Best Cabin Camping near North Cascades National Park, WA

We took the opportunity to secure one of the “private” lots. Site S9 comes with a private fenced area, with fire pit, hot tub, seating and fully ready propane Weber. Staff is immediate and attentive. Free WiFi and only 1 hour from the National Park.

This KOA is a great campground, it's clean, it's centrally located to the town of Winthrop and there are close by amenities for groceries, etc. A very kid friendly place to stay as well. They even have some sites that are fenced for privacy and these sites have a hot tub and grill.

Spacious sites with beautiful Mountain View’s. RV sites equipped with water & electric hookup. Nice clean gravel sites with fire ring & picnic tables.
20 miles to North Cascades National Park.

This campground is right alongside a sweet and fenced neighborhood playground, on the banks of the river. Pretty, tranquil spots and camp hosts on site. There isn’t much here, but a diner nearby has great reviews and it’s a good spot to jump off into the North Cascades National Park.

This is by far the nicest campground in North Cascades National Park that one can drive to.  If you are lucky to be able to reserve beach side spots on Diablo Lake you will also have lots of privacy and incredible views of this amazing turquoise blue lake and maybe even your own water access/beach.  If not, the dock and beach are only a few steps away. Bathrooms are pretty basic, no showers. Cell reception is non-existent.  Amazing access to the lake and incredible hikes from your campsite!

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.

I actually did a solo overnight backpack up the trail from colonial to fourth of July pass. Unfortunately the backcountry campground I stayed at is not on this site yet. Diablo lake is gorgeous, but because of the accessibility of colonial campground via the main road it is very popular. The amenities are all there and well maintained. The ranger working the gate told me I had to pay to park when the main station had informed me that I didn't because I would be in the back country, so that was a time-consuming little mix up but besides that the Rangers are knowledgeable and willing to help out. My hike to fourth of July pass was nice, 4 mIles with around 2000 feet of elevation gain. I got great views of Diablo lake, ragged ridge, and a glacier across the valley. North Cascades National park is kind of out of the way so it is much less known than its counterparts Rainier or Olympic, and therefore I highly recommend checking it out if you have the opportunity. It has been dubbed the American Alps due to its severe peaks.

I generally enjoyed this location in North Cascades National Park. It is a beautiful area with hikes nearby and chilly swimming. Mosquitos weren’t bad which was a relief. However, sites at this campground are close together and not very private. It feels a bit like a carnival at times instead of camping in the woods.

We found ourselves in the middle of the Pace family reunion while visiting. Apparently all the adults coordinated and rented sites by each other for this event instead of renting a group site. The adults yelled across our site to each other, their children ran through our site to adjacent ones, and they were up and noisy by 6 AM. We also were treated to dirty looks, I’m guessing because it was their “usual spot”? They said they camped there for over 30 years so they clearly feel like it’s their private park at this point. This certainly impacted our enjoyment, and ability to relax.

In the future, we will consider a site away from the water for more privacy.

Despite the presence of bears, there was also a pretty cavalier attitude to bear safety and adherence to those rules. There were a lot of kids and adults day drinking so they just weren’t as alert as they should be. This can put those around them at greater risk for a bear encounter. A fed bear is a dead bear, so this was frustrating to witness.

Swimming pool, bike rentals, mining for gems, arrowheads and fossils; purchase from store, playground. Cabins are quieter than tent/RV sites. Very nicely maintained. Grass. Not much privacy and very busy bathroom.

Great Cabin Bunk Bed Came With sheets pool is warm great air vent the cabin was the best  I have seen in my life great staff the cabin holds 4 people and 1 Dog great playground made friends Great 2 Times I Came

In character, this is more of an RV park than a campground. While there are some people staying just with tents, most have RVs or fifth wheels. Privacy between sites is limited, as well mostly find in such settings. But, still, I can recommend this place even to tenters. The park is wonderfully kept, there are group shelters where you can eat comfortably even in the rain and the cabins offered or nice – A couple of regular ones and a couple of open bunk cabins. All of them in good repair. The setting is beautiful in a verdant and interesting valley, right by the river. There is a small local bar/diner just a few steps away and a boat ramp on the same property.

