Camping at Kachess Campground in Washington’s Cascades

Looking for more fun things to do during your stay at Kachess Campground?
Go paddling on Kachess Lake, or head south to hike around Lake Easton or out to Mirror Lake.

AMENITIES

• Vault toilets
• Drinkable water from pumps located throughout the campground
• Fire pits and picnic tables at all sites
• Firewood for sale seasonally from the camp host
• No electrical or water hookups
• Little to no cell service

ABOUT THE SITES

• Kachess Campground offers 150 campsites plus a group campsite that accommodates up to 50 people. There are also some double sites within the campground.
• Campsites cost $25 per night. Double sites cost $50 per night.
• There are no electrical or water hookups.
• The campsites are located along six separate loops. Each loop feels like its own individual campground with its own camp host. Although you’re in a large campground, this makes it feel smaller.
• Kachess Campground is open from roughly Memorial Day Weekend through late September.
• Campsites can be reserved up to six months in advance. Most sites are reservable, but some are set aside for first come, first served campers. I recommend booking in advance for summer camping, especially weekends. If you don’t have a reservation, arrive early to snag a first come, first served site.

• Kachess Campground has two day use areas. The north one has a non-motorized boat launch, while the south one has a launch for motorboats. Both areas have picnic tables and vault toilets. Some of the picnic tables include fire rings. If you are not camping overnight, there is a day use fee of $8.
• Most sites are shady and wooded with some sun.
• Site size and privacy between sites varies. Check the description when you reserve. Although we could easily see many of our camp neighbors, it didn’t feel at all intrusive.
• We stayed at site #29 in the Beargrass Loop. It’s a double site with a long pull-through driveway, ideal for extra vehicles. Oddly for a double site, it only had one picnic table and not much space for multiple tents. Fortunately, that worked out for us, as we only had one friend camping in a tent, and there was still enough room for multiple friends to join us for dinner at camp.

FUN STUFF

• Hike the Lakeshore Trail. It’s a bit hard to follow at times, but you won’t get lost. The Lakeshore Trail skirts the edge of Lake Kachess and wanders through the campground, connecting the day use areas and the individual campground loops.
• Hike the Little Kachess Trail. This nine-mile trail has a challenging start, as you must first navigate a pile of logs to cross Box Canyon Creek. From there, it’s a short but steep climb to reach the main trail. If you’re up for it, it’s a fun diversion, and you can turn around to head back whenever you’re ready.
• Paddle or swim in Kachess Lake. Sure, the water’s cold, but on a hot day Kachess Lake is a refreshing spot for a swim. It’s also a fantastic place to paddle, with small coves and islands to explore.
• Picnic by the beach. Shaded picnic tables and fire rings are available at both day use areas, or bring your own blanket to spread out on the beach.
• Take a boat ride. This one only applies if you own your own boat (or know someone who does). The day use area at the south end of Kachess Lake Campground includes a boat launch for motorboats. Fortunately, on such a large lake it’s easy for both motorboats and paddlers to have ample space on the water.

NEARBY & NOTABLE

• Rachel Lake is the destination for a beautiful eight-mile round trip hike. The trailhead is located just up the road from Kachess Campground.
• Lake Easton lies directly south of Kachess Lake, on the opposite side of I-90. It’s possible to hike a full loop around this smaller lake although the route isn’t alway straighforward. This hike includes a stretch on the Palouse to Cascades Trail, a hiking and biking route that travels all the way from the Cascades to Washington’s eastern border. Lake Easton also offers camping, swimming, and boating, but the campground’s proximity to the freeway makes it feel (and sound) less remote than Kachess Campground.
• Mirror Lake is another gorgeous hike. The trailhead isn’t far from Lake Easton, but you’ll have to drive a bumpy dirt road to get there. At only 2.5 miles out and back, it’s a great short option.

