Tee P.
Traveler
TravelerRanger Creek Airstrip Dispersed
Nice and spacious .
Nice view. And seeing airplanes fly and takeoff.
Camping near Puyallup, WA
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Camping options around Puyallup, Washington range from military facilities to state parks and private retreats. The area features established campgrounds like Game Farm Wilderness Campground in Auburn, which offers 18 campsites with water and electricity hookups, as well as Holiday Park Military at Joint Base Lewis-McChord for those with military access. Dash Point State Park Campground in Federal Way and Kanaskat-Palmer State Park in Ravensdale provide year-round camping opportunities within 30 miles of Puyallup, accommodating tents, RVs, and in some locations, cabins and yurts.
Most campgrounds in the region require reservations, especially during the peak summer season from May through September. Game Farm Wilderness Campground and other public sites can fill quickly, particularly on weekends. Several locations offer full hookups for RVs, including electric, water, and sewer connections. Winter camping is available at multiple sites, though with reduced services. Road access varies by location, with most campgrounds accessible by standard vehicles. As noted in feedback on The Dyrt, "Arrived just a few min too late... This looked like a pretty good campground. I could see open tenting spots from the road, even! But I was unable to get in early in the evening with nowhere else to go. Too strict!"
Campers report mixed experiences with amenities and service at campgrounds in the area. Netties Mountain View Retreat receives consistently high ratings for its hospitality and views of Mount Rainier. A visitor noted, "The view of the mountain is breath taking and the host has done an amazing job at creating a beautiful camp ground space to camp in or hook up an RV." Military facilities like Holiday Park on Lewis-McChord Base provide clean facilities with full hookups, though cell signal may be weak in some areas. The proximity to Seattle and Mount Rainier National Park makes this region popular for both quick weekend getaways and longer stays. Campgrounds offering fire pits, picnic tables, and shower facilities tend to receive higher ratings, with waterfront locations particularly sought after during summer months.
Best Campgrounds near Puyallup (290)
1. Dash Point State Park Campground
"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 Availability2. Kanaskat-Palmer State Park
"There is good system of trails, tons of picnic tables along the river, and good river access to the Green rivers. Campground is well maintained, clean bathrooms and showers available."
"It's close proximity to our house allows us to hook up the trailer after work and include a Friday night in our camping weekend!"
from $31 - $254 / night
Check Availability3. Holiday Park Military - Lewis McChord Base
"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."
4. Saltwater State Park Campground
"My family stayed here for a night when we went out to Washington a few months ago. It was a nice little place."
"Pay showers ($1 for 3 minutes) and clean restroom with air dryer, pet friendly, lots of trails to hike and a beautiful beach area with a playground, seasonal/weekend snack shop, outdoor shower by the beach"
from $31 - $43 / night
Check Availability5. Netties Mountain View Retreat
"Convenient drive to Mt Rainier and Summit lake trail as well. Definitely worth every penny! "
"Convenient location near Mt. Rainier."
from $40 - $60 / night
Check Availability6. Penrose Point State Park Campground
"Pros: group camp is very close to beach front area, GREAT CLAMMING AND OYSTERING!"
"Penrose Point State Park is a great place close to Seattle to go camping in a small or large group. It's tent or camper friendly with plenty of spots for busier seasons."
from $12 - $72 / night
Check Availability7. Lewis North Travel Camp - Joint Base Lewis McChord
"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 Availability8. Alder Lake Campground
"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 Availability9. Sun Outdoors Gig Harbor
"Close by stores, trails, parks, harbor. Tacoma across bridge (10 minutes - $6.25 toll)."
"Costco, Home Depot, Albertsons and other shopping close by."
from $57 - $104 / night
Check Availability10. Camp Lakeview
"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."
Drive Time
- 30 min from Olympia, WA
- 33 min from Seattle, WA
- 39 min from Bremerton, WA
- 1 hr 32 min from Longview, WA
Recent Camping Photos near Puyallup, WA
453 Photos of 290 Puyallup Campgrounds
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Recent Reviews near Puyallup, WA
1514 Reviews of 290 Puyallup Campgrounds
Duane K.
ScoutAlder Lake Campground
Alder lake - Great site for our family reunion.
We camped 4 nights in one of the group site. Great paved level trailer sites, all connections well placed, and the shared pavilion was fantastic for meals and gathering. Good access to the lake and other sites. Playground for the kids. We loved it.
J W.
Guideriffe lake
Riffe Lake Dispersed Camping
Very nice for what it is. Beautiful views. Convenient store about 5 miles away. Quite except for kids playing but better than playing video games.
- KKC W.Scout
Aldrich Lake
Beautiful and private
Secluded and peaceful a must go..
- RRichard A.Scout
riffe lake
Rife lake
Rifle is pretty nice the water is really clean there is fishing I stayed up there quite a few times if you have a bike it's pretty cool cuz there's lots of logging roads and off main road trails and things like that you can have a boat there in the water if it's high enough and you used to be able to have campfires I don't know if they let that go on anymore or not used to be able to stay in the campsites for 7 days at a time for free hang glider club there you can watch him come down off the mountain that's pretty cool actually hang glided there one time went on a tandem flight with one of the hang gliding clubs that go up there
- MM K.Guide
riffe lake
Stunning Scenery
Gorgeous place to camp up to 14 days.
- jjune G.Guide
Joemma Beach State Park Campground
Another great smaller campground
At $12 a night, it’s a real deal! There’s easy access to the beach, a pretty overlook on the trail, clean vault toilets, and sites with tables and fire pits.
Cody F.ScoutLa Wis Wis Campground
Cute little campground
My wife and I stayed here this weekend. We didn’t even plan on staying here originally! She convinced me to look here because our dispersed camping spot looked sketchy. I’m glad I listened to her because it really made the trip.
