roadtripper6705901

As of June 2021, still available, clean, and well-maintained. Donations accepted.

This area is on a bend of the Clark Fork river just upstream of the Cascade Campground, and just downstream of the overpass where the railroad crosses the highway. There are signs on the highway just before the turnoff, but slow down or you'll miss it. The access road is good and there are 2 clean vault toilets. There are at least a dozen informal sites, including several that could be used for 2 or 3 RV's. We used a 20' trailer, but saw a larger one in another site. Some leveling was required at our site. There are a number of fire pits, some built by the USFS and some good user-built ones. The sites are well-separated, with timber between. All have river access, and some overlook the water. There was just one picnic table, and the first site.

Everywhere along this corridor, there will be some highway and railroad noise. This area is as far from the highway as any of them, but fortunately the railroad is on the other side of the river. A number of trains come through each day, and make the expected noise, but you don't feel like they're coming right through your camp. Also, since there are no crossings nearby, the trains don't blow their whistles there.

Quinn's hot springs is just 5 minutes down the road, with a good tavern and restaurant. If you're going there, suggest you check their website. It's a popular destination--reservations are recommended for dinner and for soaking.

We got very spotty Verizon coverage there--enough to check texts.

The dump station has been upgraded and automated. The fee is now $20 to dump, with a 30-second flush option included. You pay at an automated kiosk at the dump station, which accepts credit/debit cards. It's convenient and well-maintained. Fresh water fill is $10.

The Desert View Campground was closed in late March, so we stayed here. The road turns off to the west from Hwy 64, just south of Mile Marker 170. It's a fairly steep drop, and there are some pits in the road at the cattle guard and beyond. We went slow with our 20' trailer and had no problem. There are spur roads branching north and south from FS (fire road) 682. The biggest RV site was taken by a family of tent campers, so we took a spur to the south. It took some maneuvering with our trailer, but we got a private, fairly level site. There are a lot of fire pits, some in the middle of what could be RV sites, so we had to work around those. This is a pleasant pinon and juniper forest, and even the sites nearest the highway have very little road noise. There are many other sites further along road #682. Before our trip I called the Tusayan Ranger District at 928-638-2443, and their Motor Vehicle Use Map, which they mailed me quickly at no charge. This shows dispersed camping sites in the national forest near Grand Canyon. We wanted to explore the east end of the South Rim, and this was a good base for that, before moving to the crowds around Grand Canyon Village.

We spent the night here on the low-stress route from Seattle to Montana. I contacted the city by email before we came, asking if it was still OK to camp here. They replied, "Yes, you can park your RV in the gravel area at the Sports Complex. The bathrooms are still open but there is no shower available. Thanks Dave." We didn't try the bathrooms. The gravel area we parked was on the right side of the paved parking lot. It was a little uneven, but with a couple of blocks we were able to level our trailer without unhooking. We were the only campers there. It was a week night in October, and there was very little traffic. We heard a train in the distance, but far away. We wanted to patronize a local restaurant for breakfast but didn't find any open.

We came through during an intense windstorm and needed a place to spend the night. The road in is bumpy, but not long, so going slow is no problem. There were several campers along the road, so we went to the end near the water tank. The bluff west of us provided somewhat of a windbreak, and we had no trouble leveling our 20' trailer without unhooking. This is an ATV area, and several drove past during the evening, but the night was quiet. To get here, turn right at 520 West, just before the Sand Creek RV Park, then follow the road until you take a left turn with a kiosk, Forest Road 146. It's a short, somewhat bumpy drive from there to several pullouts.

We came here for 5 days starting on the last Tuesday in June 2021. The campground at the reservoir was full, as it had been, according to the camp host. We came here in mid-afternoon and found a shady spot a little way from the river. While we had no trouble finding a campsite, it got busier as the week went by, and we even saw people cruising for a spot, without finding anything satisfactory. Mackay has been discovered, and many of the spots in the area fill by the weekend.
It appears the roads have been improved and trees trimmed back since the earlier review was written. We had no problem getting in without scraping the trailer. There are several outhouses, but no water or other services. There is a boat launch. Our camp was full of birds of all kinds, and we could hear them all day. Our only issue with this spot was a few idiots who insisted on driving fast through the area, throwing up dust and endangering children. But you can encounter that anywhere, especially in a free campsite without official supervision.
The local government fogged the camp for mosquitoes on Tuesday, (due to West Nile) and they post signs to advise of this. We saw the same notices posted elsewhere in the area. We couldn't smell the spray, but then we weren't bothered by bugs. We had no Verizon coverage, but 3 minutes away in Mackay it was good. As the weather was hot, we were glad we hadn't camped at the reservoir in full sun.

We called several weeks ahead to reserve a one-night campsite here for late August. Because of smoke, we wanted power for our AC. The owners put us in what appeared to be their only vacant spot, next to their house. Because of parked vehicles, it was a little tricky backing our 23' trailer in there, but it didn't take long. It was a level, concrete pad with power and water handy for hookup. We didn't have to unhook the trailer for the night. There was sewer, but we didn't use it for one night. There are no showers or restrooms. We didn't inquire about cable or Wifi, as we just needed to eat, sleep, and get on the road. Verizon coverage was acceptable.
Many of the campsites in central Washington are near the railroad, with trains passing all night, but not here. There was light traffic on the highway by nightfall. It's a bit out of the way if traveling on I-90, but for us was worth the detour. Many of the campers there seemed to be set up for extended stays, probably due to the reservoir and golf. The park is small but neat, treed, quiet, and pleasant. The fee was $40, cash or check. The owners are very friendly and welcoming. We will definitely stay there again if they have space, in preference to camping along the interstate.

We spent one night on our way to Montana. The site was level, so we didn't have to disconnect. The water and electricity were convenient, but we didn't connect to sewer. We used the wifi briefly, and it was ok for checking email. The park was a short way out of town, so it was quiet at night. The place was not quite full on a Friday night in August. We'd booked ahead, and our site was texted to us, so it was a smooth process after a long drive.

We arrived late afternoon on a stormy weekday in March. There is a long road in, with people driving in and out looking for a site without success. On the way out, we saw a "campground full" sign laying on the ground, probably blown over by wind, so we set it back up.
Across the highway from the entrance is a free parking area, apparently a former highway storage site, where we camped with 6 or 8 other rigs who couldn't find a site at the refuge.
My nephew lives in the area, and camped there earlier this year with his family. They were able to get a site, but it was the last one. Apparently it's now full more often than not.