One of my new favorite state parks! We camped here for the weekend, just my best friend, our dog, and I. We had a tent space practically on the river. I love the set up of this place, a big space for gatherings, and smaller spaces for little tents like us. It's on a perfect spot of the river, shallow and not rushing. It also had wonderful hiking trails. The bugs weren't even too bad with being so close to the water! We also happened to be there the same weekend as the Reptile Lady, she was awesome! The rangers were all very friendly and easy to talk to. read more

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One of my new favorite state parks! We booked a tent site near the bathrooms in the site 64-69 loop which was perfectly shaded by beautiful trees, spacious, and included a paved driveway for our vehicle, space for multiple tents, a picnic table, and a fire pit. There were neighbors on both sides but it by no means felt crowded. The grounds and bathrooms are very well maintained and the staff was friendly. Looking forward to staying here again! read more

Dosewallips State Park - the best camper - Parks Near Me - Brinnon, Washington

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Very cool state park. Great hiking. Not too far away but just inconvenient enough, out of the way enough, to not get overcrowded.

Visited this location twice in 2 years for Clamming. Arrived at around 11:50 AM on Friday, 7/01/22 for our 2nd trip. Saw a whole lot of cars in the parking lot. Changed into our waders, grabbed our buckets and walked down the long trail to the clam and oyster beach area. The scenery was so serene and peaceful... Great view of the mountains and water. Walked around for 3 hours, going into the water and searching for Cockle Clams, digging up small steamer clams and finding whatever else that were there. It was frickin' hot as heck! Still enjoyed our time, so it was a good experience... read more

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Simply a beautiful place. You can rent camp or stay in a simple cabin or you can park your RV. I hear reservations fill up quickly. The friends who invited us told us they usually reserve space 6 months in advance. There's clamming and oysters to harvest nearby. We love to catch and cook clams and oysters the whole time we're here. Dinner with a view. read more

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Spent a couple nights here in August for a break from Covid homestay. Nice park with usual amenities. Several nice nearby attractions. Picked oysters at the Park beach to cook over campfire. Excursion up to Rocky Brook Falls-where my wife fell into the water 21 years before on her first visit! I teased her with an (almost) reenactment. Only hitch--I had reserved online a few weeks prior, but when we arrived, our space was occupied by a drop-in group. They did pack up and move w/o much issue, but it took about 90 min and darkness was setting in as we set up camp. Firewood available from camp host. Pretty busy place geared towards RV/trailer camping. Some cabins available. read more

A friend choose this as a location for a Labor Day weekend camping trip. I liked that it was large, meaning many spots would be available and therefore we were able to get reservations online many months in advance. Prices were not cheap, but our tent site was large and near the river. There were bathrooms on site, the one closest to us had a shower and outlets, but only 2 stalls. On Saturday night we were able to attend a presentation on nocturnal animals which was educational. The teenagers in our group liked this site so much they were considering coming back to rent the platform tents for an upcoming bday party. There are also cabins available. This state park is on both the river and the salt water. Many people come here for seafood related activities. Salmon can be seen in the early Fall. Many people seemed to be frolicking in the river, but this may be detrimental to the salmon. There is also an Elk herd that lives nearby and makes for a more authentic wildlife experience. Berry picking is also a good way to pass the time, we enjoyed blackberries, red and blue huckleberries and sampled some Oregon grapes. A member of our party saw a bear in the early morning. The hiking inside the park makes for a good way to pass the time. There are 5 miles of loop trails. These can be done with a Discover pass if you don't choose to camp. read more

Very nice peaceful place to stay. Enjoyed trail with kids. Just few miles a way from bay picked oysters and clames. We want to comeback again. read more

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One of my favorite state parks. I've stayed here many times in their cabins or platform tents. Always enjoy walking the Maple Valley trail, and the Old Railroad Grade. The cabins are very comfortable, futon in the main room that converts to a bed; bedroom in the back with bunk beds. Close to restroom facilities. The platform tents aren't quite as well lit or secure, but they're a fun way to camp. Beautiful park of Olympic Peninsula - sometimes the elk roam through the park. Day use area is just the other side of US 101. Town Brinnon has a small store nearby in case you've forgotten any camping supplies. read more

