Daroga State Park

If you like buzzing power lines over your head, to the point they make you feel like you've got a sunburn, this is the place for you!

We only stayed here after driving all day due to having to leave our previous pristine boondocking spot because of fire evacuations.

After a couple of other bad WA state park experiences, this place just put me over the top. I am straight boycotting the so called Evergreen State's state parks.

Though I'm also very moody. If you enjoy RV park amenities and paying similar prices, but want to tell folks "I prefer state parks", this will be right up your alley.

There were some city parks down the road that looked even worse, were closer to the road, and cost about the same. We chose this spot because it was the last one we checked out and, though they were full, several other RVers were staying in the day use lot. So admittedly, that was pretty cool. I'm not sure if we were all there in the parking lot because the park was being kind to evacuee-types or it was just that no staff cared to boot us, but I should note that my discontent tonight came at a price of $0.

Were you staying in the actual RV spots, you'd be paying $30+ to experience something quite similar though, me done does think.

Cell reception was great. Beautiful, if sparse, mountains and sunsets. Loved how they watered the parking lot. Did I mention the power lines caused a spark every time you turned a key in a door? Super fab Washington, you're really screwing up one of the last great states!

Note that I'm probably a bit miffed due to the fact that I'm writing this at 5:30am and have been up all night to the crackle of the power lines. The highway noise is almost soothing at this point.

So. What do you call a campground whose most beloved icon is a red and white power line tower nicknamed the Electric Eiffel Tower? That requires tent campers to haul their stuff in aluminum carts across causeways and bridges to end up on an island in the middle of the Columbia River? That was built at the site where an earthquake in the late 1800s caused a landslide that blocked the Columbia River for several hours? You call it very, very cool. Daroga State Park between Chelan and Wenatchee has accommodated itself to some very odd terrain, and ends up being arguably the best campground in the region. For more info, contact http://campeverycountywa.com/douglas-county.html

We stopped over here on the way from Washington to Idaho. It's a small park, and not really a destination, but it was easy to access, quiet, sites were clean and level and it had some amazing views of the Columbia River Gorge and a couple miles of paved running/biking paths.

There is a transmission line going through the park - I wouldn't pick a site right next to it, but otherwise you won't really hear it.

Seriously, why all the hating on Washington State Parks? Sites here have plenty of space amongst lush green spaces and mature shade trees. It's a great place to spend a getaway weekend, relaxing in a beautiful setting along the lake/river. Bathrooms & showers were clean. At $35/night, this seemed like eminently reasonable value. It's about half an hour either way to Chelan or Wenatchee, so if we need a break from relaxing escape, there's civilization in easy reach.

We were here for Labor Day Weekend, when the park was full to capacity, without it ever feeling crowded. There are plenty of families here, meaning no shortage of other kids for ours to play with.

Yes, there's a crackling power line right through the place. To me, this adds charm. It's a fraction of the noise that a nearby train would cause. Yes, there are walk-in tent camping sites. No one forces us to use those, as 28 W/E sites are available, plus a dump station. Still the walk-in tent camping lends to a really neat secluded feeling.

Sites 21 and 23 are the prize sites, with amazing views out across the water.

Great park for the views of the Columbia River and access to Wenatchee as well as Lake Chelan. Spent our time riding bike in Wenatchee on the 'Apple Capital' loop and window shopping in Lake Chelan. Park has some trails, including connected trails out to local park (~ 3 miles round trip) Very good cell signal on Google Fi, not sure specifics of other carriers.

The campground was super clean and well maintained. Green grass with sprinklers in timers so beware! Our spot was a bit sloped but we made it work. Aluminum picnic tables and concrete slabs. Tight to back in but it worked out. Water and electric only. Dump station is available. Lots of things for kids to do. Great paved walkways throughout the park.