Are you in need of a campground near Mazama, WA? Mazama is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Mazama, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
"Super close to the river. There were a lot of people, mainly families, but everyone was super respectful and it honestly made me feel safer and a solo traveler. Would definitely go back."
"If you are a thru-hiker, theres oftentimes trail magic here!! Easy hitch down to Mazama."
"You need good weather, 4W drive and high clearance. Yep, sedans might be able to do it but they shouldn’t, plain and simple. If you bottom out on this road, you have a LONG walk to town."
$10 / night
"I think there’s paddock to bring horses but I’m not sure. Tons of dirt bike/side by side trails in the area."
"This spot has been the 2nd choice for my family over the years, we typically camp at Kerr camp just down the mountain a little way but we have enjoyed this spot as well, awesome trails from this spot to"
"Along Thunder-creek trail Junction is tucked away about 10 miles in."
"This is the perfect site for a large group, but it also has quite a few smaller “tucked away” spots for individuals, couples, etc."
"The park itself is really well maintained, and in a beautiful location. The lake and surrounding hills were beautiful."
"Alta Lake is a nice, clean park with decent tent sites. We had a site in Loop 2 on the right (on the lake side). It was away from the main area, parking lots, boat launch or store, so pretty quiet."
"Nice park beside very slow river adjacent to busy road. No dogs on grass. Garbage. Picnic tables. Shaded. Stay 72 hours. Warm shower. Flush toilet. $10/night/vehicle or tent"
RangerStarting spot for our PCT SOBO thru-hike in 2019. Woke up to snow on the summer solstice!
Beautiful area (even with the eastern approach to it a burned down forest) and for most of the summer, there are super nice rangers at the cabin there. If you are a thru-hiker, theres oftentimes trail magic here!! Easy hitch down to Mazama.
ScoutBig, open sites. Quiet spot. Room to roam. I think there’s paddock to bring horses but I’m not sure. Tons of dirt bike/side by side trails in the area.
GuidePersonally I really enjoyed this park and camping. The park itself is really well maintained, and in a beautiful location. The lake and surrounding hills were beautiful. Even with the few private homes nearby, it didn't really take away from the scenery in my opinion.
I camped in the upper loop in a site that backed to the hill side. The layout of the sites are very unique, no two sites (in the upper loop at least) are alike. My spot had a lower parking area with room for two cars. The you step up to the "living room" where the picnic table and fire pit were, then off of that area was a isolated tent pad area.
The next spot over on one side was up hill from me, so didn't really see them (but could hear them). The spot on the other side was closer and lacked a little bit of privacy, but as far as state parks go, it was still fairly spread out. I was also there for a Saturday and Sunday night, so Sunday the park completely emptied out and I think there were only 2 or 3 others in the entire upper loop, and not near me at all, which was nice.
I'm sure there are times when the lake gets overrun with motor boats and jet skis, but the weekend I was there (6/8 & 6/9) wasn't to bad at all. Paddle boards and kayaks outnumbers the boats with motors, and even those weren't racing around the lake, they were all fishing.
I mostly camp in dispersed camping areas, but this is a state park I would put on my short willing to return to list.
TravelerAlta Lake is a nice, clean park with decent tent sites. We had a site in Loop 2 on the right (on the lake side). It was away from the main area, parking lots, boat launch or store, so pretty quiet. Our site was sweet, it had a trail down to a small open sandy stretch of beach that was basically our own private beach. Took the cooler and a pop up tent and enjoyed the beach all day. We went in August and it was hot, the lake was super refreshing! (photo from WA State Parks & Rec commission)
LegendI look forward to Alta Lake every year! I try to get my favorite spot on the end near the water and stay as many days as my life will allow. We take our kayaks and explore. Hiking trails are close by.
It can get crowded up in the RV section. People seem to enjoy themselves, it gets pretty loud and rowdy in the afternoon and evening. I am glad we have other options. Our Basecamp is only 16 feet long and we can run off the grid, so we actually can take it along the lake in a tent spot. If you are going to attempt it, it is truly a tight fit. Be careful! Sites are small, pull off is more accurate than pull through,and we used a lot of blocks to level up. I wouldn't think this place is known for privacy, but I think it makes up for it with location. The bathrooms are nice and have showers too.
Lots of fish, birds, turtles, and little critters running around. The lake is lovely. There are motorized boats allowed, kayaks and swimmers be careful!
TravelerThe campground is beautiful. Because of the fire that destroyed the campground, there is next to no privacy on each campsite.
Pros: -Stars were incredible- we saw the milky-way and a few shooting starts -clean flushable bathrooms -views, access to hikes -cool lake to swim in -cellphone service (although we opted to put our phones in airplane mode to unplug) -family friendly
Cons: -noise: during quiet hours there was zero enforcement of quiet time. We had a camp next to us partying until 1am and another group up at 6am putting up a canopy and being incredibly loud -no privacy at campsites -there is a fire ban, so if you are hoping for s’mores make sure to bring a propane stove (not a con for us, but may be for others) -bees: there were so many bees. If you are allergic I recommend staying away. We had a screened in canopy and still managed to get several inside -not a ton of shade, mostly because of precious fires
TravelerAlong Thunder-creek trail Junction is tucked away about 10 miles in. While the hike is relatively easy-moderate while passing through the other camps, once you get pass camp Tricouni you have 2.2 miles until camp Junction and it’s a strenuous hike up the mountain for about a mile. There are 3 campsites to choose from in Junction. Get there relatively early because there are only 2 with a view of the glacier, the third is nice and private and tucked away but you won’t see the mountain from the site. The pit toilet is tucked away in some trees to your left of the campsites with plenty of privacy and scenery. Junction great spot for camping or to break for lunch and take in the gorgeous views. I will add if you choose to visit during a warmer time bring bug spray and get a fire going ASAP to keep them at bay until the night air comes in.
GuideThis place was so fun we plan to go back again in September! Even though the sites were close together, we still felt like we had a lot of privacy. There were lots of paths to take our kids for walks or bike rides. And the swimming area at the lake was really nice. They even had a snack shack! The only thing that was missing was a better playground. There was a slide, and that was about it.
LegendNice park beside very slow river adjacent to busy road. No dogs on grass. Garbage. Picnic tables. Shaded. Stay 72 hours. Warm shower. Flush toilet. $10/night/vehicle or tent
Horse camping in Washington offers a unique way to explore the state's stunning landscapes while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and hit the trails.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Mazama, WA is Upper Bobcat Dispersed Camping with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 8 equestrian camping locations near Mazama, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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