What is you favorite campground?

[washelkhunter]

Im especially fond of Peterson Prairie. Tall trees, all the sites are level, 4 miles to Goose Lake and good fishing, 4 miles or so to Troutlake and Huckleberry smoothies for the kiddos. Lava tubes/caves/ice caves
easy hiking, oxygen, man the trees just give off good air there. You can always get a campsite. Whats your fav?

[KFhunter]

I hate camp grounds, all of em.
 
can't think of a one I enjoy, they are full of people and rules.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Although I have to agree about not liking campgrounds (never understood paying to camp with a bunch of strangers, and buying firewood, limited parking, not  discharging weapons, etc...)
I used to enjoy an annual trip to Bonaparte Lake, stay in a cabin, eat at a restaurant, catch 16-20" Brookies, 22-28" Rainbows, and Mackinaw up to 17lb's, (never paid attention to Kokanee, unless I wanted bait) then the smalmouth took over.... 

[jyerxa]

Colman Canyon North of Ellensberg. I don't have any pictures, but I taught a Navy SEAL and a Pierce County Deputy a lesson or two in sleeping well at night.

I do have to admit that dunking my head in a frosty winter stream so I didn't stink so bad after four day gave me a head ache.

*&*&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& whoa &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Hold on now. I've been city slickered so much I am paranoid nowadays.

These guys liked nice and soft stuff. Elevated in a cot.

Snicker snicker.

They were pop cycles in the morning. LMAO.  One frosty night was all it took to teach then how to camp in below freezing weather.

**************** chit ****************

Still sounds bad. Sleep close to the ground while still insulated from it. I like my Eureka tent for bad weather. I sleep like a baby in that little contraption.

[MikeWalking]

Don't like Pay to Use Campgrounds anymore, too little privacy. But on a long drive they can be a nice break.  Lone Pine on the North Cascades Hwy has been used a few times.  I really like it up on some of the bluffs in the Table Mt-Lion Rock area above Ellensburg.   Most have been hard to see breaks in the trees leading to a spot on a stream or dead ends high up on a ridge.  I really like having a stream/river/lake next  to me but I'll trade that for unobstructed views of the night sky.

We spent a lot of time at Alta Lake as a kid, late 60's-early 70's.  Before all the development.  Saved a kid from drowning there.  Rode my Honda SL70 all over the place.   I keep thinking of it as Alda lake after Grandma Alda Whitely. Grandpas' #2 I must of eaten my weight in Perch in all those years.

[RadSav]

I hate camp grounds, all of em.
 
can't think of a one I enjoy, they are full of people and rules.

   If I want to be around a bunch of drunken idiots and some power hungry care taker I'll go to a Mariners game.  At least I can sleep in the next morning without having to listen to some guy warming up his diesel truck for an hour.

The squaw and I like to trailer camp, tent camp and occasionally do a bivy.  However, there has to be a dang good reason for us to use a designated camp ground.  Back when Weyerh'ser would let us camp in the Winston during late archery we'd spend a full two weeks up there.  Those were good times.  Head home for the weekends to avoid the crowds and take a shower.  Although crowds weren't all that bad back then.

[PolarBear]

I hate camp grounds, all of em.
 
can't think of a one I enjoy, they are full of people and rules.

[rasbo]

not a fan of state grounds, but loved to camp at moose junction inside hancock

[Miles]

Our family enjoyed going to this one when we were in WA.  Ralph (the owner) is a great guy, and the fishing in that area can be very good.  The bathrooms are BY FAR the cleanest bathrooms I have ever seen at a campground.

http://uppercolumbiarv.com/

[Hornseeker]

This is my all time favorite, its about 4 miles from the truck in a nice little mountain range in Montana. Sites are fairly level... nice little creek about 40 feet from the tarp.... elk usually bugling within 400 yards of camp in September... no one to be seen....


As for the drive in campgrounds.... Yuck.

[D-Rock425]

I like that last camp ground.   If you're looking for a partner I'll go.

[Skyvalhunter]

Looks like an area in Rock Creek, Montana.

[dad98684]

I hate camp grounds, all of em.
 
can't think of a one I enjoy, they are full of people and rules.

too many people are inconsiderate pigs

[jyerxa]

This is my all time favorite, its about 4 miles from the truck in a nice little mountain range in Montana. Sites are fairly level... nice little creek about 40 feet from the tarp.... elk usually bugling within 400 yards of camp in September... no one to be seen....


As for the drive in campgrounds.... Yuck.

Yeah, now that is what I'm talking about! NICE!

[Curly]

I don't mind campgrounds.  When I go to one, I don't spend much time in camp anyway.  They are generally a pretty safe place to park your rig, and a place for electricity.

I just use it to park my camper or trailer for a place to sleep.  During the day, I'm out on the lake or river or out in the woods........then back to camp when the sun goes down.  That way you don't even get to see the other people that are in the campground.

