Base Camp Mount St Helens
Tent site and one attendee: $240.00Includes tent site reservation, two dinners, two breakfasts, one lunch, and event activities.RV site and one attendee: $240.00Includes RV site reservation, two dinners, two breakfasts, one lunch, and event activities.Additional attendee at any site: $140.00Includes two dinners, two breakfasts, one lunch, and event activities.
Base Camp is a rare and exciting opportunity for folks to camp on the north side of Mount St. Helens. Bring your camping gear, set up for the weekend, and participate in all the mountain has to offer. Gaze into the blast zone and enjoy grand views in all directions, go on a self-guided adventure, or join us for a guided hike on the hummocks. You can launch all your adventures from Base Camp Mount St. Helens, located at the Science and Learning Center above Coldwater Lake. In the evenings, enjoy dinner with us, then visit our decadent smores bar, before winding down at the community campfire with your fellow campers.
Who it’s for
- All ages are welcome. Youth must be accompanied by an adult
What’s included
What you need to bring
- Camping gear, including your tent or RV
- Your sense of adventure
- Any gear you’ll need for self-guided adventures, such as kayaks, hiking gear, fishing poles, etc. You can read our suggested packing list here
- Please read our program policies
- Proof of COVID19 vaccination or negative test results
FAQ
Who can attend?
What’s required?
Dietary Accommodations?
Tent & RV Sites?
Activities for Base Camp?
Kalama Horse Camp Campground
Image from The Dyrt camper Ashley E.
Conveniently close to Mount St. Helens trail, and there are lots of trails for both horses and hikers at Kalama Horse Camp Campground. Even if you dont travel with a horse, you will still appreciate the beautiful surroundings. Pack in and pack out all your garbage and bring your water with you. Theres water for horses on-site.
Absolutely lovely campground!Ashley E.
Longview North / Mount St Helens Koa Washington
Revel in dramatic Pacific Northwest scenery from this KOA, terraced into a hill-side with inspiring views of a Douglas fir forest and beautiful sunsets. You’ll enjoy the campground’s peaceful country setting and convenient location. Situated about an hour from Portland, Oregon, and Olympia, Washington, it’s an easy 2-mile drive from I-5, yet far enough off the highway to offer a quiet respite. One of the nation’s most dramatic natural events occurred close by in 1980, when Mount St. Helens erupted. At the campground, you’re just a few miles from the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake, where you can learn about the eruption and visit scenic viewpoints and trails in and around the blast zone. This KOA is an ideal base for exploring the area or a convenient overnight stop in your RV. Your hosts: Brian, Ingrid, Adam and Hunter Orndoff.
And for all you fishermen or ladies, we have some of the best fishing sites all around us and just minutes away. There are so many things to do, such as go to the ocean or find a festival – there always seems to be something going on! So, set up your camp, then come to the office where we can help you find the adventure you desire. Come back in the evening and relax, planning for your next day of fun. North, south, east, or west, there are always things to do and see – some just down the road and some just an hour away. Nature is all around and it’s calling you!
46.30736, -122.87736
46°18’26.49″N, 122°52’38.51″W
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Best Places To Camp Near Mount St Helens Wa
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Mount St. Helens is a massive stratovolcano in the western Cascade Range of southern Washington, 50 miles north of Portland. It’s one of several volcanic mountains rising above the horizon in the region, and the only one to have erupted in modern history.
The landscape and mountain permanently changed on May 18, 1980. Early in the morning, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake accompanied a massive debris avalanche, triggering the most destructive volcanic event in modern U.S. history. Today, thousands of visitors come to see the rebounding landscape and the majestic nature of this still active volcano.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest oversees Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. This massive expanse circles the mountain, divided into three main visiting areas: the west, east, and south sides. Each of these areas has unique trails and viewpoints, and camping options for pitching a tent or parking an RV.
The most abundant camping possibilities are on the south side of the mountain, near the town of Cougar. Here, different agencies, including the PacifiCorp energy utility company, operate lakeside campgrounds. No matter the campground, if you’re planning a summer visit, consider making reservations months in advance.
Find your next favorite place to pitch a tent or park an RV with these best places to camp near Mount St. Helens.
Camping On The South Side Of Mt St Helens:
- Eagle Cliff Store and Campground Located east of Cougar, WA. Tent, RV and cabin options. Website here.