Winthrop/ N Cascades NP KOA

Nice KOA! The sites are HUGE for a KOA and very well maintained. Sorta a western vibe which goes along with Winthrop City. Nice little town but somewhat tourist trappy. Not horribly so and a cool boardwalk to walk along. If you take away all the traffic and replace it with horses, etc you would almost be in an old west town. The river that meanders along the back of the campground is the stopping point for tube rentals. The river is very rocky so not enjoyable to walk along but apparently good for fishing. There are two very cool wagons that are rentable to stay in, as well as cabins. The campground was very quiet (except for the playground straight across from my site) and not busy on the weekdays we visited. On the side of the playground was a nice camp kitchen with tables and large sinks. The laundry room and shower house are in the same building. The one strange thing is the dump sites location. You have to go to the far right side near the back of the park and then drive all the way back to the front. A lot to do and it would be easy to occupy your vacation time.

This is the cleanest, prettiest, best maintained campground I’ve stayed at in my 9 months of travel! Clean, beautiful park-like setting with Skagit River next to it. Great little playground for kids, birdhouses, flowers, hot showers, wifi - what more could you need. RVs and tent campers, and cabins. I highly recommend it

We are all familiar with KOA and that the company prides itself in bringing more features to their campers. But many times I have found that comes with a hefty price tag. On some occasions I have been ready to spend it and other times I have to be convinced a little more due to the location. 

When pulling into Winthrop I really wanted to find out a little more about their KOA and if it was more of a hit or miss. Themed much like the other portions of the community in western decor, the campground welcomed me immediately. I found that the rustic them of the stacked fence and the cabin like exterior of the main office was just a taste of the what was to come within the community. 

It only continued with their other offerings. They had many old pieces along the way which would be perfect for taking photos, enjoying a piece of the old west and setting the tone.

 This park offered camping for RVs and tents but also had cabins. Cost was on target for the other options in the community and came with many luxuries which others did not including a store, pool and play area. Laundry was offered at this location as well and they had kayak and boat rentals if you were wanting to go and enjoy some of the many waterways in the area. 

I really enjoyed the spacing of the sites, however many were not well covered by trees and left something to be desired. The gravel roadway was muddy from recent rain and made it a bit sloshy to get to the sites themselves. So while they were nice overall that particular thing would something I would say is a bit of a let down in comparison to the rest of the facility. 

The play area was another area which would be perfect for grabbing a few memorable photos, with oversized brightly colored chairs which could fit then entire family. Additionally they offered a nice outdoor space with patio chairs and umbrellas by the office which was a nice place to stop in and enjoy some time. 

Overall the biggest asset to this campground still laid in their proximity to the community itself. From here you can drive only a few miles and be in the middle of the historic downtown western themed community and enjoy some very unique activities. For that I would say that the benefits outweigh the downside of cost which is between$30 and$50 for tent or RV camping. 

Tips: 

• Book online in advance of your stay if you are wanting a tent site, they are more limited. 
• If you are in a larger rig, bring a detachable vehicle to navigate in town as there are not a lot of places to park larger rigs in the community itself.

General: A variety of options from cabins to tent sites to RV sites with electric and water hookups on the Skagit River. 

Site Quality: With the exception of the ADA-accessible sites and the sites directly on the river, sites are gravel. All appeared to be level. Sites have nice tree cover separating them.

Bath/Shower house: Code entry and they were clean. Showers are $1 for four minutes and a quarter for each continuous minute thereafter. Didn’t use so cannot comment on them (except that hooks are outside of the shower stall, compromising privacy a bit). 

Activities: There is some nice playground equipment and horseshoe pits (not sure if you have to bring your own horseshoes). There is a trail, but a sign was posted saying there was a recent cougar siting, so I took a pass on that one! Saw a boat on the river with people fishing. 

We ended up here since our planned campground was closed due to recent fires. We arrived at 3 pm on a Thursday the week after Labor Day and there were plenty of sites, so the host gave us an ADA-accessible site since it was larger. We appreciated the helpfulness of the host for a last-minute reservation and the price was reasonable.

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.

This is a very busy park/campground so it’s kinda noisy when you wanting to get away! However we still had a great time hanging out at the lakeside beach area, it’s dog friendly, hot weather, and close to downtown Winthrop for great shopping and food!

