C
Cian H.
Scout
ScoutLyre River Campground
Great spot
Tight turn around. Doable if you have a partner. Beautiful area but certainly small. This is a great stopping point
Camping near Lopez Island, WA
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Campgrounds near Lopez Island in Washington's San Juan Islands range from state parks to county facilities, with a variety of options for tent camping, RV sites, and cabins. Spencer Spit State Park Campground on Lopez Island offers tent and RV sites with beach access, operating from March to October. Additional camping areas include Odlin County Park near the ferry landing, which features both waterfront and forested sites. San Juan County Park on Friday Harbor provides year-round camping with boat-in access, while Moran State Park on Orcas Island contains multiple campground areas including Mountain Lake, Midway, Northend, and Southend campgrounds.
Ferry access significantly impacts camping logistics in the San Juan Islands region. Most campgrounds are accessible via the Washington State Ferry system, with some locations being a short drive or walk from ferry landings. Several locations like Turn Island State Park require boat-only access, making planning essential for transportation between islands. Water is available at most established campgrounds, though some smaller marine state parks require visitors to bring their own. Several campgrounds are seasonal, with the primary camping season running from spring through fall. "Lopez Island is a slow paced beauty, and this park is a great place to camp while you explore all there is to see," notes one visitor about Spencer Spit State Park.
Waterfront camping receives particularly high ratings throughout the San Juan Islands. Campers frequently mention the excellent beach access and water activities as highlights of their stays. Several visitors pointed to Spencer Spit's beaches as perfect for kayaking, swimming, and beachcombing. The small marine state parks accessible only by boat or kayak provide a more secluded experience but come with limited amenities and wildlife challenges. A reviewer of Odlin County Park mentioned: "This campsite was definitely above than I expected! It has waterfront with beach, campsites are neat and restroom is better than other campsites!" Visitors should be prepared for raccoons at some of the marine parks, as multiple reviews mention persistent wildlife looking for food. Most campgrounds in the region feature clean restrooms, with some offering showers, while others provide only composting toilets.
Best Campgrounds near Lopez Island (231)
1. Deception Pass State Park Campground
"Deception Pass is one of our favorite campgrounds in WA having lots of coastal access and a trail system along the water which takes you to The Bridge as well as other lookout points on Anacortes island"
"Some trails walking distance from the campsite to gorgeous beaches while others we drove to get to other trails and scenic lookouts. I loved every minute staying there."
from $12 - $144 / night
Check Availability2. San Juan County Park
"San Juan Island Washington Is THE Emerald Gem of this state!! If you ever want to find heaven on earth this is it!!"
"The campground location is beautiful. The sites and bathrooms are clean. There aren’t many camping options on the island, so overall it’s a great place to camp."
3. Midway Campground — Moran State Park
"I was able to snag one of the amazing sites on the lake. It sits down from the road and an embankment so there is a level of privacy from the road, but not your neighboring sites."
"It’s right above the main road and a freshwater lake. It’s pretty steep, sprained my ankle right before the trip. They were very helpful at the entrance and gave me a lower site."
from $23 - $46 / night
Check Availability4. Spencer Spit State Park Campground
"Spencer’s Spit is a great kayak launch spot or a base camp for exploring Lopez Island in the San Juan’s. Good campsites situated in a forest. Large sites with tables and close facilities."
"Spencer Spit State Park is located on friendly Lopez Island just a short drive from the ferry terminal. It has many sites and is popular with locals and tourists."
from $12 - $70 / night
Check Availability5. Washington Park Campground
"Washington Park is a nice clean park with 3 loops. 1 loop for non hookups. Most of these sites are on the outside of the campground and provide good privacy."
"The campground is beautiful and well maintained with a dense forest surrounding you. We went in a 25ft motorhome, which fit between the trees well."
from $30 - $37 / night
Check Availability6. Mountain Lake Campground — Moran State Park
"There are great hikes all around, we walked around the lake and plopped our canoe in right from the site to go explore around."
