Best Cabin Camping near Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, WA

We took the opportunity to secure one of the “private” lots. Site S9 comes with a private fenced area, with fire pit, hot tub, seating and fully ready propane Weber. Staff is immediate and attentive. Free WiFi and only 1 hour from the National Park.

This KOA is a great campground, it's clean, it's centrally located to the town of Winthrop and there are close by amenities for groceries, etc. A very kid friendly place to stay as well. They even have some sites that are fenced for privacy and these sites have a hot tub and grill.

The Winthrop KOA is similar and on par with most other KOA campgrounds, as far amenities go. The campground is right on the Methow River which is great, however, early in the camping season the current is so swift, you would not be able to swim in it. The campground itself has a western vibe, with old wagons that you can actually rent to sleep in, log cabins, and western-style artifacts throughout. The campground is right off of the highway, so there is a little car noise during the day. At night, we didn't really notice it. With the location of the campground in Methow Valley, it can get really windy. One of the nights we were there, we had to douse our campfire because embers were flying everywhere. We had site 18 which was at the end of one of the rows and it was very spacious with a big grass area and a few trees.

We liked the location because it was close to Winthrop and many of the outdoor activities available in the area such as hiking trails, off-road tracks, fishing, kayaking, etc. The area is beautiful and has much to offer in the scenery department, even for folks that are car-bound.

Swimming pool, bike rentals, mining for gems, arrowheads and fossils; purchase from store, playground. Cabins are quieter than tent/RV sites. Very nicely maintained. Grass. Not much privacy and very busy bathroom.

Great Cabin Bunk Bed Came With sheets pool is warm great air vent the cabin was the best  I have seen in my life great staff the cabin holds 4 people and 1 Dog great playground made friends Great 2 Times I Came

Winthrop/ N Cascades NP KOA

Nice KOA! The sites are HUGE for a KOA and very well maintained. Sorta a western vibe which goes along with Winthrop City. Nice little town but somewhat tourist trappy. Not horribly so and a cool boardwalk to walk along. If you take away all the traffic and replace it with horses, etc you would almost be in an old west town. The river that meanders along the back of the campground is the stopping point for tube rentals. The river is very rocky so not enjoyable to walk along but apparently good for fishing. There are two very cool wagons that are rentable to stay in, as well as cabins. The campground was very quiet (except for the playground straight across from my site) and not busy on the weekdays we visited. On the side of the playground was a nice camp kitchen with tables and large sinks. The laundry room and shower house are in the same building. The one strange thing is the dump sites location. You have to go to the far right side near the back of the park and then drive all the way back to the front. A lot to do and it would be easy to occupy your vacation time.

In character, this is more of an RV park than a campground. While there are some people staying just with tents, most have RVs or fifth wheels. Privacy between sites is limited, as well mostly find in such settings. But, still, I can recommend this place even to tenters. The park is wonderfully kept, there are group shelters where you can eat comfortably even in the rain and the cabins offered or nice – A couple of regular ones and a couple of open bunk cabins. All of them in good repair. The setting is beautiful in a verdant and interesting valley, right by the river. There is a small local bar/diner just a few steps away and a boat ramp on the same property.

This is the cleanest, prettiest, best maintained campground I’ve stayed at in my 9 months of travel! Clean, beautiful park-like setting with Skagit River next to it. Great little playground for kids, birdhouses, flowers, hot showers, wifi - what more could you need. RVs and tent campers, and cabins. I highly recommend it

We are all familiar with KOA and that the company prides itself in bringing more features to their campers. But many times I have found that comes with a hefty price tag. On some occasions I have been ready to spend it and other times I have to be convinced a little more due to the location. 

When pulling into Winthrop I really wanted to find out a little more about their KOA and if it was more of a hit or miss. Themed much like the other portions of the community in western decor, the campground welcomed me immediately. I found that the rustic them of the stacked fence and the cabin like exterior of the main office was just a taste of the what was to come within the community. 

It only continued with their other offerings. They had many old pieces along the way which would be perfect for taking photos, enjoying a piece of the old west and setting the tone.

 This park offered camping for RVs and tents but also had cabins. Cost was on target for the other options in the community and came with many luxuries which others did not including a store, pool and play area. Laundry was offered at this location as well and they had kayak and boat rentals if you were wanting to go and enjoy some of the many waterways in the area. 

I really enjoyed the spacing of the sites, however many were not well covered by trees and left something to be desired. The gravel roadway was muddy from recent rain and made it a bit sloshy to get to the sites themselves. So while they were nice overall that particular thing would something I would say is a bit of a let down in comparison to the rest of the facility. 

The play area was another area which would be perfect for grabbing a few memorable photos, with oversized brightly colored chairs which could fit then entire family. Additionally they offered a nice outdoor space with patio chairs and umbrellas by the office which was a nice place to stop in and enjoy some time. 

