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Far in the Northwestern corner of the United States lies a world of magic, splendor, and mystical beauty. Perched atop the historical Mount St. Helens, Seaquest State Park is the home-base for thousands of volcanic visitors year round. Most notable for its proximity to the Mount St. Helens Visitors Center, this park is the home base for hikers, explorers, tourists, and adventures alike. It’s not just the volcanic aftermath that makes this area so special. Even before the eruption, Gifford-Pinchot National Forest has always been known for its dense foliage, as well as its beautiful lakes, tributaries, and waterfalls.
When it comes to nearby attractions, the area is packed with them. Miles and miles of trails fork and wind throughout the park. Beyond the confines of the park’s boundaries are numerous additional trailheads, all offering something unique to those seeking it. Perhaps the most popular trail nearby is the Monitor Ridge trail. This 10 miles round trip excursion will have you climbing 2,000 vertical ft. through grassy meadows and winding forest paths. The last 1,000 feet are especially difficult due to the volcanic debris and soot that cakes your clothes. However when you finally reach the domed summit, you’ll be pleased with your efforts. Massive and expansive, the St. Helens dome is unlike any other scenic viewpoint in the US. Nowhere else can you see the true force and impact of Mother Nature’s wrath.
Nearby, the Mount St. Helens Ape Caves give visitors a chance to traverse through the labyrinth of volcanic caves left behind by magma runs during the the eruption. Today, the caves are a popular attraction for families and explorers. There’s two separate options, one which is well-lit and suited for families. The other option will send you through a pitch black adventure trekking the depths of the craggy, drippy tunnels. If planning to visit, be sure to bring a strong flashlight or kerosene lantern, as you’ll be unable to enter otherwise.
Camping in Seaquest State Park is relatively painless thanks to the 52 standard campsites, 18 partial-hookup sites, and 15 full-service sites. RVers, tent campers, van travelers, and anyone else with a form of shelter should have no issues finding somewhere to stay here. Aside from standard camping accommodations, there are also full-service Yurts available for rental, complete with heaters to stay warm if you’re visiting in the chilly months.
Battle Ground Lake State Park is a forested camping park in the Cascade Mountain foothills; its proximity to Vancouver and Portland and its cool green lake make it a great escape from the bustle of city and suburbs.
Children play in the shallow swim area under the watchful eyes of their picnicking parents, anglers float on the lake, hikers and campers take quiet strolls in the woods. On sunny weekends, laughter fills the playground, lakefront and kitchen areas. Whether you've come for a rest or a family play day, time spent at Battle Ground Lake will leave you refreshed and ready to tackle your life once again.
PARK FEATURES The 280-acre park offers hiking, biking, horse trails and a primitive equestrian camping area. The spring-fed lake is attractive to swimmers and paddlers and is stocked with trout, making it a favorite of anglers.
The park has 35 standard campsites, six partial-hookups sites, 15 primitive sites that require campers to hike up to half a mile from the parking lot, two primitive equestrian sites, four cabins, one RV dump station, two restrooms and four showers. Maximum site length is 35 feet (may have limited availability).
This 280-acre secluded, forested site is a favorite among youth organizations and other groups. It's easy to get back to nature at this beautiful park, with 24 Adirondacks (3-sided camp shelters), numerous tent sites, and a rustic day lodge complete with cooking facilities to accommodate groups of up to 250 people. Take a big step up from a tent and check out our rustic two-room cabins. Bring your horse, ride the trails and camp in a horse corral tent site. Camp Wilkerson is located 16 miles northwest of Scappoose, Oregon.
$12 - $45 / night
The campground loop trail allows easy access to the main trailhead. A trailhead parking area, found at the east end of the campground provides parking for day use. Over 50 miles of trails and closed roads are available from the campground.
Rainbow Falls State Park is a 129-acre camping park on the Chehalis River. A variety of campsites and a tranquil river setting make this a popular overnight stay for hikers, cyclists and horseback riders tackling the Willapa Hills Trail.
This park has 40 standard campsites, eight partial hookup sites, three hiker/biker sites and two equestrian sites. Maximum site length is 60 feet (limited availability). One group camp is available and has 14 camping units and can accommodate up to 60 people. A dump station, three restrooms and two token-operated showers are located nearby. You can buy tokens from the machine at the park entrance station.
$27 - $45 / night
Legend
I had researched this park quite awhile beforehand and was interested based on the reviews posted here. It looked pretty nice. Unfortunately when we were able to preview it by driving through I was surprised to find out it was not at all what I had seen in reviews. This place is on the edge of a small town and it looks like it is occupied by long term tenants with a lot of paraphernalia and personal belongings strewn about. For us, traveling for vacation and sightseeing it would not be a place we'd wanna stay. We did have dinner and really enjoyed it in the little town of Vernonia where it is located and that was great. The park is also adjacent to a fantastic walking biking trail and it's next to a city park.
