Rich M.

Olympia, WA

Joined July 2018

I love the outdoors. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and spent most of my youth backpacking through the Olympics and Kayaking the Puget Sound.

Beautiful little lake

This campground is well maintained. It is on roper lake. They have cabins that overlook the lake and plenty of camping spots for both tints and rvs. They also have a day use area with a designated swimming area and lots of picking tables

Fun on the Dunes

If you are looking for some fun camping next to the dunes this is a great place. These are great dunes for families and beginner riders.  If you are an experienced thrill-seeking rider I would recommend heading south to Florence or Winchester Bay.

These are located on the Pacific Ocean and have a beautiful view.

Great Views

This campground is still a favorite of mine due to its great access to the dunes and beautiful views. The dunes have five fingers all of which have their own unique view of the dunes, lakes, and ocean.

These campgrounds are primitive, in that there are no firepits, hookups or restrooms. If you need to use the restroom you need to drive/ride down to the parking lot. The park host is friendly and knowledgeable.

Past It's prime

This is a huge campground with lots of amenities. We came during Memorial Day weekend 2020 and it was hopping. Being one of the only campground open during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are tons of people here looking to get out of quarantine for some fresh air.

We booked three campsites with hookups. When we arrived the three sites combined were the size of two small tent sites. Between the three sites there was only one fire pit and one table.

The problem is that this Campground had been neglected for many years. There roads and campsites are muddy and need to be graveled. We watched our neighbors get stuck trying to park his camper.

The hookups are placed in bad locations and require extensions for both power and water. Many of the GFCI outlets don't work.

This place has a lot of potential. There are two pools a store and playground. All of which are run down. The roads are in desperate need of gravel.

Despite all of the drawbacks it is a beautiful place. I hope they can restore it to back to its prime.

Best View

This is a large campground on Orcas Island. It sits on Lake Moran which is a fun lake to kayak and cliff jump. If you follow the road up to Mt. Constitution, there is a lookout tower that resembles a castle. From here you get one of the most spectacular views of the San Juan Islands.

Amazing Getaway

This place is glamping at its finest. It is located at the top of the Olympic Peninsula on Lake Crescent. There is plenty to do here from fishing, cycling, boating, and hiking.

They have small cabins and a lodge with an amazing restaurant.  I recommend this to friends who aren't quite the rugged camper but still want to explore the Olympic Mountains.

Lots of Fun and History

This is probably one of the coolest places to visit. It is an old army base with all sorts of bunkers to explorer.  As I Boy Scout, this was one of our favorite places to camp each year. On top of the hill are bunkers that stretch probably a quarter-mile and are perfect for playing an ultimate game of capture the flag.

There is also beach access and plenty of historic buildings to check out. They have two campgrounds, one down by the beach and the other up top.

Hidden Gem

This campground is hidden in the middle of a major Western Washington city, Federal Way. Once in the campground, you would have no idea that you are surrounded by a sprawling metropolitan area.

The campsites are small but private. They do allow for campfires but you should bring your own firewood. 

There is a trail that follows a creek down to the shoreline. If you are into geocaching we found a few along the trail. Depending on the season this trail can be quite muddy.

Great memories

I grew up camping here, as a Boy Scout this was a perfect location for many activities.

The campground is located in Capital Forest which is home to lots of hiking, mountain bike, equestrian, and ATV trails. There is even a near by gravel pit owned by the Department of Natural Resources and it is designated for target shooting.

The sites are first come first serve and you okay using and iron ranger.

Great location

This Campground is in a great location with direct access to the Winchester Bay Dunes.

Located in the woods this Campground feels more like calling then many of the other local campground. They do have sites large enough to accommodate trailers and campers however there are not any hookups. The restrooms are well maintained.

You can get to the dunes and the beach in minutes. There is a great view of a lighthouse.

Great access to the dunes

This campsite is located in the north end of the Winchester Bay dunes. It is a county owned park. They have cabins, tent sites, and an RV/camper lot.

There is a sand trail that connects the campground to the dunes near Banshee Hill. Which is what makes this campsite great.

