290 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Trout Lake, Washington range from full-service RV parks to primitive forest sites, with several options within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary. The area includes Elk Meadows RV Park, which offers cabins and full hookups, along with Trout Lake Guler Park and Trout Creek Campground providing more rustic experiences. Most sites accommodate tent camping while select locations like Peterson Prairie Campground also feature cabin accommodations. The surrounding landscape offers views of Mount Adams with elevations varying from valley meadows to forested slopes.
Camping seasons generally run from mid-spring through mid-fall, with most campgrounds closing between November and April due to weather conditions. Trout Creek Campground typically closes with the first snowfall, while Elk Meadows operates from April 15 to November 15. Several campgrounds provide reservable sites, though availability varies significantly by season and many popular locations fill quickly on summer weekends. Water access points are common features, with some campgrounds situated alongside creeks or offering views of nearby lakes. As one camper noted, "Small scenic lower elevation campground. Some sites are next to the creek. Nearby Sleeping Beauty trail (4 miles away)."
The region's campground amenities vary considerably, from full-service options to basic facilities. Elk Meadows RV Park provides electrical hookups, drinking water, showers, and sewer connections, while more primitive sites like Trout Creek Campground offer pit toilets without drinking water. Several campers highlight the solitude and natural setting as key attractions. "A quiet campsite set along Trout Lake Creek in a deeply wooded area," wrote one visitor about Trout Creek Campground. Many sites offer picnic tables and fire pits, though fire restrictions may apply during dry periods. The area provides good access to regional attractions including ice caves, hiking trails, and opportunities for wildlife viewing, with multiple reviewers mentioning deer sightings and meadow views as highlights of their camping experience.
"There are hiking trails and several places to enjoy trout lake while hiking. There were deer on the trail today."
"Elk Meadows is far up a well paved road just before the entrance into national forest land. "
"Close to ice cave. Fishing at Goose Lake nearby."
"Close to the incredible Guler Ice Caves. Simple campground in the national forest and not far from town. Excellent hiking nearby. Very private good-sized campsites, some close to a small creek."
from $25 - $115 / night
Check Availability"The full hook-up sites are clustered at the entrance, but the rest of the campground is spaced out nicely with lots of trees and privacy. The bathrooms are clean. Bring coins for the shower. "
"We enjoyed pitching our tent right next to the stream that runs through the camp, and checking out Goose Lake, about 6 miles away, as well as the natural bridges and ice cave."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"This campground is located along what is possibly the best waterfalls in Washington state."
"Adams in the more southern part of western Washington. The coordinates to google are 46.15664,-121.878452."
from $20 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful forest with views overlooking the lake and far-off snowy mountain peaks. Really exceptional beauty here."
"The lake is lovely and small, great for a short walk."
"Many of the sites are very close to each other and some do not accommodate even a small trailer. Small stream near by with limited access."
"Right on a shallow and narrow part of the little white salmon river its good for kids to splash around. Monte carlo trail 52 is just outside the campground. It's quiet and beautiful. Will go again"
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability"bring what you'll need as there are no stores around, Trout lake is the closest facility. A little dusty at times, a bale of hay will keep the dust down."
"I discovered these lakes about a year ago and OMG I am obsessed. The campsites are unparalleled. All are lakeside on "private lakes"."
from $15 - $30 / night
Check Availability"Wonderful view of the Columbia River and the Washington side of the river. Easy drive to the Dalles to get anything you might need. Bathrooms are very clean, showers are hot and long."
"June 2021 this campground is full of trees that give shade all around most of the campsites."
from $25 - $38 / night
Check Availability"Enter Trout Lake Creek campground. Quiet, unassuming and, miraculously, with 3 campsites left."
"The Sleeping Beauty trail is a short drive and well worth the effort. This is truly a hidden local gem and only about 20-25 minutes from the tiny community of Trout Lake, at the base of Mt. Adams."
"The campsites are relatively close but not so much that you’re walking over each other we camped in our RV and secured a second spot so we could have the space between the campground is very close to the"
"Excellent faculties with easy access to amenities. Sat by a campfire pit in the evenings and went to sleep with the sound of the river surrounding us. What more could you ask for."
from $25 - $60 / night
Check Availability
GuideI have camped out here a couple times. Can be pretty busy during the summer, but there are dispersed sites all along both sides of the river. Not far from home, and really pretty.
