Best campgrounds in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington

[Catchlight]

We are camped at wonderful Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta right now, and are deciding our route for getting home to Vancouver Island.

We would appreciate suggestions on exceptional campgrounds along the way from the Canadian Rockies to the Oregon coast, and back up through the Olympic Peninsula in Washington to Port Angeles.

Our preference is for natural beauty, privacy, quiet, and proximity to natural attractions over commercial ones.

Please post any suggestions you have, or links to relevant previous discussions. Much appreciated!

In return, may we mention three campgrounds we have liked on our trip across southern BC and into AB?
1. Waterton Lakes--with three Parks Canada campgrounds, one on a grassy site by Upper Waterton Lake and surrounded by mountains, right in the charming little town of Waterton, and two with nicely private forested sites. We feel Waterton is the most beautiful, peaceful, and wildlife-rich of the Rocky Mountain parks on the Canadian side.
2. Fernie Mountain--is run by BC parks and has private, forested sites on a creek just 3 km. outside of the charming, historic, picturesque town of Fernie.
3. Lightning Lake--in Manning Park in the Canadian part of the North Cascades, offering peaceful forested campsites with an attractive string of lakes nearby.

[float5]

Thank you for the info. Hope to get to those places some time. Sounds wonderful.

[Kærnehuset]

Catchlight, there is great county park just outside of Port Angeles called Salt Creek that is great for overnighting in before catching the ferry over to Victoria. Here's the link:

Salt Creek Recreation Area

Some neat hiking and a nice beach nearby. We really enjoyed it. You might want to check it out.

Scott

[Escape While You Can]

I've always enjoyed Lakeshore State Park by Flathead Lake near Kalispell. Actually, any of the state parks there would be fine. Glacier NP is close.

[Loren & Cathy]

I can't give any recommendations to a campground but on our recent trip to Chilliwack, we were taking note of a lot of the campgrounds that we saw. In one of my first posts I was concerned as to where a person can park for the night when on the road. Out west I don't think there is any thing to be concerned about. There are more RV parks, campgrounds, and state parks than I could have imagined. Slipped into one just east of Yellowstone Park and saw a big sign warning about grizzly bears. What is the situation east of the Mississippi? That is campgrounds, not bears. Loren

[shrncnddck]

If you like camping lakeside, try Big Arm State Park on Flathead lake in Montana. Most campsites are right along the lake. We really enjoy a campfire on the shore.

[bvansnell]

Oregon campsites that we have been to many times and enjoy:
1. Champoeg State Park just south of Portland - the surrounding area is beautiful. Photos from our last trip here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brian_...7644099667417/
2. Tumalo State Park near Bend - lovely location in the high desert with lots of volcanic mountains and lava fields nearby. Recent photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brian_...7644515614354/
3. Nehalem Bay State Park - on the cost near Manzanita - good location for exploring the coast. Recent photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brian_...7636563125654/

[Vermilye]

While not isolated, my favorite Glacier National Park campground is 2 Medicine - first come, so you need to get there early, at least when in season. I didn't manage to make it this year so stayed in St Marys which was OK...

While maybe too far out of your way, I enjoyed Palouse Falls State Park in WA. I was lucky & had full hookups at the host site; everything else is dry camping.

I agree with Brian's choice of Oregon State Parks. Actually, I haven't found a bad state park in Oregon, although I wasn't all that happy with Jessie M. Honeyman on the coast.

If you enjoy waterfalls, Susan Creek BLM campground is a good place to stay while exploring the waterfalls along OR 138. Dry camping, but restrooms with hot showers.

[Catchlight]

Great campground tips, folks, which are helping us define our route. Many thanks!

[Bill R]

We saw many, many exceptional sights this summer in BC/WA/OR/MT and stayed in nice campgrounds, but most campgrounds weren't exceptional:

St Mary's in Glacier NP
Oxbow Regional near Columbia River gorge -- no train noise or dump station
Silver Falls SP
Cape Lookout SP -- walk to beach
Eel Creek in Oregon Dunes -- no dump station, but no ATV noise
Cape Disappointment SP
Seaquest SP
Cougar Rock at Mt Rainier NP
Kalaloch in Olympic NP-- walk to beach
Mora in Olympic NP
Fairholme in Olympic NP -- lakefront site
Salt Creek County near Olympic NP -- waterfront but foggy
Goldstream PP
Green Point at Pacific Rim NP -- walk to beach
Wya Point near Ucluelet BC -- ocean visible, walk to beach, no dump station

Oregon has many beautiful oceanfront state parks that we missed.

ruhsnews.blogspot.com has the trip, but focuses more on the sights than the campsites.

Bill R

[GRINGOandTICA]

Lava Flow Campground at Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho.

What route are you taking Westbound across Oregon?

[nealmccarter]

Originally Posted by Kærnehuset

Catchlight, there is great county park just outside of Port Angeles called Salt Creek that is great for overnighting in before catching the ferry over to Victoria. Here's the link:

Salt Creek Recreation Area

Some neat hiking and a nice beach nearby. We really enjoyed it. You might want to check it out.

Scott

West of Port Angeles is the Dungeness County Park, which lies above the Strait of Juan De Fuca and the Dungeness Spit (longest spit in the U.S.) Parts of it is a wildlife refuge. You can hike down to the spit and out to the lighthouse at the end. Beware, it is five miles out to the light house along a sandy, rocky beach. The campground is quite nice, and not as crowded together as some.

dungeness spit length - Bing Images

[bouterse]

Neal - I think you mean 'EAST' of Port Angeles

[smilycook]

Here are some pavement accessed campgrounds if you go over Lost Trail Pass and take Hwy 93 to 75 to 21 to Banks-Lowman Rd to 55 through Idaho. Lots more if you want to put in some dirt miles.

Salmon, ID:
Williams Lake

Stanley, ID:
1) Redfish Lake
2) Stanley Lake
3) Alturas Lake
4) Bull Trout Lake

Lowman, ID
1)Bonneville (hots springs)
2)Pine Flats (hot springs)

[nealmccarter]

Originally Posted by bouterse

Neal - I think you mean 'EAST' of Port Angeles

Sorry, my bad. It is West of Sequim, East of Port Angeles.

[Buddy]

If you go near Salmon, ID, hiking back in to the Goldbug hot spring is well worth your while, in fact, not to be missed. Watch out for the bares though (as opposed tho the bears).

[sokol]

I stayed at Hi-Way Haven in Sutherlin, OR. It was built on the site of an old drive in theater. When I checked in (Good Sam price $29) the gal said "8:30 Rio Bravo on the big screen" They still had the big screen and you can watch a movie each night right from your trailer. They also came around with popcorn. The restrooms were clean enough to eat off the floor and early in the morning they had free fresh coffee in the club room. I'll be going back again. It is only a mile off of the free way.