This site has some fantastic well put together trails. They are well marked, well defined, and the area is spectacular with lots of vibrant green and brown colors from the moss, grass, and trees. This particular hike that I did here called the Marymere Falls was beautiful as the trail opened up right to it. Highly recommend you visit. Watch out for nettles though.
Large campground located on Lake Crescent. Many secluded spots.
My wife and I loved this campsite because of the surrounding views and Lake Crescent is just, wowza! I remember that reserving a site was super competitive and it got crowded at night. I’m pretty sure it’s first come, first served so get there early to ensure a site! We spent a day hiking and a day on the lake- it was the perfect stay. Def explore your hiking options, as there are so many. We highly recommend renting a kayak and exploring different parts of the lake. Bring your fishing pole!!
Neighboring Lake Crescent, Fairholme includes lakeside campsites and a nearby boat launch. The views of the lake are spectacular. Note that site access is only first come first served.
Fairholm is a picturesque campground on the edge of Lake Crescent in a very easily accessible part of Olympic National Park for weekend getaways from Seattle and local adventures in from Port Angeles. Because the lake is pretty and easy to get to, this camp ground is POPULAR.
There are 3 loops + walk in lakeside side, but the actual size of the camp ground is small. Sites are very small and right next to one another. There is no privacy and no feeling of being out in the woods. The convenience here during the crowded month is simply proximity to Lake Crescent.
All sites here are first come, but there is not an in/out or campground host system for any of the ONP campgrounds like I've experienced in other national parks. The only way to know if a site is opening is to drive around in circles and/or to simultaneously check the reservation board to see if anyone was leaving. It's a bit of a free for all and not a very relaxing 'in the woods experience'
Sites are all equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, and there are large bathrooms, running water, and even a camp store nearby. Fires were allowed in fire rings even though there is a summer burn ban in the park.
I'd probably give this campground a much higher score (like all the other reviews) if it during any other time of the year when it wasn't absolutely crazy.
If you arrive there during a busy time, an alternative is Littleton Horse Camp, an unmarked National Forest campground 4.4 miles just past Fairholm, turn right on the fireroad. This is where we moved to.
There are walk in sites close to the water. Some that chose to set up right near the water, but I chose a walk in site with a great view and had my kayak parked right below at the lake. The walk itself was not bad at all! and if you so choose, there are plenty of normal sites too. Check it is at 11am and it's first come so get there when others are leaving- it did fill up. price is $20/ night and there are flush toilets and sinks with running water in the bathrooms. On Clear lake and close to SolDuc!
This is our all time favorite stop in the Olympic national forest. Lake crescent is gorgeous and crystal clear through and through. On a hot day enjoy a day on the lake. Jump in from the boat dock or swim in the swimming area. Rent a canoe or kayak from the general store just up the steps from the lake and have a fun few hours around the lake. The store sells firewood and drinks and some interesting literature about the lake. Drive the road past the campground to a trailhead for the railroad bridge trail. It's a few miles from this side of the lake so make sure you pack a lunch and lots of water. Spend the day jumping in from the bridge at the end of the trail.
Great backup site if your beach camping plans get rained out. If you can get there early, grab a site on the water. $10 per person, per night. Campground has clean bathrooms, potable water, fire pits, picnic tables and bear boxes for food storage.
We've stayed here a couple times. Love the walk-in tent sites by the lake, they’re a lot quieter than in the upper loops. Convenient to lots of trails, hot springs & the ocean.
The campground is private and has lakefront campsites. Nice in the summer for swimming and boating
Fairholme was the first campground that I stayed in on mt Bicycle trip from Vancouver to San Francisco.
We arrived relatively late in the afternoon so there weren't many spots available so we took a small site that was one of the last remaining. It had been raining quite a lot so the ground was saturated. There was no way escaping a spongy floor anywhere. Saying this it was a beautifully lush camp ground right next to the water so we could hardly complain
The facilities were rather basic (toilet block) but that is what we were after. It was cheap and did the job for a Bike tour.