GuideHowever you camp, tent or RV, there is a site for you here. Taidnapam is the second Tacoma Power park where I have camped. There are two sides to this campground--the older side which are sites 1-52 are a mix of full hook-ups and partial hook-ups. The newer, larger loop is almost all full hook-ups with a few exceptions that are partial. There are tent spots in-between the two sides. They also have 2 group sites--one with 22 spots of full and partial hook-ups and one primitive group site. We stayed in site 9 with full hook-ups on the older loop. This loop is one big circle with a dividing road so it's kind of like two loops. The rest rooms and playground was in the middle of the first loop. My site had a short trail right to the restrooms/playground area. The playground was pretty awesome! On the far end of the second loop, there is a trail that takes you to the day-use area where there is a second fantastic playground. There was also a sprinkler system there, but we didn't know how to make it work. This area is right next to the river/east end of Riffe Lake. There are no swimming areas however because the lake has lowered over the years. We did ask if there were any swimming areas nearby or a way to get down to the water and they did have a list in the office. We checked out a few of the closer places, but since I have a 4 years old, I did not feel that any of the places were safe enough for her to get down to the water and I did not want to drive miles to get to the next park. One of the fun things about this park are the gnomes up in the trees! I didn't find out until the night before we left, but I guess you can do like a scavenger hunt type of thing to find all the gnomes.
TravelerVery pretty forest and creek. Trails from campsites and throughout the campground to the creek or hiking/biking/horse trails. Fires in the provided pits were allowed in early July.
TravelerThis park has everything except a dump station, but there is one in Hood River for 10.00. You can get non riverside spots for 35.00 with electric and water or choose from 5 riverside spots for 50.00 per night. One of the riverside sites does not have utilities I think it is #71. All sites are first come first serve. It is lush and green with a large park and play area at the front. There are picnic areas for groups too as well as group campspots. The bathrroms are about 1.50 for 6 minutes and are clean. This is one of our favorite parks!!!!
GuideNice site . Can walk, fish along Deschutes River in camp and some nice trails around. Train and highway noise was constant. When talking on phone with reservation guy he made it sound like there were no none hookup sites for trailers to parkbut only for tents, but after exploring there were some sites further back in CG and away from hwy and train noise. So if ya don't need power check those out! CG was well maintained .
GuideAfter a full face left, we believe the campground is even better than before. The whole layout as been redesigned, providing camping right on the lake now.
ScoutMany bees/wasps at dump site. Rinse water and fresh water spigots were persnickety.
GuideThe most amazing view of Mt. Hood for free! Absolutely gorgeous. We'll worth the rough ride in but and car up can make it. I wouldn't advice anything about class and really comfortable in a van.
ScoutEasy access between attractions, right by (though above) railroad tracks - for those that don't like noise this is a problem. No power, just a small amount of running water and pit toilets. Not a bad place to stop off at. Entrance hidden behind Fish Hatchery parking lot
Camping in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest provides excellent access to the best places to camp near Trout Lake, Washington. The area sits at elevations ranging from 1,900 to 4,500 feet, creating distinct temperature variations between valley campsites and higher forest locations. Winter closures typically begin in October for most campgrounds, with accessibility often dependent on snowmelt patterns that vary annually.
Explore ice caves year-round: The Guler Ice Caves near Trout Lake Guler Park maintain cold temperatures even in summer. "Great clean convenient campground at base of mount Adams and the perfect place to explore all the nearby ice caves in Spring. Site has clean bathrooms and fires are allowed," notes Jeffrey W.
Fish at Goose Lake: Located about 30 minutes from Trout Lake, Goose Lake Campground offers productive fishing with restrictions on motorized boats. "The fishing is excellent. Quiet campground. Easy access on forest road- some potholes," says Brian B. The lake is regularly stocked, making it suitable for anglers of all skill levels.
Pick wild huckleberries: August brings abundant huckleberry picking opportunities at many campgrounds. At Peterson Prairie, Steve F. reports, "Lots of wild huckleberries to pick when we visited in late July. Clean pit toilets. Drinking water available. Close to ice cave. Fishing at Goose Lake nearby."
Private lake access: Several campers praise the exclusive water access at Forlorn Lakes. "The campsites are unparalleled. All are lakeside on 'private lakes'. The only way to gain access to the lakes is through the campsites (the rest of the lake is overgrown and inaccessible)," says Allison W.
Wildlife viewing: At Elk Meadows RV Park, visitors regularly spot elk in their natural habitat. "Saw elk and heard elk bugling every morning in the meadow. Very quiet and relaxed," reports Richard H., highlighting the park's balance of comfort and natural immersion.
