Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Ocean Shores, WA is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Ocean Shores camping trip.
Olympic Wilderness Basecamp
1 hr 47 min away
FS-2292 Dispersed
2 hrs 46 min away
"Each site is screened by pine trees, giving you privacy in your own site. Not all the sites had picnic tables and fire pits, so make sure you get there early to snag the best site!"
$25 / night
"We were in site 15, right on Lake Quinault, and really enjoyed everything we saw and did here. "
"This beautiful lakeside camping spot is perfect for a weekend at Lake Quinault!"
$30 - $100 / night
"There's basically zero traffic on the dirt road near the campsite. A lot of the trees around seem to be new growth. Great view of the stars at night!"
"There are several spots off the road around these radio tower stations and it is quite secluded. We didn't see any other person the whole time we were there."
"First, the creek is clear and provides a peaceful white noise for falling asleep. I was in campsite #1 which is next to the creek, with easy-ish access."
"This campground is one our favorites close by spots."
"This 6 site campground is walk-ins only. On the south shore of Lake Quinault."
"Only five sites at this campground - first come first served - all are walk up and all are on a semi private beach on Lake Quinault with beautiful water for swimming and kayaking and fantastic trails directly"
"Very far off the beaten path, every time I camp here I don’t run into anyone. You’re camping on the Ridgeline so it can be a bit windy."
"Pretty quiet and only saw 6 vehicles drive by. Lots of bugs."
"We like when campsites are separated by something because it doesn't feel like we are right next to our neighbors."
"One thing I always look for when camping is great hikes nearby! The Chetwoot Campground has some great hiking nearby. There are some great campgrounds near Chetwoot, WA also."
"The sites can be easily found by their stone fire rings. The site that is directly on the river was very popular. I ended up staying 2 nights at one of the last sites before it turns to private land."
"Several campsites along the gravel road, we found the perfect secluded spot next to the Quinault River. Drove right into the hidden alcove in our stealth camper van."
"I was happy to have my riverside site even if it meant a ring of rocks instead of a real fire ring like at other sites. Or the fact that the seat on one side of the picnic table had been removed."
"Got to the location about 9:45pm Friday night in the pitch dark so we were especially glad it wasn’t busy. We took spot 1, which in our opinion is the best location right on the river."
TravelerWe camp near Ocean Shores almost yearly and have been at this State Park multiple times. Sites are large but very little privacy and it’s hard to beat the awesome proximity to the beach. However, every time we camp whether it’s April, the middle of summer or Fall, the mosquitos are always present. This time they didn’t seem to but super aggressive but they were certainly an impressive size.
GuideBeing a new visitor to WA, we wanted to spend our first night in the middle of nowhere and this did it.
A bit of a climb for our truck camper so 4x4 was handy. There were some lower tree branches but easy to (delicately) pull to the side to get by. The road is 1 lane, gravel but nicely maintained. Not many areas to pull over so go slow and prepare to back up if necessary.
It's first come, first serve with no hookups or trash service but there is a bathroom. There's a couple spots for a bigger truck camper like ours and a handful of secluded tent sites you can walk to from the parking area. The tent sites we saw had a fire ring (fire ban in place right now) and a picnic table all nestled in the trees and ferns. There's 1 main place to fish from and several little nooks as well. There's a LOT of old, picturesque trees/ stumps in the lake, hence the name. A gentleman we met said the lake is stocked and our son caught some rainbow trout (approx 8 inches) so we put them back to get bigger for the next person.
There's also paths to enjoy a walk through the trees.
As far as cell service, we had great Verizon signal and there's a cell tower over the top of the trees so that explains that. 🙂
You need a Discovery Pass to camp here but it's either $10 a night at various campgrounds around WA (so I read) or $30 for the annual pass.
Enjoy and please pack it in, pack it out. It was a really nice campsite so let's keep it that way. Thanks!
Snag Lake Campground (360) 577-2025 https://maps.app.goo.gl/VmQbRypN42ciJemCA
RangerThis is a great place. It's in Ocean shores/city WA. It is a private resort but public can stay as long as they have openings but the have over 300 camp sites. Most sites are decently paced very few are not. Has a pool during the summer months. Open year round. Close to the beach 4 miles from Ocean Shores, WA one way and 2miles from Ocean City, WA the other. Great shops good food in town many different activities going on most weekends throughout the summer. Thought it may be a little spendy for non members it worth it.
LegendCape Disappointment is a great spot for campers of all kinds. There are RV hook ups, tent sites, hiker/ biker spots, cabins, and yurts. Very easy access to the water as well.
The yurts are your basic state park round dome with sleeping arrangements for up to 5 people. It has a table, chairs, and indoor heat.
Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. There is a park store that has basic essentials and the ability to buy wood.
During the spring, the wind can be pretty intense so beware if you are tent camping.