"Situated on a small peninsula on gorgeous mountain lake. Great fishing and kayaking. Hiking trail right outside you your campsite. Put toilet only, no room for RV’s or campers."
from $35 / night
Check Availability7. Larrabee State Park Campground
"Larrabee State Park is a publicly owned recreation area located on Samish Bay, six miles (10 km) south of the city of Bellingham, Washington."
"There is a train very close to the campground! It didn't bother us, but some might find that useful. We stayed 1 night here. It was pretty nice."
from $12 - $70 / night
Check Availability8. Southend Campground — Moran State Park
"Lots of the spots have huge forested areas behind them. Was easy walking distance to the lake where you can rent kayaks and paddle boards or lounge on the beach."
"Its tucked away in the woods. There are usually deer in the morning. So be sure to pack away food. The bathrooms are well maintained. It is well worth the hike to the lookout on the mountain."
from $23 - $35 / night
Check Availability9. Lakedale Resort
"The campground has a great location and is easily accessible from all that the San Juan Island has to offer."
"Great spot on the lakes, lots of different options from tents, to hook ups to cabins to canvas tents etc. Hot showers for a price! But worth it."
10. Odlin County Park Camping - Lopez Island
"This campsite was my first time to visit Lopez Island. That campsite was definitely above than I expected! It has waterfront with beach, campsites are neat and restroom is better other campsites!"
"Odlin Park is just off the ferry landing on Lopez Island. There's a long sandy beach where locals and tourists alike come to spend their days."
Drive Time
- 1 hr 7 min from Mount Vernon, WA
- 1 hr 24 min from Bellingham, WA
- 2 hrs 1 min from Seattle, WA
- 2 hrs 58 min from Bremerton, WA
Recent Camping Photos near Lopez Island, WA
332 Photos of 231 Lopez Island Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Lopez Farm Cottages & Tent Camping
Spencer Spit State Park Campground
Odlin County Park Camping - Lopez Island
Turn Island State Park Campground
Shaw Island County ParkG
Obstruction Pass State Park CampgroundD
Evergreen CampgroundN
Lakedale Resort
Jones Island Marine State Park Campground
Midway Campground — Moran State Park
Mountain Lake Campground — Moran State Park
Northend Campground — Moran State ParkD
Recent Reviews near Lopez Island, WA
1211 Reviews of 231 Lopez Island Campgrounds
- JJennifer M.
TravelerSage Horse Camp
A Quiet, Serene Equestrian Camp
My feline and I were looking for a quiet, off the beaten path sanctuary and found it. We chose spot 14 in the nw corner, hidden and along the northern treeline. The road is gravel and took us a minute to roll in and once there, magnificent. There are amenities for horses to play, trails to ride, and corrals at each of the 15 sites. Although we did not have horses, this place was a wonderful spot to rest our road legs for a couple days.
- JJennifer M.Traveler
Sequim Bay State Park Campground
A Cozy Off the Highway 101 State Park
This State Park is cozy and directly off Hwy 101. A Camp Host, small trail down to Sequim Bay, giant trees shading the campground, one shower and toilets, garbage, and cozy.
Morgan G.ScoutRhododendron Campground
standard car camping
10 out of 15 sites were available on Labor Day weekend Saturday at 4pm. No reservations - it's just show up, put $15 cash in the box, and claim your campsite. Perfectly adequate car camping with a picnic table, fire circle, and access to pit toilets.
you can still hear road noise from the main road, and barking dogs in the morning from a nearby dog sanctuary. Beautiful rhododendron brush covers the space between sites.
Mike
GuideDungeness Recreation Area
Not bad, but you better arrive by 10!
First, the really bad and frankly, stupid: This park locks down at 10pm, and there is no way to get in. They do a crappy job of alerting you too. It's in some small print, but it needs to be big, bold, and front and center when you make the reservation. We traveled 5+ hours and didn't make it in time and had to sleep in the small parking lot outside the gate. Another kind of dumb policy is the showers - The shower is free, but timed to 5 minutes. It's just short enough that you need to turn it on again to finish. Then you can't turn it off. I understand the purpose, but I'm guessing it wastes more water in the end.
