WEEKEND: Memorial Day weekend opens camping season on Peninsula [**CORRECTED**]
Published 12:01 am Friday, May 24, 2013
For many people across the North Olympic Peninsula, Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of the camping season.
With many campgrounds operating on a first-come, first-served basis, there is plenty of space available for those who act quickly.
Campers can choose among county parks, campsites within Olympic National Forest and the nearly million acres of Olympic National Park.
Jefferson County parks
The Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Department operates campgrounds throughout Jefferson County, not including the West End.
“Our parks are a great option, especially for people who might be looking to make a reservation this close to the weekend,” said Matt Tyler, Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Department manager.
Campsites at Quilcene Community Campground, 294964 U.S. Highway 101, are $12 per night.
The campground offers 14 campsites with easy access to swimming, boating and fishing in the Hood Canal as well as access to trails to Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest.
‘Undiscovered gem’
Tyler said he expects plenty of campers over the holiday weekend.
“Quilcene is a bit of an undiscovered gem,” he said.
“You’re close to the town, you have access to the marina for swimming — all for $12. It’s pretty nice.”
Just outside Port Hadlock, Oak Bay Park offers two parks in one: an upper and lower campground.
Both cost $18 per night or $20 with electricity, with a $3 charge for each additional vehicle.
The upper campground is situated on the bluffs at 290 Cleveland St., while the lower campground, 301 Portage Way, lies on a spit jutting into Oak Bay.
Lake Leland Campground, located north of Quilcene, will remain closed through the 2013 season.
For up-to-date facility information on Jefferson County parks, visit www.countryrec.com.
Clallam County parks
Clallam County operates two parks with campgrounds: Salt Creek Recreation Area and Dungeness Recreation Area.
Campsites cost $22, or $27 with RV hookup. Clallam County residents receive a $3 discount.
Dungeness has equestrian trails, birdwatching opportunities for land and sea birds, and easy access to the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.
Located on Kitchen-Dick Road just west of Sequim, the Dungeness Recreation Area offers 67 campsites. Half are by reservation only, while the other half are first-come, first-served.
Salt Creek Recreation Area west of Port Angeles offers unobstructed views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with trails leading to upland forests, rocky bluffs, rocky tidepools, sand beaches and Salt Creek.
Located on Camp Hayden Road off state Highway 112, Salt Creek features 92 campsites, half of which are first-come, first-served.
As of Thursday afternoon, reservations were full at both parks, but campers can still find a spot as long as they’re willing to arrive early.
“That’s only half our sites, so I don’t want to discourage anybody,” said Galin Downing of the county’s Parks, Fair and Facilities Department.
“Depending on the weather forecast, we may be full by the middle of the day on Friday.”
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park campgrounds on the North Olympic Peninsula include Altair, Elwha, Heart o’ the Hills, Hoh, Kalaloch, Ozette and Sol Duc.
“Memorial Day is typically a really busy weekend at the park, one of the busiest of the year depending on the weather,” said park spokeswoman Rainey McKenna.
Fees for overnight camping at Olympic National Park campgrounds range from $10 at most sites to $18 at Kalaloch. Except for Kalaloch, all are first-come, first-served.
Reservations at Kalaloch are first come, first served over the holiday weekend. Reservations for June 20 to Sept. 3 can be made by calling 877-444-6777 or visiting www.recreation.gov.
In the Elwha Valley just west of Port Angeles, Altair and Elwha campgrounds both are open as scheduled.
Altair, which is located just north of the nearly dismantled Glines Canyon Dam, opened for the season Wednesday.
McKenna said both campgrounds — but especially Altair — will offer visitors a unique camping experience due to their proximity to the Elwha River.
“You can really see what’s happening with the restoration of the river and all the changes that are occurring.”
Southeast of Port Angeles, the park’s Deer Park Campground will remain closed until the snow has melted.
In East Jefferson County, the park’s Dosewallips Campground is open but can only be reached after a 5.5-mile hike. The road has been closed for years because of a road washout.
A complete list of campgrounds and reservation information is available at http://tinyurl.com/pdn-parkcamp.
For more information on park closures or camping, contact the rangers at the park’s main visitor center, 3002 Mount Angeles Road, Port Angeles, or phone 360-565-3131.
Information on backcountry camping is available at the visitor center or by calling 360-565-3100.
National forest
The U.S. Forest Service operates five campgrounds in Olympic National Forest. All are first-come, first-served.
Falls View Campground, located 3.5 miles south of Quilcene on U.S. Highway 101, reopened today for the 2013 season.
Campsites cost $10 per night, with a $5 fee for extra vehicles.
Seal Rock Campground is located 2 miles north of Brinnon on Highway 101.
Campsites cost $18 per night, with a $5 fee for extra vehicles.
Dungeness Forks Campground, off Palo Alto Road on Forest Service Road 2880, offers only tent camping.
The campground lies in a shaded, forested area at the fork of the Dungeness and Gray Wolf rivers 7 miles southeast of Blyn.
On the West End, Klahowya Campground is located on the south shore of the Sol Duc River, at Milepost 212 on U.S. Highway 101.
Visitors can stroll down Pioneer Path, a wheelchair-accessible, 0.3-mile interpretive trail through second-growth hemlock and fir trees that borders the Sol Duc River.
From Klahowya, it’s a 10-minute drive to Lake Crescent and 30-minute drive to the Sol Duc Hot Springs. Campsites cost $17 per night, with a $5 fee for extra vehicles.
Klahanie Campground, 6 miles east of Forks on the South Fork Calawah River, is closed. It is scheduled to reopen July 3.
More on Olympic National Forest campgrounds can be found at http://tinyurl.com/pdn-forestcamp.