This campground is classic PNW beauty near the water and among the trees. The campground is basic and sites are relatively close together, but the lush greenery gives good privacy. There is much to do within about a half hour drive, or you can enjoy short walks around the campground and trails that connect to longer trails along the lake. Sunrises are lovely and there is a lot of wildlife. Very “in touch with nature” feeling to this well-maintained and standard NPS campground. Highly recommended.
We got in on a Saturday evening when the forecast had not called for rain, but it was a steady downpour. Some folks were bailing while we set up! We got probably the crumminess site in the whole campground (beggars can't be choosers)-- very tiny, right across from the bathrooms and site reservation board. And yet we had a perfectly enjoyable stay! The bathrooms were extremely clean and the campground was immaculately kept. We saw the two hosts on a few occasions, sound rounds and continually cleaning up. They were very pleasant. The bathrooms were lit all night, but the light didn't really bother us. We managed a fire because of the how thick the tree foliage was and cooked our dinner and got warmed up. We fit in two tents and a hammock! Lake crescent is just below the campground, there are walk in sites on the shore. We took a walk down to the small swimming area and took an evening dip. The lake was gorgeous, like glass, and the swim was refreshing. There's a small general store right on the hill by the swimming beach that rents kayaks and paddle boards. The store also has a very nice selection of food, alcohol, and camp supplies. I was impressed! This campground posts at the entrance if they are full, has potable water and wash areas, and very clean restrooms. Lovely!
Fairholme is a fantastic campground on the shores of Lake Crescent. Absolutely beautiful but the problem is everyone knows it! I would definitely go back but get there earlier to get a better spot.
This campground is along the lake in the northmost part of the park. It’s not very deep into the park so there aren’t as many day hiking or challenging hikes as in some other parts of the park, but there are still many trails you can explore from the campground. The campground is densely wooded and feels wonderfully PNW (mosquitos and all). There are no reservations here.
While staying in the Olympic National Park we visited hurricane Ridge which was quite spectacular. It was the middle of June and there was still snow on its peaks. The views from the top were unreal. Me and my uncle did a hike up there and came across some deer. The top had a great visitor center, with friendly staff with tons of knowledge.
No reservations but it’s a medium sized campground so you have an ok shot at getting a spot if you come in the afternoon in summer. There are a lot of sites right on the water which means more mosquitoes but also more amazing views. Lots of places to swim nearby and you can rent canoes right on site to explore the water. Don’t expect the water to be warm basically ever but it’s still nice to swim and splash around. Didn’t see any exceptional wildlife.
These sites are situated right next to Lake Crescent. They are open from May to October and have fairly standard amenities that you would find in other primitive sites. There are picnic tables as well as fire rings at every site. There are tent sites as well as RV sites. The entire Olympic National Park area is beautiful! Be sure to give this site a stop if you want to stay in the park.
My wife and I love it here. It's very peaceful and right by the lake. You can SUP or Kayak, or walk over and hike to waterfalls. Great place to get away.
We really had a wonderful time at Olympic National Park! We stayed here, at the Fairholm campgrounds, and after this great experience we will definitely be back (already checked out other camping options since we like to experience new things during our trips!). We were pleased with the central location of this campground. We were warned that later in the summer it gets more busy and less tranquil, so we were happy to be there beginning of summer/end of spring. The site was medium sized and since there were not campers on either side of us, it felt secluded, but I could see it feeling a bit less private with both sites next to it being used. I think next time we come, we will opt for something a little less busy, but overall it was a nice place to stay.
If you don't mind trading absolute silence for an absolutely great camp spot, then this might work for you. A lakeside site will cost you $20 and lumber truck traffic noise from the busy 101 less than 1000 feet away.
Revision: We actually left this site after spending a few hours here...It was way too noisy and the sites were way too exposed to feel private...Awkward eye contact, anyone?
