## Overview

 Kachess Campground sits just off the forested northwest shore of Kachess Lake in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Set in dense old-growth conifer forest and surrounded by high mountains, Kachess Campground is considered one of the most beautiful sites in the Cle Elum Ranger District.
## Recreation

 Kachess is a prime location for fishing, swimming, boating, paddling and mountain biking in summer and early fall.\_\_\_\_ The campground is also a great base camp for day-hikers and overnight backpackers. Several access trails from the area give hikers the chance to create their own excursions, whether it be a day hike or an overnight trip. Starting at the campground, the Kachess Lake Trail is a short loop next to the lake, enjoyable for hikers of all levels. Anglers enjoy fishing for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and kokanee salmon from boat or shoreline. Box Canyon Creek is closed to all fishing from the mouth, 2-miles up to the falls. Check current WDFW fishing regulations for additional restrictions. 
## Facilities

 Kachess Lake Campground offers 150 sites that accommodate both tent and RV camping, including one designated group site that can accommodate up to 50 guests. The group site and 106 single family sites are available for reservation, and the rest are available on a first-come first-serve basis. Sites are equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings with grills, vault toilets. Drinking water is available. There are no electric hookups. One motorized boat launch, one non-motorized boat launch, a swimming area and picnic areas are also available to visitors.
## Natural Features

 Towering peaks, high-country lakes and old-growth forests provide visitors with a variety of landscapes. Kachess Lake, adjacent to the campground, is a reservoir that stores and provides water for irrigation for south-central Washington. The surrounding undeveloped wilderness, clean streams and diverse forests support an abundance of wildlife, including deer, porcupine, native fish and migratory birds. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The spectacular Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) can be accessed near the campground. One of the world\'s premier National Scenic Trails, it showcases some of North America\'s most fantastic scenery as it winds its way from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington. 
## contact\_info

 This location has limited staffing. Please call (661) 702-1420 for general information.
## Charges &amp; Cancellations

 Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.\_\_ A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night\'s use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. Group Sites Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): A visitor who cancels a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night\'s use fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night\'s rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite.\_\_\_\_ Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive.\_\_ In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.

Kachess Campground

It's been our favorite campground for years, but recently last year, the park removed all the flushing toilets, and replaced with vaulted toilets! 

Pros

\- Close to Seattle about 1.5 hr - 2 hrs away depending on traffic.

\- It has numbers of walk-in sites with great access to the lake.

\- Lots of loop for kids to ride bike and explore.

\- Great access to many hiking trail near by like Pacific Crest Trail(PCT) can be accessed near the campground and Racheal Lake trail head is only 15 mins drive away. 

\- Great for kayak, canoe, paddle board, or just chill and swim in the lake. 

\- Friendly rangers and comp hosts. 

\- Campground is always clean. 

\- Most campsites have great privacy, you are not right on top of your neighbor. 

\- Most loops within a walking distance to lake access except Beargrass loop.

\- Hardly cell phone service is a plus for us, unless you are at the beach or boat launches. 

  

Cons

\- Vaulted toilets ... (we don't mind vaulted toilets, but it used to have flushing toilets until 2017). 

\- Very busy, hard to make get a reservation. Most walk-in campsites will be filled up by Friday morning. 

\- In 2018, camp hosts no longer sell firewood (not sure if this still the case). We used to be able to get firewoods on the way in, but the last 2 times we went there this year, no one is selling firewood outside of the campground either. We had to drive to Easton to get firewood.

\- Dogs are not allow at the main beach (most campgrounds now have this rules but there aren't many off to the side area where dogs can hang out and you can watch your kids at the same time). Although some camp hosts do not enforce this rule, until the beach gets really busy.

Our favorite spots, great sites, easy access to the lake

This campground is huge! Gets very busy and also great place for kids. lake access with boat and trails to hike. Been going here for years as it's fairly close to Seattle for a quick weekend trip. 

Fun for whole family. 

One of the things I love about living in Seattle is the number of camping spots that feel off the grid, but are less than 2 hours away. Lake Kachess is one of those places. There are a variety of sites, my friend and I walked around most of the park and checked out all of the spots. Some are very private, and somewhat more remote, while others are closer to the water and you can see your neighbors. We drove up hoping for a first come first serve spot and were lucky enough to get one! Though after camping there I would highly recommend reserving spot 20 if you plan on going. There was an older man camping there this weekend who says he has been coming for 24 years, this is by far the best spot. Lots of room, trees for hanging hammocks, and a view of the water. You can also hear the waterfall so you’d get to fall asleep to the true sound of relaxation. You can put your boat in the water from the loop at the front of the campground (plenty of people were jet skiing and boating even in the less than great weather this weekend brought). This place is beautiful whether you prefer just hanging out at your site, sitting in front of the water, low key hiking, or spending the day on the lake. I will definitely go back with a bigger group some time.