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Awesome spot! Stayed here (cabin) for a few days in December with cooperative weather. 2 out of 3 days were wonderful! Clam season was over but plenty of oysters were harvested and enjoyed, raw and grilled on the beach! Hiking trails provided great views. And the river was awesome with aqua water! Cold in the winter, but plenty of space and privacy (only a few other campers). Clean restrooms, clean cabins, quiet place. No elk spotted; maybe next time in the spring or summer. read more

Beautiful park, nice for oysters and clam digging, hiking, kids friendly. We spent two days at full hookups campsite with our Airstream. It is too short. We should back here soon. read more

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Thanks to other reviewers for having posted on this great state park. We rented one of the new really nice cabins. What a treat!!! They are so clean and we were snug as bugs while it poured rain. Our children are quite young and were able to toodle all over the place on their bikes, and we could see them just about everywhere. What you won't find in a guidebook: If you go a mile or two down the road just north of the park (Sign says Dosewallips Rec area) you will find a little unmarked path that seems to go around behind a power station building in the woods. It leads to the most incredible waterfall! Locals keep it to themselves, but we got one to spill the beans, and we went and saw it. Don't miss it! Highlights: Totally the waterfall!!! Salmon doing their spawning thing - racing against the river current Elk in herds everywhere Eagles flying all around Clams and Oysters at the flats by the ocean Clean campsite Great rangers Lowlites: There is no real grocery store for an hour in each direction of this park! Get your supplies before arriving or you will pay huge dollars for nasty food at the dirty little Brinnon Grocery store. Great for a family vacation overall. read more

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As a little girl, I would sit beachside for hours on end, shucking oysters to the household flathead so it seemed only right to share this experience with my love. From Seattle, Dosewallips Park can be reached either by water (ferry across) or by land (drive up into the peninsula). We chose the latter, taking Highway 101 which wraps around the canal and is lined with beautiful rain forests. It was a sunny day which made for a fun drive in the convertible. We arrived just as the tide rolled out, leaving a trail of oysters as far as the eye could see. Setting up a little picnic of freshly shucked oysters with our icebox of condiments, we literally ate right off the beach. The oysters were delicious and beautifully translucent with these blue gills. I saw that others around us came for the clams and they looked super fresh too. As we were leaving the parking lot, we saw Taylor Shellfish also pulling out- so now you know where they harvest their oysters! My only recommendation for those who are looking to eat freshly shucked oysters is to research any toxin spills around the area. Fish and Wildlife Department is a great resource regarding this and any other shellfish questions. Happy shucking! read more

Dosewallips State Park - All you can hear is the sound of oysters crunching underneath your boots! - Parks Near Me - Brinnon, Washington

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We are staying at this park and we are enjoying our stay. The place is very clean and the beach and river are near by. When camping here it is a good idea to come prepared since the nearest Walmart is an hour away. read more

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The location is near perfect along the Dosewallips river adjacent to the hood canal. There is a catch. There is very little privacy. The trees have been thinned to a point that there is not much to block the view of the neighboring camp site. More importantly, the people there are seriously crazy. We showed up and someone was in our camp spot. We asked them to move and the woman want bat sit crazy. I had to get the ranger to help her move her crazy and her tent. The following day, a couple meth mechanics showed up on the other side of us. We rolled to the next camp spot. Not our style. Not much the people running the camp ground can do to improve this place. It has a great location and it is well run. It just attracts crazy people. read more

This is one of my family's favorite campgrounds in all of Washington. We've been going here for my entire life which sadly is approaching 30 years. It's very clean, the camping spaces are pretty spacious and the lawns and bathrooms are well maintained. I'm picky about bathrooms when I camp and these are as good as it gets. They are clean, contain mirrors and garbage cans and the showers which are coin operated are not bug-infested. The camping spaces are large, many with hook-ups, the lawns are great for playing lawn sports and catch. It is rainy here, especially in the spring when my family liked to go, we used Dosewallips as our homebase for oystering and clamming. Lots of hiking trails are nearby as well as a couple convenience stores and gas station. The camp hosts have firewood. read more

Dosewallips State Park - Parks Near Me - Brinnon, Washington

Great spot! Gateway to the Olympic mountains on hood canal. The cabins are clean and a great way to disconnect from the rat race.

