Best Tent Camping near Taholah, WA

Olympic National Park and surrounding forests near Taholah, Washington offer diverse tent camping options ranging from established campgrounds to primitive backcountry sites. Willaby Campground on Lake Quinault provides year-round tent campsites with drinking water and flush toilets, while Gatton Creek Campground features walk-in tent sites directly on the lakeshore. For more seclusion, Graves Creek Campground in the Quinault Valley offers riverside tent camping with access to the Enchanted Valley trailhead. Second Beach provides tent-only camping along the Pacific coastline, requiring a one-mile hike from the parking area and backcountry permits.

Tent camping surfaces vary considerably throughout the region, with some sites featuring compacted dirt pads and others consisting of beach sand or forest duff. Gatton Creek's tent sites sit on large pebbles, making air mattresses essential for comfortable sleeping. Most primitive tent campgrounds lack potable water, requiring campers to filter from nearby streams or pack in their supply. Bear activity is common throughout the area, with canisters required at many backcountry tent sites. Road conditions to remote tent campgrounds can deteriorate quickly during rain, particularly at Graves Creek where high-clearance vehicles are recommended. Seasonal considerations include summer crowds at popular sites and potential snow at higher elevations through early summer.

Riverside tent sites provide natural white noise for sleeping, according to campers who visited Graves Creek. One visitor noted, "The moss covered trees and giant firs provide plenty of shade," making it comfortable even during warmer months. At Second Beach, tent campers who walk beyond the initial entry point find greater solitude. "After walking a mile or so down the beach, the tents spread out significantly and we were able to find relative solitude," reported one backpacker. Dispersed tent camping along South Shore Road offers what one camper called "tucked away" sites with "nice tent pad areas" and river access. Primitive tent camping at Yahoo Lake requires a short quarter-mile hike but rewards with lakeside sites and minimal crowds even during peak season.

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Best Tent Sites Near Taholah, Washington (63)

    1. Willaby Campground

    20 Reviews
    Quinault, WA
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 288-0203

    $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!"

    2. Gatton Creek Campground

    4 Reviews
    Quinault, WA
    23 miles
    Website

    "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"

    3. Western Horizon Ocean Shores

    1 Review
    Copalis Crossing, WA
    19 miles
    +1 (360) 289-0628

    "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!"

    4. Upper Clearwater

    5 Reviews
    Amanda Park, WA
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 374-6131

    "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."

    5. Graves Creek Campground — Olympic National Park

    15 Reviews
    Quinault, WA
    37 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 565-3130

    "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."

    6. Dispersed South Shore Road

    3 Reviews
    Quinault, WA
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 288-0203

    "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."

    7. Hoh River Dispersed Camping

    5 Reviews
    Forks, WA
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 956-2402

    "Trying to find an open camping site next to the river was proving very difficult, but this semi-hidden pull off was perfect. There’s a fire ring and some extra firewood collected to the side."

    "Camping right next to river. Tall bushes for shade. Need to drive over very bumpy dirt road to get to sites near river. Then need to drive over rocky road to get into sites near river."

    8. Second Beach — Olympic National Park

    9 Reviews
    La Push, WA
    42 miles
    Website

    "After the pleasant 0.7 mile hike to the beach, I was amazed by how many tents I saw right by the end of the trail. It almost looked like a tent city!"

    "Just like every other beach around here, if you don't store your smelly goods in the can the ranger will make you trek it to your car. It's a mile from the parking area to the beach."

    9. Chetwoot Campground

    2 Reviews
    Quinault, WA
    32 miles
    +1 (360) 288-2525

    "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."

    10. FS-2292 Dispersed

    4 Reviews
    Matlock, WA
    37 miles

    "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."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Taholah, WA

900 Reviews of 63 Taholah Campgrounds


  • C
    Jul. 11, 2018

    Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort Campground — Olympic National Park

    Very Clean but Limited Facilities

    Campground has Access to Sol Duc River. Site #11 is directly on the bank. Very clean but limited facilities. No showers. Clean restrooms. Bear boxes available and recycling. Access to many trails.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 1, 2021

    Hoh Campground — Olympic National Park

    Wet but worth it.

    This is a very wet campground(you are in the Hoh Rainforest afterall), so bring some extra tarps to stay dry. There are 3 loops, with a few riverside sites in Loops A and C. There were a lot of downed trees that were in various states of being cleared when I was there, which did close some sites to campers. Some sites had some privacy and others did not, but all were level. I was comfortable on my site, but preferred more privacy. None of the sites that I looked at had dedicated tent pads, but all had the usual picnic table and fire pit. It's a short walk to the visitors center and lots of hiking trails are nearby, including one that cuts through the campground. It was very quiet at night, and even though I was not on a site on the river, you could hear the river at night.

  • Scott-Christy B.
    Jun. 20, 2019

    Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort Campground — Olympic National Park

    Pine tree sites in the park

    $22 for a tent site but you will also have to pay or have a park pass to get into Olympic NP. Bathrooms are basic with no showers. Water spigots at restrooms. Sites are level and come with fire ring and table. Quiet and wildlife visible.

  • Jen G.
    Jul. 1, 2016

    Kalaloch Campground - group — Olympic National Park

    Close to the Beach, But Fills Outrageously Fast

    First 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.

