The breathtaking natural features of Washington are waiting to astound you as they surround Seattle on all sides. With their numerous excellent campgrounds, world-famous national parks including Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic can all be reached from Seattle in less than three hours.
State parks in Washington are equally deserving of attention, and campgrounds in locations like Cape Disappointment and Deception Pass offer their own special assortment of entertaining activities. Puget Sound getaways, lakeside retreats, and lush rainforest escapes are a few other well-liked destinations in Washington with campgrounds close to Seattle. With our list of the 10 best campgrounds near Seattle, you can find the ideal spots to set up your tent or leave your RV.
1. Deception Pass State Park, Oak Harbor
Deception Pass, which was once inhabited by Coast Salish tribes and was given that name by English explorers who thought the channel to be the mouth of the Columbia River, has been one of Washington’s most well-liked state parks for almost a century. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed a large portion of the park’s infrastructure in the 1930s, including Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands as well as the famous Deception Pass Bridge. In this excellent campground in Washington State, a large portion of their labor is still on exhibit in the numerous hiking trails, interpretive displays, and camping spots.
Deception Pass State Park, located 90 miles north of Seattle, has more than 300 campsites split across three different areas that can accommodate both tent camping and RVs.
2. Kalaloch Campground, Olympic National Park
The biggest campground on the untamed Olympic Coast is Kalaloch, which is located on the opposite side of the Olympic Peninsula from Seattle. The 170 campsites at Kalaloch, which are accessible year-round and suitable for small RVs and tent campers, are all close to the ocean. The campsites include walk-up access to Second Beach, and Kalaloch campers can also travel just a short distance north along the coast to the pristine Ruby Beach. Kalaloch offers flushing restrooms and potable water, and visits during the summer can be scheduled in advance. The campground is slightly over a three-hour trip south from Seattle through Olympia.
3. Cougar Rock Campground, Mount Rainier National Park
An active stratovolcano surrounded by breathtaking alpine landscape, Mount Rainier is one of the most popular natural attractions in the entire Pacific Northwest. Four campgrounds run by the National Park Service make up some of Mount Rainier’s top campgrounds, including the well-known Cougar Rock Campground, which is located little over two hours from Seattle near the Nisqually River on the park’s southern border. The fact that Cougar Rock is so close to Mount Rainier’s famed Paradise region contributes to its popularity.
In addition to its descriptive name, Paradise at Rainier offers some of the best hiking trails in Mount Rainier National Park, including the breathtaking Skyline Trail and Muir Camp. Streaming waterfalls, cuddly woodland critters, and mountain meadows make up a large portion of the Paradise experience.
4. Cape Disappointment State Park, Ilwaco
Cape Disappointment, located in the extreme southwest of the state where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, is a place rich in history of the Pacific Northwest and is just over three hours from Seattle. Despite its gloomy moniker, which was given to the area by explorer John Meares following his fruitless efforts to find the entrance to the Columbia River, Cape Disappointment is a magnificent location with lighthouse views, ocean vistas, and lots of adventure. At Cape Disappointment, there are more than 200 campsites for tent campers and RVs, as well as yurts, cottages, and specific hiker/biker sites. The park is enhanced by picnic tables and stunning views, while other well-liked pastimes include hiking, beachcombing, and learning about the past at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.
5. Colonial Creek Campground, North Cascades National Park
Colonial Creek Campground is situated in the center of the national park, next to one of its most recognizable sources of water, and makes for a wonderful weekend vacation in the North Cascades. The boat access it provides to the azure waters of Diablo Lake is just one of many characteristics that make Colonial Creek one of the top campgrounds in the North Cascades. The campground is accessible through the seasonal State Route 20, also known as the North Cascades Highway. Colonial Creek, located 2.5 hours from Seattle, is well worth the trip only for the expansive views of the North Cascades.
The two loops of campsites at Colonial Creek Campground, which is geared toward tent camping and small RVs, total more than 140. Everyone has access to drinking water and toilets that flush.
6. Lake Wenatchee State Park, Leavenworth
A picturesque two-hour trip from Seattle will take you to Lake Wenatchee State Park in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Over 200 sites are accessible in the vast lakefront camping area at Lake Wenatchee, which is divided into a north and south half. In addition to swimming, boating, and hiking in the warmer months, Lake Wenatchee State Park also offers cross-country skiing, dogsledding, and cold-weather camping in the winter. The park’s popular amenities include showers, boat docks, and an amphitheater, and a tiny camp store close by sells last-minute necessities. A short drive away from Lake Wenatchee State Park, one of Washington’s best little towns and a town with a Bavarian feel, is Leavenworth.
7. Fay Bainbridge Park, Bainbridge Island
This municipal maritime park takes advantage of the breathtaking surroundings at Bainbridge Island’s northernmost point. Fay Bainbridge offers possibilities to explore the scenery via hiking paths, beachcombing, and a boat launch at adjacent Fort Ward Park. It has a lot of beach space overlooking Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains. Following a recent renovation, the Fay Bainbridge campsite currently offers 14 tent sites, 26 RV spots, and two rental cabins. All campsites have easy access to clean restrooms, hot showers, and potable water, and reservations are accepted. The Bainbridge Island Ferry connects Seattle with Bainbridge Island and the park for overnight visitors.
8. Larrabee State Park, Bellingham – Campgrounds Near Seattle
Larrabee offers stunning views of Samish Bay and the San Juan Islands as she travels down the picturesque Chuckanut Drive in northern Washington. Larrabee boasts the distinction of being Washington’s first state park and is still one of the most well-liked today. It is located less than 10 miles south of Bellingham and 90 minutes from Seattle. This picturesque state park offers more than 80 campsites along the seaward slope of Chuckanut Mountain, primarily for tent campers and with access to showers, potable water, and bathroom facilities. The campground is next to the Burlington Northern Railroad, which attracts both small children and lovers of locomotives.
9. Alder Lake Park, Elbe – Campgrounds Near Seattle
Alder Lake Park is a well-liked city park with year-round camping opportunities close to the tiny village of Elbe, 70 miles south of Seattle. Water skiing, beachcombing, and swimming at Sunny Beach Point are popular leisure pursuits that may be enjoyed close to the campground. Alder Lake has roughly 175 campsites, including tent camping, full and partial RV hookups, and dedicated group camping spots, spread out over four different regions. Rocky Point Campground, which is four miles east of the main park area, has a number of well-known locations. Alder Lake is also a well-liked day-use location, especially in the summer when the parking lot is known to get crowded.
10. Camano Island State Park, Camano Island
A 244-acre state park with numerous campsites is located on Camano Island, which is near Whidbey Island at the northern end of Puget Sound. Camano Island State Park offers close access to water sports like boating and swimming as well as land-based pursuits like hiking, cycling, and watching the sun set. The park overlooks the lake and has a sizable rocky shoreline. There are more than 80 places where you can set up your tent, and you can reserve five cabins in advance of any visit. The park’s Al Emerson Nature Trail is a well-traveled path, and the close-by Cama Beach State Park offers another beautiful location to explore. From Seattle, it takes 70 miles to go to Cama Beach and Camana Island State Park.
You can also check:
