Best Tent Camping near Sumas, WA

Hello and welcome to my review on Lopez farm cottages and tent camping. My name is Aaron Wakefield. I am a new member to theDyrt community. When I say it is my extreme privilege and honor to give a five star review on this campground, you better believe if there were more stars I would give them. That being said, I hope you all like to read because this is going to be a bit of a lengthy review. I only say that because I’ve been known to have the gift of gab.

I have already done a short video on the specific area that I am camping at within this campground. I hope you will like it and that it will provide some information for any of you that should come up this way and decide to camp here.

I am camping at tent site 11. This is one of their drive in sites that will accommodate your vehicle next to your campsite. There are three of these sites in my area. They are very clean, they’re organized and plenty spacious for your tent camping needs.

I have met two people here and spoken to three that work and run this campground. This morning I met John the owner. He is a very kind man. He works very hard at making this place outstanding for his visitors. I have spoken with Cathie his wife and she is also a very kind and hardworking person. Any questions that I have asked have been answered with no details missed or left out. In many instances, I have been given suggestions and resources that will also accommodate my stay here.

Lopez farm cottages and tent camping is exactly that. There are cottages to be rented, nests, which are something between a cottage and a tent. Then you have your tent sites. Some of these sites you can park and walk in, others you can backpack in while even others like mine you can drive to your site with your vehicle and have your vehicle right there. I don’t know, but this is quite a great selection in the area of camping and just getting out. I have also met Triana. This wonderful lady has the task of keeping the bathroom and the general area of all these campsites cleaned up and ready for their next guests. Again, I have created a short video that shows this campsite two others and the building that they share. This building I am informed is only two years old. So John is doing a lot to accommodate his guests. It’s more than I have seen in any place for just camping.

Thanks for being patient and reading this very wordy review. I hope in someway you found it informative and that it will provide some information to you should you decide to come and stay here on your next visit in the Pacific Northwest.

Just remember, if you come to Lopez Island, make your stay here a wonderful one by visiting Lopez farm cottages and tent camping on Lopez Island of the San Juan Islands in Washington state.

Aaron Wakefield theDyrt -

Stayed for two nights at a tent site. It was lumpy and very unkept. It really needed some basic clean up landscaping. For the $100+ each night - I was hoping for something a lot nicer. Only almost filled portable toilets near the tents. Trash cans were overflowing.

The focus is more on the lodge, cabins, yurts, and rv sites. Those looked pretty nice.

We were told that because of a Jazz festival - the cost included admission and so higher - Surprise - it was free! and awful! Would have left but there are very few tenting campgrounds on the island.

Won't go there again - even at the other accommodations.

Really disappointed.

Living just north of Seattle, Deception Pass State Park was a great stay for us in WA! We enjoyed a quick one night tent stay at one of the parks tent sites. The campground was equipped with nice restroom and shower facilities, as well as a trail and nearby store/restaurant walkable from the tent site! We look forward to returning again soon for a longer stay and to explore more of the area!

Very clean, rangers were nice. Very crowded camp ground, but it was peak season so makes sense. Large enough sites for big rigs and some smaller tent sites.

The tent sites are all walk in on a big lawn by the river. Sites are nicely spaced between one another. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. There are some nice trees spaced in the lawn so you get shade.

It's one of my favorite spots because of the fishing access. The tent sites are right on the waterfront behind a row of foliage. The Skagit is a fishable river and spectacular when the salmon pinks run every other year. You can hear them jumping and splashing from your camp site. It's amazing.

And on your way home you have to stop by the 4B's Cafe in Concrete. Is a from scratch bakery and amazing!!!

We have tent camped and most recently taken our travel trailer to this park. It my fav! Wake up early in am take your warm beverage and sit on the logs & listen to the wave come in. Also you can occasionally spot whales from the shore.

Jake from the Dyrt here!  Cedar Groves has some great tent sites surrounded by tall dense trees, with tons of wildlife all around you!  Check them out and share some pics from your stay on the Dyrt!

Loved staying here and will be back for certain. Quiet in town and on the unbelievably warm waters of the shallow Birch Bay just across the street. Typically close RV park with tent camping as well. Wonderful manager and camp host. Clean!! Easy to get to as well. Lots of places to walk and bike to. Kayaking? That, too, of course.

There are multiple campground areas within the recreation area ranging from RV camping to hike in areas within the National Forest. The tent camping areas offer a great amount of seclusion while making it easy to move around the recreation area. There are multiple rivers and large lakes for activities or to lull you to sleep as the snow melts fill the river beds. We got incredibly lucky finding this place and will be back. Would recommend waiting until June for camping as it can be quite cold.