Creek-side campsites: Smaller campgrounds offer peaceful water features. Trout Creek Campground visitor Laura F. notes, "We saw only one other camper on the way in, there were no water facilities so bring your own or use the creek, they did have pit toilets. Only stayed one night but it was beautiful."
Mosquito prevalence: July and August can bring significant mosquito activity at certain campgrounds. At Takhlakh Lake Campground, one camper cautions, "I expect bugs to be present while camping, but we all left with at least 20 mosquito bites (even after going through 4 bottles of bug spray)."
Road conditions: Many campgrounds require travel on unpaved forest roads. "The road is a bit more than a gravel road, there are some large rocks and deep ruts to avoid," warns Phelan V. about access to Forlorn Lakes. Allow extra travel time and consider vehicle clearance limitations.
Water availability varies: Some campgrounds lack potable water sources. At Takhlakh Lake, Mary C. advises, "There is no potable water, so you must bring up your own water. The bathrooms are dump toilets and there are no showers."
Choose lake-focused campgrounds: Peterson Prairie Campground offers family-friendly outdoor exploration opportunities. "This would be a great place to visit in the spring when the creek is flowing. We visited in August and there was zero water flowing, but the kids enjoyed exploring the creek bed," reports Jeff K.
Book double sites for groups: Some campgrounds offer larger group areas. "We booked a double site and we could have set up 6 tents!" notes Jeff K. about Peterson Prairie, making it ideal for multi-family camping trips.
Visit off-peak for fewer crowds: Early or late season visits can provide better experiences. "I was here on a June weekend and while the full hook-up sites were full, there were only about 6 other campers in the rest of the campground," shares Kathy B. about Trout Lake Guler Park.
Select appropriate sites: Not all campground sites accommodate larger RVs. At Lower Falls Campground, Joe C. advises, "Only stayed one night with RV trailer. Nice park with sufficient site size." He also notes the lack of hookups: "There is no electricity or dump station."
Check for seasonal water access: Water systems may be shut down during colder months. Lawrence L. at Peterson Prairie suggests, "Great camping place and we have already made reservations for another trip. We stayed in site 7 with a 23 foot trailer. Although it was big enough, I would not recommend that spot for a trailer. There are many other spots in the campground that are better for trailers."
Consider forest canopy coverage: Shade availability impacts comfort during summer heat. At Elk Meadows RV Park, Jen R. clarifies, "Elk Meadows is a lovely site with plenty of shade on the vast majority of the spots (the ones that sit on the edge of the meadow, with the best view, have less shade than those in the center)."
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best campgrounds near Trout Lake, WA?
The Trout Lake area offers several excellent camping options. Takhlakh Lake Campground is highly recommended for its stunning views of Mt. Adams and peaceful lake with no motors allowed, located about 30 minutes from Trout Lake. Hollenbeck Park is another fantastic option with amazing Mt. Adams views and great facilities for family gatherings. Other notable options include Forlorn Lakes for fishing opportunities, Council Lake for a quieter experience, and Trout Lake Guler Park for convenient access to amenities. For those seeking more seclusion, dispersed camping in Gifford Pinchot National Forest provides numerous primitive sites along forest roads.
What amenities are available at Trout Lake Creek Campground?
Trout Creek features 16 rustic campsites, with approximately 6 sites situated along a year-round creek in a deeply wooded setting. The campground doesn't offer potable water, so campers need to bring their own supply. Primitive toilet facilities are available, but there are no showers or electrical hookups. The access road can be somewhat rough but is generally passable for most vehicles. Elk Meadows RV Park nearby offers more amenities if you prefer developed facilities. The campground provides easy access to outdoor activities, including the Sleeping Beauty trail within a short driving distance. There are no stores at the campground, with the nearest supplies available in the town of Trout Lake.
When is the best season for camping at Trout Lake, Washington?
Summer (late June through August) is the prime camping season at Trout Lake, offering warm days ideal for water activities. However, this popularity means Forlorn Lakes and other nearby campgrounds fill up quickly, especially on holiday weekends. Early fall (September) provides a wonderful alternative with fewer crowds and pleasant temperatures. Council Lake remains accessible with fewer visitors during this shoulder season. Spring camping (May-early June) can be beautiful but comes with higher chances of rain and cooler nights. Winter camping is generally not recommended due to snow-covered access roads. Be prepared for mosquitoes during summer months, particularly in July at sites near water.
Keep Exploring
