Looking for an adventure where you can explore Toppenish and then fall asleep in your tent? The Dyrt is an easy way to find tent camping spots near Toppenish. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Toppenish, Washington's most popular destinations.
$10 / night
The free camp sites - There is a designated areas located near the main parking area. There are no designated sites but you can drive in on rough dirt trail. Portable toilets are nearby but there is no running water, no picnic tables and no fires are allowed. The area can become quite busy during long weekends or when there are big concerts held at the nearby amphitheater in George.
Situated next to Lost Lake this area offers dispersed camping with limited space. No amenities, Self-service. Popular fishing in the spring.
There are many undeveloped camping locations on the forest. Generally there are no amenities available, such as restrooms, water or garbage dumpsters. All trash and waste must be packed out. No toilet available? See How to Go in the Forest. Use existing sites and do not damage vegetation. Campfires are not allowed at these sites during high fire danger. Check Fire Restrictions page.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/alerts-notices/?cid=fsbdev3_053600
$8 / night
Dispersed camping located on Tieton Pond offering RV and tent sites.
Dispersed camping located along the South Fork Tieton River, near Rimrock Lake. RV and tent sites. Jay Hawk, Lower Bake Oven, Upper Bake Oven and Minnie Meadows
Dispersed camping located near Rimrock Lake with RV and tent sites.
Legend
This review is for the main campground, there is another group/horse campground across the highway that I did not stay in. The small campground is right off Highway 97. The first part of the campground is where the hook ups, large RV's, small trailers and tent campers are located. The spaces are very close together with very few trees separating spaces. Some spots looked barely big enough for a 2 person tent. In this same area is the only flush toilets/showers (Coin operated). Continuing past this main area and over a small hill is where the tent camping/sheep herders tents are located. Since it was located away from the main camping area it was quiet with regards to hearing fellow campers, the downside is the spaces are closer to the Highway. Day and night, semis speed past the state park on either a downhill straight away or an uphill straight away, regardless it sounds like a freight train or military landing pad all night/day long. It was so loud you had to stop talking until the semi passed. The space I was in was so small my 3 person tent only fit if one side was touching the fire ring. Luckily there was a fire ban so no fire to melt my tent. The space also had full view of the pit toilet, since it was the only toilet on that side, I saw everyone come and go. It was also super close to one of the sheep herders tent site. There were 2 sheep herder tents sites. The spots looked large and the tents looked like they would sleep at least 4-5 people. The other tent sites where much larger, but still all the sites could hear the highway. Note, be careful about leaving food out, zipping your tent up, leaving car doors open. The mice were pretty bad and came out at night driving my dog crazy. There were a bunch of trails that ran through out the park that provided a nice alternative to get to the other side of the park or climb to the top of the hill near the power lines. The camp host was also a very nice gentleman who suggested activities in the near by area. I was exploring the area cause it's new to me, but I wont return cause it's not my type of camping.
Guide
Not what I was expecting. Not ideal for tent camping, and the river was nowhere to be found.
Guide
Beautiful campground USFS several RV Sites, tent sites on the lake water no hookups vaulted toilets very clean. camp host Mike was very helpful with local information
Guide
2020 prices in the photo. Clean camp with multiple water points. There's 4 or 5 spots large enough for an RV away from the river. Several flat tent camping spots along the river.
We found the location a little noisy because HWY12 run along the north side of the park.
Guide
It’s a nice KOA but my tent site was right next to the playground so I had kids running through my site and touching my truck. But they had a dollar rib night so that was great and the staff was really nice the whole time.