Beyond that, it's generally a nice park. There are a lot of great sites with lots of trees for shade and hammocks. We heard owls and eagles, and the views are fantastic. The spit is cool, but no dogs. One last thing - it's on the bluff, not too far from the water. It can still be breeze and chilly in the summer. It's kind of a bummer when you can't have a fire.
- JJessica B.Scout
Deception Pass State Park Campground
Check the training schedule before you camp here!
The Navy carrier jets train out here, for hours on end, you can’t hear someone next to you speak when they’re overhead, and it’s one after another. To top it off, some dipsh@t did the grand finale flight of the evening, around 11:30 PM, so low over the campground they lit up the inside of the tent.
Without the jets, this would be a great spot. Beautiful scenery, plenty of trails and beaches, well kept, but the constant interruption of any moment of peace makes it worthless unless you’re deaf and don’t mind the ground vibrating routinely when they fly over.
Kim G.
LegendThousand Trails Grandy Creek
Just ok KOA
We were coming off Orcas Island on a later ferry and wanted a “known” place to stay. This is a shared KOA/Thousand Trails site. It is situated amongst large Cedars so sites are pretty dark. Gravel roads and sites. Older bathrooms that don’t seem too clean. KOA amenities like a pool/hot tub, kids playground and dog area. Just feels tired and not too upscale. If it were full it would feel crowded. Updated from 3 to 4 stars. There is a second bathroom building which is much newer and has modern showers and fixtures. It also seemed cleaner.
- LLarry J.Guide
Silver Lake County Park
A fabulous county park
The county redid an older CG about 6 years ago (?), and they did a beautiful job throughout. The roads and driveways are all asphalt, the spaces mostly large, and depending on the site, have nice privacy. The bathroom facility is beautifully done.
Maple Creek CG part of the 3 CG park is the best for the rv crowd with water/electricity, and a dump station. There are a number of trails taking walkers to the beach area having lots of grass, boat rentals, and trails connecting to the other two CG’s.
We don’t get cell coverage (Verizon or AT&T), so we now bring the Starlink Mini beginning in 2025.
And we love the beautiful trees, not too dense, allowing sunshine coming in. We used to tent, have a 27’ Airstream nowadays, but this CG is like a beautiful USFS experience.
- LLarry J.Guide
Lake Erie Campground
A really nice area to camp
Behind the small well kept store is the lawned campground for tenters, or RVs. The flat area is well kept grass on the shoreline of Lake Erie and has a dock. New orange tables for each site. Looming across the road is wonderful Mt. Erie and the Anacortes Community Forest Lands with many trails for all levels. Trail maps online, and one can connect to a trail just walking a short bit. Mt Erie has a gorgeous view of the San Juans, Whidbey Island, Olympics, Cascades and eagles flying by. The south face has many rock climbs for all levels, even at least one 5.13! A noted area for newbies trying rock climbing, with someone to assist.
There are basically no trees, but with the grass and sunshine, wonderful. Downtown Anacortes is about 10 minutes away. Scenic Deception Pass to Whidbey Island less than that, or a nearby trail makes a scenic hike to the bridge. A great place to explore so many things.
Guide to Lopez Island
Lopez Island campgrounds offer distinct camping experiences across Washington's San Juan Islands, with sites located between 0 and 500 feet above sea level. The region experiences mild summers with average temperatures between 65-75°F and limited rainfall from June through September. Most campsites remain cool even during summer due to marine breezes and extensive forest cover.
What to do
Kayaking from beach access points: Spencer Spit State Park Campground provides excellent launching options for water activities. "I have camped here three times and it's always a good time. You can drive here from the Lopez, IS ferry but it's a great spot to boat to. The canoe/kayak sites are beautiful and pretty private. There's beautiful views and great beach combing," notes one visitor.