Love this place! The lakeside space is awesome and makes for a relaxing getaway with some beautiful alpine views. And diablo lake is a gem always changing coloring depending on the lighting...truly magical! Make sure you bring bug spray if headed out in July. My only negative is all the summer weekends reserve out way early in the season :(

I’m not by any means a pro fisherman but this camp gives great access to any fish that stray away from the lake in to the inlet. The sites are pretty spread out compared to other camp sites in western Washington for sure. Everything is pretty open and there is a nice trail at the end you could take to go backpacking or just a day hike

Lovely but busy spot in North Cascades NP. We were fortunate with really good weather. You can swim in the lake, there is a boat launch and there is a hiking trail across the street. Super convenient. Thunder knob trail.

Bathrooms were clean. Sites a little close. Lots of people come into the park on the weekends from Seattle though it is the least visited of the three Washington Parks. Lovely scenery, turquoise lake.

You need to be prepared when you arrive. Closest camp store is about 25 minutes with limited supplies, but can get you by.. there are restaurants and gas stations in Marblemount, but that is all from what we could tell.

Seems like these sites are quite popular. However, I went during the middle of the week, on a slightly rainy day, at the end of August and was the only person there. 

If you're like me and not from Washington, remember to get a discovery pass (~$10 per day) if you're parking at the Baker Lake Trailhead. The hike in to Maple Grove is approx. three and a half miles. Don't be surprised if you run into some folks on horseback. 

The trail is relatively flat and goes through some beautiful old growth forest. We got a spot right by the lake that was flat and soft. All of the sites had fire pits and seemed pretty dispersed. There were also bear boxes.  The vault toilets were some of the cleanest I'd seen. 

As you can see from some of the photos, there's a dock that you could boat up to that doubles as a great place see Mt. baker.

I've been to Colonial Creek Campground twice, both in winter. The first time was wonderful. It's deserted in winter, and it's located right before where the highway closes off in winter. It's in the mountains, and on a cold winter night, the stars are spectacular. You can hear the ice cracking all night and the mountains are more than beautiful. I rated it as three stars because on my second trip, a transient approached our campground at night and we ended up having to pack our things and leave in the middle of the night. I've been informed by others that state campgrounds in the winter can be popular for transients. Lesson learned, but it has inspired me to do more winter hiking, perhaps just in a less popular location.

I visited this campground last summer with my friends and it was a good solid campground. Lots of shady campsites, and two next to each other were able to hold the 12 of us. The rates are cheap too! The only thing is with a burn ban in place there is no light at all on the campsite, just pitch black. There are restrooms, that were semi cleanish, but no showers or potable water. The lake is also frigid, way too cold to enjoy swimming in it. Its more like a walk in to the ankles and run back out kind of lake. But it was beautiful, sunny, and in the 90s the whole time we were there in august.

Such a nice campground! This place is so well kept, and the views are absolutely amazing! The camp sites are pretty private, and some are right on the lake! I just couldnt get over how beautiful this place was!

We've spent 1 night at Colonial Creek on a few different occasions but this is never our final destination. This is nothing against the campground, its been good to us so far. Always acceptably clean and we've always managed to find camp sights with little to no view of the neighboring camp. We've never managed to snag a lake location but they seem a bit more close and snugly than the other sites anyways. There are a number of the sites we deem "normal' just off the main or center loops but we typically keep along the back of the loop along the forest where there are more private, wooded sites and walk-in camp sites available.
We tend to use this campground as a starting point to either go backpacking up the Thunder Creek trail, the trail-head is located in the back of the campground near the amphitheater or to boat into campsites off Lake Diablo, the boat-launch is located at the front of the campground near the ranger booth.
Though after reading a few other reviews of this campground on this website we are planning a group trip back this winter in hopes of some astrophtography shots over the frozen lake.
A worthy side trip just a few minutes past the campground is the Lake Diablo overlook, well worth the trip for the view.

On the edge of Thunder Arm of Diablo Lake and amidst huge peaks, sits this beautiful campground that is run by the National Park Service. Very wooded (some with old growth forest) with private sites. Great for tents and small campers, but not too much for anything over 30 feet. Clean bathrooms, flush toilets, camper dump station, fish cleaning station, water spigots and a boat launch for small fishing boats or canoes/kayaks. In the summer months, the lake is glacially-fed, making the water turn a gorgeous turquoise color from the minerals that are brought down with the glacial flow. Lots of great hiking options in the area, including Thunder Creek which starts at the far end of the campground. This site is just 1.5 miles west of the Diablo Lake Overlook – which is hands down the best place to watch the sunset in the area. Also, most of NOCA’s evening ranger programs are held at this site. First come, first served. Cost=$16