- Swift Forest Camp Located at 14752 Forest Service Road 90 Cougar, WA 98616. Tent and RV options. Boat launch access. Open to camping through November 30 each year. Website here.
- Beaver Bay Campground Located in Cougar, WA. Tent and RV options. Website here.
- Lone Fir Resort Located at 16806 Lewis River Rd. Cougar, WA 98616 RV, tent and cabin options. CLOSE to Ape Cave! Website here.
- Cougar RV Park and Campground Located in Cougar, WA also close to Ape Cave! Tent, RV and cabin options. Pets ok. Website here.
- Merrill Lake Conservation Area Campground Located near Cougar, WA. Boat launch access. Pets ok. Website here.
If youve stayed at any of the campgrounds above or found other camping options nearby leave us a comment and let us know about your experience!
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Volcanic Splendor Abound At These 7 Mount St Helens Camping Sites
This article about Mount St. Helens Camping is brought you by Gravel Travel. Their outdoor travel gear makes packing for camping a breeze.
Mount St. Helens camping is a hotbed of history, gorgeous vistas, and incredible geological structures like the Ape Caves. Wherever you stay on this volcano, you will be astounded by the many natural attractions at these seven picturesque camping spots.
Whether you tow a trailer, camp in an RV, or bring your horse with you, these campgrounds will provide every amenity you need, all with the gorgeous profile of Mount St. Helens in view.
The Best Campsites And Lodges Near Mount St Helens
Westend61/Getty Images
Mount St. Helens is located a significant distance from major metropolitan areas, roughly midway between Seattle and Portland. It is a hot spot for touristsmost of whom choose to rest and refuel in one of the many close-by cities, including Chehalis and Centralia to the north, Kelso and Longview to the south, and Castle Rock, which is the closest town to the entrance to Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. But what if you aren’t interested in staying in a surrounding town?
If you plan to spend more than a day enjoying the sights and recreation around the volcano, camping is an excellent option and provides the most convenient access. You will find a wide range of camping facilities in Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Seaquest State Park, where you can take advantage of beautiful lakes, arduous trails, and the peace and quiet of nature. These are some of the best campsites around the national monument for any and every kind of traveler.
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Permit & Season Information
To protect natural resources and reduce crowding, permits are required for overnight camping in the Mount Margaret Backcountry between May 1st and November 30th. This area is often inaccessible due to snow until late spring or early summer. Group size is limited to 4 persons per group . A permit may be printed up to 14 days before your reservation date. Once your permit has been printed, you cannot make changes.
If you cannot make your reservation, please cancel the reservation promptly to allow other persons the opportunity to visit.
Permits are released in one month increments on the first day of the preceding month. For example, May permits are released on April 1. All releases occur at 7:00 AM Pacific Time.
Mount St Helens 1980 Eruption & Aftermath
On the morning of May 18, 1980, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake triggered the collapse of the summit and north flank of Mount St. Helens and formed the largest landslide in recorded history. In 1982 Congress designated the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The following decades have offered insight into the biological recovery of ravaged landscapes.
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Volcano Lodge And Developed Campground Okd In Mount St Helens National Monument
Artist rendering of the planned Mount St. Helens Institute lodge and outdoor school campus on the site of the former Coldwater Ridge visitor center.
Hennebery Eddy Architects / for MSHI
The U.S. Forest Service has OKd a plan to develop what would be the first overnight tourist facilities within the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, including camping, cabins and a lodge.
The lodge complex and outdoor school are the vision of the Mount St. Helens Institute, a Clark County, Washington-based educational nonprofit. Institute executive director Ray Yurkewycz said the idea for overnight lodging and the demand has been around for a long time.
“If you look at any other similar public land site throughout the Pacific Northwest, there are opportunities to stay longer and engage. And that’s an important thing,” Yurkewycz said in an interview Thursday.
You know, its one thing to come for a few hours and go to the visitor center, do a hike and go home. Its another thing to stay overnight for kids especially, but all visitors, he continued.
The infrastructure is already there, Yurkewycz said. This is not new disturbance.
Once detailed design and engineering is completed, the Forest Service plans to do further environmental analysis. A Gifford Pinchot National Forest spokesperson said the public will have a chance to provide input during that process.
Camping Mt St Helens Hikes
About half the trail is shared multi-use so it’s a little washed out. Only had one set dirt bikes go by but otherwise fine. The last half is a true hikers only trail. Don’t let the other users scare you off. The veiw up top is amazing and seems like it should have been much harder to work for. Still a 5 star in my book.