Camping, hiking, biking, clamming - there's plenty to do and see here. There are also 3 luxurious platform tents you can rent year round with futon and bunk beds, a little heater, lamp and table. Plus a rug on the floor. Rental rates are VERY reasonable and even though we stayed in one in the summer I'm really looking forward to renting one in the winter. Picnic table and fire ring right outside the tent and decent privacy. Don't miss the walk under Hwy 101 and then over the bridge down to the beach. There's a great viewing platform and clamming during the season on the enormous flats. It wasn't clamming season and it was on a weekday we went and we had the entire, huge beach completely to ourselves all afternoon. At low tide. Awesome. There's one long hike through the woods and you'll have to figure out how to get down to the river - there aren't marked trails, and you can't go during the salmon run. This is a terrific place to bring kids. Especially if you don't mind not having privacy or have an RV. We like privacy and don't have an RV and had a blast. read more

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One of our favorite parks! We've stayed at this park many times and will be back again. We've stayed at their platform tents, as well as the cabins, both of which are well maintained. The showers and restrooms are not the most modern, but they're well kept. We love that the elk stuck around for every day of our stay. The oysters were slim pickings, but then again it's late in the season. We also didn't have luck finding mature clam beds; I guess we are just bit late! Nice to spot so many bald eagles, though! read more

I had an excellent summer clamming experience here! There were also plenty of oysters too. On a Tuesday during low tide, there were only maybe a dozen others out on the beach with us, and everyone was friendly. There was a portable restroom stall in the parking lot where we parked to walk out to the clamming area. There is a clean running-water bathroom facility within a few minutes of driving further down the road (this parking lot/bathroom area does not have beach access). Bring bug repellent and apply before you get out of the car, there were TONS of mosquitos around - something you don't necessary think of when planning your clamming trip! read more

Quite simply, a dump. The campground was one big construction zone. The sites are mostly unshaded with no privacy, with clusters of RV's, hoards of kids on bikes and motorized scooters zig-zagging across the roads, dozens of people sitting in circles in camp chairs. The campground is basically one large field of dead grass. There are a few wooded sites, but they are not private, have very little ground vegetation--in short, a dirt pit. No fires allowed anywhere, even though they do have fire pits(?) and fires were allowed at other area parks at the same time. If you have a family reunion of 30 or more people, 50 children and 300 dogs, this is your park. If you're a couple with a tent, stay away...far away. We rolled through the campground and nearly had a panic attack without even getting out of the truck. No thank you. read more

Really love this campground. It is easy to get to and easy to navigate once you pull in. We have a 31' travel trailer so it's long but we didn't have any issues parking it. The only downside is it is close to the main road so you do hear cars driving by but it's still a really great place to camp. read more

At Dosewallips beach there are plenty of clams. And it is extremely easy to collect them at this beach. But do not bring a clamming tube because there is a large quantity of oyster and clam shells on the surface. Instead use a clamming shovel or rake and dig out the clams. If the clam shell is open then that means the clam is not in the shell or is dead. Here you can find Manila littleneck clams. The ground during low tides is covered with oysters. Don't forget to get a shellfish license before collecting any clams. Collecting clams has become one our favorite things to do. We found many apple snails here. We have never seen them before so we were extremely fascinated by them.We woke up at 5am to collect clams. What a great reason to wake up at 5am. While on vacation we usually always wake up at 5am or 6am. We love to do things early. Nature is most active in the morning or in the evening. We got to see a group of Roosevelt Elk. These are the largest elk species. read more

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Beautiful state park at the mouth of the Dosewallips River in Brinnon, WA. Highway 101 bisects the park with day use areas on the Hood Canal side and a campground (with cabins, too) on the inland side. There are plenty of outdoor activities to be had here and abundant wildlife. Last time I went by here the day use picnic and restroom area was closed to the public due to a herd of elk that had decided to move in... cool! read more