Some of my favorites places have been Maryhill State Park, Potholes State Park, Steamboat Rock State Park, Central Ferry State Park, Crow Butte State Park, Charbonneau Park and Hood Park.

[Arteman]

Sun Lakes Resort, lots of things for the kids to do. Good swimming, good fishing, and I enjoy the golfing.  We try to stay a week every year.

[Killmore]

West side=Grayland   -----East side=Curlew

[norsepeak]

this is my favorite campground.  150 miles from anything in the middle of the Alaska Range.

[trophyhunt]

Sun Lakes Resort, lots of things for the kids to do. Good swimming, good fishing, and I enjoy the golfing.  We try to stay a week every year.

I agree, and we love jumping off those clifs on deep lake (i think it's called deep lake). Although we did watch a kid jump off the 180' cliff a couple years ago, it was like watching a suicide. He ended up breaking his back I believe, and no we couldn't stop him the 180' cliffs are about 1/2 mile from the 10 and 20+ cliffs. Another point, you do want to shower after swimming, one year we got the itch from the water.

[Curly]

Some pretty good fishing around there too.  Used to be really good in Dry Falls........

[pnw junkie]

curlew lake state park is one of my favorites.  for me, it is almost a 7 hr. drive, but well worth it.  also, I agree with Arteman, sun lakes is a great place for the entire family to enjoy vacation time!

[MikeWalking]

I liked this one.  The confluence of the East Fork of the Chandalar and the Guilbeau Drainage.  East end of the Brooks Range.

[Skyvalhunter]

Looks like a place where Kirk Sweetsir might take a person.

[MikeWalking]

Looks like a place where Kirk Sweetsir might take a person.

Dropped me off about 3 miles up stream.  This is the spot where days later I crawled out to see Mama Griz and two cubs come my way.  Can you say "Got Small"  they eventually ran into the greenery you see in the top photo.

[Arteman]

Sun Lakes Resort, lots of things for the kids to do. Good swimming, good fishing, and I enjoy the golfing.  We try to stay a week every year.

I agree, and we love jumping off those clifs on deep lake (i think it's called deep lake). Although we did watch a kid jump off the 180' cliff a couple years ago, it was like watching a suicide. He ended up breaking his back I believe, and no we couldn't stop him the 180' cliffs are about 1/2 mile from the 10 and 20+ cliffs. Another point, you do want to shower after swimming, one year we got the itch from the water.

I know what cliffs your talking about, that's crazy somebody jumped it, I don't even like looking off them, we jump the little ones.  Was walking out the trail once and there was a rattler in the middle of it so im cautious with my children now.  Also my daughter got the itch after swimming in the resort lake, bunch of red bumps all over.  The wind storms that can whip up in there make it interesting as well.  We slayed the trout one year, it was so much fun, couldnt keep them off the hook.  Last time we went the trout fishing wasn't so good, but we drove up to Banks and made a killing on the smallmouth with just a #2 bluefox.  I look forward to a week of that weather, always depressing coming back to the cloudy wetside in the middle of the summer.

[huntnnw]

I too don't like campgrounds, but I do have one I have stayed at probably 100+ nights in my life..sheep creek up above northport. No pay and always empty and peaceful.

[Curly]

My favorite campground I won't mention.  It is my favorite for one reason..........nobody else is ever there and the fee is by donation (whatever I feel like it is worth, I pay) and there are showers and a restroom available and electric and water at the campsites. 

[washelkhunter]

Dont be to hard on the camp hosts  they have had a great effect on keeping the riffraff either out or certainly in line  families where fed up going camping and having to put up or be driven out by a bunch of drunk louts doing whatever they pleased 

[hoytem]

I too don't like campgrounds, but I do have one I have stayed at probably 100+ nights in my life..sheep creek up above northport. No pay and always empty and peaceful.

[PolarBear]

I don't like "camping" if there is nothing to do.  My sister and her husband camp probably 30 weekends a year and all they do is sit around, read and play with the dog.  The last time I went camping with the family we hauled our 30' trailer (that I bought to live in while we were building our house) up to Ike Kinswa State Park on Mayfield Lake.  Nice camp ground but all everyone did was sit around and get eaten up by mosquitos.  Once it got dark all the white trash families in the park started getting liquored up, playing music really loud, screaming and fighting with each other.  THat was the one and only time I took that trailer caming and I sold it shortly after.  My favorite camping spot was a little clear spot on the side of the forrest service road at Refrigerator Canyon in Republic.  Spent may hunting seasons in that spot right on the creek.

[swanny]

The campgrounds up Icicle Creek road in Leavenworth are great in the summer time. You have the river and tons of hiking and biking to do in the summer time.

As a kid, we went to Keller Ferry every summer in August for 2 weeks. Always will be my favorite place to go. Now my parents have property up the lake in Lincoln. Can't wait until I have kids and get to take them over on the lake for fishing and wakeboarding.

