Best Tent Camping near Twisp, WA

What else can I say than we truly loved Chelan! We fell in love with this campsite last summer and already have our reservation confirmed for this summer!

This RV and tent campground is huge and we got a spot right on the lake, which was unforgettable! We made fires by the lake and had a very private tent site. The restrooms were quiet and clean, and there is so much to do in the nearby surrounding area! Highly highly recommend!

Nice quiet campground with grassy sites. One loop contains hookup and non hookup sites and waterfront tent sites. Playground, day use and swimming area. The swimming area is overrun with geese and their mess.

We had a tent site up on the hill that was semi-private with beautiful views. Plenty of birds to wake you with the sunrise. I could see how the lake could be busy in peak months but it wasn’t while we were here.

We used a tent site which was in excellent shape. The views from our site were of the North Cascades. Only a short block walk into the heart of Winthrop which has all amenities, restaurants, micro brews, shopping etc. Very clean restrooms, ( $1.00 for a 2 minute shower) laundry available

We stayed in a tiny house at this campsite, and had a great time exploring the local area. The campground also offers plenty of RV and tent sites. There are quite a few amenities as well including a pool and WiFi.

About 30 minutes from Leavenworth, this campground is a great launchpad for some unforgettable adventures. We look forward to coming back to explore even more!

This is one of the most amazing campgrounds I’ve ever visited. It doesn’t look like much but it boasts waterfront tent camping and the showers and bathrooms are always clean and stocked. Sites are relatively small but big enough for two tents, their picnic table, fire pit, and some camping chairs. With two docks for fishing and floating as well as the adjascent boat launch, you’ll be able to play with all your water toys on Wapato Lake! I would highly recommend staying here if you want to visit the Chelan area without camping in downtown proper.

Alta Lake is a nice, clean park with decent tent sites. We had a site in Loop 2 on the right (on the lake side). It was away from the main area, parking lots, boat launch or store, so pretty quiet. Our site was sweet, it had a trail down to a small open sandy stretch of beach that was basically our own private beach. Took the cooler and a pop up tent and enjoyed the beach all day. We went in August and it was hot, the lake was super refreshing! (photo from WA State Parks & Rec commission)

We stayed at Lake Chelan State Patk and had a wonderful experience. We rode our bicycles, but admittedly not a lot of options away from the road. However, we did a lot of kayaking early and later in the day and had a wonderful time. The water was calm like glass and so clear. We stayed in a tent site which was perfect for our campervan. Although we were next to the boat trailer parking lot, really didn't notice the traffic. Friendly staff and clean restrooms.

General: A variety of different campsites in two sections ranging from economy to basic to popular, with and without hookups, and priced according to peak or non-peak season. There are also three cabins and two group camp areas. 

Site Quality: We are happy we were able to book a basic tent site with our campervan (there were more than a few others with RVs in these sites). Parking was on grass and not completely level, but we made it work. Each site had a picnic table and fire ring (although there was a fire ban in effect when we were there). The sites with utilities had paved camper pads. 

Bath/Shower house: Clean with soap and air dryers. The showers are free but you are asked to not use more than three button pushes. My shower in the afternoon was completely COLD and I am not sure if it was the time of day, the particular shower, or user error. My husband’s shower got hot midway through. 

Activities/Amenities: All things water-based including jet skis, water skiing, kayaking, SUP, and fishing. There is also a boat wash. There are also numerous trails used for hiking, running, and mountain biking. Other activities include volleyball and horseshoes.

Despite my cold shower and the fact that state parks are becoming increasingly pricy (with reservation and out-of-state fees, we paid $ 77 for two nights for a tent site), we enjoyed our stay here.

Stopped to check out Goose Creek Campground which was pretty much empty when we got there, but had loads of trash left behind by previous campers. The waterfront sites were awesome and you had your pick between tent sites right at the creek's edge or some more spacious sites that could accommodate RVs and trailers up higher overlooking the water. IMO the creekside sites are the better ones if you can score them since passing cars would kick up the fine dust in the dirt lot RV/trailer sites.

Nestled along a creek, close to popular Lake Wenatchee, this is a great place to camp if you want to spend time at the Lake, but do not want to deal with the "loop crowds".

Sites have picnic tables, firepits, and grills.

