The Winthrop KOA is similar and on par with most other KOA campgrounds, as far amenities go. The campground is right on the Methow River which is great, however, early in the camping season the current is so swift, you would not be able to swim in it. The campground itself has a western vibe, with old wagons that you can actually rent to sleep in, log cabins, and western-style artifacts throughout. The campground is right off of the highway, so there is a little car noise during the day. At night, we didn't really notice it. With the location of the campground in Methow Valley, it can get really windy. One of the nights we were there, we had to douse our campfire because embers were flying everywhere. We had site 18 which was at the end of one of the rows and it was very spacious with a big grass area and a few trees.

We liked the location because it was close to Winthrop and many of the outdoor activities available in the area such as hiking trails, off-road tracks, fishing, kayaking, etc. The area is beautiful and has much to offer in the scenery department, even for folks that are car-bound.

Salmon La Sac campground feels remote but is within two hours of Seattle. You will not hear the hum of freeway noise or cars swooshing by at high speed, as this camper’s haven is at the end of a paved road and sits smack in the middle of the Cle Elum and Cooper rivers. The growl of water flowing quickly downstream over huge granite boulders can be heard from most sites, with some sites nicely placed adjacent to river’s edge. The sites are decent in size, some with adequate tree coverage and others with plenty of sun. There are restrooms dotted throughout but some were lacking hand sanitizer which in the midst of a pandemic was baffling. There also didn’t seem to be enough trash bins for the number of sites, but there weren’t any overflowing with refuse. Just plan to walk a decent clip to dispose of your spent items. With that said, the bathrooms were clean and the camp host greeted new arrivals with a smile and useful information. The weather and time of year was not ideal for playing in the water without a wet suit but is a great spot for whitewater kayakers to put in. There are many off-road adventure opportunities in the area for ATV, UTV, and other 4x4 enthusiasts. Fly fishing from the shore is also popular and if you have a boat, Cle Elum Lake is not far from the campground but be warned later in the summer the water level gets extremely low. Lastly, there are so many hiking trailheads in the area, no one could be disappointed. Salmon La Sac campground has no electric or water hookups but does have potable water available from hand-cranked pumps (well water). Sadly, the spigot on the pump doesn’t fit a standard hose, so we weren’t able to get much water into our travel trailer this made for a less than ideal experience but we managed for our short stay. Many RV and trailer campers love this place. We sure do!