279 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
McKenna, Washington sits within reach of several established campgrounds and natural areas offering varied camping experiences. Alder Lake Park in nearby Eatonville provides year-round camping with both tent and RV sites, while Millersylvania State Park Campground near Olympia features cabins and yurts alongside traditional camping options. The region includes a mix of state parks, private campgrounds, and military facilities like Lewis North Travel Camp on Joint Base Lewis McChord. Most developed campgrounds in the area maintain amenities such as drinking water, fire rings, and picnic tables, with many offering electric hookups for RVs.
Public lands surrounding McKenna feature a range of camping environments from riverside sites to forested settings. Many campgrounds require advance reservations, particularly during summer months when visitation peaks. "This campground is about 20 minutes away from my parents place in Longview Wa. About 5 miles off of the freeway next to Silver Lake and the Mt Rainier Visitor Center," noted one visitor about Seaquest State Park. Weather conditions remain relatively mild year-round, though winter camping may require additional preparation for rain and cooler temperatures. Several campgrounds in the area maintain shower facilities and flush toilets, while more remote locations offer vault toilets or no facilities at all.
Campers report high satisfaction with sites near rivers and lakes, particularly those offering privacy between campsites. According to feedback on The Dyrt, "Most of the sites are in the woods, although they are all pretty close together. Some of the larger sites, including the RV sites, are right next to the beach, and you can set up chairs and have a beautiful view." Proximity to Mount Rainier National Park serves as a significant draw for many campgrounds in the region, with several visitors mentioning the convenience of using these areas as base camps for exploring the national park. Family-friendly amenities like playgrounds appear at several developed campgrounds, while those seeking more solitude can find it at less developed sites farther from population centers. Cell service varies significantly throughout the area, with better connectivity at campgrounds closer to towns.
"It's about an hours drive from Paradise, which makes it less ideal than Cougar Rock if that's your destination, but the reservations do not fill up nearly as quickly."
"Walking distance to the day use beach area. Very clean showers. Well maintained sites and fire wood for sale with the camp host. A great spot for exploring near Mt. Rainer."
from $35 - $265 / night
Check Availability"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. "
from $12 - $162 / night
Check Availability"Rainier as it is within minutes of the Nisquilly entrance. The majority of the campsites were amid tall trees. "
"Rainier NP and the town near by has some solid shops. The campsites are pretty private and there’s specific spots for your tent that has an extra layer of mulch underneath for cushioning."
from $25 - $40 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $31 - $91 / night
Check Availability"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."
"We had a little trouble finding this spot because an industrial area moved in around the campground. Signs tell you where it is, but it feels wrong."
"Site #5 is close to main office where you can get wifi if you want, we declined though. Restrooms were good. No issues. Will definitely return again soon!"
from $40 - $60 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $12 - $35 / night
Check Availability"The patios are paved but very small and not in a great location for our class A motorhome (better suited for towables with their doors farther back)."
"Great location just a couple of miles from beach. Very clean and friendly staff. Clean pool, laundry, and club house. Nice paved lots with cable and wifi. Nice place."
from $10 - $30 / night
"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."
"This campground has super friendly staff, decent bathrooms and showers, laundry facility, access to a lake, fishing is welcome, swimming allowed, great playground for kids, allows pets, has a small store"
"It was a larger site that sits next to the small creek. It was very pleasant and quiet. The bath house isn’t too far and was usually well stocked and clean."
GuideThis is a very nice state park. Loved the Mt. St. Helens visitor center, drawback is they do charge to go in. Our campsite was full hook up pull through. The best sites to get are T15 and T16 if I remember correctly. I was at site T6 was fine. We were there during the week so it was quiet.
TravelerOne of my favorite grounds I’ve visited. On-demand hot showers in two buildings, plenty of bathroom stalls (main building has stalls and one shower, second loop has 2 private stalls and 2 private showers, and last loop has one vault toilet)- sites 1-26(?) are fairly close together and close to the main road- second loop I didn’t look too much at, but most of the bigger campers or cars were parked there- last loop has almost all full-shade, larger, and less crowded sites (they’re still fairly small, but with less people it’s not so bad). There are dumpsters and water spigots all over. Clean grounds, friendly on-site host, office staff absolutely wonderful and incredibly helpful. Across the street from the day-use park with lake- super nice, rather small. Rangers do patrol nightly. PLEASE BRING SMALLER BILLS PER OFFICE REQUEST.
TravelerThis spot is just after the turnoff forest road 25 toward Mosquito Meadows. No need to go two miles, all the mosquitos are at this spot! Not unexpected since it’s by a creek, but still a drawback.
The spot is small and surrounded by trees, but within hearing of forest road 25, which is pretty busy
TravelerI didn’t know what to expect but when I arrived I was pleasantly pleased with the location! I had the whole area to myself. Ample room to space to get situated. (Only drawback was that I did not have extra trash bags to clean up what the prior visitors left)
TravelerCampground has nice paved spots, but they are very close to each other, so don't expect much privacy.
It sits behind a smal stadium.
For the restrooms and shower you'll have to walk pretty far. These are just simple ones, like in a sportsclub usual. Shower is warm enouth but not hot (for my wife it was not hot enough).
Camphost is very friendly and will help you, if needed. We came in at about 8:30 pm without a reservation, she helped us with the booking and all went good.
45 $ per night with electric and water hookup.
