Camping opportunities in the Lakewood area encompass a range of developed campgrounds and military-specific facilities, with several sites offering water access on American Lake. Dash Point State Park Campground in Federal Way provides tent, RV, and glamping accommodations with hiking and beach access, while the Lewis North Travel Camp on Joint Base Lewis McChord offers cabins alongside traditional camping options. Military ID holders can also utilize Holiday Park Military - Lewis McChord Base, which features full hookups and cabin options approximately 5 miles east of downtown Lakewood.
Road conditions throughout the region remain generally accessible year-round, though several campgrounds operate seasonally. Joemma Beach State Park operates from March 1 to October 31, while Saltwater State Park Campground in Des Moines is available only from May to September. Many locations require reservations, especially during summer months when waterfront sites fill quickly. Facilities range from basic tent sites with picnic tables and fire rings to full-hookup RV spots with electric, water, and sewer connections. Cell service varies by location and provider, with some military sites reporting spotty coverage. A visitor noted, "Cell signal is very weak for t-mobile and trees prevent starlink from working well."
The military campgrounds near Lakewood receive consistently positive reviews for their amenities and lakefront settings. The Lewis North Travel Camp earns praise for its wooded environment and proximity to base facilities. According to one camper, it offers "a beautiful view of the lake. It's also not too far from the commissary and gas station." Sites within the JBLM area provide a surprising sense of seclusion despite their proximity to urban areas, with another visitor describing the experience as a "secluded tree filled northwest beauty." Non-military visitors will find options at nearby state parks, where reviewers frequently mention the spacious sites and beach access as notable features. Most campgrounds provide at least basic amenities like toilets and drinking water, with many offering shower facilities and trash disposal.
$20 / night
"Firstly, I just have to say what a positive and amazing experience I had at this campground. The volunteers were friendly, kind and absolutely awesome to interact with."
"The campground itself is tucked into a beautiful, forested area with plenty of trees and privacy between sites. Ours had a tent pad, fire ring, and picnic table."
$35 - $58 / night
"Pros: group camp is very close to beach front area, GREAT CLAMMING AND OYSTERING!"
"Penrose Point State Park is a great place close to Seattle to go camping in a small or large group. It's tent or camper friendly with plenty of spots for busier seasons."
"Excellent location for those with military access to the base - active duty, retired or family. 30/50 amp hookups. Beautiful views of American Lake. Pet friendly."
"It is in the wilderness, on the lake, but it is also fairly close to stores and gas stations. Long term max is 28 days per spot."
$12 - $35 / night
"Very friendly next to the lake plenty of things to do walking, biking, hiking, fishing, Military museums, not to far off of I-5. Full hookups laundry shower facilities. Cabins too."
"Unfortunately the restrooms right next to our site were closed so it was a slight walk to the nearest restroom. Restrooms were heated and well taken care of."
$57 - $104 / night
"Close by stores, trails, parks, harbor. Tacoma across bridge (10 minutes - $6.25 toll)."
"Costco, Home Depot, Albertsons and other shopping close by."
$8 - $32 / night
"Need to reserve your site online with the JBLM MWR or go to the adventure center building nearby on base. Nice access to American Lake and fishing nearby as well."
"This is a great spot on American Lake to camp with many sites on the waterfront. I would highly recommend this location to eligible military ID Card holders."
"Super peaceful, great fire pit location, water at the site entrance, portable restrooms away (but close), and best of all right at the river’s edge."
"We needed something close to the city, but didn’t want to feel like we were in the city, this fit the bill. People are very friendly and accommodating. The park is really clean."
$12 / night
"We arrived little later around 6 p.m. And being such a nice day there were only few sites left."
"Conveniently located right next to the bathroom with an area for parking two vehicles. I have AT&T and had good service in this spot."
$50 / night
"The location is great, so close to the water, Penrose and other peninsula activities."
"Great location if you want to relax and take long walks at nearby state parks and beaches. Robyn is a spectacular host who was great to communicate with. We will be coming back."
$12 - $45 / night
"This is a very nice, typical Washington state park with plenty of trees, greenery, hiking, pathways and even a lake."