This park is lovely, well-maintained, and full of things to do. Between the river, the forest, and the tidal mud flats, not to mention an open field or two to spot critters in and/or fly kites, you won't be bored. The rangers are super-friendly and the facilities are clean; my family has a leave it cleaner than you find it policy and at our site, we could literally only find a handful of debris left by others for us to pick up. Say hi to Eric, who was one of the friendliest park rangers we've ever met in this state. Instead of telling our kids that they couldn't take oyster shells from the beach and leaving it at that, as a rule for them to follow, he explained that even the dead-looking shells might have teeny baby oysters attached to them, and told the kids about the different species of oysters they'd picked up (in the form of shells). He was so nice about it that they had no idea they'd just been scolded very gently AND educated at the same time!! The park has mostly pit toilets (modern outhouses) which are fine; when it's breezy, they are well ventilated and not smelly. Showers cost a quarter for a few minutes of hot water. My only complaint is that just like all the other Washington State Parks, the toilet paper they provide is the thinnest, roughest stuff and they stock it in near-impossible dispensers... good luck getting more than three sheets at a time. You will enjoy your trip immensely if you just bring a roll or two of the good stuff from home in gallon-size Ziploc bags!! Brinnon, the little town nearby, is both good and bad. There's a great-looking cafe (we missed dinner and had our own breakfasts, so we didn't try it) and a small-country-town dangerously-amusing country store/gas station for the necessities, but there are also houses close enough to the park that someone's barking dog was a bit of an annoyance the first night. Oh well. It does mean that if you forget hot dogs, chips, propane or ketchup, you'll be able to recover gracefully without driving a long way, and that's a plus for sure. The platform tent was excellent, dry and clean. The beds are adequate and beat the hell out of the sleeping bag on the ground with a root in your back that make up so many of my camping memories. The picnic tables are made from Trex, and it really pleases me that they are totally on the recycling bandwagon at this park, with a big recycling center at the entrance. Firewood and kindling are available at totally reasonable prices ($4 and $1 per bundle). read more

This year, we decided to do some early season camping and reserve one of the 3 platform tent here at Dosewallips. We arrived on a Friday night in May after dinner at the Geoduck Tavern which is just a stones throw from the entrance of the state park. After unpacking a few things, it began to rain so we decided to setup "camp" inside the tent and enjoy the heat. Our tent came equipped with a futon (pulled out to a double bed), a bunk bed (double on bottom, single on top), a few benches, and an electric heater. After enjoying a comfortable evening in our dry tent, we headed out to check out the beach from the campground. We walked over to the beach on the trail from the campground that eventually follows the highway and to the parking lot. It was full of folks digging for clams and just exploring the beach front. We headed back to our campsite and gathered up some supplies for clamming and then headed out to purchase a permit at the generals store down the street. After bringing back our quota of clams from the beach we cooked them up with some lemons, onions, and a Sam Adams Summer beer. They were super tasty. Overall, this campground is very clean and safe. The staff is also very helpful and was always available when we had questions. I'd definitely come back here and hope next time to check out some of the trails around the campground. read more

NON-STOP OYSTER EATING! If you can shuck, you can eat. I learned the skills of shucking and thus built a passion. It's an adventure each time to find the soft, fresh meat of oyster goodness. Travel here by ferry or take the long drive; each is an adventure. Enjoy all that Washington has to offer--the ocean breeze, the fresh air, and beautiful mountain scenery. It's a win-win situation. Get your shellfish or crabbing license at Fred Meyers along with any fishing or water wading equipment and you will be more than prepared for the feast. Don't mind flying insects or love watching the stars? Pitch a tent, lay out some sleeping bags, and stay the night at the campgrounds just down the street from the beach. For being out in the sun working hard, it would be too much to rush through cooking and not being able to enjoy nature and good company. Having shucked so many oysters and dug up so many clams, it's rewarding to cook my your loot. If you've never tried oysters, I would recommend you try it here. If you are afraid of the fishy taste, bring some salsa or Tabasco sauce and you will love it!! A great way to enjoy summer in Washington, gather some friends and head out! read more

