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Established Camping

Southend Campground — Moran State Park

CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

Southend Campground, near Olga, Washington, is a fantastic destination for those looking to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying a range of amenities. Set right on the shores of Cascade Lake, this campground offers sites with private water access, making it perfect for swimming, kayaking, or just lounging by the water.

Campers rave about the well-maintained facilities, including clean bathrooms and showers, which make for a comfortable stay. Many visitors appreciate the spacious sites tucked among the trees, providing a sense of privacy and a chance to spot local wildlife like deer. As one happy camper noted, “There are usually deer in the morning,” so keep your food packed away!

For adventure seekers, the campground is a gateway to numerous hiking trails, including the popular trek up Mount Constitution, where breathtaking views await. Plus, with easy access to boat rentals and a swimming area, there’s no shortage of activities to keep everyone entertained. Just remember to plan ahead for the ferry ride to Orcas Island, as it can get busy during peak season.

Whether you're camping in a tent, RV, or even trying out glamping, Southend Campground offers a beautiful lakeside experience that’s hard to beat.

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Location

Southend Campground — Moran State Park is located in Washington

Detail location of campground

Address

3572 Olga Road
Olga, WA 98279

Coordinates

48.6464735 N
122.84792482 W

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Connectivity

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  • signal strength bars
    T-MobileLTE
    Some Coverage
    Verified by 2 users
  • signal strength bars
    Verizon
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T
    No Coverage

Drive Time

Presented byToyota Trucks

Connectivity

Presented byT-Mobile SatelliteT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More
  • signal strength bars
    T-MobileLTE
    Some Coverage
    Verified by 2 users
  • signal strength bars
    Verizon
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T
    No Coverage

Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group
  • Yurts

Features

For Campers

  • Market
  • ADA Access
  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Showers
  • Drinking Water
  • Electric Hookups
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Big Rig Friendly

Contact

General Info

Reservations


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Reviews

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5.0

out of 5

9 Reviews

Reviewed Aug. 9, 2021

What a GEM!!

Even though I grew up on Orcas Island, Moran State Park remains to be my favorite state park in Washington.

It offers so many different things from miles of hiking trails to swimming holes, cliffs to jump from, fishing, boating spectacular views and so much more!

There are three loops you can choose from; North End, Midway, and South End. Every loop is well kept, and has its own perks. My favorite is the South End due to all of the sites being on the lake with private water access! But you truly can do no wrong with whatever site you end up with!

If you have a chance to explore Morans beauty, I highly recommend you do so.

Do remember before booking a site that there is an hour long ferry ride to Orcas from Anacortes. You will need reservations in the summer. The camp ground is about 40 minutes drive time from the ferry. No worries though, plenty of sites to see along the way.

Site8
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Courtney P., August 9, 2021
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Courtney P., August 9, 2021
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Courtney P., August 9, 2021
  • (6) View All
Reviewed Sep. 15, 2019

A dreamy spot on cascade lake

Orcas Island is one of my favorite places to camp. The island is magical. This campsite is really great b/c it sits right on Cascade Lake and you can easily get to various hiking trails and a few other lakes. One of my favorite things to do is hike Mount Constitution. The views at the top are amazing.

The site has a swimming area and you can rent kayaks, etc. There’s an undercover kitchen area you can rent if you want to cook with friends and there’s electrical outlets inside. Nice bathrooms. Family/four-legged friendly.

Highly recommend this spot. I typically camp 4+ days b/c the trek from Portland to Orcas is long. 4 hrs to Anacortes, WA + 1 hr ferry ride to Orcas Island + 20 min drive to Moran state park.

  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Amanda  W., September 15, 2019
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Amanda  W., September 15, 2019
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Amanda  W., September 15, 2019
  • (13) View All
Reviewed Apr. 9, 2019

Forested and close to a lake

Loved this campground! Lots of the spots have huge forested areas behind them. Was easy walking distance to the lake where you can rent kayaks and paddle boards or lounge on the beach. The bathrooms were clean and everything seemed well maintained.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Kayla R., April 9, 2019
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Kayla R., April 9, 2019
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Kayla R., April 9, 2019
Reviewed Oct. 24, 2018

Such a great spot!

I have camped here multiple times. It is such a great place to camp. Its tucked away in the woods. There are usually deer in the morning. So be sure to pack away food. The bathrooms are well maintained. It is well worth the hike to the lookout on the mountain. You can also drive. Such a beautiful view. The lake is also beautiful and has a great day use space for large groups. Be sure to plan ahead for the ferry ride as the waits can be long and the ferry schedule can vary. Pack in what you'll need. Shops close down early and don't carry a lot. We forgot a large pot to cook our spaghetti so we visited the local "exchange" located next to the dump. If you enjoy quirky it's definitely worth it to check that place out.

Reviewed Sep. 21, 2018

Beautiful campground that is super fun to get to

Moran State Park has several campgrounds - we had a reservation at site 17 at the Southend Campground. The other campgrounds looked great but I was really happy we ended up here, which felt like a small campground and all of the sites are right on the lake. I like site 17 because we had a neighbor on one side of us but a lake and hilly woods area on the other side so it felt more private. I would definitely recommend it and thought it was the best site in the campground. The campsite leads right down to the lake where there is a big slab of rock to sit on. Nice fire pit and grate, private flush bathrooms and showers all available.