"This is a beautiful park located on Deep Lake just outside of Olympia. The park itself is huge offering lots of options for campers. "
ScoutThe lake is lovely! Portos and fire rings. Medium-full on a June weeknight. Minor road noise. A little trash, a little local-party-spot vibe at times, but not bad. Would stay again as a solo female.
GuideGorgeous location. We saw one staff person working SO hard cleaning the campground of weekend trash. The bathroom was ghastly! Big door doesn’t close, the one shower stall so old I don’t think cleaning could help. Totally unsafe with just a couple curtains - no lock. Don’t go in there alone. If you play Pickle Ball you’re in luck - the Founders Course s are wonderful and the Club Members very welcoming!
ScoutVFW 969 Rec Park is clean and quiet. It's run by the VFW and has until recently been just for veterans and active military. They have now opened it to civilians for RV camping at just $50/day, tent camping at $20/day and up to 7 days. It is located right on the Carbon River with a couple awesome swimming holes. Nested between South Prarie and Orting. There is a biking/walking/running path that goes all the way between both towns and then some. There is onsite showers/toilets and coin operated laundry. Full court basketball, softball/kickball field, children's playground/swingset. There is guest parking first come first serve. Guests are allowed to use the clubhouse as long as they clean up after themselves. There is a big screen TV and comfy couch for movie nights and there are also board games and books. The clubhouse can also be rented out for events. (Speak to management for pricing) This place is a little slice of heaven tucked back out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the metro areas surrounding it. There is so much to do around the PNW and this is the perfect base camp.
ScoutBeautiful and clean campgrounds! Everyone was very respectful and the nights are very nice and quiet. No loud music was heard during our stay! Just real traditional camping. Very clean bathrooms that were cleaned twice a day! There are three facilities to buy firewood if needed around the campgrounds, and lake access was very close by!
GuideIt is first come first serve in may and it was not even half full. Gorgeous trees and secluded drive up rv spots. Big metal fire pits and picnic tables. Bear boxes if you can’t leave food in your vehicle. So cool to wake in the morning and just hike from where you are!
GuideWe could not find an rv park willing to rent to us for 1 day before returning our van the next morning to roadsurfer and flying out of SeaTac. This one did and they were so nice. Last minute on our way from mt ranier called and got a 1 night full hookup for the van. We could fill up water and dump before our return. Also took showers in their shower house and bathrooms. They have laundry as well. Everything is clean and everyone was super nice. Lots of nice campers stored and people who have made this their temporary home away from home. It’s old and right next to the highway. No fire pits and just a little grass but we couldn’t be happier!
GuideWe stayed at one of these dispersed camping spots memorial weekend. Wonderful spot. Plenty of room for our 3 dogs to play around in. Only one issue. Whoever was there before is pretty much emptied all their trash out there. We had extra trash bags so we bagged it all but we didn’t have a truck to load it and take it out. It was like 4 or 5 bags full and some random shelving. So weird. Why are some people like this.
Other than that it was a perfect spot for us.
TravelerThe free dispersed camping at Riffe Lake was wonderful. The views were amazing. It was quite accepting for the few RV’ers who ran their generators all night. But it didn’t bother us since we were in an RV ourselves (we just didn’t run our generator after 8pm). It was clean accept for a pile of trash bags left by one rude family. The lake is gorgeous, the rocks and driftwood were fun to sift through and the sunset was breathtaking. I highly recommend and we will stay again!
TravelerThe dispersed campground at Riffe Lake was such a peaceful spot everything was clean, quiet, and well kept. The view of the lake and surrounding mountains was absolutely beautiful, especially during sunset. It was the perfect place to relax, enjoy nature, and escape for a little while.
Camping near Lakewood offers opportunities for waterfront recreation, wooded seclusion, and year-round accessibility within 30 miles of the city center. Temperatures range from 35-78°F seasonally, with wettest conditions from November through January. Most campsites in this area don't require high-clearance vehicles, though several access roads become muddy during rainy periods.