[huntnnw]

Dont be to hard on the camp hosts  they have had a great effect on keeping the riffraff either out or certainly in line  families where fed up going camping and having to put up or be driven out by a bunch of drunk louts doing whatever they pleased
[/quotI]

I had a horrendous experience in Kooskia,ID last year with a camp hosts and my family....cops were called..needless to say we packed up and left for another camp at 10pm

[TangoU]

Grayland Beach State Park was mentioned above. It's a great place and my kids absolutely love it.  We go there every year. My favorite childhood campground is Lodge Pole, which is off Hwy 410 just east of Chinook Pass. It doesn't look like much, but when I was a kid we used to swim and fish for trout in the river, look for spawning salmon, ride our bicycles and hike the trails.  My brother and I probably cajoled our dad into going back there every year we were kids.

Yeah, campgrounds can be a pain sometimes.  But it's also easier sometimes. Quality comes during quantity. If you have kids, and you help create these memories for them of being outdoors and sleeping under the stars, fishing, swimming, and all that, then you will have created that next generation of outdoorsmen and women. An that's a good thing. 
 
-Allen

[Camp David]

My all time favorite is Jones Island State park in the San Juans. Very few people on the island and salmon fishing and dungness crab is close by.

[MikeWalking]

The campgrounds up Icicle Creek road in Leavenworth are great in the summer time. You have the river and tons of hiking and biking to do in the summer time.

I use to use those a lot in the 80's while guiding on the Wenatchee.  Mom and Dad had a favorite, 8 Mile, I think.  We spread his ashes up there.

[timberghost72]

For family camping the wife and I have always liked Soda Springs campground off of Bumping Lake road. Our camping style is split pretty evenly between state campgrounds (always too crowded) National forest campgrounds and just finding a spot somewhere up in the hills. Boneapart Lake and the couple campgrounds near there are nice too and not crowded.


The worst place we have ever been was Mardon Resort. Hated that place.

[pianoman9701]

Not tellin'. It's free and has services.

[netcoyote]

When my kids were young, we liked to camp with several other families at Lyon's Ferry SP over near Washtucna along the Snake River. We would go for the Memorial day weekend because it usually had nice weather and was a good way for us west-siders to get a good dose of much needed sun and warm, dry air. It was an annual event for us for many years until the kids grew up. It was  big enough to never feel overcrowded and I don't recall ever having problems with the usual campground jerks.
Today, I rarely go to any established CG and usually camp out of the bed of my truck or where I can haul my small trailer  as far away from the masses as possible. Now I have grandkids coming along so I may try to revisit some of those good times back at Lyon's Ferry.

[NRA4LIFE]

One of my favorites is on Granite Lake up above Bumping.  Kinda rough getting up there and the fishing kinda sucks but it's a great place to go and chill for a few days.  Our elk camp in the little Naches is always great.

Headed to Grayland Beach this week.  It's nice when the clam season is open as you can walk out right from camp.

[Sumpnneedskillin]

When my kids were young, we liked to camp with several other families at Lyon's Ferry SP over near Washtucna along the Snake River. We would go for the Memorial day weekend because it usually had nice weather and was a good way for us west-siders to get a good dose of much needed sun and warm, dry air. It was an annual event for us for many years until the kids grew up. It was  big enough to never feel overcrowded and I don't recall ever having problems with the usual campground jerks.
Today, I rarely go to any established CG and usually camp out of the bed of my truck or where I can haul my small trailer  as far away from the masses as possible. Now I have grandkids coming along so I may try to revisit some of those good times back at Lyon's Ferry.

Lyon's Ferry SP is no more.  You can stay across the river at the KOA.

[TangoU]

For family camping the wife and I have always liked Soda Springs campground off of Bumping Lake road.

This is another of my childhood faves.  I haven't had a chance to take my own kids there yet, though. Maybe this summer.

One of my favorites is on Granite Lake up above Bumping.  Kinda rough getting up there and the fishing kinda sucks but it's a great place to go and chill for a few days. 

Agree, another cool place.  And again a place I went as a kid, too. 

[hoytem]

The campgrounds up Icicle Creek road in Leavenworth are great in the summer time. You have the river and tons of hiking and biking to do in the summer time.

As a kid, we went to Keller Ferry every summer in August for 2 weeks. Always will be my favorite place to go. Now my parents have property up the lake in Lincoln. Can't wait until I have kids and get to take them over on the lake for fishing and wakeboarding.

keller ferry is one of my fav's as well. I saw my first 5 bears while camping there. rode right up to a sow and two cubs on the old jet ski.

[alecvg]

I agree, not a fan of campgrounds, but I do really like Silverline on Pearygin in the summer, when you got a big group of people, its a ton of fun!

[SemperFidelis97]

I have tried a few campgrounds in the past with friends who swore they were the cat's meow, but I just really felt crowded.  I guess I was spoiled growing up I had grandparents that had property on lakes on both sides of the mountain.  My wife, and I bought property of our own on a lake about ten years ago if we are going camping for anything, but hunting that is usually where we end up.

[seansfire]

Hamma Hamma campground off of Highway 101 near Quilicene