To get to Moran State Park or anywhere on Orcas Island, you need to take a ferry. I had read that you should get a reservation but I ignored it, thinking it would be no problem. Luckily we were the second to last car to get on the ferry but we were really close to not making it. So, I did make a reservation for the return trip which was good because they were filling up and not making any of them on Sunday would have make it hard to get to work on Monday. The ferry took about 40 minutes and they have coffee, snacks and drinks, and of course, beautiful views.

Orcas Island is beautiful and more populated than I had realized. There are a handful of small hamlets around and a nice grocery store (pretty expensive though) right as you exit the ferry. Lots to do on the island, including beautiful hikes and cute restaurants and bars.

Totally worth a camping trip here and a looking forward to going back.

p.s. I have AT&T and did not get reception at the campground, but could get it by driving a few miles.

Site17
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Sarah S., September 21, 2018
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Sarah S., September 21, 2018
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Sarah S., September 21, 2018
  • (10) View All
Reviewed Sep. 3, 2018

Beautiful Lakeside Camping

Right along one of the few bodies of fresh water in the the San Juan Islands, the Southend sites in Moran are gorgeous. I was super lucky to get one of the few vacant sites the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Usually the campground would have been completely full but there was a last minute cancellation that opened up waterside spots! There are showers, toilets, and water available on the Southend and several small beaches along the shore. Unlike coastal beaches, it's actually warm enough the enjoy a swim in the lake. Over on the north side of the lake is a public beach area with a small shop and boat rentals. Moran State Park offers great hikes nearby including an easy trail around Cascade Lake that runs right through the campground. We stayed in site 17 which is right along the hiking trail so people passing by were audible (but not obnoxious). While the other campground loops along Moran are more readily accessible from the road, they are also closer to traffic and day-users.

SiteSouthend #17
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Kelsey M., September 3, 2018
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Kelsey M., September 3, 2018
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Kelsey M., September 3, 2018
Reviewed Aug. 31, 2016

Pretty perfect

The Southend camground at Moran is definitely the way to go. Most sites have their own private beach access of you want to keep your own boat on shore or swim with kids, the bathrooms are newer and much nicer, and it is at the trailheads that goes up the mountains to the falls or beyond to Mt. lake, Pilchuck, Consitition, etc. or around Cadcade lake/down to Rosario. Book super early to get these sites!

  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Beth E., August 31, 2016
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Beth E., August 31, 2016
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Beth E., August 31, 2016
  • (6) View All
Reviewed Jul. 25, 2016

Love this place!

Beautiful setting on a pristine lake in the middle of an incredible island. Deer everywhere! Everything from hiking to kayaking, swimming, beach combing, whale watching or fantastic 5 star dining within minutes. A little crowded during the summer but still well worth it.

  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Jessica M., July 25, 2016
Reviewed Jul. 16, 2015

Spend the Money - go Glamping!

Partnering with Wanderlust, there are now glamping campsites in the south end of Moran State Park and they are amazing. We got to "peek in" and see them right when they launched and they look amazing. Unfortunately, there is a waitlist to obtain one of these 5 beauties.

Each site comes with a nice canvas tent, queen size bed, dresser, big chairs to sit by the firepit with basic amenities - coffee - water etc provided.

Note the tents are not on the lake like other sites but tucked in the woods with glimpses of the lake.

We are already planning our trip next summer - just need the waitlist to open soon!

(photo courtesy of wanderlust)

  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Christy K., July 16, 2015
  • Review photo of Southend Campground — Moran State Park by Christy K., July 16, 2015

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I navigate Moran State Park's campgrounds using the campsite map?

Moran State Park features three distinct camping loops, with Southend Campground being one of them. The campsite map helps identify the Southend area, which is characterized by its lakefront location with all sites positioned right along Cascade Lake. When using the map, look for sites labeled with numbers (such as site 17) to determine specific locations. The map will also show the proximity of sites to facilities like bathrooms, beach access points, and trailheads. For optimal planning, use the map to locate sites with private beach access if water activities are a priority for your stay.

What are the best campsites at Moran State Park on Orcas Island?

The Southend Campground offers the most desirable sites at Moran State Park. Site 17 is particularly popular as it provides a good balance of privacy with only one neighbor. Many Southend sites feature private beach access, making them perfect for families with children who want to swim or keep a boat on shore. The campground is less crowded than other areas of the park and offers newer, cleaner bathrooms. Sites with huge forested areas behind them provide additional privacy and a true wilderness feel. For the ultimate luxury experience, the Southend area also features five glamping sites (operated in partnership with Wanderlust) for those seeking premium accommodations.

Where is the South End Campground located in Moran State Park?

Southend Campground is situated directly along Cascade Lake, one of the few freshwater bodies in the San Juan Islands. The campground is positioned at the trailheads that lead up to mountain trails, waterfalls, and eventually to Mount Constitution. This prime location allows for easy access to water activities on the lake, where visitors can rent kayaks and paddleboards or relax on the beach, while also serving as a convenient starting point for hiking adventures throughout the park.

What scenic highlights should I photograph in Moran State Park?

Moran State Park offers incredible photography opportunities starting with Mount Constitution, which provides spectacular panoramic views from its summit - a must-capture for any photographer. Cascade Lake's pristine waters create perfect reflection shots, especially during sunrise and sunset. The park's abundant wildlife, particularly the deer that frequently visit campgrounds in the mornings, offer excellent nature photography chances. Waterfalls along the hiking trails provide dramatic water features to photograph. For unique shots, explore the cliff jumping areas (when not in use) for dramatic landscape compositions. The magical forest settings with huge trees and lush undergrowth create atmospheric images, especially in morning light when fog often lingers among the trees.