RangerFirst off, let me say that I'm definitely no stranger to campgrounds filling up quickly. I frequently camp in Zion and Arches, and those campgrounds fill up super fast- but NOTHING fills up faster than the beach access sites at Kalaloch. We camped there on a Tuesday night in August (so summer, but not a weekend) and of the 8-10 beach access sites that were available when I looked the night before I booked (six months in advance), every single one of them was gone when I got on within 10 minutes of reservations going live. It was INSANE. So I had to scramble, and booked a couple of sites next to each other (since we were camping with a group that was too large for a single campsite). I've never experienced anything quite like the speed with which this campground filled up. If you want a beach access campsite, I would definitely recommend being right on time and being ready to go! One disclaimer I should give is also that I didn't spend an extraordinary amount of time in this campground. We arrived pretty late at night (in the dark, around 10pm) and left early-ish in the morning (around 830/9). and didn't have much time to explore around the campground. So my review might not be the most complete, but I'll give it based on the knowledge that I have. My biggest complaint (which is a common-ish one for me, but this campground was the worst I've experienced) was that the tent area was absolutely rock hard. I'm by no stretch of the imagination an incredibly strong woman, but I really struggled to get the stakes into the ground for our tent. In a wet coastal environment where you want to stay dry, staking out your tent and fly is important, and it was really frustrating trying to get those dang stakes into that hard ground, especially in the dark. Another small gripe, that may have been magnified by the fact that we had just stayed in the very secluded Newhalem Campground in the North Cascades the night before, was that the campsites we stayed in (A055 and A056) were pretty much right on the side of the road though the campground. We essentially parallel parked, and set up our tents maybe 15 feet from the road. The sites were a little small (in fact one member of our group sneaked farther back into the bushes to set up his tarp and sleeping pad in a little more seclusion and space) and being right along the road definitely made at least those sites not a place I'd want to relax in. This is likely one campground where the site you're in can make or break your experience. My last small gripe is going to sound outrageously vain, but the bathrooms were a little small, there was only one sink, and the only mirror was above the sink. I like to have a mirror to make sure my face is clean and my hair looks decent, but I don't necessarily need a sink. When I went to the bathroom in the morning a woman spent almost 15 minutes standing in front of the only mirror, washing her face and doing her hair. It would've been nice to have had another mirror so she didn't "hog" the sink and the only mirror. The GOOD THINGS about this campground are the accessibility to the amazing beach, nice paved roads (so no dust), and lots of greenery. The air felt very fresh and clean here, and it was a cool experience for those of us from the desert to sleep in a place with so much green! The bathrooms were also very clean (if small) and the campground's directions were straightforward and clear.
TravelerMost campsites are woven in amongst old growth rainforest trees. Bathrooms are basic, no showers. Water spigots at bathrooms. Tent, rv camping allowed with some sites on the beach bluff overlooking the ocean. $22 for tent camping comes with fire ring and picnic table. There is a general store .5 miles away at the lodge.
GuideVery close to the beach but wind protected sites with lots of trees and bushes. Most sites have privacy. Showers are coin operated but work well.
TravelerCoho campground is a forested campground overlooking a large alpine lake. Lots of old growth forest, birds and squirrels live in the campground. The sites are large with a paved drive that can accommodate several vehicles and trailers. Large picnic tables and a fire pit on each site with an area for tents. No electric, water or sewer on the site. There are several flush toilets that are well kept. Bathrooms have an electrical outlet if you need to charge something. Faucets with drinking water. No showers. No cell service and starlink doesn’t work due to trees. Nearest gas station and stores about 35 minutes away. There is a boat ramp and a nice lake for kayaking. Several trails around the lake and campground.
LegendThis Olympic National Park Campground along the Washington coastal route is highly coveted, and frequently packed. If you’re lucky enough to get a reservation, or a cancellation (see the Dyrt Alerts), you’ll be treated to some of the best sunsets that the Olympic Peninsula has to offer, if you don’t mind a little traffic noise.
Many of the campsites are tucked away under the spreading canopy of trees and moss, and little sunlight filters in. While others face the ocean and have more expansive views of the sky. We were lucky to grab one of the latter and had plenty of open sky for solar power and satellite internet.
The bathrooms offer clean flush toilets and sinks, but no showers. The sites all have the typical picnic table and fire ring, but pay close attention to size limits within each site on recreation.gov because the sizes vary widely as does the space between sites.
Activities abound in this park of the park, road cycling, nearby hiking in the forest, or miles and miles and miles along the wide sand beach. The shore is quite shallow here so the tidal flats are very wide. Many different beach access areas within a short drive bring you to different types of beaches, some with sea stacks, stellar tide pooling rocks and backcountry trails. Head to the Kalaloch Lodge for a tasty dinner out!
Many NPS Park Ranger programs meet at these different beach locations. The Hoh Rainforest Visitor’s Center is about an hour and 20 minutes from the Campground. Also be aware of the traffic congestion at any of the visitor centers in Olympic NP, which can have you waiting for several hours to get into the park.
The nearest town with groceries, laundry and restaurants is Forks, about 45 minutes away, but the nearby Kalaloch Lodge served an excellent table, reservations suggested.
Tent camping near Ocean Shores, Washington, offers a blend of scenic beauty and outdoor adventure, perfect for nature enthusiasts looking to escape the hustle and bustle.
Frequently Asked Questions
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