Overall the biggest asset to this campground still laid in their proximity to the community itself. From here you can drive only a few miles and be in the middle of the historic downtown western themed community and enjoy some very unique activities. For that I would say that the benefits outweigh the downside of cost which is between$30 and$50 for tent or RV camping. 

Tips: 

• Book online in advance of your stay if you are wanting a tent site, they are more limited. 
• If you are in a larger rig, bring a detachable vehicle to navigate in town as there are not a lot of places to park larger rigs in the community itself.

General: A variety of options from cabins to tent sites to RV sites with electric and water hookups on the Skagit River. 

Site Quality: With the exception of the ADA-accessible sites and the sites directly on the river, sites are gravel. All appeared to be level. Sites have nice tree cover separating them.

Bath/Shower house: Code entry and they were clean. Showers are $1 for four minutes and a quarter for each continuous minute thereafter. Didn’t use so cannot comment on them (except that hooks are outside of the shower stall, compromising privacy a bit). 

Activities: There is some nice playground equipment and horseshoe pits (not sure if you have to bring your own horseshoes). There is a trail, but a sign was posted saying there was a recent cougar siting, so I took a pass on that one! Saw a boat on the river with people fishing. 

We ended up here since our planned campground was closed due to recent fires. We arrived at 3 pm on a Thursday the week after Labor Day and there were plenty of sites, so the host gave us an ADA-accessible site since it was larger. We appreciated the helpfulness of the host for a last-minute reservation and the price was reasonable.

General: A variety of different campsites in two sections ranging from economy to basic to popular, with and without hookups, and priced according to peak or non-peak season. There are also three cabins and two group camp areas. 

Site Quality: We are happy we were able to book a basic tent site with our campervan (there were more than a few others with RVs in these sites). Parking was on grass and not completely level, but we made it work. Each site had a picnic table and fire ring (although there was a fire ban in effect when we were there). The sites with utilities had paved camper pads. 

Bath/Shower house: Clean with soap and air dryers. The showers are free but you are asked to not use more than three button pushes. My shower in the afternoon was completely COLD and I am not sure if it was the time of day, the particular shower, or user error. My husband’s shower got hot midway through. 

Activities/Amenities: All things water-based including jet skis, water skiing, kayaking, SUP, and fishing. There is also a boat wash. There are also numerous trails used for hiking, running, and mountain biking. Other activities include volleyball and horseshoes.

Despite my cold shower and the fact that state parks are becoming increasingly pricy (with reservation and out-of-state fees, we paid $ 77 for two nights for a tent site), we enjoyed our stay here.

This is a very busy park/campground so it’s kinda noisy when you wanting to get away! However we still had a great time hanging out at the lakeside beach area, it’s dog friendly, hot weather, and close to downtown Winthrop for great shopping and food!

Well maintained campground even though it is quite large. If there is any kind of wind - the kayak rental will be closed so be aware. Plenty of tree cover say most sites. Very clean facilities. Note that you won’t get that secluded feeling here. This is a full service campground.

All the sites here were beautiful many different spots to access the water. There were kayak and paddle board rentals availble at the main beach. We rented a double kayak for 2 hours for $45! Kayak the island and check it out if you have time. Also plan on spending a day in Leavenwoeth since it is only a 20 minute drive away!

Love this place! The lakeside space is awesome and makes for a relaxing getaway with some beautiful alpine views. And diablo lake is a gem always changing coloring depending on the lighting...truly magical! Make sure you bring bug spray if headed out in July. My only negative is all the summer weekends reserve out way early in the season :(

This campground was awesome! We got super lucky and found one camp ground someone must have canceled and we were able to book the camp ground! The lake is absolutely beautiful and there are quite a few trails to do around the lake! Also they offer rentals for sup boards and kayaks too. This is a must go if you haven’t but make sure to book in advance to Ghana spot!

This place has everything, including some serious wind and freezing mornings. Bring your paddle boards, kayaks and floatation islands, though the water was cold my family never left the water. One day was so windy not only was rentals closed, but the cold lake was not appetizing. Instead we drove to Safeway in Leavenworth, went shopping in town and picked up pizza from Rudloof’s Pizza and Brats, greasy, but incredible. I wish we planned white water rafting in Leavenworth, it seemed like a few fellow campers were planning to. Fire ban was a bit of a bummer, but understood, I wish I had a propane fire pit for those cold mornings. My family will be back.

This was our first big camping trip as a family.  My husband and I had both camped separately as kids/teens but we never did it as a couple for some reason.

Anyways, this was a fun trip.  Despite there being a heat wave, the weather by the lake was refreshing.  The campers around us were polite.  My daughter even made some friends with the site next to us.

