfect for a one night stay

    This was a lovely campsite. It was smaller, yet felt large enough so you had your own privacy and space. There were clean facilities available, as well as drinking water and trash bins. Our lot was spacious with a nice picnic table, fire pit, and area for our two person tent. Everyone around us was respectful of one another and wasn't too loud late at night. There are trails behind the campsite that lead down to the river, or just a short drive away is the 'beach' and bridge overlooking the lake. It is peaceful and although the highway is close by, seeing the beauty of the area makes you think and feel you are deeper in nature. I would definitely stay here again for a longer period of time!

  • Justin C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 9, 2023

    Lake Wenatchee State Park Campground

    Great camping near Lake

    Quite liked this campground, a few things to note first about the site then the park.

    Site: 31 Great distance between tent pad and picnic table with a few well placed trees for hammock/ clothing line Fire ring was great distance from picnic table. Great privacy (granted the people in the site next to us weren’t there) Close walk to bathroom/showers & Trash Short 5 minute walk to the lake.

    Park: Showers were actually free Normally it is pretty windy, but there was no wind both days we were present Mosquitos were worse than usual, but a constant cost of DEET and a anti mosquito candle kept them at bay, still got bit up a bit There is a pretty legit store with camping stuff, espresso, and ice cream Playground near beach area By the beach there was a dude selling kayak/ paddle board rentals, he does not come on especially windy days Kind Staff, met camp hosts dog

    I’ve also attached some photos of the RV sites from the north campground

    Definitely will come back

  • Kim K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 1, 2019

    Teanaway Guard Station

    Sleep in a Bit of History

    I recently rented the cabin for the weekend in February. I've already made a reservation for a summer weekend, but this review is based on winter use.

    The cabin comes with a stove & a battery lantern, with the expectation that you'll provide the fuel & the batteries. A previous user had left a propane canister and left the batteries in the lantern. It's a nice gesture, but come prepared with your own. I'd also brought along a propane lantern, and I'm glad I did. (Although this did violate the "no open flames in the cabin" rule - more on that later.) The interior of the cabin is very dark, and while the battery lantern provides light, it's only bright up close. Plan to bring your own lanterns, especially in the winter when the night's dark comes early. There are some board games and books in the cupboard, as well.

    The bunkbeds are covered in plastic, but it's a thin cellophane so it wasn't noisy. There are provided pillows; I didn't use them. The bunks' mattresses are comfortable. Because of the way the Forest Service installed the bunkbed & the cupboards, the bunkbeds don't fully benefit from the heat of the woodstove. In the winter, you'll want a warm sleeping bag.

    I broke the "no open flames in the cabin" rule because it was 16°F outside, and my meals needed to simmer. I imagine this rule is designed to protect the cabin as well as to protect visitors from CO poisoning. I placed the stove near a window and opened the window a crack, and I never turned my back on the stove. There's a CO monitor in the cabin, and truth be told, the cabin's drafty. But if you're going to break the rule, understand the risk you're taking, and for the love of all that is holy do not burn down this cabin.

    The lock on the woodshed is the kind that the tumblers need to be lined up before you take the key out, but it's also a little worn so it's possible to take the key out without it being lined up. If that happens - as it did with me - it's really difficult to get the key back into the lock far enough to unlock it. (I had to heat up the lock & the key with a candle to get the tumblers "unstuck.") Be very careful with the lock, or you may find yourself having a chilly night. (Wood is only provided during winter rentals, so this doesn't apply for the summer folks.)

    The toilet paper in the vault toilet is kept in a heavy plastic tote. My guess is this is to protect it from rodents. Please keep the lid on tight.

    I wish I'd brought along a pair of camp shoes to keep my bed socks clean. There's a warning that you should expect every surface in the cabin has been contaminated by mouse urine & droppings. Consider that during food preparation. (I used some plastic wrap to cover the countertop to give me some clean space to work.) I didn't see any rodents while I was there, but there were droppings in a few places. There's no running water, so I'd recommend bringing hand sanitizer as well.

    I was carrying more than my usual backpacking load, and I'd planned to haul things in on a sled. Unfortunately, I failed to test out my sled setup & practice pulling a sled, and on the trail it turned out to be a dismal failure. I got very lucky in that a nearby cabin owner saw me, took pity on me, and hauled my gear in & back out for me. However, his was the only one of the cabins along the road in use that weekend. If you're going to do something similar, be smarter than I was and test out your gear & your technique ahead of time.