Hiking nearby trail systems: Moran State Park offers extensive trail networks with varying difficulty levels. "Miles of hiking trails that lead to the highest point in the San Juans, Mt Constitution. One of the most incredible views I have ever seen in the PNW," reports a camper. The park features over 30 miles of trails through old-growth forests.
Wildlife viewing and photography: The islands provide numerous opportunities to observe native species. At San Juan County Park, "The bluff is perfect for frizbee, football, soccer, sunbathing, watching the water traffic and sometimes Orcas!" A visitor mentioned that "you have to take a ferry to the island so you don't need a boat (but it'd be great to have one, kayaks included)."
What campers like
Private waterfront access: Southend Campground receives high marks for its lakeside locations. "The Southend camground at Moran is definitely the way to go. Most sites have their own private beach access of you want to keep your own boat on shore or swim with kids, the bathrooms are newer and much nicer," writes one reviewer. Sites often book 6+ months in advance.
Clean facilities: Despite remote locations, many campgrounds maintain well-kept bathrooms and amenities. A camper at Washington Park Campground noted, "We had such a great time at this site. the bathrooms are centrally located between all sites and they have the option for firewood to be delivered to your campsite, which was awesome because it meant no unnecessary trips to town."
Multiple camping options: From tent sites to glamping, the region offers various accommodation types. At Lakedale Resort, "We had Nevas Canvas Tent #6. It was amazing! Glamping at its finest! King size bed was super comfy. We had a huge deck overlooking one of the three lakes. Our tent also had a bathroom w/ a toilet and shower, an electric heater, a trundle bed/couch, and electrical outlets."
What you should know
Ferry logistics are crucial: Reservations for ferry transport are strongly recommended. "To get to Moran State Park or anywhere on Orcas Island, you need to take a ferry. I had read that you should get a reservation but I ignored it, thinking it would be no problem. Luckily we were the second to last car to get on the ferry but we were really close to not making it," reports one camper.
Weather conditions: Nights can be chilly even in summer. A visitor at Deception Pass State Park advised, "Be prepared for rain." Another noted, "We stayed in RV in site without hook-ups. Fighter jet noise on a Monday morning during our stay."
Limited supplies on islands: Plan to bring necessities. "Pack in what you'll need.
Frequently Asked Questions
What recreational activities and attractions are available on Lopez Island for campers?
What recreational activities and attractions are available on Lopez Island for campers?
Lopez Island is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts with numerous recreational opportunities. Kayaking is particularly popular, with Spencer Spit State Park Campground offering kayak rentals and an excellent launch spot. The island's slow pace makes it perfect for cycling, with bike-friendly roads connecting various attractions. Beach activities abound at Odlin County Park Camping - Lopez Island, where visitors enjoy swimming and spectacular sunset views. Hiking trails wind throughout the island, offering scenic vistas of the surrounding San Juan archipelago. Wildlife viewing, beachcombing, and fishing for Searun Cutthroat are also popular activities for campers exploring this peaceful island.
Where are the camping options on Lopez Island?
Where are the camping options on Lopez Island?
Lopez Island offers several excellent camping options. Spencer Spit State Park Campground on the northeast side provides car camping, RV pull-through sites, group sites, and walk-in beach sites facing the water. Located just off the ferry landing, Odlin County Park Camping - Lopez Island features waterfront access with a sandy beach and neat campsites with better-than-average restrooms. For a more private experience, Lopez Farm Cottages & Tent Camping offers tent sites in a charming farm setting. All these options provide excellent bases for exploring the island's natural beauty.
What camping is available near Lopez Island, WA?
What camping is available near Lopez Island, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Lopez Island, WA offers a wide range of camping options, with 231 campgrounds and RV parks near Lopez Island, WA and 7 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Lopez Island, WA?
Which is the most popular campground near Lopez Island, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Lopez Island, WA is Deception Pass State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 114 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Lopez Island, WA?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Lopez Island, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 7 free dispersed camping spots near Lopez Island, WA.
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