A last minute weekend trip to Lake Kachess, Wa. made for a great time!

My boyfriend, dog and I stayed at this campsite for the first time and we were impressed! The camp host and all the other rangers we met were helpful when we had questions, our neighbors were pleasant and generally quiet, and the location was the best part. We were just steps from lake access through a short trail that led from our campsite to the shore, and then a short walk to the flush toilets and the creek. The flush toilets BTW were very clean - I was impressed by this. Not smelly at all, and in the morning there was an employee already there stocking up the TP and hand soap! No lights in the facilities though so be sure to bring a headlamp with you. The only downside that one might have is that there is not much forested coverage as there was some logging that had taken place prior to our stay. This didn't affect our specific campsite much, but at other larger group sites you could tell there was less privacy as a result.

Overall - great stay, definitely plan on returning again!

Clean, good amenities, great location by the water

We stayed here because it's the perfect base camp for our mtn bike ride. This spot was super clean and had everything we needed to be comfortable including nice bathrooms! I would encourage anyone to stay here!

Nice campsite and tons of exploring!

This campground is located on the small side of the lake where there is a lot of nice views and places to swim. I loved all the trails and walking paths to travel down. My only complaints would be that there is limited sandy parts to swim and that we could hear people speeding around and yelling out on their motor boats up until 2am.

Amazing views

Beautiful spot, blackberries and blueberries were in season and just outside the tent. 
Nice trails leading to the lake, but noticed in a few spots you were walking through what felt like someone else’s campsite.
Flush toilets and running water in a centrally located bathroom. 
It’s a large campground.

So many choices!

I really like camping here, but it's a specific kind of camping.  I give it 4 stars since it has a lot of fond memories and we come here often.  We have a ton of fun on the water and with our friends.  If you don't like zero amenities, heavy day use, or the possibility of folks having a noisy party, it's probably not for you.   It's free, you can camp in the woods right on the water.  Do not expect privacy or peace and quiet.  There are also no facilities of any kind so come prepared and use leave no trace principals please!  

  

We have camped with groups of friends here for many summers.  The day use is very heavy.  People even launch their gas powered boats from shore.  We like to bring our kayaks and do some early morning or late night paddling and fishing.  We also bring our river inner-tubes and a little boat anchor to do some beat the heat floating.  

  

Access can be tough as the water level of the lake can vary.  From the Lake Easton/Sparks exit, head down Sparks Road and turn on NF 4818 which is a dusty, narrow, gravel road.  If the water is high most of the sites you will have to park on the side of the road and walk down to.  If the water is low, keep an eye out for a lake access pull off on the left.  It's rough but all sorts of cars and boats on trailers can be found making there way down.  You can drive along the lake in both directions until you find your perfect spot.  

  

Get there early if you want to camp. Lots of families but lots of loud parties too.   Great fishing for white fish and Kokanee.

Pitch your tent but you won't be alone!

We absolutely loved Kachess campground! We stayed fathers day weekend 2020 in Box canyon.  Most sites in this area are doubles, which we needed. 

Pros: larger than average sites, friendly neighbors, close(about a block) to beach area, very swimable, great swim area for the very littles, big picnic tables, large fire pits, not much of a mosquito problem.

Cons: fills up fast, single sites claim rv capability but really aren't, bathrooms were NOT checked or maintained(:( ), no showers, no soap or hand sanitizer in bathrooms....ever. lots of pinecone(bring a rake or you will be sleeping on them!)

Large, well kept campground

Great campground just past snoqualmie pass. Large campground broken up in to 5-6 loops, offering good privacy and some large sites. Two swimming beaches and a gorgeous river run along the campground. There was wood for sale for $7 a bundle from the camp host.

Large Campground 

Just returned from Kachess,  loved every minute of it.  The sites were big and cut off from other campers.  Camp sites were well maintained and clean.  Easy to back into,  trailers and vehicles.  Beautiful lake,  great shore fishing, when you find the right spots. Plenty areas to swim and chill and the shoreline.  Firewood on site through the host.  Awesome place.  Very quiet at night.  

Big, private,  site's! 