We ABSOLUTELY ENJOYED CAMPING here !! We live about 15 mins away and will be returning!!! We lived in a travel trailer for 2 years myself my wife and 3 children and from time to time we miss it ! The kids have been missing a lot them selves and we went tent camping here for first time after living in our trailer and we had an amazing time there! Big out space with plenty of availability! Clean out house for the kiddos! Fire pits ,wild life , and really peaceful! Thank u guys for letting us camp with u will be back soon

Howard Miller Steelhead is luxury camping. Lots of spots for RV's, but not a lot of trees. Paved roads everywhere. There are only a few tent sites, but they are right along a beautiful river. Again, no trees between sites though. When looking for a site in the dark, I definitely stumbled across a few other people's spots. I'm more of a rustic person, so this campsite wasn't for me. But it's location is great - it's right along the North Cascades Highway. The backdrop of the mountains is beautiful. Sorry no pictures. I was on my way to a rustic backpacking trip before sunrise.

Located on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island this is a great site for military and retired vets. They have RV sites as well, but I always use the tent sites. Its great for just sleeping outside without fully roughing it. They have showers and bathrooms a short walk away, and all sites have beach access and fire rings. Ive camped here a couple times now and have had a great time. Must be able to get on to the base to use it. There is a small nature trail for kids and a paved trail that goes along the beach cliffs. Great place, very inexpensive.

We stayed here on June 6, 2022. The trailer campsites are in a poor state of repair. Many have standing water and the ground is damp due to lack of gravel. Our picnic table had a partly melted top and was so unstable on the eroded slope it was not usable. The tent sites were very wet and sloping. It looks as if Washington State Parks and Recreation has totally neglected this park for several years. The campsites need ditching and a load of gravel each and levelling. The fees are expensive($40.00/night) plus a Discovery Pass, so it is definitely not worth it to stay at this park. 

It was disappointing to read so many great reviews which did not match the reality.

On the other hand, the campground host was very friendly and the restrooms were spotless, which was under her control. The poorly maintained infrastructure is not.

I will be writing to the State to voice my concerns.

I’ve stayed on other fairgrounds and it’s like camping on a parking lot.

This is like camping on a nice driveway. You get some grass, a picnic table, a fire pit, water and electricity. Code protected bathrooms and a community shelter.

There was only one other camper here, so it didn’t feel crowded, but if all 8 spots are filled hole for good neighbors.

Airport is close by and planes take off at all hours.

Town is close by and an easy walk. Immediately around the camp is a residential area. You can see down to the ocean from parts of the camp. Not a great view, but nice reminder of where you are.

Wi-Fi is provided, but cell service is good too.

I would pick the county park over the fairgrounds if the amenities aren’t important, but the county park fills up first. When it does, this isn’t a bad spot to be.

No tent camping.

When I read about this place on the Dyrt and realized it was a good place to spend the night before boarding the ferry to Orcas Island (and with a 10% Dyrt Pro discount!), it was a no-brainer to stay here. This is a working farm with beef cattle and an extensive garden. Glen and Lisa welcomed us when we arrived around 5 pm on a sunny day in August. 

The sites are on grass, and each has a fire ring and picnic table. The tent sites are located behind the RV sites. We had originally reserved a tent site as we did not need electric, but the site assigned to us had low-hanging trees and would have been a problem for our pop top. We could have made it work but Lisa put us in Site 4. The only thing that might sway me from a 5-star review is that the sites are close together with no real privacy between them, but since Glen and Lisa have thought of everything else campers might need, I’m sticking to the 5 stars. 

There are two porta potties that were very clean, an outdoor shower stall, and a utility sink stocked with hand soap, dish soap, paper towels, and a garbage receptacle. There is even hot water, a welcome amenity. Although we didn’t use it, laundry is also available. Ice and firewood are available, and you can purchase meat. I opted to pay $3 to fill a basket from the garden and my yield included tomatoes, carrots, peppers, and fresh herbs. There is an information cabinet with brochures for area hikes and other activities as well as restaurants. 

After dinner, I took a walk around the property and along one of the roads lined with cornfields on either side; this was a chance to digest my dinner and take some photographs of the surrounding mountains. The next morning before leaving nearby Lynden, we made sure to stop at Just Desserts for a triple berry pie and HUGE cinnamon rolls, one of the recommendations in the information binder.  

This was a peaceful place to stay, and Glen and Lisa were very welcoming. We’d love to return.

These campgrounds are about a 4 mile hike in from the trailhead. Plenty of wild berries, flowers, and ferns along the way. We had fun just relaxing under the Big Leaf Maple trees. Each campground has a flat tent site. Some also have fire pits with grills and picnic tables, but not all. There is a pit toilet and urine diverter on site. There are also a couple bear boxes to share, as bear (and deer!) roam this area. The lake is lovely, though it was a bit too cold in June to swim. There is a small floating dock on the lake. Spectacular views of Mt Baker and Mt Shuksan - be sure to watch the sunset. Boaters frequent this lake so there is a bit of motor noise, but this doesn't bother me. Dog-friendly campsite. This made for a very relaxing overnight backpacking trip!