They just redid half of the campground. There RV side has bran new pavement and concert. We were the first to use our site this weekend (5/15/2020). All new hookups with power, water and sewer. The bathrooms and showers were all closed due to COVID-19.

The new sites are close together with zero grass it vegetation. It feels like you are camping in the back of a Walmart parking lot. Having said this the other half of the campground for have grass and trees with a but more space. If your plan is to spend all day riding and just need a place to camp this is a great choice.

The new fire pits are located on the concert which was a but odd and as we discovered, potentially dangerous. We had started a campfire and started preparing dinner, when we heard an explosion. The heat of the fire had caused the concert below the fire pit to explore (see photo). Concrete and large hot embers flew everywhere. And burnt large holes on our camp chairs. Fortunately we were about 10 get away getting our food. We brought this up to the maintenance staff and they just shrugged it off. Hopefully they find a way to make the other fire pits safe.

Camping on the dunes

If you're into riding quads or ATVs, then this is the place to go. There are miles of sand dunes with great step climbs and great views. We were able to pull our pop-up camper right out on the dunes. This is home to the notorious Banshee hill, a long step climb that can be intimidating if you are new but a thrill to ride up.

You have to be cautious though, lots of people get suck pulling their campers out onto the sand. You need to take your tire pressure down to 15psi. Know where your going and walk it first.

There are restrooms at the parking lots which are a but if a ride to get to.

This is honestly one of my favorite places to camp because it's the access to the dunes.

Great area to explore

Brown Creek Campground is just outside of Shelton WA. There are a lot of cool places to explore around the area. Check it the high steel bridge or hike spider lake and see the beavers.

The historic and infamous Vance Creek bridge is just down the road, but they have made it off limits and difficult to get to.

Great family friendly campground.

This was a nice clean campground with great amenities. They have a small pool, hot showers and are located on the lake.

We like to stay here when we visit Silverwood Water Park.

Amazing Scenic Valley

Everything about the Enchanted Valley is amazing. This was my first ever backpacking trip. I did it with my Dad when I was 8 years old and it has been a favorite ever since then. 

The valley has a Chalet that was originally built by the Olympic Recreation Company in 1931 and has amazingly survived all this time. In recent years the Quinault River has shifted threatening the Chalet. In 2014 the Chalet was placed on steel rails and pulled 100 using mules and a helicopter. 

The Valley is home to a herd of Elk as well as deer, bears and other wildlife. There are spectacular views of snowy mountains and you can hear the rumbling of avalanches.

From the Valley, you can continue on to Andersen Pass.

Best campsite on the way to the valley

This is located 9.5 miles down the trail to the Enchanted Valley. This is usually a quiet campsite as most hikers stop at O'Neil Creek which is only 6.7 miles. If you aren't too tied it is worth pushing on down the trail to Pyrites Creek. The campsite are flat and the river is beautiful.

Popular campsite on trail to the valley

O'Neil Creek is a popular spot for hikers headed to the Enchanted Valley as it is basic the half way point. The best campsite is the furthest back one under the maple tree. You have hang food up on the bear wire. If you are a hammock camper there are plenty of trees here to strap to. The creek is cool and refreshing.

If you're not too tied I would recommend continuing down the trail an extra mile or so to Pyrites Creek as it is typically less crowded.

Beautiful Trail

This is located on the east fork off the Quinault River just North of the Quinault River. To get here you take the Graves Creek Trailhead 2.7 miles. There is camping just past the bridge. The campsite is on one of my favorite trails that leads to the Enchanted Valley.

Beautiful Lake

This is a nice, well maintained campground next to a lake. Lake Leland is a beautiful and quiet lake that doesn't allow motor boats. Each campsite has a fire pit and picnic table. The fee to camp here is $18/night, or $10 if your are cycling.

Small Campground

This is a small county park located in right off of HWY 101 as you enter the town of Quilcene. There are 9 small campsites, all with picnic tables and a fire ring. There aren't many trees for privacy and you can hear the highway. They do have a shelter and playground. The fee to camp here is $15 or $10 for cyclists and are first come first serve.