What makes for the best Valentines day ever? Staying in the platform tents here! (although the cabins & campsites look very nice as well). Spacious, clean, and most importantly DRY, this was our little slice of camping heaven in the northwest in February. Accommodations are ridiculously affordable ($45 in off season) for move in ready space. There is enough room for 5-6 people to bunk. Also- the heater, lamp, and electrical outlet are invaluable! The park itself is pristine, with trails looping around it. The river borders the back and across the road are access to the flats where oyster hunting is easy pickins all year. We would love to come back fro calm season. I am in love with this park & it's fairly quick access to Seattle ensures we will be back, preferably with a a truckload of friends. read more

positives: clean, near rocky river and puget sound waters, oyster picking, roomy private tent camp grounds, great forest covered 3-mile trails. bad: trails poorly mapped, forks on trails are unmarked and not listed on camp maps, camp ground needs better directions to site (as you drive in there should be arrows and camp numbers directing you which way to turn), very limited a cleaning water access (use TV water if there isn't an rv already connected otherwise I wouldn't know where to find water (bathroom sinks not option because can't get bucket under faucet)), don't expect Sandy beaches anywhere nearby, no meaningful grocery stores nearby. note: very noisy water and road noise. it's a feature some may like or dislike. read more

Dosewallips State Park - River rocks everywhere. - Parks Near Me - Brinnon, Washington

We used to love coming here each summer for a family clamming trip. We had to drive separate vehicles and we were going to stay in my mothers rv. I was livid when I found out we had pay 40$ to park our car in a tall grass field. The Park employee told us how to find this so called parking lot but we drove right past it not realizing they would dare to charge 40$ to park in a field. That really made me think twice about this place... Then we found out the beaches were closed for shellfish due to red algae. Now I cannot blame that on anyone but it was certainly the icing on the cake. Now some good points... It's pretty and there are campsites that back right up to the river. There's hiking and showers! If you have small kids this is the campground for you. It's very family friendly. read more

We went camping here in the middle of Summer. I should have known not to do this. Usually when we camp and hike it is quite and much more remote than this. I was recommended by a friend to this campground, but realized too late that she went off season. This place was a zoo with hundreds and hundreds of people, kids, groups, etc.... Wow! We did thank goodness rent a tent cabin, which at least a little bit more private from the trees and fauna. It was loud though. Definitely bring ear plugs! We unfortunately too had the "Eau de toilette" as well wafting to our site. The toilet itself was overall ok and cleaned regularly, just was very potent at our campsite. The park ranger was very friendly and we weren't far from a river. The do have beach access too but it is tricky to find unless you ask. I wouldn't have liked to hike more, so I don't know the trails. The folks I was with were happy just chilling out and talking and relaxing. I'm not sure I would camp here again unless it is off season. Tent cabins were awesome though. Clean and nice. Great fire pit as well. Deep and big and can have a decent fire there. read more

While driving from Seattle to Port Angeles in our 17 foot VW van, we searched for a last minute campsite and happened upon Dosewallips. When we arrived, the check in process was easy (ranger was off site but they just have you fill out an envelope with information). Note that you do not need a daily Discover Pass as long as you are staying overnight. We got set up in our camp, site 133, which was pretty secluded but near the water. We decided to go up to the beach which is 1/2 - 3/4 mile from our site following 101 north. We happened upon the elk herd that is known to graze in the park along the water/marsh and it was incredibly beautiful! What a treat after our long drive. The campgrounds were clean as far as we could tell, lots of families with children but was not excessively loud. The bathrooms were clean, did not try the showers. Overall, in a beautiful area and would definitely stay here again! read more

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Don't get me wrong, if you have kids then this is the campground for you. Perfect for kids and for big families. Not so perfect for singles or couples. From the previous reviews and pictures I was led to believe that the beach was within the campground, but I came to find that it wasn't; as a matter of fact it's about a 1/2-1 mile walk to the beach from the campsites. You can drive (there is parking there) but a Discover Pass is required. In the campground there is a huge open field that was like an RV park, with lots of cabins, RV's, and trucks, but there is a more wooded camping area for tents, but despite the woods, there isn't a lot of privacy. This place was LOUD. Car alarm, screaming kids, generators, barking dogs, blasting music, you name it, you can hear it all here. So if you're looking for a relaxing and quiet camping getaway look elsewhere. read more

