Memorial Day Weekend Washington State advice needed

[Jr1974]

Just brought my new Eddie Bauer 25 home from the dealer yesterday. This is my first trailer. Want to use it over Memorial Day Weekend in Eastern Washington. Any suggestions for a nice scenic campground with easy access for a newbie to get into. I know space may be impossible now to get, but I want to give it a try.

[idroba]

I always like the area around Grand Coolie Dam and Lake Roosevelt. No hookups at Spring Glen campground near Grand Coolie dam itself or on the campgrounds on the lake, but the State Park at Steamboat Rock on Banks lake has hookups, if it is not full. Call about reservations. Ginko Petrified Forest State Park at Vantage is reasonably nice also, and on the Columbia River. I think they have hookups too. Maryhill State Park on the Columbia is good to explore the Columbia river area and the Maryhill museum. A bit noisy with the train traffic.

Actually any of the Washington State Parks in Eastern Washington are nice, and there are lots of Forest Service parks too. If you are a map person, go to Stapes and get an American Map company map of Washington State and it will have little black trees where all the public Forest Service and BLM parks are located, and State Pars are green trees (I think). If you have an iPad, download All Stays Camp and RV app (about $5) which is the best portable RV park, public and private, finder I have seen yet.

[50KIP]

Let me give you a suggestion, but you will have to keep it a secret: Beebe Bridge Park on the Columbia River below Lake Chelan. It is a Chelan County Public Utilities District park and no reservations but full hookups, and you don't need the $30 State Parks Discover pass. Green grass, all paved, some shade (you don't want much this time of year), playgrounds, clean bathrooms with free showers, river access and just a few miles from Lake Chelan. I guarantee that the Washington State park on Lake Chelan (crowded and a bit run-down) will be completely booked. Plus the lake is too cold for swimming now.

[Janet H]

You might check this out - there are a few spots left.... but no hook ups

Airstream Forums - Area 33 - Troutlake WA

[Kamiak]

Availability on Memorial Day weekend can be problematic anywhere, but for your Airstream baptismal, might like Lake Easton State Park, very close to home, freeway-close, and a good place for to go for a beginner. It's right near Easton, which as I recall puts it just past the summit, so the weather will have a hint of both east and west. As someone else suggested, Mary Hill SP is a nice park, can be warm, can be windy. Similarly, also along the river, near Patterson, Crow Butte Park (formerly Crow Butte State Park) is a very nice park, less wind than Mary Hill, a little more heat. Near the Tri-Cities, you may like Charbaneau Park, I believe a Corp of Engineers Park. All have hookups. I guess it all depends on how far you want to drive, what weather you prefer, and what's available.

[Mike Leary]

Cancel on Maryhill S.P. we were there last week and it was full, already. It used to be, at parks like Maryhill, you could slide in early in the week, but that's become a destination park and is almost always full this time of the year, as is the private R.V. park next door.

[aftermath]

By now, you might have to look at a private campground since most of the state parks will probably be full.

Here are a couple of choices.

Sun Lakes just south of Coulee City. There is a state campground there but it only has a very few hook up sites. Adjacent to this is a private campground that has many. There is also a nice little 9 hole golf course there as well as the Dry Falls overlook. Google Sun Lakes and you should find the info you need. There is also a lake with day use facilities.

Another thought is Oasis RV Park and Golf right in Ephrata. It is a true oasis and is adjacent to another nice little 9 hole golf course. There are water and electric sites but I am not sure about full hookups. The last number I had was (509) 754-5102

Dick

[jmcarter]

If truly a Newbie and new AS/TV why tackle Snoqualmie or Stevens Pass right off the bat? Traffic will be a bear in any direction out of and back into Seattle so perhaps an easier trip over to Port Angeles or something? Just a thought....

[Mike Leary]

It's all a bearcat around here on Memorial Day, wherever you go; the ferries will be packed, and with a trailer, attention must be paid to the tides. My thought would be a "pretend trip" in the driveway, get familiar with the coach, and stay overnight in your new beauty. The only folks who will get a campsite for Memorial Day are either there or on their way right now.

[JTMB]

Hi Jr1974,

I'm just up I-90 from you, and tried to get a site locally at the county park in Carnation for the weekend. No dice. However, an option for you is to go there for some weekday nights this week. I booked Wednesday and Thursday for the shakedown cruise of the Flying Cloud 30 my wife and I just bought and will be taking delivery on this Wednesday. They had sites available for weekday nights, but were solid booked for over the weekend. That park is close enough to your home that you can stay there in the trailer and commute from there into work if you need to do that and still get the benefit of the trial run.

The park takes rez's by phone only (their systems are not sophisticated, unfortunately). It has 30 amp electrical and water, but no sewer hookup. There is a fee dump station, however, at the intersection of the entry road with Hwy 203.

Granted, the climate isn't Eastern WA, and the forecast for the rest of the week is typical Puget Sound soggy spring, but it's a nice spot. The other nice thing for your first run with the trailer is that the configuration of the sites are 'pull-outs' on a one-way loop road through the park, so no backing is required.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do, and perhaps we'll run into each other here locally!

[jmcarter]

I'm with you guys/gays on maybe not tackling the passes over the weekend, reason I suggested Port Angeles (and the bridge rather than ferries thank you, I had the pleasure of passing unbelievable lines over long weekends when we lived in Port Ludlow and I commuted to work on a motorcycle) is that you can probably get in some of the parks over there, particularly the small park in Port Ludlow. Hurricane Ridge and Sequim are such "easy" places to visit. Lake Chelan and Salt Creek are great as well.

[Jr1974]

Thanks for all the advice. Love the Allstays ipad app. Checked with WA State Parks and as feared everything is fully booked onthe Eastside. Finally, decided on a private RV park at Lake Roosevelt with pull throughs and full hook ups. Not exactly what I was hoping for, but I think this type of site with all the amenities will be better for a newbie. Not looking forward to Snoqualmie Pass traffic, but I figure I will get in the right lane and take it as it comes.

Janet, thanks on the recommendation for the Troutlake Rally. However, we can't leave until 2pm or so on Friday and that is a long haul. Count me in on the next one. We would have loved to come.