Campgrounds and RV parks near McCleary, WA

Capitol State Forest is the main draw for active trips. The 110,000-acre forest offers horseback riding at Mima Falls, salmon spotting in McLane Creek, mountain biking at Rock Candy, and off-road-vehicle riding at Porter Creek, with 150 miles of trail and multiple places to camp. Porter Creek is a popular staging area for motorized trail users, while non-motorized users tend to stage from the northern trailheads. On the water, the Satsop River at Schafer State Park is a family favorite for wading, fishing, and picnicking. The park draws anglers for sea-run cutthroat trout in summer, salmon in fall, and steelhead in late winter, with shallow water suitable for wading and a two-mile interpretive trail. For a change of pace, Olympia sits about thirty minutes east, and the Pacific beaches at Ocean Shores and Westport are roughly an hour west via US-12.

The prime RV season around McCleary runs from late May through September, when the western Washington lowlands are typically dry and mild. July and August are the driest months and the busiest at Schafer State Park and Little Creek Casino Resort. Weekends in this window often book out weeks in advance. DNR campgrounds in Capitol State Forest, including Porter Creek and Fall Creek, are seasonal. They operate on a first-come, first-served basis from May 1 through November, with campers registering upon arrival and a seven-day limit within any 365-day period. Off-season access can be limited by gate closures and soft gravel forest roads. Note that two other Capitol State Forest campgrounds, Margaret McKenny and Middle Waddell, are closed for hazard-tree work and are not available for the 2026 season. Fall brings rapidly increasing rainfall and salmon and steelhead returns to the Satsop and Chehalis river systems. Winter camping remains possible at Schafer State Park and Little Creek, but sites are cool, damp, and often muddy, and conditions in Capitol State Forest deteriorate as logging roads soften.

Sites vary widely by campground. Schafer State Park has 29 standard campsites, nine partial-hookup sites, one hiker-biker site, a dump station, and a restroom with showers, accommodating RVs up to 40 feet. Sites 6 through 13 and 28 through 35 are first-come, first-served, while the utility sites and other standard sites are reservable. DNR campgrounds are more rustic. Amenities typically include picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets, with no hookups or potable water, so campers should bring their own water supply. Access roads are gravel and can be rough for larger rigs after rain. Little Creek Casino Resort sits at the opposite end of the spectrum, with 44 RV sites offering full hookups, pull-through options, and access to the indoor pool and exercise room used by hotel guests. A Discover Pass is required for vehicle entry to state parks and DNR lands.