Best Equestrian Camping near Sammamish, WA

Langley is a great little town. I don’t know why they haven’t done more to develop the campground- all sites are first-come-first served. They did repair the electrical system this year and just reopened. It’s at the fairgrounds on the edge of town, there’s a largely unlandscaped grass field with electrical boxes & (some) water connections. There is a dump out on site and potable water. There are accessible bathrooms and showers nearby. The campground is on a hill above the horse barn and arena, very convenient to the town of Langley, which is delightful. No camp host available, nobody you can call for assistance. Because the campground just reopened, we were the only ones camped most of the 6 days we were here. I love Langley but they are not as tourist-driven as many towns which have campgrounds like this.

Located on the east side of the Olympic Peninsula, Collins campground is a bit off the beaten path, which was what I was looking for during peak season in August.

The Duckabash river runs along most of the sites. There is a good amount of space between most campsites. Each one has a fire ring and picnic table. I was there the fire season, and while it was hard to escape the smoke pretty much anywhere in Washington, it was as bad at Collins.

I didnt see a campground host while I was there, Im not sure if they usually have one. Most campgrounds in the area were very full and quite busy, so I was very grateful to have found Collins . It Wass quiet and the few campers there were kind, quiet, and kept to themselves.

When driving to the campground on Duckabash road you will pass a cabin on your left side right before the paved road turns to gravel. Apparently that is the oldest structure built on on the peninsula. I thought that was pretty cool!

There are some great trails in the area as well. The Duckabash trailhead is a short drive from the campground and took two great hikes there during my stay. I hiked up river and found a lovely swimming hole, frigid, but beautiful.

I also found a great blackberry patch off the 101 which was so great having while I camped, hiked and in my morning yogurt :)

Cant wait to go back and explore more in the area!

Arrive early to snag a piece of this lakeside paradise!

Ranger Review: OOFOS OOMG Low Shoe at Owhi Campground on Cooper Lake, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Washington State

Campground Review: Owhi Campground

Review: 5 Stars «««««

Getting to Owhi Campground is a bit of an adventure in itself. Take exit 80 off I-90 and slowly meander your way through the small mining towns of Roslyn and Ronald. Once out of Ronald you'll find yourself on the 903 / Salmon La Sac Road. Follow for another 16 miles along Lake Cle Elum and the Little Salmon la Sac River . Take a left at the second bridge (NF-46) and cross, then continue on this road for 4 miles. At the end of 4 miles the paved road will end, a gravel road begins, and there will be a sign to Cooper Lake. Take a right (NF-4616) to continue onward. Another 1.5 miles down the gravel road and your destination will be tucked in the bush on the left, the beautiful Owhi Campground.

Staying to the left upon pulling into the lot, there are 3 parking lots each above a number of the 22 walk-in sites. The first parking lot has a pit toilet bathroom, self-pay station ($14 a night, $6 per extra car- one car and 6 people per site), and a main trail down to the camps and lake. The second parking lot also has a pit toilet bathroom and rubbish bin. The third lot is just parking but is bigger and I've seen larger trucks with campers or small trailers park here. Each parking lot also has "private" trails from the parking to specific camps so be warned that if you follow random trails you may end up in someone's camp.

The campground itself is made up of wooded, semi-private, to not-so-private camps set along a main trail that leads down from the parking lot towards and along the lake. The majority of the sites are mostly shaded. There are plenty of trees to hang hammocks amongst if you are a hammock camper, or if you want to hang one up to just sit in. Each site is equipped with a built-in picnic table, fire ring, and site number post with clip to attach payment stub.

There is no camp host but a ranger or volunteer will do a walk through at least once a day to check on things and collect payments from the box. There is no running water in camp, bring your own or pump from the local creeks.

The campground offers a boat launch. Please don't drag your beautiful Old Town canoe through the woods like a savage; just drive it over to the boat ramp. Cooper Lake hosts non-motorized-only boats which makes for a peaceful camping experience. The lake is absolutely beautiful, as is the surrounding Alpine Wilderness overlooking it.

We arrived on a Thursday early afternoon and there were only 4 sites left of the 22 available first-come-first-served sites. We quickly paid for sites #4 & 5 and began setting up camp. We talked to some gals up the trail in sites #9 & 10 and they arrived on Tuesday evening to claim their sites for a large group for the weekend. Duly noted; arrive early for the best spots.

When camping at site #5, you have one of the "private" trails from parking lot #1 straight into the camp. The trail was steep yet convenient to have easy car-to-camp access. Site #5 was split from site #4 by the main trail but felt more private as it was surrounded by bushes on three sides and only open facing the trail. Site #4 is closer to the lake and has a better view in general but is a more open site with much less privacy, and the ability to look straight into the next camp at site #3. Site #4, however, sort of makes up for it by having a straight path to the lake.