THE VERDICT

Kachess Campground is a beautiful place to camp in the Cascades that’s easily accessible from Seattle. Many sites are shady and forested, although size and privacy vary. Check the online description when you book, and know that you’ll probably be able to see your neighbors. It can be a bit noisy during the day, with kids running around and music playing (yes, we had a neighboring camper who decided to share their tunes for an hour or so), but fortunately everything was peaceful and calm by nightfall.

Most campsites at Kachess Campground are in the woods, and only a few sites in the Thetis Creek or Box Canyon loops have views of the lake. Expect those sites to book up in a flash! But don’t fret if you get one of the many sites tucked away in the woods. It’s still a delightful place to camp, and with two beautiful day use areas on the lake everyone has access to the water.

The lake, naturally, is the big draw here, and it’s well deserving of your attention. It wasn’t quite warm enough for swimming during our visit, but the shallow pool at the northern day use area would be perfect on a hot day. Only non-motorized boats are allowed to launch from this spot, and I have to say I loved the fact that we didn’t have to share with the motorboats.

Surprisingly for a holiday weekend in June, the day use areas were not crowded, and we saw few boats on the water, even though the campground was mostly full. Had it been warmer and sunnier, I expect we would have seen many more people on the lake. But hey, I’m not complaining! We enjoyed a beautiful weekend at Kachess Campground, and would return in a heartbeat.

With a three-day weekend over the Juneteenth holiday on the horizon (about four months away on the horizon, but still), I was eager to plan a camping trip. Our family had never been to Kachess Lake, and Kachess Campground seemed to fit the bill — not too far from Seattle, away from the freeway, and with plenty of opportunities to paddle and hike.

Fortunately, the traffic was far better than on our Memorial Weekend trip to Kayak Point. We met up with our friend, Dustin, at Kachess Campground, and soon set to work raising the canopy and hanging the hammocks. I kept it simple for dinner – frozen stir fry from Trader Joe’s, ideal for a first night when you don’t want to bother with food prep.

The next morning, Dustin and Michael headed out to hike to Rachel Lake, while I stayed at the campsite with our boys. Another friend, Amy, was due to arrive later that morning. Together with the kids, Amy and I walked down to Kachess Lake. The sun peeked through the clouds, dancing off the deep green water of the lake, but only T was bold enough to go for a swim. Lovely as it was, it wasn’t quite warm enough for me to take a dip in the cold mountain water.

After a picnic lunch, we followed the Lakeshore Trail around Kachess Campground. For the first part of the trail, we were treated to sweeping views across Kachess Lake, but when the path turned into the campground we found ourselves surrounded by trees. Although the Lakeshore Trail is quite flat, the route became more challenging as we crossed blowdowns and picked our way around fallen debris. With so many side trails leading into the campground loops, it can be also be hard to stay on the main trail. Fortunately, since it never leaves the campground, it’s hard to get lost.

On the following day, we again headed down to the lake. Originally, another family had planned to join us for overnight camping, but were scared off by reports calling for stormy weather, and decided to drive out for the day only. Luckily, Kachess Lake was storm-free. Sure, a few drops of scattered rain fell, but we were also treated to an incredible rainbow and had a great time playing on the beach. It may be rocky, but the day use area at the north end of the campground is the perfect spot to hunt for quartz crystals.

More friends joined our party in the afternoon, and before I knew it I was out on the lake with five boys, paddling our way north. Just where were we headed? We weren’t sure, but we were up for adventure. Our wish was granted by the discovery of a tiny island, where we made our way ashore for further explorations. The other adults, meanwhile, hiked along the Little Kachess Trail or relaxed by the beach.

The evening brought a feast back at the campsite, as everyone gathered around the campfire for burgers and marshmallows. I was having so much fun, I even forgot to take photos!

In the morning, we had time for one last leisurely breakfast before packing up. Sunlight streamed through the trees as we loaded up the trailer and prepared for the short drive home to Seattle. Kachess Campground proved to be a wonderful weekend getaway, and we can’t wait to return.