Scout
The "cabins" are essentially shed conversions on a flatbed and wheels that rock and sway. Not ada accessible. They have electricity but no insulation and the water reeks of sulfur. The loft style beds seem like they are for children.
The host Joann is money hungry and inflexible. Be sure to get travel insurance and read all rules and reviews on other platforms prior to stay to be well informed of issues and not be blindsided by uncharges here. She will enter your space as she sees fit. There are no boundaries for her but tons for guests with rule signage plastered everywhere on the grounds.
Campground is covered in rabbit feces, so parents with small children beware. I would never stay here again. For the headache of dealing with the host alone it made the entire experience one of an utterly uncomfortable inconvenience.
This place looks nice from an outside view but staying here is an entirely different story.
Also the fact that a Joanna left a 5 star reviews here when all other platforms have complaints is a bit questionable.
Scout
I pulled up and it looked abandoned and unsafe—something from a horror movie. The bathroom literally had trash dumped out in front and the some of the campsites were unkept. It's trek to get back there for such disappointment. Left as soon as I could, ended up sleeping at a rest area.
Guide
They have several back-in spots, some with partial hookups and some with full hookups. Most of the spots are well-shaded from the trees. A specific area is designated for tents only, and some cabins can also be rented. It was a 5-minute walk downhill to reach the lake, which had a very long and nice boat ramp deep enough to accommodate just about any boat. Regarding cell service, I got 3 bars of LTE with my iPhone. Overall, it was a nice, quiet, shady place to visit, and I will definitely be back.
TravelerLarge 36 acre peaceful Rv Park on the Clatskanie River. 2 miles on SWEDETOWN road. lots of bunnies and a cute petting zoo very relaxing.
Guide
I gave this park a high rating primarily because of its location. It is a great place to launch your Mount Saint Helens exploration, with a Washington State Visitor Center you can walk to from the campground. We had hookups but our site was very close to the site next to us and we had no privacy there. If you don’t need hookups, I would recommend the loop that has 32 - 54. These were much more private and actually had better Wi-Fi than our location. Bathrooms are convenient and have free showers. There was better hot water at the bathroom on the loop with sites 32 - 54.
ScoutSeaquest has something for everyone. My campsite was not close to the road , but I stayed when Johnston Ridge was closed, so maybe road noise would be a factor at other times.
Some pluses here include: some private sites, lots of trees, bathroom / showers, playground, open areas, close to other points of interest. And for those who can’t live without it: WiFi.
Although bathrooms were clean, I believe they could use an upgrade. Showers in particular.
Guide
A very nice campground, close to Portland. Well maintained, bathrooms were the cleanest I’ve seen at a campground.
ScoutFantastic place. Long trailers might have trouble
GuideVery nice campground. Large, clean sites. Lots of hiking and mountain biking trails within the park and a regional rail to trail runs through it.
I really appreciated other Dyrt reviews that said the shadier, more private sites are numbered below 40. We were in 38.
The walk in sites in Dairy Loop surround a meadow, so less private. The other walk in sites on the other side of the visitor center are very sweet. Just little sites carved out of the woods. They are a longer walk from the car and have a pit toilet instead of flush. But very sweet.
ScoutI very much liked the facilities, camp host, campsite.
I’m a light sleeper though, and could hear cars and trucks driving till 1am. I was in a tent though, if you have a camper I’m sure it is far less noticeable.
TravelerNice little campground. Two drive in sites the rest are walk in. A couple that are a short walk. Great fishing in the lake year round. The road up to campground is pretty rough. Lots of washboard.
Travelerthis was so awesome.. we used the walk-in camp sites that had been closed till the moment we asked after closing due to a tree falling in one of the bathrooms.. so me and my friend were the only ones out there.. but the walk in and out is nothing but a hill. but that was a small price for the beautiful seclusion. I doubt it will ever be the same when I go back..
Ranger
Stayed here for one night on spring break with my grandsons. Fishing, hiking, sup or kayaking if you’re interested in it. The lake is small but awesome. Bald eagles flying overhead. Close to Battleground Washington.
GuideThis park is huge! Lots of space to hand out and swim. There’s always kids running around so it is great for young ones. Bathrooms were clean and big.
ScoutI like this area but so do the local tweakers too. I should have ignored the tweaker girl who camped in the best site by the lake. She tried to burn down the forest in middle of the night. So I went a second time and found a homeless camp in the only RV spot. Camped there anyway and had cars driving in and leaving all night long. This camp has become creepy, borderline unsafe.
ScoutShowed up in the dark & rain, no reservations in February. Lots of room at each site, very clean, nice bathrooms, quiet. Easy onsite reservation/payment.