There are a few small pebble-strewn "beaches" along the lakeshore where you can set up a few chairs for an afternoon in the sun, or cast a line from in the early light. Rainbow trout are available to catch for the crafty fisherman. I strutted around in my super comfy OOFOS OOMG Low Shoes, with our chairs, rafts, kayaks, and SUP as we headed down to one of the beaches and set up for the weekend with other campground locals to enjoy the lake, sun, and mountain views.

If playing on the lake isn't enough activity for you, there are a few hiking trails located close by. You can hike to Pete Lake by either driving or hiking the remaining mile down the road to the trailhead from Owhi Campground. There is also the Mineral Creek trailhead a bit further up NF-4600.

Product Review: OOFOS OOMG Low Shoe

Review: 5 Stars «««««

As a Review Ranger for TheDyrt.com I was provided with a pair of women's OOMG Low Shoes in black by OOFOS to test and review.

Pros

· Closed cell foam made from non-toxic properties and painted with non-toxic paints

· Latex free for sensitive feet (like mine)

· 6 month warranty

· Lightweight - each shoe weighs 6.12 ounces

· Incredibly comfortable!

· 4-way stretch mesh upper is breathable

· Machine washable (do not put in the drier)

Cons

· Do not dry out quickly - mine took 22 hours to dry out

· Not made to go on rough adventures in - tore a chunk from my sole trying to walk to the lake from my campsite

The OOMG low shoe is sold as a recovery shoe and it totally fits the bill!

While your typical gym shoe foot-bed was designed with many layers to help move you through your workout, Oofoam was designed by former athletic shoe designers with a single, closed foam cell to absorb more shock than a traditional shoe, ease hip and back pain, put the body into a more natural stance with high arch support, and give tired feet relief and ease the road to recovery post workout.

I tested these shoes to the limit on a 4-day camp trip on Cooper Lake and daily in my garden since our return. While at the Owhi Campground we hiked, kayaked, hung in hammocks and trucked from our camp to the lake and back more times than I care to count.

Post hiking:

Post hiking these shoes are a dream! Our weekend on Cooper Lake was hot, 85-100 degrees out, and pulling off my hiking boots and thick socks in exchange for the OOMG Low Shoe and ankle socks was so refreshing. The shoes are made from a closed cell foam foot-bed which is extremely comfortable and cushy, a 4-way stretch mesh upper which allows them to be incredibly lightweight, weighing in at 12.24 ounces a pair. They are surprisingly breathable and slide off and on with ease. Not to mention crafted with non-toxic materials/paints and are latex free, allowing all wearers to enjoy sock free, if you're into that sort of thing.

I spent an entire day in them around camp and my comfort level stayed impeccable. I did, however, tear a tiny chunk out of the inside of my right sole at some point hiking from camp to our beach set-up on the lake. I noticed that OOFOS has a 6-month warranty on their products that I will have to look into for my tear.

My suggestion when camping with the OOMG would be to keep them on the groomed trails or close to camp because they otherwise make a wonderful hammock camp shoe. No fuss sliding off and on from my hammock or buddies’ tent.

Water sports:

When I read the shoe was machine washable, I chose to test them out on the water.

I wore them for a morning of light kayaking. While my foot bed was wet the shoe didn't retain tons of water inside while kayaking so it was comfortable; not too cold and I was still able to retain grip inside my shoe without rubbing or blistering. The foot bed doesn't have a lot of grip to the bottom of the shoe so I didn't give it a go on the SUP, not to mention my balance sucks so I wouldn't be an accurate judge up there anyways.

My only real gripe about wearing them in the water was the dry out time. I'm lucky I brought extra shoes on the trip as these stayed wet for 22 hours on an 85 degree day, left out to dry upside down on a picnic table in a partial sun/shaded camp.

Returning home & around the Garden:

Since returning home the OOMG Low Shoes have become my go to house and gardening shoes. While wearing them in the garden I've found that I enjoy wearing my OOFOS without socks to water my plants; my feet can breathe, I don’t mind if my shoes or feet get a little wet (as it's been so hot out) and damn are they cushy. These shoes seem to be slowly molding to my feet and are improving my balance and posture. My family has mentioned that they've noticed I'm standing up straighter and look healthier (due to decreased pain levels) to which I truly give the credit to the shoes. Not to be a whiner but I have been diagnosed with MS, psoriatic arthritis and early onset osteoarthrosis and typically deal with left leg weakness and hip pain on a daily basis. Since obtaining these shoes I would say my hip pain has decreased from a 7/10 to a 5/10 daily. That may not sound like much to you, but to me it is a serious improvement. I was so impressed with them that I suggested them to my Dad who also suffers from hip arthritis with two (2) prior hip replacements! He purchased the Men's Ooriginal sandals in black and absolutely loves them. In fact, he loves them so much that after just a week of having his, he just purchased my Mom a pair of the Women's Ooahh Lux slide in black hoping they help with her bunions. My sister dropped by today to help in my garden and noticed my "funny" shoes but after she read my review and found out my folks each own a pair too, she is interested in her own pair of OOMG Low Shoe's for her post hiking and yoga adventures. Both of my sisters will be going to Disneyland for Halloween and I’ll be recommending them to my youngest sister for her hotel and pool-side shoes! Looks like we should invite the OOFOS team to Christmas as it seems you're now a part of our family. Thanks OOFOS!

