Best Cabin Camping near Sol Duc Hot Springs, WA

No hot tub

Convenient facility for exploring north coast and north Olympic Park areas. Excellent store, game room with ping-pong and pool table; good laundry. Pool was OK but hot tub out of commission. 😔

What is the most Northwestern campground in the lower 48 you ask? Hobuck Beach Resort just west of Neah Bay, Washington is located "where the Earth began" according to the local Makah Tribe. This campground/RV camp/ cabin resort has a little bit of everything for anyone at any price point. Spread over two sites about 3/4 of a mile from each other this is my go-to surf spot to really get away from it all. Found one of the few sunny weekends out on the Washington coast to try out my new Goal Zero Nomad 7 Plus Solar Panel.

Campground Review:

For the luxury-minded who enjoy an actual bed and roof over your head 10 cabins are available at the north site in the park and 16 cabins at the south site. Cabins have their own bathrooms and can sleep up to six people, prices change throughout the year so check the website link at the bottom of this review.

For those who's camping experience includes 4-6 wheels there are 8 sites with full hookups at the south site. I have included photos of the campground map to give people a better idea of the layout of the sites.

For the full-on dirtbags and for those who don't require water/electricity there is a beautiful open field to set up shop wherever your heart desires or you can find room. The tent area has no designated sites and operates as a kind of "organized chaos" with people pulling cars over dunes into pits and getting sandwiched in when others arrive, so be aware of where you set camp.

Handy cans are located in various areas around the resort and there is one fully operational bathroom in either area. With that being said there is also only one fully operational shower in either area and it can get crowded/gross depending on the amount of people staying there. Expect to either take an ocean shower or do it at strange hours of the day.

Try to be flexible when making the journey out to Hobuck. Cabins can be reserved (and should be in the summer) but all other sites are on a first come, first serve basis. A use permit is required to camp on tribal land and you can get that at either the store in town or the resort check-in station.

The real draw here is the surf, Hobuck has one of the more consistent sets in Washington and surfers come from all over the state to check out the waves. In the summer and possibly other times of the year there is a rental shack set up by North by Northwest surf that can rent you anything you heart desires. If they are not there check out the main shop in Port Angeles on your way out if you want to rent/buy anything. The surf is pretty safe with really mellow currents most of the year so a great place to learn to surf!

Other things to do include hiking to either Shi Shi beach to the south or Cape Flattery to the north, both are fairly easy and Cape Flattery is mostly a boardwalk to the point. Shi Shi beach allows for camping but a permit is necessary as it is Olympic National Park land. Other than that Neah Bay has a great museum explaining Makah history and the Ozette village site originally located further south. There is also killer seafood you can get either directly from people in their homes or from Washburn's in town as well as day tours and kayak rentals to do some exploring on your own! 4/5 stars, it looks like their setting up to build more facilities in the north site (maybe more showers). If so I would give 5 stars here!

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Makah nation is drug and alcohol free, I'm not sure if that carries over into Hobuck Beach Resort but PLEASE respect their wishes as you are guests on their land.

Check out Hobuck yourself: http://www.hobuckbeachresort.com/

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt I occasionally get products to test in the field, since I spend time outdoors for both work and play this is great for me! This trip I decided to test out the Goal Zero Nomad 7 Solar Panel.

I was really worried about bringing a solar panel out to one of the grayest and wettest parts of the US but the weather gods had pity upon my soul and gave me clear skies for 3 straight days out at Hobuck Beach.

The Goal Zero Nomad 7 was great! It gave me enough power to keep my tablet, phone and portable batteries powered through the weekend. I was able to set it up on top of my car and tent and keep things charged while I went out to my morning and evening surf sessions. I really liked the kickstand and "solar intensity" indicator on the junction box showing you how much juice you have running to your devices so you can dial in maximum performance.

The construction itself is super rugged, I wasn't worried at all about the constant sea breeze and dew that was ever present out there. It was ready to go right out of the box and is super simple to use, just plug your USB charging device directly in and your good to go! Bonus points for having 2 carabiners included so you can hang the panel off a backpack and charge on the go. I'm definitely bringing this product out in the field for work this summer and any sunny day. 5/5 stars

Check out the product here: https://www.goalzero.com/shop/solar-panels/nomad-7-plus-solar-panel/

Tenting at this KOA we found some bright moments along with a few sour notes. I like to be positive, so I’ll start with the plus list.

Bright Moments:

The staff and one of the owners (male) are all super friendly. There is a pool and a hot tub—although anyone under 18 isn’t allowed to use the latter. There are two dishwashing sinks, which is handy. There is also laundry, showers, a nice little outdoor recreation area, and a family friendly game room along with the typical, convenience camp store. There were some activities on the weekend, which is always great for establishing community. The facilIities are all very clean. The game room really was a very nice touch and nicely done.

Sour Notes:

The campsItes were really crammed. The corner of our tent was only 4 ft from our neighbor.

The road noise!!--I mean we were practically shouting to be heard over it, and it NEVER stops…ever, not even to sleep. Some sites are likely quieter being further from the road. I uploaded a video. The birds were really close and should be loud. If you can’t hear them, then turn your volume up! On a positive note, the road noise almost covered up our neighbors who were shouting until 11. We‘ve never been so tired; our kids were a mess.

The bathhouse only had 3 showers for the whole, large campground--and they were super tiny. There were frequently lines. The access to toilet stalls and showers, etc is super tiny. There is no way there could be handicapped access unless there is another office bathroom available somewhere that is hidden from the public. I would give 3 stars if it weren’t for this

There is only one bathroom anywhere on the property, and it closes for one full hour for cleaning. Gotta go? Hold It please.

Finally, I found one issue to be particularly frustrating because I believe in honesty and transparency. This KOA goes through great lengths to advertise free WIFI. It was only after registration and payment that we learned only 2 devices can be connected. Electronic access these days are so frequently device specific. With a family of 5, sharing wasn’t an option. The funny thing was that we didn’t even care if only 2 people used it at a time…but we needed to be be able to exchange devices. I nicely asked the woman owner about thIs, and she was immedIately hostile and defensIve. I got the impression that she is approached about this issue all the time. I suggested at least making this information available so that people can plan accordingly—all she had to say in reply was that “we said we offered free WiFi, not unlimited WiFi.” She was shockingly rude. After this encounter she gave me a smug and rude smile whenever she saw me, and I really felt rather uncomfortable staying there. Which is a shame, because her husband was so, so nice, and cares so much about the property. So for the record: there is only WiFi, free or otherwise, for 2 devices. Further access codes cannot be purchased either. This owners sheer rudeness also contributes to the 2 star rating. Had she been friendly and if there were ADA bathrooms, then I would bump up to a 3-star rating.

I forgot to take the usual number of campground pics that I like to share, in part because it was crowded, and in part because I was pretty tired. There is so much to do in the area. We enjoyed Olympic, and a whale watch tour with Island Adventures. They brought us up to Minke whales, Orca and a Humpback all in one night!

Stayed here in a cabin with the kids so we could explore the local area along with driving up to Cape Flattery and Olympic National Park. We enjoyed the ability to stay dry and warm in the cabin with access to hot showers and a pool.

We loved our cabin and the cozy restaurant/gift shop. It was always quiet and staff was very friendly. We loved it here and the beach offered great tidal pools!

This place is glamping at its finest. It is located at the top of the Olympic Peninsula on Lake Crescent. There is plenty to do here from fishing, cycling, boating, and hiking.

They have small cabins and a lodge with an amazing restaurant.  I recommend this to friends who aren't quite the rugged camper but still want to explore the Olympic Mountains.

They thought of everything for you.. so if your short on supplies, they got you covered. They have food, a bar, store, ice cream and more! Draft beer gets me every time! If it wasn't 5 hours away from home, I'd be back frequently. Next time I come, ill be getting one of the cabins!! Thank you!!

I stayed here the night before they were closing for the season (lucky!) Stayed in a chalet. Minimal amenities but perhaps that’s the beauty of it. An A line cabin on this lake with minimal luxuries just appreciate the beauty of simplicity. Opening the door to this incredible glacier lake is something dreams are made of. It really humbles you and gives you gratitude.

Tent sites are terrible. Really close together and no views. Cabins block lake views.

RV sites - are pretty tight as well.

The lake is beautiful!

Didn't eat in the very expensive restaurant. Found the manager - I think that is who they were - to be only friendly to some folks (not us). They did not provide information about the campground - like where the water taps are or where to dump trash. We had to use an RV sites water spout as we couldn't find a general use one.

The bathrooms have only one shower and only one sink. It is hard to brush your teeth or wash your face when there is a line of people waiting behind you. As well the hand dryer in both the men's and women's bathrooms were incredibly loud (all night long).

Trash and recycling were unnecessarily far away. So far - that when I was doing laundry - someone came into the laundry room to dump their trash instead of walking to the bins on the opposite side of the campground. For a campground that was purchased by the National Park - metal animal proof bins, I am sure, could be attained.

The price was okay. Obviously though, folks who were paying for the higher priced cabins ($270+ a night) - were the focus. Us bike campers were not well received.

But again - the lake is beautiful!

For scenic views this campground is pretty hard to beat. Lake Crescent is stunning. The water is very clean and great for swimming in August. The campground is not laid out well and the sites are small and close together. Prepare to be friendly with your neighbors. It’s alway a drag to flush the septic system 6 feet from your neighbors door... “howdy neighbor!” The staff was great, but the campground basically unpoliced, so you end up with noise and dogs running loose. There are a variety of cabins available, a restaurant, and nice gift area.

Perfect PNW camping experience!! We’re right between wind-swept trees and ocean views. Walking on the trails you get to see rocky beaches, sandy beaches, marine mammals, birds, crabs, far off islands, lush forests, everything. If you’re really lucky you might see sea otters!! They have cabins to rent but we stayed on the smallest loop where sites were big with lots of privacy. Lots of the tent areas are very close to the road, but we didn’t mind. Make sure to bring good rain gear and stake your tent out really well (true of everywhere in the PNW though!!). This is a pretty simple campground but there’s plenty for everyone to do. The kids just played along the beach for two days straight :) We only got reservations because we were visiting local friends who know enough to reserve 6-9 months in advance, so make sure to plan for that!!

My campsite was nestle in the rainforest and even though I was close to my neighbors, it felt very secluded. The campgrounds are located near Kalaloch Lodge which has incredible dining at a reasonable price. Even better, it has a wonderful outdoor patio that overlooks the mouth of the HOH River where you can watch amazing sunsets or go explore beaches laden with driftwood the size of jetliners!! Be very careful though as driftwood this size can shift and be dangerous. Walk south down the beach and you’ll find the cabins, a gazebo and people flying kites or hanging around campfires on the beach. The drive north is beautiful and hugs the beaches. Explore them all but Beach No. 4 has the best tide pools full of sea life. It is imperative that you go while the tide is going out (Ebb Tide) as it is easy to get stranded out on the rocks when the tide comes in. Have a tide chart and know how to use it. This is an exciting place for children to explore. I guess I’m just a big kid. Ruby Beach is the next beach north and has incredible sea stacks. Continue driving north and the road turns inland and takes you to the HOH Rainforest. Hike The Hall of Mosses trail sprinkled with woodland poems and the Enchanted Valley up to the waterfalls. Driving south, visit Lake Quinault resort area with a plethora of things to do. This is a place with visiting again and again.