The beach was super busy but there was still abundant room to set up a couple of chairs & relax.  The rentals were fairly priced - hubby went out on the lake in a kayak.  And the little store was friendly.  Bathrooms were as clean as busy state park bathrooms could be.

We're headed back again to the same site this year.

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

Campground Review:

While the lake and amenities were amazing (boat and paddle board rentals all day!) The camping itself wasn't our favorite. The sites didn't offer much privacy and had paths (to the bathrooms) right through many sites. We arrived on a Sunday and left on a Monday so it wasn't too crowded, with many open spots so the privacy didn't bother us too much. This is a family campground for sure, but we'd honestly consider going back just for the Lake and the views! 

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Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time- today I am testing the Wenzel Double Never Flat Fabric Air Pad (https://wenzelco.com/double-neverflat-fabric-air-pad/). Honestly, we're HUGE fans! I'm plus sized and my fiance is quite tall and we fit on the pad, had the best camping sleep of our lives, and the pad didn't deflate! A little bouncing didn't effect it either ( ;) ). I'd recommend this bad boy to anyone! We really loved it and will definitely be purchasing other Wenzel products!

Campground Review: We had the best time at this campground, despite being a bit unlucky with the weather. We stayed in site 23, which had a peek-a-boo view, and a nice path down to the beach. It was right in between the beach and the bathrooms, and not right on top of our neighbors, even though it wasn't as private as we usually prefer. Sites 23-26 would be amazing to book as a group with kids (sites 24, and 25 are set back against a nice hilly wooded area and are extra private.) We have a 2 and a 4 year old and the beach was just perfect for them to play and swim. The swimming area is a huge and long small pebbly cove. We were surprised to find it had a little convenience store, kayak rentals, etc., and a beautiful playground for kids. The camp host (who was so nice!) also drove around in the evenings selling firewood. The bathrooms were extra clean, and the area is beautiful to hike and drive around. We did the Hidden lake hike down the road with our kids, and had an amazing time. Also, to be noted there is a South Campground and a North Campground here. The South (where we stayed) has less private sites, and seemed more for tent campers. The North Campground is bigger, and seemed to have more RVs and more private sites, but had no swim beach access that we could tell. Finally, the chipmunks were everywhere and ready to get into your food at a moments notice. We had to keep our food in the car the whole time, even though we have bear proof bins, because they wouldn't leave the boxes alone!

Gear Review: As a Dyrt Ranger, I also get products to test and review in the field. We tested out the Belmont Hella Good Blanket and are absolutely and truly in love with it! This blanket is waterproof, warm, and extra packable. We have another waterproof blanket that is big with the mom crowds, and I am going to give it away now that we have the Belmont Blanket. My kids and I loved how soft and fleecy it was to snuggle up in, and it kept us warm when we needed an extra layer. Me and my husband love that it folds up to about 1/8th of the size of our other waterproof beach blanket and is super durable and easy to wash (came out looking brand new after we washed it!) We have since this taken it to the beach many times, and get lots of comments about how nice it looks. I plan to buy these in the future for family and friend holiday gifts I love it so much!!! Definitely worth the investment!

http://www.belmontblanket.com/thedyrtcom/hellagood-thedyrtcom

This is one of our favorite campgrounds in Washington.  It is nice that the sites are large and private you don't feel like you are in a fishbowl like a lot of campgrounds that are just like a parking lot with picnic tables.

We love camping in this area of Washington. There are so many campsites and each one is just far away from the nearest town which is so nice to know that you won't be bothered by the busy road. I always have the best time and have the best memories here.

I’m not by any means a pro fisherman but this camp gives great access to any fish that stray away from the lake in to the inlet. The sites are pretty spread out compared to other camp sites in western Washington for sure. Everything is pretty open and there is a nice trail at the end you could take to go backpacking or just a day hike

The campground is divided into two parts by a crisp clear and cold Wenatchee River, flowing out of Lake Wenatchee, locat d in the central Cascade Mountains of Washington. The deep lake is glacier fed, the campgrounds are well loved by locals. Nice pay showers, and the outside campsites in the north part of the campground feel more secluded. Mosquitos are thick in June, but leave due to dry hot weather in July. Huckleberries sling simple hiking trails. Nearby “Enchantments” hikes are more challenging and spectacular.

Lovely but busy spot in North Cascades NP. We were fortunate with really good weather. You can swim in the lake, there is a boat launch and there is a hiking trail across the street. Super convenient. Thunder knob trail.

Bathrooms were clean. Sites a little close. Lots of people come into the park on the weekends from Seattle though it is the least visited of the three Washington Parks. Lovely scenery, turquoise lake.

You need to be prepared when you arrive. Closest camp store is about 25 minutes with limited supplies, but can get you by.. there are restaurants and gas stations in Marblemount, but that is all from what we could tell.