Scout
This is a nice little park, it’s a little misleading when you pull in as there is an Indian reservation next to it that looks like a bunch of homeless camps, so be careful where you park your rig. Also if you’re tent camping, I found out from the camp host that you may want to check with him before you set up a tent as there are automatic sprinklers that come on certain days
LegendGreat place to camp during Rodeo. Need to book a year in advance. Super nice sites on the Yakima river. My parents rented a cabin and we're wowwed! Nice folks and awesome scenery. Power and water to tent site. Good cell service and wifi. Hope to stay again soon
Guide
Short jaunt to the lake which is a popular fishing spot for those willing to carry a boat. Ample room for RVs; no tent camping unless you like sleeping on gravel. Toilet is clean and maintained. Some noise from the off-road vehicle recreation area across the road, but quieter at night. No tree cover for shade but I visited in the springtime and the weather was pleasantly cool.
Guide
This is NOT a secluded wilderness campround where you will have a epic back to nature experience. Having said that, if you want a place to park your rv (they do have tent sites also), with full hook ups while you explore the local wineries, with a pool and a shuttle van, then this place is amazing.
Guide
The campground is right off the freeway so very easy access. plenty of sites available. The signs, however, point to Day Use and Campground. Tent sites are in the Day Use area. We didn’t know this til after we had our site all set up. Winds kicked up before midnight and stayed strong all night. It even snapped the poles on our tent. Free showers and a swimming hole are a plus!
Traveler
Not reaaally a campsite per se, but there are a few spots that can be used for camping. Probably wouldn’t want to tent camp here, not a lot of flat cleared ground, but we found a small clearing that was perfect for a night. No amenities, so bring your own camp stove, tables, chairs, etc. It was very beautiful and private but it’s right off the high way so you can hear traffic all night. Ideal if you’re just looking for somewhere to crash before you get back on the road.
Guide
This is the largest site in the lower Yakima Canyon and has mostly campsites for RVs, etc, but a couple of walk in tent sites. BLMused to let camping be free during the off season but now charges $15 per night, no matter the site type. And if your a tent camper like me, then you also get the short end of the stick because the walk in sites do not have any shade while most of the RV sites do. Additionally, 90+% are reservable from ~Memorial Day to Labor Day, so don't plan on trying to get lucky unless on a first come first serve sure unless you can get there before 5 pm on a Friday. There is no water here.
Guide
See my related reviews for Peninsula Camp ground for more information leading up the final camp site.
Really crowded area with limited parking. However, if you arrive early enough you could occupy one of the few tent sites on the narrow peninsula portions of this area. The facilities here needed some real attention.
Bring your kayak, boat, or fishing rod and enjoy your day. I took a couple of photos looking back at it as that was the best way view the area without walking through camp sites.
The air field had a large dumpster and was home to several RVs. There is access to a few more camping spots along the lake shore.
LegendAt first sight, LePage doesn’t seem that awesome, but the more we stay here, the more we love it!
It’s right off of the Columbia River highway, so you can hear a bit of traffic, but it’s not nearly as bad as other camp sights we’ve stayed along I84.
There is a huge grassy area for tents and pavement sites for RV’s. Personally, I like the separation because it allows for two different experiences and separates the unique noises that come with both types of camping; RV generators and group tent camping.
There is a really large beach and roped off swimming area, as well as a boat ramp, dock for fishing, and trails for hiking.
It gets dark enough for night photography and there are always plenty of eagles and hawks for bird watching.
COVID-19 kept this park closed for most of the summer but we were thrilled when it opened up in September.