Tip: Tent Sites 52-56 are the best (along the creek, a little spaced out) 50-51 are close to each other. Half of the campsites are now reservation and half are first come first serve. It is also a seasonal campground, so check before you go to make sure it's open.

Disclaimer - I never camped here, but we visit the park all the time during the day whenever we are in the area to let our dog swim and just enjoy the lake.

This place is BUSY. There is no real privacy as most of the sites are clumped together on loops in a grass field by the lake.

The lake is fun - people are always boating (there is a boat slip) and floating and swimming. So if you want to be around a large community, (and don't mind no privacy) then this could be the place for you.

If you are tent camping, there are MUCH better campgrounds in the area that offer more privacy.

a short 3 hours from seattle on beautiful lake chelan is the Lake chelan state park at First Creek. This park is about 10 miles from town and has tent sites that are right on the lake, its amazing. There is a boat launch and large swimming area. because chelan is such a lake tourist town in the summer, do not expect that this is a quiet serene camping experience. But if you are looking to come to chelan book your site early. Also the fourth of july fireworks show is directly across the lake from the state park.

This is a great park and a premium camping location on the popular Lake Chelan. A favorite location for west siders to escape the rain for some guaranteed sunshine in Central Washington.

This little town fills up in the summer time. The lake is filled with boats and all of the hotels and rentals sell out. This campground is a wonderful place to enjoy the area and set up camp. The campground is fantastic and still goes for dirt cheap rates of $12 for a tent site, they also offer full hook ups for RVs and everything in between if you want an outlet at your camp site.

Good news.. you can reserve your spot in advance. Bad news... the summer months fill up a year in advance so book early. I also recommend going in Spring or Fall when the weather is still warm and dry but there are slightly less crowds.

We stayed in site 65 on the marina and beach loop. I definitely recommend this area over the west loop.

We had a great time here. We camped in the tent camping side towards the lake (site 89) and had a decent amount of privacy. There was a stream leading to the lake right behind our site which was beautiful and so relaxing to listen to at night. Only downside was the site is fairly dusty/lots of loose dirt. The kids were covered from head to toe. There is a sprinkler in the middle of the site so we really couldn’t move the picnic table to accommodate our tents better or we would have been tripping over the sprinkler. The site next to us (88) also looked amazing and had a good amount of privacy as well. I recommend booking early. I booked in January (for an early June trip), and it was almost full already. There is no privacy in the grassy spots in the center. Nice swim area with plenty of spots to sit, but fairly rocky so don’t forget your swim shoes. Nice playground and plenty of grassy areas for kids to run and play. Great for families. Everyone around seemed very respectful of the quite times.

Nestled just short distance off the main highway through this area, the Klipchuck campground is remote feeling and quiet. Sites here are beautiful with tall trees and lush greenery. This campground was so beautiful and as the fog lifted in the early morning following a rain it was something out of a movie with the cascading sites lining the flatter areas and also the gentle climbing slopes. 

Despite the nature of this site being semi-primitive you do not feel as though you are without as there is running water located at centralized spigots throughout camp and vault toilets scattered throughout. No matter the site number you select you will be within close proximity to walk to these features. 

Each site is equipped with a parking space large enough for a mid to large size vehicle, with some large enough for larger RV units as well. I found on a quick drive through camp there were sites to accommodate all camping styles depending on your personal preference of size. 

Standard site amenities include picnic tables and fire rings with clear area perfect for tent camping. Garbage collection areas are placed along each of the 2 loops, a great bonus feature not all forest camps offer. 

Pricing was very friendly and could be deposited into a self pay station at the entrance. This is checked by a campground host daily. Additionally the campground host when I was there was extremely friendly offering great tips for adventures in the area within driving distance. 

3 trails lead out of this campground making it the perfect setting for exploring, though the area does have bear awareness signs located throughout so it would be wise to come prepared for the possibilities of animal encounters. I suggest the scenic trail which has some amazing views of the forest and the many features of the landscaping around. 

Perhaps my favorite feature of this camp is the constant sound of the water around you which makes it extremely peaceful. If you are interested in getting a bit closer to the water make sure to camp along the back side of the campground. 

**TIP: **

• Bring everything you will need to this site, there are no stores on property to purchase anything, including fire wood you will need to come prepared!! 
• Consider one of the hikes from camp for a day trip instead of preparing to only hike at a trail away from camp.