Skamania County Fairgrounds

Still one of my favorite camping trips each year, and 2019 didn't disappoint. The Annual Gorge Gathering, hosted by Teardrop Trailers of Oregon and Washington, is held here each Memorial Day weekend. Find out more information here:

http://www.skamaniacounty.org/facilities-rec/homepage/events/tear-drop-trailers/

There's tons of cute trailers to check out, nice people, pot lucks, a large indoor area with a kitchen, and things to do in the area. Definitely worth checking out if you either have a tear drop trailer or are just interested in seeing some.

Seemed to be more kids this year, as well as more vegetarian options in the potluck, both of which made me happy.

The fairgrounds are also available for other group campground gatherings.

We go to the Gorge gathering. Beautiful views. Lots of geese. It's over Memorial Day weekend, so generally the weather is turning better but you’ll have one breezy day and one cool day, but generally pretty good. Where we were staying is a group area, so everybody is in a field. There’s only a few electrical hookup so bring your own extension cord. There is WiFi there, and whether it’s on all the time I don't know. That’s in the main holding, so if you get close to the main building you can do the WiFi there. There are bathrooms and showers, and for the showers you put in your quarters.

It’s right next to a year-round creek and you can always see large steelhead. You can easily walk to downtown, which is a really nice area to head down to with nice restaurants and such. Two miles away there’s the Columbia museum. Also very close is the Skamania lodge.

The Skamania County Fairgrounds--which is probably the most beautiful, small fair grounds I've ever seen--occasionally hosts camping for events and group camping. This includes the annual Gorge Gathering of "Tin Can Tourists" on Memorial Day weekend. The four day, three night camp-out features tiny, vintage, and teardrop trailers, bingo, kids games, communal food and meals in the fairground's dining hall, and just a whole lot of fun. Even if you don't want to camp there, you can still come visit during specific "open house" times and see the interiors of many of the trailers for free.

Facilities: One huge, grassy area for all of the trailers that's right on the edge of Rock Cove, a protected and beautiful cove of "small treed islands" off the Columbia River where you can walk, fish, and see bald eagles. Also includes nice flush toilets, an event space with tables, chairs and a kitchen, and a small playground nearby. The fairgrounds are walking distance to the town of Stevenson across a sweet little bridge.

Camping: Other than the Gorge Gathering, it appears on their website that camping may be allowed during the Skamania County Fair & Timber Carnival and as a group campground by application. If you wanted to have, for example, a wedding reception where people could camp out afterward or perhaps a family reunion, this could be a pretty spectacular place.