    Although the river is nearby, it has a steep bank and I wouldn't risk trying to get water out of it during the winter. I utilized the woodstove's cooktop & melted snow. It's not the tastiest, but it's fine for cooking with.

    I will definitely come back, and next time I will be better prepared. I enjoyed the brief glimpse of life in a remote cabin: splitting wood & kindling, needing to keep the woodstove going through the night, et cetera. But I'm grateful someone else cut the wood and stocked the shed, and that I had access to modern winter clothing & recreation devices like lightweight snowshoes & waxless skis.

  • Abby M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 11, 2021

    Howard Miller Steelhead County Park

    Stayed two nights

    What a lovely campground! There’s a day use area with a bathroom and picnic tables right before entering into the campground. This place allows you to pay to park in the lots for $15/night if you are occupying it which is nice when the campground is full. There’s trash bins located throughout the campground as well as restrooms and shower houses (quarters needed). Dump station is $5. Several free options to pick from based on your setup. If you are paying to overnight park in the parking lot, you technically are not supposed to be using any of the amenities within the campground itself including the shower. If you speak with the Office and allow to pay them directly. They are very accommodating to allow you the bathroom code for the showers. They ask you only stay one night in the parking lot but you can ask for an extra night but get approval.

    There’s a bar and grill across the road with pizza and dog friendly. There’s trails around the campground to walk. Very pretty views of the water at half the sites. Camp hosts were very kind and came around at night to check to make sure everyone paid to stay so make sure you do if you are in the parking lot! Had fantastic ATT service and was able to work well. Varied from 3-4 bars of 5G. Only 30 minutes from NC NP entrance. Definitely would stay here again!

  • Marisa N.
    Jul. 18, 2018

    Flowing Lake Park & Campground

    The cabins are a lot of fun!

    We typically visit the cabins here in the winter, so we don’t usually partake in the summer activities of swimming, boating, etc., but we do love coming here in the winter. The cabins are heated and have bunk beds, which makes for a cozy retreat into nature in the winter. The only reason that this spot did not get full stars is because the park has had transients hiking through the trails (which made for a scary 2 a.m. bathroom break).

  • May. 29, 2018

    Camano Island State Park Campground

    Wonderful group site

    Stayed in the group site with my daughter’s American Heritage Girls troop. We had 22 girls and there was plenty of room. This is a huge group site. Has running water, a couple fire pits and a bunch of picnic tables. These are lots of level spots to pitch tents. The flush toilets and shower house are in the parking area for this site so really convenient. We drove down to the beach from the site but I’m pretty sure there is a trail if you wanted to walk. We had a great time!

  • Missy C.
    Nov. 15, 2022

    Tall Chief Campground

    Nice, quiet and woodsy

    We are here in November for a week. We really love it here. The staff are friendly and helpful. Lots of trees in our section separating us but in other sections your really close to each other. It is first come first serve and lucky us we got 50 amp. I would scout the map and be first for checkin just in case someone left that day because their are only a few 50 amp. Hopefully you aren’t spending too much inside to matter but we have a washer dryer and a residential fridge and a small fridge. Looks like newer picnic tables and they also provide fire rings. You are about 20 minutes from downtown Redmond. We will definitely stay here again. I bet summer is really busy because it’s a great area. Also not far from Snoqualmie falls and lots of hiking available. Really nice laundry room and play area for kids. I wish they had a fenced off leash area for dogs but they do have 3 different potty areas for them.

  • J
    Jun. 5, 2022

    Kanaskat-Palmer State Park

    Nice & quick camping option from Seattle

    We stayed 1 night here for the maiden voyage of our recently purchased travel trailer, which was nice since it's only about an hour away from our place near Seattle. Arrived Friday early evening and it wasn't busy at all.

    The check-in process was easy, even though their reservation system was down at the time. Filled up w/ some fresh water at the dump station, which was clean and well maintained.

    Campsites in the RV loop were spaced out enough with vegetation between them so as to provide some privacy. Our site had a pull-through driveway, 30amp hookup, a fire ring and picnic table. Bathrooms in that loop were pretty nice... heated and very clean.

    Took a walk down to the day use area by the river, which was easy for us, but some portions of the trails closer to the river were slightly overgrown w/ a few obstacles, which could be problematic for some. Didn't see any kids play structures down there, which would be nice to have for families.

