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INTRODUCTION: Seattle Recreation and the North Cascades

Camping
in the North Cascades and Surrounding Areas

Camping

Highway 2 Campgrounds
Highway 20 / N. Cascades Highway Campgrounds
Mountain Loop Highway Campgrounds
Mt. Baker Highway Campgrounds

By Robert Rousseau, Copyright © 2008, GoNorthCascades.com

While driving through the North Cascades you'll likely be blown away by the scenery and raw nature, even if you're only breezing by it. The same can be said while biking in the area. But when it comes to camping in the North Cascades, well, you'll have time. Time to do some fishing; time to simply look around and breath in the natural wilderness and mountain peaks. Time to do some camping...

This page lists a number of popular campgrounds in the North Cascades area...


Mt. Baker Highway Campgrounds


Douglas Fir Campground: Near town, abound with wildlife, and surrounded by beautiful firs, what else do you need? Toilets, water, and garbage bins are also available.

Horseshoe Cove Campground: This campground has drinking water, showers (always something that people like to hear), and toilets. Tent and trailer sites are abound, and several sites are able to be reserved.

Another thing that people like to hear.

Mt. Baker RV Park and Campground: There are just tons of things to do near this and every campground in the area. Rapids are available for whitewater rafting within 25 miles, skiing is within 60 miles, and if you get tired of camping-well, let's just say that there are inns and hotels very close by.

But if you came for nature, then you're not very likely to get tired of camping at Mt. Baker or any other area attraction.

Silver Fir Campground: Silver Fir is situated along the North Fork Nooksack River. One of the nice things about this particular campground is that it has 13 tent/trailer sites that can be reserved (of the 20 available). A picnic shelter is also available, to go along with necessities like vault toilets, water and garbage bins.


Highway 20 Campgrounds


North Bayview and South Bayview Group Campgrounds:Nestled in the forests along Baker Lake are the Bayview Group Campgrounds. They're meant for groups like scouts and the variety. Thus, if you don't reserve a spot you may not have one when you get there. Toilets are one of the many amenities that the Bayview Group Campgrounds have to offer.

Boulder Creek Campground: Boulder Creek Campground, situated along Boulder Creek, has eight tent and trailer sites on premises. Five of these can be reserved, while the rest are on a first come first served basis. There is also a group site meant for reservation only. No drinking water but toilets and garbage bins are present.

Panorama Point Campground:You can find this campground along the shores of Baker Lake. Reservations are taken on the many of the 15 tent and trailer sites available, and there is water, toilets, and garbage bins on premise.

Shannon Creek Campground:Another campground located on the shores of Baker Lake, this one is a little bigger than some with 19 tent and trailer sites available. A boat ramp and swimming area are also there giving this one an added boost to go along with the vault toilets, water and garbage bins.

Marble Creek Campground:Situated adjacent to Marble Creek and the Cascade River, Marble Creek has 23 tent/trailer sites. Most of these can be reserved. The remainder are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Though they do have toilets, they do not have water.


Highway 2 Campgrounds


Beckler River Campground: Beckler offers the enormity required for big rigs with the isolation of tent camping. Many of the sites are on the Beckler River, adding to the ambience. Keep in mind that most of the sites are first come, first serve.

Miller River Group Campground:Though there are 18 individual sites along the Miller River at Miller River Campground, they are being rented in a group right now. Regardless, there are bathrooms and drinking water. Given the aforementioned, be sure to check on availability.

Money Creek Campground: The beauty of the Douglas Fir - Western Red Cedar Rain Forest surrounding cannot be understated. In fact, that's the draw, people along with the drinking water and bathrooms.


Mountain Loop Highway Campgrounds


As a side note, there's this rather breathtaking and quaint town called Granite Falls, which stands at the gateway to the Mountain Loop Highway. Check out Omega Pizza & Pasta there if you're looking for food when you come around. Now back to campgrounds.

Bedal Campground: Bedal has what you're looking for, except drinking water but that's not unusual in this part of town. Namely, Bedal has tent/ trailer sites and toilets. Toilets, of course, being a selling point for most would be campers.

Boardman Creek Group Campground:Boardman is a single site campground that has been converted to a group site campground. It's located at the far end of the Mountain Loop Road about 8 miles east of the Verlot Public Service Center on the Stillaguamish River. At present, reservations are not taken and this campground may best be used by groups of RV'ers, although tent sites are also available.

Clear Creek Campground: Toilets, fishing, and hiking are all available at Clear Creek. There are both tent and trailer sites available.

Gold Basin Campground: Gold Basin has something that most campgrounds in this area do not-drinking water. Thus, it has that little something special that may convince your wife to choose it. Beyond that, fishing, hiking, and toilets are also available.

Turlo Campground: Drinking water, is provided. Oh yeah, and tent/ trailer sites as well as toilets and fishing.

Verlot Campground: See Turlot above? Well, Verlot offers the same. A little H2O as well.

References

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Camping

Campground prices for Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

Washington State Public Lands Information Center

Find a Hike in the North Cascades

Primitive Camping in the North Cascades
Hikes for Children - The Boulder River Trail
Highway 20 Hiking
Mountain Loop Highway Hiking
Mt Baker Highway Hiking
Highway 2 Hiking

GoNorthCascades.com attempts to list hiking trails as we either trek them ourselves, have them recommended by friends or other readers, or read about them through other resources, such as books, news articles, and websites.

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