Best Cabin Camping near Mazama, WA

Campgrounds are full. Camping is one of the safest ways to get out and about yet still practice social distancing. Luckily we planned our trip before COVID-19 appeared and we were able to go on our trip in spite of COVID. And luckily we had reservations. Colonial Creek South Campground on Diablo Lake was a wonderful place to camp. Our site was big enough for our A Frame Pop Up camper and it had a nice private picnic table and tent area we could have used if we’d had extra people camping with us. We were right across from the camp sites that backed up to Diablo Lake and have already scoped a camp site on that side we’d love to check out next summer. There’s lots of lovely hikes in the area. The campground was kept very clean. Kayaking, boating, swimming (although the water is cold) - the lake is a beautiful turquoise jewel in the heart of the North Cascades. We can’t wait to go back.

So many people have dusted off their camping gear or bought new gear and are out and about. Colonial Creek North Campground, which is not reservable, was full mid week. Usually we’ve been able to get non-reserved camp sites mid week easily. So just a word to the wise if you are going camping, arrive early or get reservations where possible.

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.

We stayed at this campground on Diablo Lake for 1 night on our drive from BC to Portland. We were there on a Tuesday night in early June with not a lot of people. I think typically this campground would be very crowded but we were lucky to be there at a time with not a lot of people around. We grabbed what seemed to be the last available site right on the lake and it was PERFECT! The views were breathtaking and we felt very comfortable and safe in our site with a fire pit, bear safe locker, picnic table and enough space to feel pretty private. I definitely recommend this camp site if you're traveling off season, slightly off season or during the week.

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.