You can reserve online or try your luck with an open spot. We found the cutest spot close to the restrooms and tucked away from everyone else. You’d forget that there were other campers. The spot was plenty big and having a fire pit and picnic table made the experience so much better.
The camp hosts were also very hospitable and drove by frequently checking in on people.
- jjune G.Guide
Jarrell Cove State Park Campground
Lots of good things
Ice, firewood, two docks, kayak launch, little free library, free WiFi. I find that pretty amazing for a campground with just 21 land based sites.
Guide to Puyallup
Campgrounds near Puyallup, Washington range from spacious sites with river access to lakefront options with swimming docks. Most sites are accessible year-round with varying levels of privacy and amenities. Winter camping is available throughout the region, though campers should expect reduced services and cooler temperatures averaging 35-45°F from November through February.
What to do
Hike to river spots: At Kanaskat-Palmer State Park, visitors can access the Green River via short trails for fishing or wading. "Short hike to river spots that are perfect for wading or fishing. 10 minute drive from Deep Lake which is beautiful and great for swimming and paddle boarding," notes Ashlie M.
Explore marine areas: The Puget Sound shoreline at Dash Point State Park Campground offers beach walking and tide pool exploration. "The beach is a short walk from camp, just long enough to make you feel like you earned your sunset view, but not so long that you regret your life choices. It's more of a rocky, muddy beach than a sandy one," writes Saraj B.
Enjoy water recreation: Many campgrounds feature lakefront access for swimming and boating. At Camp Lakeview, "People were fishing, paddle boarding and swimming. They have a little store in case you forget something and firewood that's way cheaper than buying elsewhere," according to Kira M.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Dash Point State Park Campground receives praise for its site separation. "This campground is remarkable in the privacy between each of the camping spots, the bird life, the wild and deep forest vibes, and the walking trails," reports Brittany D.
Clean facilities: Most campgrounds maintain well-kept bathrooms and shower facilities. At Penrose Point State Park Campground, "Sites and restrooms were clean. We had a great time exploring the beaches. Sites were reasonably private and quiet at night (except for a brief invasion of 6 raccoons at our site one night!)" shares Rachel.
Close-to-city convenience: Many campsites offer nature experiences without long drives. "This is a cute campground, especially if you don't want to be too far from the city. I was impressed by how spread apart the sites were, I think they could have fit another in between each of them!" says Katie S. about Dash Point.
What you should know
Reservation timing: Campgrounds fill quickly, especially during summer. At Game Farm Wilderness Campground, reservations open January 1st for the year. One camper noted arrival difficulties: "This looked like a pretty good campground. I could see open tenting spots from the road, even! But I was unable to get in early in the evening with nowhere else to go. Too strict!"
Park ranger presence: Some campgrounds have active staff enforcement. At Kanaskat-Palmer, "This campground is heavily patrolled by the park rangers. I usually have contact with them in my campsite at least twice a day. I have been asked by the park rangers at 10:01 p.m. to be quiet as myself and three 9-year-old girls were talking (no music etc) too loud," reports Kelly P.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best campgrounds near Puyallup, WA?
Where are the best campgrounds near Puyallup, WA?
Puyallup offers excellent access to diverse camping experiences. Dash Point State Park Campground stands out for its clean, beautifully laid-out sites and friendly staff, making it a top choice for families. Only 20 minutes from Puyallup, it offers a forested retreat near Tacoma. For those willing to drive a bit farther, Kanaskat-Palmer State Park near Ravensdale provides river access and well-maintained facilities about 30 minutes east. Both parks require reservations during peak season. If you're looking for something more rustic, there are several options within Mount Rainier National Park about an hour's drive southeast, offering spectacular mountain views and hiking opportunities.
What campgrounds near Puyallup offer water access or riverside camping?
What campgrounds near Puyallup offer water access or riverside camping?
Silver Springs Campground offers exceptional riverside camping with well-distributed sites right next to the water. Sites numbered 2-10 are particularly desirable as they're closest to the river. For those seeking a more rugged experience, White River Dispersed Camping provides beautiful riverside spots about 10-15 minutes from Mount Rainier National Park's Sunrise entrance. These free sites are perfect for those who want to fall asleep to the sound of flowing water. Both locations offer different experiences—Silver Springs provides more amenities and designated sites, while White River offers a more primitive camping experience with fewer facilities but greater solitude. Visit during weekdays if possible, as riverside sites tend to fill quickly on summer weekends.
Are there campgrounds with restroom facilities near Puyallup?
Are there campgrounds with restroom facilities near Puyallup?
Many campgrounds near Puyallup feature quality restroom facilities. Game Farm Wilderness Campground offers clean restrooms and water facilities within a convenient distance from Puyallup. For a more premium experience, Penrose Point State Park Campground has well-maintained restroom facilities with flush toilets and hot showers, making it perfect for families or those who prefer additional comfort while camping. Most Washington State Parks in the region maintain year-round restroom facilities, though some may reduce services during winter months. If heading to Mount Rainier area, even Camp Muir at high elevation offers solar toilets. Always check the specific campground's amenities before your trip, as service levels can vary seasonally.
What RV parks are available in Puyallup, Washington?
What RV parks are available in Puyallup, Washington?
Puyallup and its surrounding areas offer several options for RV campers. Lake Pleasant RV Park is one of the nicest parks with competitive rates near the Seattle area, featuring a charming man-made duck pond and easy access to major highways. Eagle Tree RV Park is another option, though be aware that some sites are close to the highway with associated noise. For those with military connections, Holiday Park Military - Lewis McChord Base near Tacoma offers big-rig friendly sites. Most RV parks in the region provide full hookups, but availability can be limited during summer months and especially during the Puyallup Fair in September, so advance reservations are strongly recommended.
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