Guide
So… many… spiders! I paid 20 bucks for 1 night tent camping for me and 2 dogs. The campground is absolutely gorgeous with lots of trees and water views. A little confusing to get to since there isn’t much signage to guide you and I ended up going to wrong way the first time. They have bathrooms with showers available for use. I was very very satisfied here but once it got a little darker, all the creepy crawlers started coming out and I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many spiders in one place. In the morning, I had spiders in each of my door handles, my mirrors, when I turned on my car they started crawling out of the hood of my car, and I had spiders coming out of my trunk for a week. I am not a “beginning camper” so I’m used to bugs and spiders on my trips but I’ve never had this many in one place. There are really cute baby frogs hopping all around in the mornings though which was very cute. Just watch your step. Probably won’t be going back because of the spiders though…
TravelerSo my partner and I had chosen to stay here for a few nights, we didn't reserve online, when we got there the ranger allowed us to go see which spot we liked, because there was a lot open. We chose spot 64 the one way in the back for tent campsites. When we got there, there was 3 others tents up in the area, spread apart of course a good length too. I read that there was a "Homeless" problem, but I didn't see one homeless our whole stay...besides myself lol I bought a power station and had to charge it at a RV spot #15. There I charged my phone and laptop. I did leave my shampoo and conditioner in the showers and those were taken, who can blame em, they were good ones. Lol my own fault. Anywho...bring some shower sandals because the showers are dirty...but they are FREE. Bathrooms are nice and clean. We didn't get bothered once, we got left alone, and even though we looked like the crazy tweaker tent there, cuz we had tarps over our tent....but it was raining. Lol A skunk did cross our path and ran behind our tent...but that's all the action. During this time it was $25 a night for tents. It was close to town but not TOO close....BIG park. For dogs and kids...good park
LegendRanger Review: Stream2Sea Sunscreen Products at LePage Park
Campground Review:
Gorgeous but beware of goat-heads!!
This is a gorgeous camping spot along the confluence of the Columbia River and the John Day River. It is perfect for fishing, boating, and general family fun. The winds can be high (22MPR during our stay) but still a family favorite! There are 22 sites with electrical hookups(on the pavement without shade) and a couple of dozen grass tent sites. The restrooms are okay and there are showers and a dump station. The edge of the pull-through RV spots follows the river and most spots have easy access to the 10-foot rock access to the water. We visited during the last weekend of July and it was HOT! It was great to be able to jump in the river to cool down but make sure to bring thick water shoes as the goat-heads have taken over!!!
Top reasons I love this campground:
Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, occasionally I get to test products. At this campground, I tested Stream2Sea sunscreen products. This is a new family favorite product!! As an avid camper, swimmer, fisher, and scuba diver, we are thrilled to use ocean and coral reef safe products that are eco-conscious! Their products are packaged in mini
Pros:
Cons:
Overall, I give the product five stars
GuideStayed here a couple of nights. Our site was a tenting site, but we were in our mini Meerkat camper and we fit (our choice). Almost abandoned, probably because of huge hail storm. Friendly host “Dutch” and a few walk about simple hiking paths. Bathrooms and showers very nice (coin op on the showers). Road noise was pretty loud, especially for the campsites further into the campground. But, tall pines all around us, and very uncrowded. Wouldn’t want to come here if it were full, the sites are very close together. We were at the end of a very long trip, and we were happy to find any easy place to stay just inside WA. There are no stores nearby, so get your groceries in Goldendale!
Legend
General: 20 RV sites, nine cabins, and open space for tent sites.
Site Quality: Sites 1-13 are located closer to the road while 14-20 are tucked further back closer to the river and we did not hear any road noise in Site 15. All are level. Minimal separation/privacy. Campsites are dirt. RV sites have water and electric.
Bath/Shower house: One single bathroom each for men and women as well as one shower each for men and women. The shower was warm but as a short person, I was not able to adjust the handheld shower nozzle, making my shower just a bit challenging. Showers and bathrooms were clean although the fan in the women’s room had accumulated quite a bit of dirt/dust so I turned it off.
Activities/Amenities: Many games (giant chess, corn hole, etc.) sprinkled throughout the property but otherwise there was not much in the campground itself. Nearby there are hiking/mountain biking trails. Fly-fishing on the river. Recreational water activities on nearby Bumping Lake. A kids' playground within walking distance from the campground is located at Jim Sprick Community Park. There was a full kitchen with a sink, dishwashing soap, stove, fridge, and microwave. I only took advantage of the dishwashing sink.
Be aware there are several cats roaming the property; they were not a nuisance as we like cats (they only came within view and no closer). This is also a wedding venue and a wedding was held the weekend before we arrived. We were the ONLY ones in the entire campground; the store/office was closed when arrived shortly before 6 p.m. on a Sunday after Labor Day (since our site was not assigned when we reserved, a note was left on the door) and we left before it opened the next morning.
