We recently visited for one night. We stayed in one of the few open spots, right near the front of the campground. The only sections open for winter were the small section we stayed in and the open field area. Unfortunately for us, the sections closed for the season were the prettiest...much more treed and private feeling there. We enjoyed one hike, the boardwalk-old growth-orchard sections and back to the campground. Apparently there is some damage to parts of the trail system here, but those we took were in good shape, just a bit muddy. Although we didn't get around to the lake, it looked gorgeous when we passed by driving in. Aside from the site across from ours after the teens left that morning, the grounds were all very clean. Pretty area and park...although I probably would only return if I could stay in the closed sections. :) read more

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I moved up from SoCal where I have access to beaches and pools and easy access to the airport so I can be somewhere tropical in the winters when I want. Moving to Olympia, I was near none of that. So how cool was it to discover we lived almost around the corner from a nice park that has access to a lake where you can rent kayaks and duck boats or swim in the lake. Yes, after a couple months of summer, the water is a little gross from all the lie bottom being stirred up and mixing with the sunscreen and people soup, but if you want to get a cool dip on a hot day, it's nice (just don't dip your head into the water). Lots of picnic tables, but they do run out on weekends, so when we want to go we bring our own tables and can park it underneath the forest shade). On the first lake side parking lot when you come in, you're close to a place that serves beer and pizza. Halfway down in the next parking lot, you're near the place that sells nachos and ice cream. The parking is limited to the point that on the busiest summer days, they have to refuse entry and tell you to come back in the afternoon. For all the problems, it's a good park and one of our favorite places to hang out with our dogs. read more

Millersylvania State Park - Nice and empty in the early winter - Lakes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

First time here recently with my family and we camped for a few nights. I would say like all campgrounds you either get lucky or not so lucky with how private your camping spot is. We stayed at #85 and I would definitely avoid this spot and #84 if you want privacy. There's a "habitat restoration" in between both of these sites so there's zero privacy. This wasn't an issue at all for us though, but just wanted to give a heads up if it would be for anyone else. Overall great family friendly campground we enjoyed bike riding, running the trail, swimming in the lake and more. There is kayaks, paddle boards, etc for rent near the swimming area also. Free hot showers also. The only downside was the restrooms got really bad and I hardly saw any park rangers during my stay so it made sense why the restrooms were that way. read more

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The whole trip was perfect per usual. We come every year it's our "kick off to summer" camping trip and always the first weekend after my daughter gets out of school. Everything was fine up until about 30min before we checked out and i was packing up the tent. Some jerk yelled at me bc my dog was barking at my daughter and my niece, he said "IF YOUR DOG IS THAT REACTIVE LEAVE IT AT HOME!" I thought it was beyond rude and completely unacceptable. I have no idea why he thought i wanted his two cents about anything. This was our girl Opie's first camping trip and she is reactive to wheels, so yes, she barked at the kids on skateboards and my girls pulling a wagon. As did the MAJORITY of dogs that were in the campground as we walked by. Did we say anything rude? No we sure didn't, we said kindly "hi dog friends!" ignored the barking, and continued walking, as MOST other campers did as well. We had zero complaints from any of our camping neighbors. Just hurt my momma dog heart that someone would be so rude, there's always one right? It was her very first camping trip and aside from that she LOVED it and im so happy she got to experience it at Millersylvania where i grew up camping and now my daughters get to experience it too. We did a total of 16 miles on the bitchin trails and went swimming and had THE best ice cream cones i've ever tasted, worth every penny. That rude stranger won't stop me from coming back, we loved every minute of it and will continue to enjoy it! See you in August! read more

Millersylvania State Park surrounds a small lake named Deep Lake. It's not quite big enough for a big paddlelboard run but it would be the ideal lake for a swim in the wetsuit, not just because the lake is cold, I know this because I heard a cold yelp from one of the swimmers, but because the water is clear, there aren't any motorized boats, and it has a very picturesque shoreline. There were many people there in the middle of the day enjoying the shoreline but not so many that it detracted from the experience. The state park also has a nice system of trails on one end of the lake. We momentarily walked along one of the trails and it had a very PNW feel, meaning that the canopy of the tall trees was so dense that it limited sunlight, essentially creating a separate environment. There is a boat launch but the design of the launch limits the type of watercraft that can drop in. The pavement runs down to the water, drops in a few inches of water then doesn't seem to drop much further. It was as if the designers only wanted boats small enough that people could actually lift. No pontoon boats on this lake. There was a family near the launch putting together a foldable canoe, a type of watercraft I once considered when I lived in an apartment. But, I ultimately decided that it would be too big of a hassle to put together. Based on what I saw, my assumptions were correct. The family was attempting to put the canoe together the entire time we were there. The only time you can really be pleased with a canoe like that is when the canoe in its box, neatly stored in the closet. read more

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One of Western Washington's historic campgrounds, Millersylvania was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) during the depression and features well preserved structures made of locally sourced rock and logs. The camp sites are spread out under old growth Douglas Firs proving single tent to family reunion sized, to Pampered Camping permanent tents in platforms with cooking grills, etc. There is also a separate lot for larger RV's. It's a short walk to Deep Lake with a fishing dock and boat rental and my favorite, the very friendly Beer Garden. My only advice is that we have experienced twice now loud parties that go on too late into the night on weekends. Since we are retired, we avoid the weekends and that hassle. read more

