Price
$20/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
65 campsites
Season
May to October
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Top 1% in state
Price
$20/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
65 campsites
Season
May to October
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Top 1% in state
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47.4924, -123.2102
Hikers who want to stage a Mt. Ellinor summit from camp will find this setup hard to beat. Spring is the sweet spot: lighter crowds, high-running creeks, wildflowers on trail. Sites 17-22 run larger if you have a family or gear-heavy setup. $20 flat with no reservation stress.
No showers, no cell service, and a pack-it-out trash policy are non-negotiable here. Holiday weekends bring rowdy neighbors and a camp host experience that's earned some sharp complaints. Anyone counting on reliable hosts or quiet nights in peak summer should know what they're wa
Reference information about Big Creek Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p><img alt="BigCreekCampground" src="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/fseprd952880.jpeg" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" /></p><p>Campsites will accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs. The 64 camp units are spaced for privacy in a second-growth forested area. Big Creek, a small stream, is adjacent to the campground. Fires in developed campsites only.</p><p><a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd952888.pdf">Click here</a> to view a map of the campground. </p><p>Three covered picnic shelters are available for group–day use only. Hiking, mountain climbing, fishing, swimming, and exceptional scenery can be enjoyed in the area. Lake Cushman and the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-staircase.htm">Staircase</a> entrance to Olympic National Park are nearby with a public boat ramp available in vicinity.</p><p>A trailhead within the campground accesses <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/olympic/recreation/recarea/?recid=48109">Big Creek Campground Trail #827</a> - a gentle loop around Big Creek Campground, and <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/olympic/recreation/recarea/?recid=47791">Upper Big Creek Loop #827.1</a> a longer loop trail which also links up to the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/olympic/recarea/?recid=47879">Mt Ellinor Connector Trail #827.2</a> north of the campground.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
The elevation is 920 ft. The southeast entrance (Staircase) to the Olympic National Park is 6 miles from the campground. This multi-loop campground is pack it in, pack it out. It is located north of Lake Cushman State Park in a stand of mixed conifers including cedar and Douglas fir. Maples, scattered around the campground, suggest some fall color. The understory of fern and other shrubs provide good to excellent privacy between sites. The campground has many nicely secluded sites. Trees are draped with moss and lichen (grandfather's beard) indicating a moist but cool environment. The campground is a good base camp for hikers. The trail to Mt Ellinor (named a "top ten" Scenic Trail in Washington) intersects with the Upper Big Creek Loop Trail which starts in campground. It is also 7 miles east of the Staircase Area of Olympic National Park.
Open mid-May through Labor Day
The parking aprons are gravel. A waste station is available for a fee at Camp Cushman and Recreation Park, 2 miles south of campground on State Rt. 119.
In Hoodsport, WA, take State Rt. 119 north 9.2 miles to a "T" intersection. Turn left onto Forest Rt. 24 and then immediately turn right into campground.
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Spring delivers the best conditions. Mornings start cool and damp in the 40s to 50s, afternoons warm into the 50s and 60s. Morning mist is common but usually clears by midday. Creeks run high with snowmelt, and wildflowers appear on the trails. Crowds are lighter than summer, making site reservations easier. The campground operates mid-May through Labor Day. Summer brings warmer temperatures but also holiday weekend overcrowding. Winter closes the campground entirely as snow hits the higher elevations.
Described as best season: cool mornings, clearing mist and high creek flows; great trails.
Big Creek Campground provides a variety of amenities designed for a comfortable camping experience. The campground features 65 campsites that cater to tents, trailers, and RVs, with a maximum length restriction of 36 feet for trailers and RVs. The sites are equipped with picnic tables and fire rings for campers' convenience, and potable water is available at a water spigot. Restrooms with vault toilets are distributed throughout the campground. While there are no hot showers or flush toilets, the vault toilets are described in user reviews as clean and well-maintained. The campground is a 'pack it in, pack it out' facility and offers excellent privacy due to the dense understory and spacing of the sites. There is no on-site firewood available, but it can be purchased at nearby grocery stores. Pets are allowed but must remain on a leash. Group picnic shelters are available, but only for day use.
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