This kitschy old western-themed campground would be fun for a wedding or family gathering/reunion, but for us, it was a one-night stop along our route. There was zero cell coverage (Verizon) if that is important to you.
Guide
Sites 9-12 are reservable, walk in and right against the river. The river was running high while we were there, so it drowned out most of the road noise. All four of these sites has room for 2 cars in the parking area. The hosts were super friendly and helpful and did a nice job keeping the grounds and bathrooms clean. It's windy and cooler along the river. Had we known about the wind, we'd have brought a different tent! Fishing seems like it must be decent given the number of people with poles and the number of flies we found. The sites each have a firepit and a picnic table.
Site 9 is huge with room for several tents and hammocks. There's little to no vegetation between it and site 10, but the river drowns out conversation and music noise, so it feels more private and the space between the sites allows you to create a natural open barrier between groups.
We were in site 10, which was also large. The best tree for tethering hammocks (or the dog) from had, unfortunately, been used as a toilet recently with lots of TP at its base. This also affected our tent placement... Nobody wants to sleep with their head in someone else's poop or pee. Beach access can be found down a steep-ish hill, but with the river running high, only allowed for a few rocks to sit on. When the river is running lower it looks like it would have a nice beach area. The top of the dirt is pretty soft, but a few inches down it becomes quite rocky. MSR Hedgehog stakes did OK given the sail that was our tent.
Site 11 is smaller with more foliage, so it seems somewhat more private, but lacks direct beach access. It sits highers than site 12 with trees and a downward sloap between the two.
Site 12 has the best privacy and easy, level beach access, with a large hill on one side and smaller one on the other. It sits lower than site 11 with the upward slope and foliage to create a screen. It also has a nice, flat walk in from the parking area.
Bathrooms are Porta-Potties. They were kept fairly clean while we were there. The outside two "filled" the fastest, the inner two have sinks with soap dispenser, running water activated with a foot pump. The hosts kept the soap, water and TP full the whole weekend. From sites 9 - 12, the walk to them was very short and easy so I'm not sure why someone felt like the tree was the better, easier option. People are disappointing that way.
There's no running water at this time so bring your own.
Dogs need to be leashed or tethered and cannot be barky. If your dog barks a lot and disturbs other people, you may be asked to leave. Ours is pretty quiet, so we did OK and our neighbors on either side didn't seem bothered by her friendly antics the few times she tried to say hi to them. Site 10 had a good place for a Knot-a-Hitch, if you have one. See pictures.
All and all, we'd stay here again as a basecamp for exploring the area, but only if we could be against the river and we'd definitely bring a better tent for the breezy conditions. Our preferred sites would be 9 or 12. Pro tip: hand sanitizer will remove pitch/sap from the pine trees. ;-)
Legend
Eastern Washington near the water is my favorite type of landscape. It's a hot, windy, and a true desert climate. When you get near a body of water like you do along the Yakima River, the diversity of life expands and makes for great wildlife watching.
Umtanum Recreation Site is part of several BLM campgrounds lumped together along the Yakima River known as the Yakima River Canyon Campgrounds. All can be reserved ahead of time via the reservation.gov website: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/250985. Standard for most BLM camping in Washington, sites are very basic. Gravel parking, pit toilets, and a picnic table. This place does have a dumpster for trash, not all do. There are no hook ups, no drinking water, and in our case, very little shade. Neighbors are close and there is not a lot of privacy. The day use area is right there too, close to camping and can be loud. It is heavily patrolled by the wonderful BLM folks to keep everything clean and the people orderly. They also give out tickets if you don't mind the warnings for correct passes or day use fees.
The campground itself is one little loop with six sites. The loop is an offshoot of a very large gravel parking area for day use. Mostly boat launching and hiking access to Umtanum Creek and Umtaum Ridge trails. You can check the Information Board for rules on day use and camping fees, passes, and how to check to see if a site is reserved.