Extras:

There are a few more things I'd like to give OOFOS a shout out for that are not necessarily part of the shoe but part of the company's core values; the Pink program and OOFOS rewards.

OOFOS Rewards is your basic rewards program except you are earning points towards amazingly cushy recovery footwear! They have all kinds of extra ways to earn points; share on FB for 15 points or refer a friend for 200 points for example but the basic point system is 1 point earned per $1 spent. Redeem 100 points for $5 discount, 200 points for $10 discount, 500 points for a $25 discount and 1,000 points for a $50 discount. In case you were wondering I totally signed up for the points program as I anticipate a growing collection of OOFOS footwear in my home.

The second project I'd like to point is the Project Pink program donates $10 from any Project Pink footwear collection sold, to breast cancer treatment research at Dana- Farber. I like to spend my money at companies that give back to their communities in one way or another, so cheers to OOFOS for doing their part to help fight breast cancer!

Overall we had a good time here, river is close by for water playing, and there is a playground for kids in the park. Grocery store is only two minutes away which makes it super convenient. However, the tent campsites have no shades, so on a sunny day it can get really hot. It's not a place where you can spend much time at the campsite during the day in my opinion.

Campground Review:

This park is big, beautiful, and very family friendly. I've been camping in this park a few times and the only complaint I have during a high traffic weekend (like a music festival - TimberFest happens here yearly) is that there are not enough rest rooms! There are plenty of huge camping spots that include fire pits, picnic tables, and room for your car. There are also spots with RV hookups if you roll like that. If you venture across the Shakey bridge there are hiking trails, access to the water, and plenty of trees to hang your hammock in. There are also additional more remote camping spots on the other side of the bridge. You can access the water from both sides of the bridge so don't fret! This park is super close to downtown Redmond so if you are looking for an easy trip, or something a little more remote on the other side of the bridge, this is the spot for you.

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt I get the opportunity to test awesome products! At Told MacDonald Park I tested out my Belmont Blanket. I've had the opportunity to use my Belmont Blanket Hella Good blanket a couple of times now and it has been a great addition to my trips. The soft side is super soft (and baby friendly) and the waterproof side is great to put down on the grass (or facing up in your hammock) to keep any condensation off of you. The blanket also has a great rustic look to it that all my friends loved. I leave it in the back seat of my car all the time in case I want to go hang out in the sand or grass, or need some emergency warmth. I've owned a couple of other adventure blankets and now that I have this one it has become my go-to blanket. Sleeping in my hammock with it was awesome for an extra layer of warmth - underquilt on the bottom, Belmont Blanket on top! Overall I would highly recommend this blanket to adventurers, campers, and casual picnickers alike. You don't have to be a nomad to enjoy a nice cuddle in this blanket.

told macdonald is super cute park and campground! they offer the typical primitive campsites with fire pits and picnic tables, as well as yurts and shipping container conversions for those who want more of a "GLAMping" outdoor experience. the campground, park and trails are very well maintained and they even provide you with garden carts to help you get your stuff across the bridge. great spot for steelhead + salmon fishing. we've fished steelhead and pinks out of the snoqualmie river in the past. it's located right smack in the middle of carnation so on a nice sunny day you could walk out of the park to get pizza, ice cream or even mexican food. the suspension bridge is pretty cool, but hold onto your phones tight because it could slip through the holes into the river below. i would rate this place as 4-5 star park / 3-4 star camping since it's not even close to roughing it. those bucolic woods are our backyard.

We were eager to see Seattle, especially Jason Jr. who had been waiting a year to go. First, we wanted to make a stop at the REI flagship store downtown for some climbing gear. We circled the block several times unable to find parking that could accommodate our 45 foot length. There was another store, just outside of town at Redmond Town Center with plenty of parking and a Red Robin. Woo-Hoo! After some ropes, harnesses, D-rings, hiking shoes, pocket knife, climbing book, etc. our pocket book was a little sore. We were exhausted from the long day of driving and eager to get to the campground.King County Tolt MacDonald Park was on the Snoqualmie and Tolt Rivers. It looked like a very nice place to camp, fish, hike, etc. but we didn't intend on spending much time there. There were only a small amount of sites but they had full hookups which is always great. There were trails and a suspension bridge that went across the river. But our main reason for being here was to see Seattle. The next morning, we rented a minivan so it would be easier to get around town. Our first stop was the Space Needle. The elevator ride to the top was pretty quick. Then you could go out on the deck and walk around to see the views of the city and Puget Sound. Afterwards, we found a skate park around the corner for the boys to release some energy. In Seattle Center there were many cool attractions like the glass museum, children's museum and lots of parks to sit and relax. After skating for about an hour, we rode the monorail to the Pike Place Market downtown. We were hoping to see some fish being thrown around. We couldn't find the right spot but it was still a neat place to buy fresh produce, seafood and unique items from local vendors.