Situated in the vicinity of majestic Mount Rainier, Big Creek is a family campground nestled among Douglas firs, hemlock, alders and maples. The lush vegetation offers plenty of privacy between sites. The sites at Big Creek form a loop, with only a handful of sites sitting along the banks of Big Creek. Open from mid-May through late September, Big Creek provides an alternative to the campgrounds at Mount Rainier National Park, which can get very crowded during the summer.Natural Features: Located in southwest Washington State, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest encompasses over 1.3 million acres and includes the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument established by Congress in 1982. Big Creek is located in the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District, the northernmost portion of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. This Ranger District manages four Wilderness Areas including the Goat Rocks Wilderness, Glacier View Wilderness, Tatoosh Wilderness and William O' Douglass Wilderness. The Cowlitz Valley Ranger District is roughly located among three volcanic peaks: Mt. Rainier to the north, Mt. Adams to the east, and Mt. St. Helens to the west, providing visitors with a unique geological landscape. Recreation: Anglers can try their luck at catching brook trout in Big Creek or for those looking to explore the area, the Osborne Mountain Trail starts at the campground. The route is steep, but the scenery is amazing, and the trail can be traversed by foot, horse, mountain bike or dirt bike. Facilities: The campground requires vehicles to have a relatively tight turning radius. Big Creek can accommodate tents, trailers and RVs, with a maximum vehicle length of 22 feet. Some parking spurs are paved; others are native moss and dirt. Some sites have rocks or heavy vegetation, which may make it difficult to pitch a tent. Drinking water is available, but there are no hot showers available onsite. Vault toilets are provided as well as a pedestal grill, fire pit and picnic table at each site. Gray water disposal facilities are located throughout the campground. Nearby Attractions: Big Creek is 6 miles from the Nisqually entrance of Mount Rainier National Park. The popular Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center at Paradise is 21 miles away, and the nearby town of Ashford offers restaurants, along with a few art galleries and shops. Activities and AmenitiesWithin Facility Campfire Rings Drinking Water Firewood Vendor Fishing Grills Hiking Host Mountain Biking Pets Allowed Picnic Area Vault Toilets
Reviews of Big Creek Campground
7 people have reviewed this location
Ratings Summary
Cell Coverage
Verizon 4G
Confirmed by 4 users | Last reported on July 23, 2021AT&T 5G
Confirmed by 1 users | Last reported on July 18, 2023T-Mobile 4G
Confirmed by 1 users | Last reported on July 23, 2021Closes after Labor Day for winter. Paid camping site.
Nice secluded spot to camp with many different sites. Each spot is surrounded by trees and overgrowth, so it feels private. Camp host is typically always on site and is very friendly and informative. Discounts are only for Seniors and the Discovery Pass though.
Nightly Rate: $18.00
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: 29
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
Wow - we had such a nice night here! We pulled up around 6pm without a reservation but luckily ended up with the last available site. We paid $20 to stay and also bought a (small) bundle of firewood for $7.
Each campsite is spaced out well so you don't see or hear too much of your neighbors. The forest is lush, green, and jaw-dropping. The vault toilet was decently clean, though not perfect, as expected. The camp host was helpful and kind.
Nightly Rate: $20.00
Days Stayed: 1
Site Number: -
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
Great spot for access to Rainier. Although its a campground, the sites are secluded and feel very private. The spot i stayed in (and many others) was right on the creek and had a great view. The sound of the water was enough ti drown out all else. The sites included a picnic table and fire ring. There were several pit toilets are the campground. I had good cell reception and could even stream.
Nightly Rate: $20.00
Days Stayed: 1
Site Number: 6
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
Didn’t have a reservation and tried to get a first-come site at Rainier with no luck. Then we found Big Creek and it saved us. Good location about 10 minutes from the park entrance with private sites. The host was super helpful and suggested some local hikes outside the park as well as inside.
Nightly Rate: $20.00
Days Stayed: 3
Site Number: 16
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
T-Mobile 4G
We didn't stay here but I recently drove through on a reconnaissance trip. The CG is nice and wooded and the sites are separated but it looks like most of them are for tents. There were very few sites long enough for a trailer or RV and even those were poorly configured (e.g. the site was behind the pad or on the "wrong side"). I saw only a couple of sites that would have really suited our 25' travel trailer.
Nightly Rate: -
Days Stayed: 0
Site Number: -
Our first stop didn’t work out. Came through here with our 35’ trailer. We found a first come first serve site that would fit us. It was a bit tight getting into, but it worked. But, mostly for tents.
Nightly Rate: $22.00
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: 23
Cell Coverage Rating
AT&T
Be the first to add a review to the Big Creek Campground.
Big Creek Campground
Hours
Problem with this listing? Let us know.
Has RV parking changed? Let us know.
-
Parking
-
Pets Allowed
-
Restrooms
-
Wifi
-
Wheelchair Accessible
-
Credit Cards Accepted
- Affiliation
- National park
- Check In
- 4:00 PM
- Check Out
- 2:00 PM
- Last Nightly Rate
- 22.0
- Longest Vehicle Length Reported
- 25.0
- Lowest Nightly Rate
- 18.0
- Max Length
- 22 ft
- Sites Count
- 29
-
Fifty Amp
-
Full Hookup
-
Pull Through
-
Tent Sites
-
Dump Station
-
Big Rigs
-
Open Seasonally
-
Age Restricted
-
Boondock
-
Cabin Sites
-
Dispersed Sites
-
Firewood
-
Fulltime Residents
-
Group Tent Sites
-
Laundry
-
Mobile Homes
-
Permit Required
-
Potable Water
-
Propane
-
Public Water
-
Pull Through RV Sites
-
Reservations
-
Sewer Hookup
-
Showers
-
Sites
-
Standard Tent Sites
-
Water Hookup
Campground, Restrooms
Nearby Hotels
Related Trip Guides
The Great Northern is a 3,600 mile, cross-country odyssey
- 57 Places
- 69:15
- 3,565 mi
Pacific Coast Highway: Oregon - Washington
- 30 Places
- 17:36
- 670 mi