We arrived on July 3rd in the afternoon. The campground was very quiet and all the sites were reserved. The morning of July 4th, the recreation site turned into a total madhouse. BLM Rangers, Law Enforcement, making constant rounds to patrol the never ending hoards of people coming to park and float the river. There was a lot of noise, dust, drunk and rowdy folks. Friday was calm again until afternoon, Saturday was not as bad as the 4th but still pretty crazy. It was also hot! No shade to be had in our site. After hiking in the morning, we spent a lot of time across the bridge, in it's shadow, in the river.
If you are using this spot as a base to do some hiking, fishing, or floating it's very convenient. I am sure in Spring and Fall when river floating is not at it's peak, it's gorgeous and peaceful. The raptors and songbirds are splendid. We saw Bighorn sheep on the hill, big rock squirrels, wild turkeys with babies, and fish. No rattlesnakes or ticks, but this is prime territory. Hiking down the Umtanum Creek trail, over the suspension bridge, is one of my favorite hikes ever.
ScoutCamping here is nice on the Columbia River Washington side. Little breezy at times. $40.00 a night for RV $30.00 for veterans $20.00 for tents
Ranger
This place is close to home for anyone in central Washington, the sites are giant and the views are amazing. Site 49 in particular has enough room for our RV, a giant tent in the grass, a picnic table and separate section to grill at. And the layout is such that it’s still pretty secluded from other campers. We absolutely love this place.
LegendOne thing I love about Washington is that there are so many different places to hike. My husband and I stayed here, which is close to White Pass where there are tons of great hikes. This area is known for rattlesnakes, though so definitely be alert. There is also a really great place to go rock climbing nearby. We dont rock climb, but know that a lot of people love this place. We decided to get up early and do some hiking. We hiked Round Mountain one day and Bear Mountain the next. Round Mountain is about 4 miles roundtrip with lots of switch backs. Bear Mountain is 8 miles round trip, and is pretty flat until the last 1 mile. We liked the campground, and loved that it wasnt busy when we went which was surprising. I think we caught it at a good weekend. There were some RVs, and other tents while we were there. The weather was really warm. Bring sunscreen and lots of bug spray. There are areas with shade which is nice too.
LegendCampground Review: 5/5 Stars. Perfect Spot on Cliff Overlooking River.
This was our favorite spot on our recent central-Washington camping trip. We pulled up about 7pm and grabbed a huge spot with a peekaboo view of the river. When we were there, all spots were $30 and included water and electricity. While there's not a ton of coverage between sites (trees, etc.) the sound didn't seem to travel, so the folks happily playing board games and playing Prince didn't keep us up and in fact contributed to the overall happiness of the spots.
Clean bathrooms, soft grass, beautiful views of the river. There's a boat launch and I'm sure this is a very popular spot in the summer. As it was, it was perfect for a Spring get-away.
Tip: Visit the nearby Ginko Petrified Forest state park. Free, nice exhibits, and even some petroglyphs, which my older son especially loved.
Escape Campervan Review: 5/5 Stars. Lots of Fun!
Last summer my family won a vacation rental with Escape Campervans, so we decided to use part of our credit for a three-night trip over Spring Break. We drove up from Portland to Seattle, and while most people head west toward the lush Olympic National Forest, we wanted to try something different, and instead headed east for a loop through central Washington with stops in Snowqualmie Falls (famous for its part in Twin Peaks), Roslyn (home of Northern Exposure) and the oldest saloon in Washington with a 23-foot water spittoon, Ellensburg and the Tomahawk and Rock Ranch, Vantage and the Ginko Petrified Forest, the German-themed town of Leavenworth, and a grand finale in a 90-degree indoor swimming pool in Bothell, Washington. All-in-all, a great trip, and we'd definitely rent from Escape Campervans again. Here's some of what we learned.