    We heard a couple trains while there, but the noise wasn't too loud. Never heard the fire siren that they warned us about. Overall, it was a good camping experience for a quick trip and would return!


Guide to Index

Cabin rentals near Index, Washington provide weather-protected lodging with rustic charm in the western Cascade foothills at 500-600 feet elevation. Many cabins operate year-round despite the area's 80+ inches of annual rainfall, with structures specifically designed to withstand wet winters while providing dry shelter.

What to do

River access: At Tolt MacDonald Park, cabins offer easy access to waterfront activities. "It was quiet and peaceful," notes LColleen R., while Mercedes D. adds "it's located right smack in the middle of carnation so on a nice sunny day you could walk out of the park to get pizza, ice cream or even mexican food."

Hiking trails: Kanaskat-Palmer State Park connects cabin sites with riverside paths for day hikes. "Each site seems to have a trail connecting to the outer trail that runs along the river. Big entertainment for three boys who explored the woods and played on the rocks and in the eddy pools," reports Julie M.

Winter getaways: Cabins provide four-season access to mountain recreation. One visitor at Lake Wenatchee State Park Campground mentions "Awesome spot for camping with the boat! Warm summers make for great swimming and super close to Leavenworth for day trips!"

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Hollyhock Farm offers secluded cabin sites. "The sites were secluded from one another within a beautiful forest, the toilet was clean and fairly close to the sites, parking was easy and the host was a total gem!" reports Rio B.

Clean facilities: Many cabins have access to well-maintained common bathrooms. "The bathrooms are usually found to be immaculate. The main bathrooms have a great 'spa' feeling to their design and make you feel like you are glamping," according to Brodie D. at Tall Chief Campground.

Year-round options: Cabins remain available when tent camping becomes impractical. At Old Cascades Highway Dispersed, one visitor notes "We really enjoyed our spot off of Old Cascades Highway. We have a sleeping platform in our car so it worked really well for us. We could walk to the river and sit by it for the evening before heading back to the car to sleep."

What you should know

Reservation requirements: Most cabins require advance booking, especially in summer. "We got lucky and snagged the very last spot here on a Saturday in late September. Note that you can check availability online on the day of, but you cannot make same day reservations online. You have to do it in person at the ranger entrance," advises Laura M.

Amenity variations: Cabin facilities differ widely between locations. "The campground has many amenities and things to do abound in the area," reports Robert K. at Thousand Trails Thunderbird.

Seasonal considerations: Winter cabin camping requires preparation. One camper at Wallace Falls State Park Campground mentions, "We arrived and only had hammocks to camp in and the two walk up sites did not provides trees to manage our hammocks. Therefore we parked in the parking lot near a tree and strung our hammocks from the tree to the car."

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Several cabin areas include child-friendly features. Mindy P. at Flowing Lake Park & Campground notes "Great county operated campground campsites are spacious and private. Reserve ahead very popular especially during the summer. Flushing toilets and showers. Lake access with boat launch and fishing dock. Small loop trail. Fall camping here is beautiful. Cabins available, also the most amazing playground."

Natural play spaces: Many cabins offer adjacent natural areas for exploration. Julie M. describes how her family enjoyed "the woods and played on the rocks and in the eddy pools at the public river take-out."

Educational opportunities: Cabins provide bases for nature learning. "If camping in July-August, blackberries abound! I picked enough berries to share with my crew. There is nothing better than perfectly ripe blackberries on a camping trip," shares Josiah P. about staying near Index.

Tips from RVers

Limited sewer connections: Most cabin areas with RV access lack full hookups. "There are no sewer connections which can be a bummer, but the nice bathrooms make up for it imo," notes Brodie D. about camping facilities in the area.

Site selection strategies: Choose cabin or RV sites based on specific needs. Derek & Alex W. advise, "I would say arrive early so you can drive by all the sites while checking to make sure you have good reception if you need it. I'm getting 120+ mbs download on AT&T in my site right now, but several sites down from me, it can dwindle down to 5mbs!"

Power limitations: Blue Sky RV Park provides more robust electrical service than most forest cabins. "Pad was paved, level and long enough for Super C and toad," reports Mark O., noting the well-maintained facilities that contrast with more rustic cabin options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Index, WA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Index, WA is Tolt MacDonald Park, WA with a 4.3-star rating from 22 reviews.

What is the best site to find cabin camping near Index, WA?

TheDyrt.com has all 37 cabin camping locations near Index, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.