Conditions:
This trail is as wicked steep in my opinion. We killed it in time getting up to the top, we were hustling to get the sunset views! Lots of jagged rocks. If youre a 4x4er take your rig. Have fun!
Trail was fine, rocky. Big problem was massive mosquitos. Great views from the top.
Conditions:Conditions:
Hearty hike up a partly washed out and sometimes rocky trail. Tree cover most of the way. Made it up and down in under 2 hours, counting some time at the top. Great views at the top but the clouds limited the distance. Would be great on a clear day. Bugs werent bad. Trail starts on the backside of the campground. We encountered several dirt bikes that broke the spell and created dust and gas fumes. But I cant blame them it looked fun.
Conditions:Conditions:
Short hike for ALL the views you get. The road getting to the trail head off the main hwy is bumpy and long. Highly recommend a HCV. Lots of skeeters so bring big spray. Got to the top about 830a and had the summit to ourselves for the whole 40 min we were up there.
Conditions:Conditions:
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Camping Near You Find A Free Campsite
Whether you just need to know where to camp nearby or you want to plan a free camping road trip, we’ve got you covered. You can simply use your smart phone’s GPS to find camping near you or even use our trip planner to plan your route from coast to coast.
Our community provides the best free camping information available. Free campgrounds can be hard to find. Freecampsites.net makes it easy. We give you a simple, map based search engine to find free and cheap camping areas. Community reviews and ratings provide you with up to date information and help you select the best camp site for your next camping trip.
This is a platform for sharing campgrounds and camp sites you have discovered. We are community driven, and while we will be adding many free camping spots, we hope that you will add some of your favorite camping places as well. By sharing camping information freely, we can all spend less time researching campgrounds, spend less money, and more time camping. If everyone contributes a few campsites, we’ll all have more places to go camping.
Please come back and let us know what you find!
We are not actively seeking Wal-Marts, truckstops or other parking lots and will not be adding very many of these. There are enough Wal-Mart and truck stop directories out there already. However, if a member of the community finds one of these locations to be useful for overnight RV parking and creates an entry, we may approve the listing.
Please come back and let us know what you find!
Cougar Park & Campground
Cougar Campground is a PacifiCorp Campground on the Yale Reservoir shoreline, south of Mount St. Helens. Cougar Campground is unique among others in that it’s tent-only and does not support RVs. This RV restriction makes it a popular spot for car camping.
Because of its tent exclusivity, the campground tends to be quieter and more nature orientated. It’s also one of the smallest campgrounds operated by PacifiCorp, with 45 sites available. All overnight and day-use guests have access to potable water and flushing toilets.
A covered picnic area draws several day-users to the park. As does the swimming beach and a boat ramp that is popular with non-motorized watercraft. The natural scene at the campground, where the creek meets the reservoir, is also remarkably stunning to explore on foot. A hiking trail connects to the adjacent Beaver Bay Campground.
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Swift Reservoir And Yale Reservoir Shoreline Camping
Alongside developed campgrounds on Yale and Swift Reservoirs, PacifiCorp also offers unique shoreline camping experiences. These designated shoreline campsites require visitors to pack in all necessary camping gear. And a few sites require boat access.
Dispersed campgrounds also require visitors to dig a hole to dispose of their human waste.
Camping along either Yale or Swift shoreline is permitted only in designated camping areas. These spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There’s a small fee to leave a car parked at the trailheads. PacifiCorp offers more information on shoreline camping on its website.
Dispersed Camping In Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Dispersed camping, sometimes known as primitive camping, refers to camping in the national forest outside of a developed campground. It’s typically free and involves pulling off the side of a forest service road to set up camp. It also involves no amenities like potable water, restrooms of any kind, or picnic benches.
While dispersed camping sites aren’t developed, it’s generally clear to see where past campers have inhabited the space. It’s best to occupy these already trodden sites to prevent further intrusion into the forest. It’s also vital to practice Leave No Trace ethics, including packing out all garbage accumulated.
Several dispersed camping spots line Forest Road 25, navigating the length of Mount St. Helens’ east side. Forest Road 25 is paved with a slow speed limit thanks to its curvy and weathered nature. The dispersed campsite pull-offs are gravel and easy to spot. However, some require higher-clearance vehicles.
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