Lake Kachess Campground is a great modern family campground. The Lake Kachess campsites are semi-private and attractive if you’re interested in amenities and socializing with other campers. Behind this campground up the forest service road is Box Canyon where dispersed camping took place for many years and has been shut down from time to time. Excellent fishing and places to explore in the woods. 

Really nice lake

Nice campground on the lake with several loops, and most sites having some privacy. The rangers were super nice. This campground is reservable and VERY busy. The vault toilets were clean(seemed new!), and the potable water was very good. All of the sites had picnic tables and fire pits. There are a couple little creeks that cut through some of the loops. Lots of boaters camping here as well as lots of families. There is a nice trail here as well. If you cannot get a site here, there is dispersed camping up the road near Rachel Lake. No highway noise in the campground.

Pretty and busy

The campground sits on a lovely lake. Water temperature was perfect in mid-July.
That being said, the camp itself was filled with screaming children, adults speaking loud enough to fill a stadium, and frisbees dropping on concrete well into the night.
If it’s peace and relaxation you’re after, you might do well to camp elsewhere. 
Bathrooms were sporadically out of order. 
Not so much a place to camp, rather to congregate and scream your frustrations out before heading back to the city. 

Noisy

This campground was great. We stayed on the Mineral Creek Loop. Our campsite backed up to a campground road but it was still very quiet. The only complaint was there was only one restroom per loop, which made for a long walk. Bathrooms were clean and cared for.  We had great views of the mountains from the sites 105-115. And also a great view of the Growlers flying over the lake on VR-1355. So cool. The lake was clean and beautiful. Great spot for canoes/kayaks/SUP or just floating around. 

Great campground, easy commute from Seattle

We had arguably the best site in the campground.  It was spacious and right next to the lake.  There are other sites on the water, but I’m not sure they backed up to a small beach area.  We could launch our paddle board from right there.  We also had a lot of fun riding our bikes throughout the campground.  The views from out site were awesome.  However, the campsite was louder and not as private as some of the others we’ve visited recently.  A large group of campers played loud music well past 10 PM the first night.  I think the host addressed it our second night there.  We definitely want to go back to spend time on the lake again.  

Fun Stay

We had a great time here. Had no idea this Lake was there after years of driving to Idaho on I-90. Gorgeous. Campground busy but well maintained. There was an altercation one morning between two camp groups but the camp hosts addressed it immediately and professionally. Lots of activities to do there and nearby, driving fire service roads, hiking, swimming, boating, and floating. Would definitely come back.

Wonderful trip

Huge campground, plenty of space, most fit multiple vehicles or vehicles and campers easily. Busy in the summer months but have never not been able to get a spot. Thetis section of the campground seems to be most disarable (surrounded by shore)
Fires were not permitted during this time.
Lots of hikes near by, close and easy straight shot from Seattle. 

Spacious

After reading some tips on where to stay in the campground, I reserved #123 in the Thetis Loop. I highly recommend it! It's literally steps away from the lake which is awesome because it feels like private beach access (vs sharing the main beach with day use folks). The campground is pretty large so I can only vouch for where I stayed but there was lots of restrooms (vault toilets only) and water spouts nearby. And a ranger came by to refill the toilet paper which was a nice touch!  

  

The site I stayed in was surprisingly private, other campers barely in view. Lots of foot traffic going past the site as folks made their way to the lake though. My site was particularly dusty and in full sun. The weather for the area can be really hit or miss. When I arrived, the sun was beating in at 85 degrees so I went on the lake with my paddleboard. Wind gusts were heavy and clouds started rolling in, and a few raindrops during the night. The next morning was cloudy to start but quickly gave way to full sun and calm waters (took the board out again with some coffee).  

  

The only downside is they are strict about the check-in time at 2pm. I arrived an hour early and was told to either come back at 2pm or pay the day use fee and hang out until 2pm. I wished they wouldve let me in the day use area anyway since I paid for camping but sadly no.

Thetis Loop - do it!

We used to camp here way backs when the kids where much younger. We last went in August with our kids and grand kid. We had found 2 sites(64&amp; 65) that end-up being perfect for us. There is not much separating those 2 sites so would have not been has nice if we had not known our neighbors. Also, by pure lock, those 2 sites end up very close to what maybe the only flush toilets on the campground; most are vault toilets. We loved our short stay here and will come back for sure.

One of the nicest campgrounds close to Seattle

Been coming here for 4yrs, the lake has always been the highlight of our trip but this year the water was VERY low, from the small launch the water was litteral steps from the parking lot now its about 300 yards away if not more. Not the campgrounds fault just sad to see it that way. Hope you're ok with vault toilets and flies all over. Host are always nice and helpful.