Beach exploration: Saltwater State Park offers a distinctive shoreline environment just 20 miles north of Lakewood. "The beach is a short walk from camp, just long enough to make you feel like you earned your sunset view, but not so long that you regret your life choices. It's more of a rocky, muddy beach than a sandy one," notes Saraj B.
Fishing: Riverbend Campground provides river access for anglers approximately 30 miles southwest of Lakewood. "We are looking forward to going back and enjoying the fishing along the river," shares Johnathan R., while another camper mentions the campground's "lovely river walks and nice picnic spots."
Trail hiking: Dash Point State Park Campground includes an extensive trail network suitable for day hikes of varying difficulty. "Facilities were good and trails around are fun and easy enough for me and 2 kids. The beach and its tides are why we came," writes Ingrid M. The park maintains over 11 miles of trails, most under 3 miles in length.
Privacy between sites: Campers consistently mention site spacing at Penrose Point State Park Campground. "This campground is remarkable in the privacy between each of the camping spots, the bird life, the wild and deep forest vibes, and the walking trails," writes Brittany D. Another camper observes, "Sites were reasonably private and quiet at night (except for a brief invasion of 6 raccoons at our site one night!)"
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain well-kept restrooms and showers. "Bathroom and shower is kept clean, as is the rest of the campground," notes a Saltwater State Park visitor. At Riverbend Campground, campers appreciate that "facilities are also super clean."
Family-friendly atmosphere: Joemma Beach State Park Campground offers a welcoming environment for families. "As a local, this is also the spot where you go to camp and party with friends and family," shares Katiedawn V. The park's $12/night camping fee makes it budget-friendly for families.
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds require advance planning, especially during summer months. "You can only stay at the camp site for 1 night at a time," notes a Joemma Beach State Park visitor. At Penrose Point, "the campground was full with lots of families with young kids...sites felt relatively private and the whole park is heavily wooded."
Airport noise: Saltwater State Park experiences significant aircraft traffic. "Commercial jets landing at Sea-Tac fly directly above us at a low altitude and are VERY loud and VERY frequent (every 3-5 minutes)," reports Travis P. Consider this factor when selecting your campsite.
Cell service considerations: Connectivity varies significantly between campgrounds. At Game Farm Wilderness Campground, visitors report consistent coverage, while at Joemma Beach State Park, "T-mobile service spotty - could not use hotspot. Had to drive about 15 mins down road to park to access 5G."
Waterfront activities: Penrose Point State Park offers family-friendly water access. "Our family had a great time playing in the water each day. The grounds, including bathrooms, were well maintained and the kids enjoyed taking part in the junior ranger program," shares Sarah H.
Playground access: Several campgrounds include play areas. At Riverbend Campground, visitors mention "children and dog play grounds" with "a beautiful view of the river." These amenities provide entertainment options beyond hiking and swimming.
Budget-friendly options: Sun Outdoors Gig Harbor provides tent options despite being primarily an RV resort. "This is definitely a RV resort, but there are 5 or 6 tent camping sites under some big trees which provide shade almost all day. Nice bathroom and showers. Laundry, dog run, tv room, plus really friendly employees," notes Jacob P.
Military facilities: For eligible ID holders, military campgrounds offer excellent value. At Holiday Park Military, "To a military ID card holder, you won't find a better deal. Full hookups, sites are a bit close, but the campground loop makes it feel spacious," shares Paul B.
Site selection: At Sun Outdoors Gig Harbor, "The spaces are very close together, but there are a lot of trees and it's very well kept. I stayed for almost three weeks and it was quiet and relaxing, despite how close together the sites are," observes Joseph I.
Hookup availability: Verify utilities before booking. "We had problems with the camp sites. 1st one had a bad power pole and the next one the water leaked. Still we would return," shares a Lewis North Travel Camp visitor, highlighting that even well-maintained facilities may have occasional issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Lakewood, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Lakewood, WA offers a wide range of camping options, with 271 campgrounds and RV parks near Lakewood, WA and 38 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Lakewood, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Lakewood, WA is Dash Point State Park Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 73 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Lakewood, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 38 free dispersed camping spots near Lakewood, WA.
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