#washingtoncamping

[mikeywaysunicorns]

Camping in Washington USA

In the heart of Washington, USA lies a camping paradise waiting to be explored. From majestic mountains to tranquil lakes, this hidden gem offers an escape like no other. Pack your gear and get ready for the ultimate outdoor experience.

[stonerbestfriends503]

When dabbing is life but you're camping! Car dabs. Happy #stonersunday!

[campingwiththekemps]

Taidnapam of Tacoma Power Parks Riffe Lake, WA

Taidnapam is our FAVORITE PNW camping spot!  It's another special place tucked away from the crowds and bonus...less than two hours from home.  It's also possible to get there with ZERO I-5 miles, which is a miracle in and of itself. 

Tacoma Power owns this massive swath of land on pristine Riffe Lake - an aquamarine treasure among a hilly landscape at the base of Mt. Rainier.  Though our littlest is still too much of a small fry for hiking, many occupants were here to take advantage of all the hiking and exploring options Mt. Rainier National Forest offers.  We stuck to the groomed paths, criss-crossed our way around the property on our bikes, and cast our poles into water in hopes of landing a fish or two.  Jim managed to snag one that could most accurately be described as a minnow. 

The spots are generous, but you're still going to be nestled among the trees with your neighbors.  We noticed almost all of the occupants were families and many had young children.  The roadways had a constant stream of kids on bikes, though it was never obnoxiously loud or distracting.  We made friends with the folks next to us and the kids kept each other entertained.

The washrooms here were fantastic!  Absolutely the best we've seen.  Exceptionally clean.  There is a traditional multi-stall restroom per gender, a single style family restroom, and the shower facilities were each their own fully-enclosed room.  The showers are not free, but there are enough of them that you probably won't have to wait.

Unfortunately, the mosquitoes were epic here.  Unrelenting.  I brought a large fogger that I used to douse the grounds around our trailer, we hooked up our Costco bug-catcher, covered ourselves in Deet (which will take the ink right off your tablecloth, FYI), and burned citronella candles.  Our outside time was bearable, but we still employed long sleeves, pants tucked into socks, and a healthy dose of smacking each other around when the opportunity to kill one presented itself. 

And lastly - Taidnapam has zero cell reception.  You will not be able to connect to your data network, making a call is nearly impossible, and texts are so unreliable it just isn't worth it.  You can get a signal in the nearby town when absolutely necessary, but don't expect to find much other than a few bars of cell service there.  I recommend walkie talkies if you have older kids that need to explore but also stay connected. 

[campingwiththekemps]

Thousand Trails in Plain, WA (Leavenworth)

Our trip to Leavenworth was the first non-holiday weekend of July.  Despite an ill-conceived plan to pull the trailer up Blewitt Pass (maybe our Suburban is not quite the best vehicle for pulling a loaded trailer up those long steep hills), we made it from Lake Tapps to the campground within three hours.  It was a warm weekend - 80s or so, and the park was pretty full. 

Something to keep in mind about this campground is that it is much farther from the city of Leavenworth than one might think.  Also, the road between the two - the Chumstick highway - is twisty, turny, narrow and has one hell of a hairpin.  It’s been redone recently (as of 2015), but the extreme weather in this area probably leads to quick wear and tear.  Those 25 minutes between Leavenworth and your slip would be really exciting in the snow!

The mosquitoes were a nuisance here, but the bees, wasps and flies were way worse.  The staff put up traps seemingly everywhere, but it does little to keep these nasty pests from harassing your site, especially if you have any food out.  I'm not sure how universal of an experience this is, but my husband had an insane allergy attack here. The air was definitely stagnant and hot, but I did not pay attention to things like pollen count. He was miserable. Fortunately, Safeway in Leavenworth has a pharmacy that was very useful. Our spot was in a thickly wooded area, but don’t expect much privacy from your neighbors.  Like most RV parks, there are a few outlying slips that offer more space, but from the looks of it, they were for smaller RVs. 

Thousand Trails had several great amenities.  We were near a pretty cool horseshoe pit and the rest of the family entertainment is all clustered around the main office.  The pool is huge, but barely warm enough for our kids. The pool area bathrooms were older and reminded me of most community swimming facilities…somewhere you want to pass through, not use.  Next to the pool was a small playground at the edge of an expansive grassy field.  The field was really nice, and were most families congregated.  Sand volleyball, pick-up soccer matches and Frisbee golf were going on at all times. 

The main clubhouse has an activity room full of older sports equipment, but plenty of things to keep a group of kids occupied.  There is a big chalk wall, a small shop full of snacks for purchase, reasonably private restrooms (though they were BLAZING hot the one time I used it), a TV room (side note - a pair of old ladies watched Family Feud in there allllll day long on Saturday), table games like pool and fooseball….probably a few more things I forgot as well.  The clubhouse was practically deserted, but it was gorgeous outside during our stay, so most families were outside.

The restrooms closer to each wing of sites were older but clean.  Showers are free, but my husband encountered an extended wait while someone’s teenage son pretty much camped out in the men’s shower.  Ew?  My girls and I tried to wash our hands at one point and were met with two pre-teen girls who had the entire countertop covered in beauty products.  They were sitting on the counter painting their nails. It smelled like a perfume hut and the air was glittery. I told my girls that what these young ladies were doing was NOT called camping!

Overall, I would say that Thousand Trails should get three out of five stars.  The amenities and entertainment options are above average, but the facility is dated and just too far off the beaten path.