Millersylvania State Park Campground sits among old-growth forests approximately 7 miles south of Olympia at an elevation of 174 feet. The park surrounds Deep Lake, a 66-acre freshwater lake formed by glacial activity during the last ice age. Winter temperatures typically range from 33-45°F with summer highs reaching 75-80°F, creating distinct camping experiences throughout the seasons.
What to do
**Trail exploration: Morning walks through Millersylvania's forests offer morning bird watching opportunities. Trails range from 0.5 to 3.2 miles in length with minimal elevation gain. "The park itself is huge offering lots of options for campers. A quick walk around the grounds offered a nice hike and showed us some pretty awesome sites I'd like to stay at in the future," notes a camper from Millersylvania State Park Campground.
**Beach access: Silver Lake at Alder Lake Park provides designated swimming areas with sandy shorelines. The lake includes both motorized and non-motorized sections. "The beach is the main attraction and it is hopping. We went early in the morning and staked a claim and were happy all day. There is a nice shallow area and two large swimming areas as well as a fishing dock," mentions a visitor.
**River walks: Explore riverside trails at Riverbend Campground with access to fishing spots. Trails follow the shoreline with minimal elevation change, making them suitable for all ages. "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," reports a tent camper.
What campers like
**Spacious campsites: Sites at Riverbend Campground provide concrete pads and separation between neighboring campers. "The site has a concrete slab and fit our Jayco 174BH perfectly. We had a view of the woods and quite a bit of space between neighboring sites. We could not see either of the neighboring sites while sitting by our campfire," explains a visitor.
**Off-season quiet: Winter camping at Millersylvania State Park Campground offers significantly reduced crowds from November through March. "After months of trying to get reservations for this popular campground, we finally got one for Thanksgiving weekend! The park is on their winter schedule so only sites 1-7 and 226-248 were open. It made for a nice, quiet weekend even though the open sites were 80% full," reports a camper.
**Yurt options: Yurt camping near Littlerock, Washington includes dedicated yurt villages at Seaquest State Park Campground. These canvas structures include beds, electricity, and heating. "Loved the yurt village, which is in its own area on the other side of the campground from the regular sites. Yurts and restrooms were clean," shares a visitor.
What you should know
**Reservation timing: Peak season reservations (May-September) often fill 6-9 months in advance, particularly for weekends and holidays. "We've been coming back again and only damper to this year was the dam in Tacoma was partially drained causing a 'low tide' which exposed the dirt and poor beach area," notes a visitor to Alder Lake Park.
**Weather variability: Shoulder seasons (April-May, September-October) frequently bring mixed precipitation with afternoon temperature swings of 15-20 degrees. "It was raining for nearly our entire time here, but we still enjoyed the close/easy access to bathrooms, showers, potable water, and hiking trails," explains a visitor to Millersylvania.
**Insect considerations: Mosquito activity increases near water features, particularly from May through August during evening hours. "Beware the mosquitos! We always get eaten alive when we stay at Seaquest," warns one camper about Seaquest State Park.
Tips for camping with families
**Playground access: Ike Kinswa State Park Campground maintains playground equipment near the swimming area, creating central gathering places for children. "We usually reserve the 3 sites that are closest to the swimming area (no guard). Our kids love walking the trails and riding their bikes around the loops," shares a returning visitor.
**Junior Ranger programs: Seasonal educational programs run from Memorial Day through Labor Day at many parks, typically lasting 45-60 minutes. "At night the campground had a great Junior Ranger program with a very enthusiastic park ranger that kept the almost 50 people/kids entertained. She was great at engaging all the kids and teaching them about the park," notes a visitor to Seaquest.
**Alternative accommodations: Yurt camping options near Littlerock provide family-friendly shelter with beds already installed. "The park also offers a cottage right next to the lake. This is a nice alternative to traditional camping," explains a visitor to Millersylvania State Park.
Tips from RVers
**Site selection: RV sites at Millersylvania often have varying levelness, with some requiring blocks for proper stabilization. "The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is because our site had a huge mud puddle from the road going to the power and water hook-up. The thin layer of mud on the pavement made things quite slick as I was trying to get leveling blocks down," cautions an RV camper.
**Utility limitations: Elkamp Eastcreek provides hookups but lacks some conveniences found at larger facilities. "What would improve Elkamp? It would be great to have a dump station. Sewer hookups would be even better. But that's a small inconvenience in exchange for staying at a gorgeous campground just a short drive from the Seattle metro area," notes a visitor.
**Cell service variability: Coverage fluctuates significantly between campgrounds, with many forested areas having limited connectivity. "Clean facilities, some nice perks like a beer garden and ice cream and the lake is great. You're packed in pretty close to each other, but the trees provide pretty good insulation," reports a visitor to Millersylvania.
