CAMPSITES: 188 | GROUP SITES: 2 | RESERVATIONS: Recreation.gov Page

AMENITIES: picnic tables, fire platforms, flush toilets, and potable water | PROHIBITED: pets off-leash, firewood gathering

SEASON: late May-late September | MAX RV/TRAILER LENGTH: RV: 32 ft, Trailer: 27 ft

NEARBY: Grove of the Patriarchs, Silver Falls

WEBSITE: Recreation.gov Page

Overview

Ohanapecosh Campground, at an elevation of 1,900 feet, typically opens earlier and closes later than the other camping areas in Mount Rainier National Park. You won’t find the wide-open vistas here that you’ll find at sites further up the mountain, but the lower elevation and sheltered location means that the trees are taller and more robust, and the trails nearby provide ample opportunities for woodland recreation.

The campground is the largest of the three drive-in facilities in the park, with 188 individual sites and 2 large group areas. Overnight camping fees are $20 and each of the eight loops has its own set of restrooms and washing areas. The spacious amphitheater hosts ranger presentations every evening during the summer, each of which adds depth and informational value to any Rainier experience.

The visitor center, located at the campground entrance, is home to wildlife displays and interesting details about the park and the surrounding area. Rangers are on hand to answer questions and the small gift shop features instructive books and other items for both adults and children.

Running through the campground is the crystalline Ohanapecosh River.

Because it is supplied mainly by other creeks farther up the Cascade Range rather than originating from a glacial source (like so many of the other rivers in the park), the water of the Ohanapecosh is clear and blue, rather than milky with suspended sediment. Although it looks inviting, especially on a hot day in late summer, the water is cold and fast-moving; swimming here is not for the faint of heart.

There is history here as well, and plenty of it. The hot springs located near the campground were the early draw, and a small resort had sprung up in the area by the 1920’s, before the National Park boundaries were expanded. Remote as it was, back then in the days of wooden-spoked automobiles, thousands of visitors made the trip anyway, drawn to the healing properties of the mineral springs.

Those days are gone and all that remains of the buildings that once stood on the site have been obliterated by time and Park Service bulldozers, leaving only the springs themselves, which are now little more than steaming bogs and mineral-laden rivulets that flow down the side of the hill and into the river. Signs along the Hot Springs Nature Trail – that begins at the visitor center – still offer early photos and short descriptions of the man-made enterprise that stood here all those years ago.

The Nature Trail, at a mere half-mile in length, is the shortest and easiest of the trails that lace the Ohanapecosh zone.

Hikers have a variety of options, many of them suitable for families and small children, others that cater to more serious boot travel. The Silver Falls Trail starts from the B loop inside the campground and follows the course of the river for a little over a mile to the junction of the Laughingwater Creek Trail, then turns toward the river to a beautiful overlook of the falls themselves. Returning to the campground is a matter of hiking back on the west side of the river for another 1.2 miles, emerging near the amphitheater.

Just up Highway 123 is the trailhead for the Grove of the Patriarchs, a short and easy hike to an island in the middle of the Ohanapecosh River where the towering evergreens rule the sky, many of them a thousand years old or more. These are mammoth trees in a place where huge trees are the norm, and their size makes them stand out. (Grove of the Patriarchs trail is closed in 2022)

The town of Packwood sits just ten miles down the highway from Ohanapecosh Campground and is the closest commercial area. Additional trails like the one at Packwood Lake is 10-mile roundtrip hike. There is a grocery store here as well as gas and other supplies, all of which serve to make Ohanapecosh seem less wild and secluded than other areas of the park. (Think White River or Mowich Lake.) The convenience of having resupply options nearby doesn’t detract from the beauty and value of the Ohana experience, however; it isn’t likely that anything can do that.

– Ken Campbell

Please note a dump station for RVs is no longer available at this campground.

Q: Can I go fishing at the Ohanapecosh River near the campground?

A: Yes, you can go fly fishing for trout. Mount Rainier National Park has regulations about fishing. At the Ohanapecosh River, fly fishing only is permitted. If the fish aren’t biting at Ohanapecosh you might want to consider trying your luck at Bench and Snow Lakes. The Bench and Snow Lake trailhead is approximately 18.5 miles away typically a 32-minute drive.

Q: Are there grills at the campground I can use for a BBQ?

A: Yes.

Q: What is the check-out time at the campground?

A: Noon.

Q: I’m not a hiker. I just want to camp and go on scenic drives at the park. Can I bring my dog with me while I’m camping?

A: Yes, restrictions apply at Mount Rainier National Park. At the campground dogs, cats, and other pets must be caged, on a leash (no longer than 6 feet) or otherwise under physical restraint at all times. Pets may not be left unattended or tied to trees. Pets are not permitted in amphitheaters or buildings, or on vegetated areas or trails. Pets are permitted only in parking lots and roads open to vehicles. Learn more about pets in the park. Remember that dogs aren’t allowed on the trails.

Q: Do you have a map of the Ohanapecosh Campground you can send me in the mail?

A: We have a PDF copy of the map you can download. Click here for the PDF.

Q: I’d like to book a campsite at Ohanapecosh Campground but I don’t want to do so online. Is there a phone number I can call?

A: Yes, you can call (877) 444-6777

Q: Can I camp at Ohanapecosh in an RV that is 27 feet long?

A: Yes, there are sites at Ohanapecosh that will accommodate RVs up to 32 feet in length.