Loved it so much i came here 3 times in one summer! Camped twice. I'm not a huge fan of the state park itself as it was a super crowded camp site, but there are nearby ones that are more quiet and are first come first serve. Best part is the Oysters and Clams! We always bring ingredients to do a clam bake. Oysters can be eaten raw on the beach, you just can't bring the shells (shells? oyster homes?) back to the beach, but it's delicious! Though be forewarned about potential food poisoning....then again nothing is fresher than fresh off the beach! read more

We visit Dosewallips State Park every July to camp for 5 plus years now. This last week we went for our annual trip. I arrived 1st with my husband 10 min behind me. The park entrance is off a highway where people drive very fast. My husband started to turn right into the entrance as a park employee started to back up in front of him, my husband braked quickly as to not get into an accident, the car behind my husband who was going straight and not taking a right into the park slammed on their horn, at my husband for braking. My husband went along his way after and found me at our cabin site. About 20 min later he was approached by a police man who stated that the park employee had contacted them stating that my husband had been aggressive toward them and they felt they couldn't safely do their job. The officer came with a ticket already written out for $100 didn't really listen to my husband explain that he did not honk his horn that the person behind him did and that he was literally in the middle. He was given the ticket and we spent the rest of the trip feeling upset that someone with " power" knew what words to use to have an officer give a ticket. The officer did not listen to the fact that the horn in my husband's truck doesn't even work.My husband is one of the kindest people you'll ever meet, he did not argue with the officer even after he said they weren't going to have him removed from the park( that's what the park employee wanted) he quickly realized that nothing he said, no explanation would make a difference and took the ticket to give our son a good weekend since he's been lonely at home since March due to Covid. The 2 things I take from this is 1. The park employee intentionally used specific wording knowing it was what was needed to get the response they wanted, they were angry they got honked at, by someone behind my husband and they assumed it was my husband. 2. Assuming and using privileges is what can get people hurt. My husband is not a person of color, he is a 40 year old, clean cut, kind, well spoken white man and was treated this way. I wonder if the outcome had been different had he been a black man or Mexican? I am Mexican, however I wasn't there when the officer came and spoke to my husband. 3. The police officer did not do their job, there was no proof that my husband did this, only the word of another person. 4. Who in their right mind feels threatened by getting honked at? Seriously this is ridiculous. 5. Throughout our 3 night stay we witnessed multiple park employees drive slowly passed our cabin and stare. Did I feel threatened? No. Did I feel that they were being rude towards a family that did nothing? Yes I can say I felt threatened but I will not lie to make someone else look bad. The park is gorgeous, the cabins are comfortable The park employees need retraining as well as the police. read more

This park is close to the Olympic National Park and the trails on the campground are very pretty. The campground numbered spaces are a few feet from each other so you have very little privacy. read more

As state parks go, this one is fine. Right on the river and lots of spaces to choose from, all the amenities. For me, I prefer a more remote campground where I can pretend I'm alone. Not possible here, but I found a fairly secluded spot with a path to the river. The thing about being on the river is that everyone else wants to camp there too. You are better off going up the road a couple miles to Seal Beach. Much more separated spots with access to the sound. read more

The worst camping experience ever!!!!! Tons of drunken people laughing crazy, yelling, singing aloud until 1 am. Really 1 am. Could be like that until forever if we did not stop them begging for a few hours of sleeps before the sun rises. FYI, the quite hour is from 10 pm to 6 am. This is just a joke, as 10 pm to 1 am was the most noisy time in the park. We arrived there at 6 pm. From 6-8 pm we could hear baby crying non-stop. OK. Babies are babies. From 8pm -1 am, we could hear drunken people yelling & laughing, with loud music play-on from a radio. From 10 pm- 1 am, we could hear wanna-be-next-american-idols singing playing a guitar. Seriously, this is the worst worst worst place to camp unless you're one of those people who wants a drunken crazy party until whenever you want to. There are a few tree in the park with very low privacy. I feel extremely tired after camping here just for 1 night, and I will never go here again!!! read more

This is a nice waterfront state park with clean bathroom facilities and plenty of picnic tables. Not all parking areas allow walking to shoreline, but the views are fantastic. Location is directly off of main highway with easy accessibility. read more

I grew up camping here, its so beautiful. My fiance and I camp here all the time during the summer. We love to dig for clams and shuck oysters on the beach. Then cook them over the fire. yum yum! Great place! Fun times! read more