Lewis & Clark State Park Campground

We were traveling along the Oregon coast and then needed to divert inland to the Portland airport and continue north to Tacoma for a wedding reception. Not far off I-5, this place was gorgeous. Tall trees, lush foliage, immaculately maintained. As others have noted, the sites with hook-ups across the road on the east side are for large trailers and not as picturesque. To the west are these beautiful sites, facilities, and walking trails. In the morning, we hiked the old growth loop prior to resuming our journey. Be aware, Google Maps says you enter off of Park Road, but that is incorrect. The entrance is on Jackson Highway.

The RV park is separate from the camping tents and smaller campers. Those are in a beautiful forest. Unfortunately, we had to stay in the RV section. The RV section had six spots. 3 of those spots back up to a busy paved road with traffic. The road is mere feet from the camper. Dangerous for dogs and kids. Not relaxing at all. Waste of money. Terrible RV site. Don’t waste your money to park your RV next to a busy paved road.

Sitting in our peaceful and private campsite amid a grove of trees, I felt I must share kudos for this state park. Many of the structures were built in the 1930’s by the CCC and it has an iconic feel.  Add the easily accessible trails, one through one of the last standing groves of old growth forest. Our site #18 was large and could easily accommodate a large family. The tent site is very nice. But it’s just us, our pup and the teardrop trailer which was easy to park on the level lot.

We arrived late after leaving Portland for Mt Rainier. We stayed in a tent site right on the main road. Cars started going by early in the morning (Friday). Had a beautiful morning walk through the old growth forest before packing up and heading to the National Park. We had water, but the bathroom was only a porta potty. I think if we’d stayed in the main campground our stay would’ve been great but we were using it as a quick overnight stop only.

This is a lovely park with beautiful trails that wind through very large, old growth cedar forests. The Rangers and the campground hosts were very friendly and helpful. We stayed at a full hook up campsite that included electricity sewer and freshwater.

Somethings we would change forever. The eight full hook up sites sat right on a very busy highway with loud logging trucks going by. It did quiet down at night however. The reservation system is very strict and though you can change your reservation online for eight dollars a change, there are hefty penalties for canceling.

The camping sites across the street had no amenities at all, but they were across the street and deeper into the forest and very beautiful. I’m not sure if any of the sites in there would be big enough to fit our 31 foot RV.

We got to this campground on a Saturday evening, around 5pm, and got the last first-come spot. It was a nice spot to stay for a night and the campsite was quite large. The spot felt very private even though it’s next to other sites. We don’t love paying $32 for sites but didn’t get a spot where we’d hoped that morning. I’d stay again as a back up to the smaller sites, or it does seem like a good group or family spot!

When venturing to Mount St Helens area I wanted to find a campground relatively close by to stay before visiting the next day. I found Lewis and Clark State Park along the way and opted to give it a shot for an overnight. The site looked comfortable and quiet and was well shaded and welcoming. 

Pulling into the campground I noticed several areas to enjoy recreationally alongside camping including public park areas with covered outdoor kitchen zones perfect for those enjoying the area for day use. Additionally there were several areas with play equipment and outdoor activities for singles or the family to enjoy. 

Pulling into the camping loop area sites were well spaced and shaded by large vibrant trees. Soft mosses lined walkways and created a feeling of being deep into the forest without being far removed from actual civilization and it was a nice departure from many of the more commercial looking camps of the area which lacked the forest feel. 

The camp site I chose was equipped with the standard amenities of a picnic table and fire ring and the pull in section was just large enough for my smaller car. Throughout camp I did notice some sites were designed specifically for tent campers while others would cater better to larger units. Something unique about this location was it offered bike in campers sites as well with much smaller pull in areas but just as much space to spread out and set up their tents. 

The bath house was very nice as it was heated and had hot water, though when I was there I did encounter a slight concern with using this bathhouse because there was a current e coli water warning which was displayed throughout camp on all water spigots. This left me more than a little leary about using the water in the bathroom turning what could have been a warm amazing shower into a bit of a concerning experience. 

Because of this concern I noticed they had hand sanitizer placed in the restrooms, which was a great concession considering the issue at hand. 

While this was a campsite I did enjoy, I feel as though with the water concerns I could not fully embrace all the features of camp which did hinder me slightly from fully being able to embrace all of the options. Should I return to this area I would check in advance to see if the water was a concern before staying another night. 

The campground, like many in the area, advocate recycling.  Not only will you find trash cans and dumpsters throughout camp but you will also find recycling barrels scattered throughout camp.    I truly enjoyed this feature of the park as it is making a difference in the bigger picture and you can commonly find items created from recycled items such as benches and tables located throughout various state parks as continued improvements occur.

All in all, for someone just wanting to enjoy a night at a quiet campground this would be a great one to check out in the area. While it lacks some of the amenities of other campgrounds in the area which are more destination style camps it has a lot of charm for those wanting to enjoy fun with family or friends in a more traditional camping style. 

TIPS:

• Check in advance for water related issues not only at this campground but others in the area. 
• Make a stop just before the entrance of the park at the Jackson House Historic Site. This site is a major portion of the area’s rich history and with several unique signs which walk you through the significance of the area you will be enriched by this short stop.
• Make sure you have a Discover Pass!! Any stay in Washington you will want to make sure you have this pass.

This is a nice spot to stop over for a day or two. It is a smaller campground but it offers quite a bit. There is a amphitheater for guests and the rangers put on decent shows. There are only two bathrooms for the entire campground but they do have showers. When we went one of the showers was out of order, but we were told it would be getting fixed soon.

There is lots to do around the campground you just have to venture out and find it. This is a pet and horse friendly spot.

There is one hiker spot for first come first serve.

love the host they make you fell like you are part of they family and they love dogs too

This are gets surprisingly nice as you drive away from I-5, but I still think of it as less of a destination and more of just a place to camp. I appreciate that the park has public kitchens and some good areas for sports/playing.