TravelerPerfectly fine, especially considering the low low price of $0. Sites no closer together (honestly, more spacious than) the average KoA I’ve paid $60-$90 to pop up a tent in.
I chose a spot closer to the road than the lake, but if I’d arrived before 7:45 other spots would have been available, I’d imagine.
TravelerThis is a perfectly lovely campsite! A bit close together, but it’s free!
GuideWe usually do dispersed camping because we don’t like being too close to other other campsites. But we were surprised by how much room we had here. It’s not boondocking by any means but still, not a Walmart parking lot either. We had plenty of space for our things and the kids to play. Speaking of, if you are allergic to kids stay away. They have them in all ages and verities here… my kids enjoyed riding bikes and playing at the nearby park from morning until dark. Restrooms are cleaned often, didn’t have any issues with our hooks ups. Is it windy? Yes it’s the ocean. Is there a tide? Yes it’s the ocean….
TravelerThis is an open area near the lake with room for at least a dozen different campsites. On a Friday night, there was everything from trailers to tents. People were courteous and the noise from generators, dogs, music, etc didn’t go too late. I’d come back here. Port-a-potties here, but no water or trash service.
Camping near McKenna, Washington centers around a mix of state and private options within 30 miles of town. Most campgrounds in this region sit at elevations between 400-800 feet, providing moderate temperatures with summer highs averaging 75-85°F and winter lows rarely dropping below freezing. Summer camping reservations typically must be made 3-6 months in advance for weekend stays.
Waterfront activities at Alder Lake: The lake offers swimming, fishing, and boating options with a designated swim beach area. "This place is beautiful!! There are trails to explore, a sandy beach area that is also for public access, a boat launch and boat dock. The water is that beautiful blue/green glacier water color," notes a visitor to Alder Lake Park.
Trail exploration: Multiple trail systems range from short lake loops to longer forest paths. At Millersylvania State Park, "There are ample trails throughout the park including a lovely trail along the lake, which is not far from the campground," according to one camper who visited during Thanksgiving weekend.
Meadow stargazing: Find open areas for night sky viewing away from city lights. "Nicely maintained property, with spacious sites, great restroom facility, acres to gorgeous meadow and evening star viewing," reports a visitor to Elkamp Eastcreek, noting the host was "gracious and welcoming."
Privacy between sites: Campers frequently mention site spacing as a key factor. "I was impressed by how spread apart the sites were, I think they could have fit another in between each of them!" says a visitor to Dash Point State Park Campground.
Clean facilities: Well-maintained bathrooms and common areas receive positive mentions. "Clean flushing bathrooms. Staff is friendly. Nice, grassy spots. I will be back!" reports one Alder Lake visitor. Another camper at Elkamp Eastcreek describes it as having "the nicest campground bathrooms we have ever experienced."
Family-friendly amenities: Playgrounds, shallow swim areas, and recreational facilities enhance family camping experiences. A visitor to Camp Lakeview notes, "This campground has super friendly staff, decent bathrooms and showers, laundry facility, access to a lake, fishing is welcome, swimming allowed, great playground for kids, allows pets, has a small store in the office with some essentials."
Seasonal water levels: Lake conditions change throughout the year, affecting beaches and water access. "The 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... usually when water is at normal level the beach is all sand and water is clean and clear," mentions one Alder Lake camper.
Reservation windows: Most campgrounds open reservations 6-9 months in advance. For American Heritage Campground, availability can be found even on short notice: "We arrived without a reservation and were happy that the office was still open at 7pm on a Sunday."
Cell service variability: Connectivity depends on location and provider. "We have Verizon and had no issues with cell signal at this campground," reports a visitor to Riverbend Campground. At military facilities, "Cell signal is very weak for t-mobile and trees prevent starlink from working well," notes a camper at Holiday Park Military.
Playground proximity: Choose sites near play areas but not too close. Camp Lakeview features "a playground next to a volleyball court and basketball court. A small beach with a large dock was available for use during the day as well as a boat launch and fishing dock," according to a recent visitor.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Many campgrounds offer chances to spot deer and smaller animals. "My kids enjoyed playing in the sand and watching deer from our campsite," shares a visitor to Alder Lake Park.
Winter camping preparations: For off-season camping with children, select campgrounds with heated facilities. At Millersylvania State Park Campground, one camper notes, "We are very late in the season and only stayed here for one night but it's nice! I guess during a warm summer it's nice to be here to swim in the lake."
Site selection for trailers: Consider site angle and accessibility. At Riverbend Campground, "We got site 106 which was the furthest one out, it was right along the river. The site has a concrete slab and fit our Jayco 174BH perfectly. This site does is a back in, but the slab is at a 90 degree angle from the drive. So you will have to back your trailer around a corner if you plan to park it on the slab."
Hookup variations: Not all sites offer equal amenities. "The site had water and electrical, but no sewer connections. They do have a nice dump station," notes a Riverbend Campground reviewer, while another mentions, "No issues with the camp sites. 1st one had a bad power pole and the next one the water leaked."
Check site dimensions: Size limitations exist at many locations near McKenna. "I really appreciated the ease of getting to the campground off of I-5 and the privacy of the heavily wooded individual sites," reports an American Heritage Campground visitor who had just purchased their trailer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near McKenna, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, McKenna, WA offers a wide range of camping options, with 279 campgrounds and RV parks near McKenna, WA and 32 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near McKenna, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near McKenna, WA is Alder Lake Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 36 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near McKenna, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 32 free dispersed camping spots near McKenna, WA.
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