  • Scott-Christy B.
    Jun. 20, 2019

    Kalaloch Campground - group — Olympic National Park

    Rainforest camping above the beach

    Most 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.

  • G
    Jul. 9, 2019

    Hoh Oxbow Campground

    Great little primitive camp area

    Had a 6 RV spots and a number of tent sites. No power, no water, but there are compost toilets. Has fire rings and picnic tables.

    Quite sweet spot on the river. No fee Decent 4G ATT cell coverage

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 13, 2019

    Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort Campground — Olympic National Park

    Not my favorite NP campground

    One of two reservable campgrounds in Olympic National Park, I chose this because we would be here over a weekend and didn’t want to chance not being able to find a campsite. It’s a long drive in so you would not want to arrive and not find a place to rest your head. By late Friday night, the campground was full. There is an RV section with hookups and two other loops with no hookups. Our site(B70) was a bit awkward and we ended up pulling our van in forward instead of backing in, otherwise our heads would have been lower than our feet. This space could easily accommodate two cars if you were tent camping. Our senior lifetime pass was not accepted at this campground as it was listed as an RV campground. However, upon arrival, I didn’t understand why they called it an RV campground. There were no hookups or other amenities that would make it any different than a tent-only facility in the A and B loops. In fact, many of the sites had pads that would not accommodate anything larger than our 17-foot van. The bathrooms were reasonably clean and had soap. No hot water or showers but again, typical of National Park campgrounds. Quiet hours were not enforced and, in fact, the people in Site 65 were loud until 2:30 am. The next morning, garbage was strewn all over their site, an ax was still stuck in wood, and food was left out all over the table, including a jar of honey(I swear I am not making this up). This campground has signs at the entrance and on every site picnic table that it is an active bear area and how important it is to keep a clean campsite. By 10 am, everyone at the site was still asleep, and neither the camp host nor ranger had done nothing to roust/oust them. (By the time we returned from our hike/soak in the hot springs, they were gone but the people who came after had to clean up the site.) The main draw to this campground is Sol Duc Falls and the hot springs. It is over a six-mile hike roundtrip from the campground to the falls and there is a trail to the hot springs(or you can drive to the trailhead and walk.08 mile to the falls). There is an additional charge for the hot springs($15 for adults,$11 for 62 and older; optional towel rental for$3) but it is so worth it to soak your weary muscles after a hike, despite the crowds. The bonus is being able to take a shower since there are none in the campground. No cell service. We would stay here again only if we wanted to visit Sol Duc Falls or the hot springs but it was not my favorite campground.

  • smittie The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 7, 2020

    Riverview RV Park & Storage

    another place to park and go fishing

    the rv sites are set up on a big gravel parking lot with trees on either side. the drive through sites are in the center and just gravel. back in sites are along the edge with grass and trees backing them.

    this is a very large park with much nicer spaces down the hill towards the river. (despite the name, there is no river view.) these spaces have no hook ups but lots of trees and grass as well as picnic table shelters at many. they are very nice for tent camping and will suit smaller rvs and trailers.

    the olympic national forest and several beaches are just down the road.

  • Ashley Y.
    Jul. 10, 2017

    Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort Campground — Olympic National Park

    Away we go in Olympic National Park!!

    If you camp anywhere in the Olympics let Sol Duc be your home base! Right smack in the middle of Olympic National Park we had access to not only the Hurricane ridge area but were close enough to spend a day at Kalaloch on our way home! The soak in the Sol Duc Hot springs were amazing especially after a hike. We saw some great wildlife and wildflowers on this trip. Sol duc is about an hour from Port Angeles. Happy Adventuring! And remember to practice leave no trace ethics.✌❤


Guide to Taholah

Tent camping near Taholah, Washington, offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. With a variety of campgrounds featuring diverse amenities and activities, outdoor enthusiasts can find the perfect spot to set up camp.

Scenic Activities and Adventures

  • Experience the breathtaking views and hiking opportunities at Willaby Campground, located right on Lake Quinault, where you can explore the temperate rainforest and enjoy the serene lake setting.
  • For those seeking a more secluded experience, Gatton Creek Campground offers walk-in sites with direct access to the lake, perfect for swimming and kayaking.
  • Enjoy the tranquility of Upper Clearwater, where you can hike along the river and take in the lush surroundings, making it an ideal spot for nature lovers.

Affordable Tent Camping Options

  • Tent camping fees at Gatton Creek Campground are around $25 per night, providing a budget-friendly option for campers looking to enjoy the outdoors.
  • At Willaby Campground, you can find well-maintained sites with basic amenities, making it a great choice for those who want a comfortable camping experience without breaking the bank.
  • For a truly remote experience, consider Yahoo Lake Campground, which offers primitive sites at no cost, perfect for those looking to escape the crowds.

Tips for Tent Camping Near Taholah

  • Arrive early at Gatton Creek Campground to secure a spot, as it fills up quickly due to its popularity and limited sites.
  • Be prepared for varying conditions at Upper Clearwater, where the road can be narrow and challenging, especially for larger vehicles.
  • Bring your own supplies, as amenities like showers and markets may be limited at campgrounds like Willoughby Creek, ensuring you have everything you need for a comfortable stay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Taholah, WA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Taholah, WA is Willaby Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 20 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Taholah, WA?

TheDyrt.com has all 63 tent camping locations near Taholah, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.