TravelerWe really enjoyed this state park. We were tent camping in November, so we knew what we were getting into. We reserved a full hookup site and packed heated blankets (site had electricity) and plenty of blankets. Overall the park is very clean, well maintained, and very quiet. Lots of hiking to be had. Would recommend bringing bikes along if you have the chance. We’re definitely planning on coming back during the summers months. The biggest bonus is that it’s really close to the metro area. It was a 30 minute drive for us.
LegendAs we had been here before, it was an easy drive in on US-26 to the campground (CG). What we didn’t do was read our 2019 review on whether we needed to stop at the park building that sits down the hill from the main road. The way it looks from the road, there isn't any RV parking, but as we rolled past the exit, we saw there actually was RV parking. The next road happened to be our loop, Daisy Creek, so we went ahead and backed into our site, 52, with FHUs. The pad starts with asphalt and then goes to gravel, where you actually park the rig. After setting up, we walked down to the park building, and the rangers had just opened their check-in windows. Since we were pre-registered, we could have printed out our confirmation email and placed that on the dashboard. However, they gave us a rearview mirror tag so we wouldn't have to print off our confirmation. The water and sewer hookups were in the middle of the site, with electric being at the back of the pad. The water pressure was not very good at around 35 psi. We had a clear shot to the north sky for Starlink, but it's doubtful we’d get a southern sky shot from this site due to the mature trees. We got 3 bars LTE on Verizon. There is a good variety of sites for RVs, large and small. There are also tent sites to include a walk-in tent area near the main building where you register. Since we were here last time, they now have an off-leash fenced dog area. What makes this CG so special is the multitude of hiking, biking, and horse trails. They even have a disc golf course within the park. The CG is close to Portland, but you'd never know you were that close to a major city.
GuideWe stopped here on our way south from Washington. Had a nice stay. Campsite was so clean, even the gravel was raked. Plenty of room at each campsite. Bathrooms were old but very clean and well kept. Showers were also very clean. Camp hosts were very nice and helpful. Some nice hiking close by. I would definitely stay again.
Legend
This is a beautiful campground! Lots of tall trees, & ferns. Feels like you are in Boreal forests . Several shower/bathrooms buildings throughout the park. It adjacent to the Mount St Helen’s Volcanic Preserve, but on the back end. We hiked into the NP to Cathedral Falls. It is convenient for exploring Mt. Saint Helen’s, and Mt Rainer.
GuideThis campground is adjacent to a couple of really awesome bike paths, so I parked here for day use. I haven't camped here YET but I thought I could add some photos! The camp host was professional, and everything was pretty clean.
ScoutWe went over Labor Day weekend with a small group and had two adjacent campsites. The sites were large and well graded. They were also well separated from each other with lots of vegetation dividing them. Bathrooms seemed to have been recently upgraded and were some of the nicer state park bathrooms we’ve come across. Kids enjoyed the junior ranger program and the Mt St Helens visitor center across the road has great exhibits on the eruption. About a 40 minute drive to Coldwater lake where you can access a number of trails closer to the volcano.
Traveler
Great loop of campsites. Open field. Clean restrooms. Rock/Cliff water access. And, wooded campsites with lots of privacy.
RangerBut the wireless is really only in the day use area. I'd love it if it works throughout the campground but no. The spots are nice though and there is a lot of shade. Odd to be so near a big lake and really, it doesn't seem to have any access to it. Loads of trails though which is nice.
GuideThe campground is the newest in Oregon as of this time. As such, the trees are still immature and very exposed. I’m pretty sure we had one of the nicest spaces in the park. There are two large loops, this one had trees and shade - really hot that weekend. Large level grave pad for parking and pitching a tent, as there was not really grass for the tent.
The upper loop was very exposed and it was more like an open meadow on a hillside.
There’s lots to do with playgrounds for younger kids and frisbee golf for all. Many hiking trails to explore. Perfect for newer campers as it has wide roads, large back in spaces, and level lots. I wish it had a river or creek as water always adds a little something to three trips.
Nice washrooms and showers with lots of hot water.
About 20 min drive into Vernonia where there are plenty of quirky little stores and history to explore.
Guide
We were traveling along the Oregon coast and then needed to divert inland to the Portland airport and continue north to Tacoma for a wedding reception. Not far off I-5, this place was gorgeous. Tall trees, lush foliage, immaculately maintained. As others have noted, the sites with hook-ups across the road on the east side are for large trailers and not as picturesque. To the west are these beautiful sites, facilities, and walking trails. In the morning, we hiked the old growth loop prior to resuming our journey. Be aware, Google Maps says you enter off of Park Road, but that is incorrect. The entrance is on Jackson Highway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Kelso, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Kelso, WA is Seaquest State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 44 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Kelso, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 22 equestrian camping locations near Kelso, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