Driving
Even though I'm used to driving a large-ish SUV, I was still worried that the large campervan would be a steep learning curve. It was actually quite easy right away. I fit in every parking spot on the trip that I tried, backed up easily with the help of the back-up assist (basically a beeping noise if I came too close to anything), and went through drive-throughs and moved in and out of traffic with ease. Having previously driven both a large RV and a car towing a trailer, I definitely prefer the stress-free ease of the van.
Gas
We ended up driving 500 miles total in four days, and spent almost exactly $100 on gas. Looking at our receipts, we averaged 14.5 miles per gallon driving mostly through mountains on a combination of highway and small-town roads.
Extras
When booking your Escape Campervan, you start with a base daily price that's not much more than an average car rental, but then you can add on all kinds of extras if you want, some of which can add up fast. If you're flying in from another country, this is super-convenient to be able to rent things like bedding and pillows rather than having to bring it. But since we were driving from only a few hours away, I wasn't sure which of the add-ons would be worth it. In the end, I was surprised to see what I used and what I didn't. Part of the Spring Break deal that we booked included the following:
*** Camp chairs:** Not something we used. We either stayed at campgrounds that already had picnic tables (state parks), or stayed places we didn't really want to hang out (a casino parking lot), so the chairs did not get used.
*** Bedding:** I LOVED this option. We brought along our own pillows and sleeping bags as well, but this bedding was huge, warm, soft and smelled great. I almost always am sensitive to sheets in hotels and such, and wasn't expecting much, but this was a great add-on that I'd definitely do again.
*** Extra Propane:** We only ended up cooking once the whole time, so getting a total of two propane tanks was overkill for us.
*** 100 miles per day:** This was definitely worth pre-paying for the 100/miles per day (we even went over that).
*** Heater and electrica**l: This heater and electrical is a maybe. Yes, you can have the space heater inside your van running at night safely, as long as you have an electrical hookup, and we actually even put it up in the tent for 20 minutes one night to warm it up. But you can also just run the van's heater with the engine running for 10-20 minutes before bed as well, and be just as warm, especially if you get the bedding from them.
*** Dishes:** More of a personal choice. I think next time I'd just get paper plates and such, rather than wash the dishes, but that's obviously up to each individual.
Pros: My boys had a blast riding around in a van with a couch and table, and the roof-top tent was equally fun. Being self-contained was lovely, as was the surprising ease of driving the van. We were also much warmer and more comfortable than we would have been sleeping in our tent.
Cons: The main difficulty we had was converting the van from daytime to nighttime. We brought way too much stuff, and the grounds where we were camping were often wet or snowy, so it was a bit of a logic puzzle to move everything around, convert the chairs into a bed, add all the bedding, and get even more bedding up into the rooftop tent. We got much faster the more times we did it, but it still took between a 1/2 hour and an hour each night to fully set up. I think this would be much easier in the summer (with less bedding needed), or with the slightly larger van where the bed can stay together while driving (though then you lose the cool table and couch).
Conclusion: All-in-all, definitely a fun addition to our road trip and one we'd do again in a heartbeat.
ScoutThe site offer approximately 10 sites that can be used for tent or RV camping. Moderately spaced from the other sites. Parallels the river. The tent areas are all level, ground mainly dirt/gravel. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit. We did not hear the road noise. Can’t speak to the condition of the toilets as we didn’t use them. This is a favorite of the locals for fall fishing so you need a reservation…
Guide
This campground seems almost brand new. There are no hookups and no water on site, though there are several vault toilets.
Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, tent pad, and path down to a rocky beach on the Columbia. The sites are definitely not large enough for most RVs, so I'd consider this tent or van camping only.
There's not much shade at the sites, but you can get out of the sun near the river.
The biggest drawback to this spot is that it's just of the highway. You can and will hear air brakes all night. For me, staying on the Columbia was worth it.
Tent camping near Toppenish, Washington, offers a variety of scenic spots perfect for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature. With options ranging from private sites to public areas, there's something for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Toppenish, WA is Rocky Coulee Recreation Area with a 4.4-star rating from 5 reviews.
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