Millersylvania State Park - Looking straight up at dusk - Lakes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Looking to go camping or just take a nice walk? Check out Millersylvania State Park near Tumwater, Washington! I decide to take a quick camping trip and checked into a Millersylvania. I did not regret it! There are many private camping spots and then some that are not so private so you have to look around carefully if you're looking for a private spot. There are several spots with hook ups. The park is very serene, quiet, and a bunch of beautiful trails to explore the area. They also have Glamping tents on site. I included a photo. Check in time starts at 2 PM and the Rangers are very nice and helpful. The park is kind of a maze so you can easily drive right by your camping spot if you don't follow the signs. The State Park also includes a kitchen shelter, a cottage, and a beer garden/concession stand! If you are looking for a little getaway either for yourself or with kids, this would be a great spot!! read more

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One of our favorite parks! Great walking trails through the woods, old growths, with some fun boardwalks throughout. The water is calm and has EZ access. We often bring games and a picnic to enjoy at one of the shaded picnic tables near the lake. We love the snack shack, lake toy rentals, and I understand they also have a beer garden. The staff are always friendly and helpful. You do need to drive the 10 MPH speed there as there are often people enjoying a walk along the roads and children on bikes! Great restrooms and changing room for the lake. Very dog friendly, on leash only. There are scattered picnic tables along the shore and a large, covered area for groups that may be reserved. read more

This is a great park busy very family oriented oneside has day activities and the otherside camping .at night its very noisy kids crying etc.etc.with children we didn't mind .but it was loud.we will camp here again and pick a better site for us but with multi families camping excellent. read more

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Well maintained large state park just 30 mins outside of Olympia. Sites are easy to navigate (we have a 25' fifth wheel). Watch for signs though as larger rigs cannot get through some of their loops. Tons of well kept trails to walk/hike. Large lake in the park for small boats and fishing. Before COVID it looks like they even had a beer/wine garden! (Damn you, COVID!). Several large covered day-use group picnic areas that have outdoor kitchens with wood burning stoves to cook on. Like most state parks in WA, there is no sewers at the individual sites anymore but they do have a sewage dump. read more

We made a day-use visit to Millersylvania, using it as a place for Seattle and Portland people to meet up approximately halfway between our respective homes. It worked out really well. The rangers were friendly, helpful, and did a great job of keeping tabs on all parts of the park. The massive trees were a delight, and nice views of the lake are available from many spots on the shoreline. An unfortunate number of people were not wearing masks during the Covid outbreak, but the picnic tables and other places to gather are well spread out. We did not get a look at the camping facilities, but judging by the thickness of the tree cover, I'd hope that the sites are fairly well isolated from each other. read more

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About a 15 minute drive from Olympia/Tumwater, this is a great state park for varied adventures. My friends and I love to trail run during the fall and winter, drink in the beer garden during the summer and we have camped overnight. I even took engagement photos here with my now wife. Everything is well taken care of and the bathrooms are clean. They are strict on the discover pass as one of my friends learned during our most recent beer garden adventure. The accessibility from the Olympia area makes this a great family destination fit for everyone. read more

We had a pretty good trip. First thought would be to try to reserve a spot once you drove around and take a look at the sites. We had signed up for site 46. Looked great online from the photo. We get there and the fire pit is right on top of the road. Thankfully we kept on driving and found an amazing site, lots of space and privacy. The lake was fairly close to where we were at, there is a kitchen/shelter that you can rent out. There are several swimming areas and boat launch areas, the beach/water has a gently sloping area which is great for kids. Do note, you are at the south end of an airport. You will hear loud planes and helicopters, you will also hear trains. It is a public campground so depending on the kinds of neighbors you have, it can be a great or miserable experience. We had great neighbors that offered up some of their fire wood. There is no playground here, even though it states it in the descriptor the camp read more

Millersylvania State Park - Lakes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

I tent camp and was very pleased to get a site that was much more private than others. It was L-shaped so I set up my tent so you could barely see it from the road. Clean restroom. Ask for a free map when you check in so you can find trails and your site. The campground was full of happy hordes of kids, but everyone respected the quiet hours after 10 pm. I'll come back! read more

A lot of the park is used for the access to Deep Lake which is understandable! But a lot of people don't know it has a lot of great trails that are easy and accessible to many. Worth checking out! Don't forget to leave no trace and leash any pets. read more

This park was close to where our AirBNB was so we decided to check it out and do some geocaching. Great trails and looks like a fun place to car camp; the covered group kitchen we saw was an awesome area to have a group picnic or party. There were lots of folks enjoying the swimming beach when we were there. The beer garden was a fun find as well! read more

Great park. Beautiful, huge, trees, plenty of potable water access. Plenty of restrooms. 3 swimming areas, nice hiking/running trails. Plus a cafe and beer garden. Only thing that wasn't easy to find was a good map of the campsites so I got one and took pictures of it so I could add them. read more

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Very clean lots of fun!! Nice people. We had a great time. We will be going back soon

I use to frequent this park when I was a kid, since it was so close to home. It use to be great fun in the summer time. I remember swimming in the lake, at Deep Lake Resort. They closed it down a long time ago and turned it into an adult motorhome park. LAME! But Millersylvania is fun to hike around the trails, look at the lake, and all the trees. We decided this year to have a family photoshoot in the park for Christmas. A lot of great backdrop choices. Brought back some good memories. I wish they would bring back Deep Lake Resort, that was always so much fun in the summer. read more

This is a wonderful place to reconnection with our Heavenly Father with with the majestic trees and peaceful setting! Clean restrooms! read more

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I felt like I was in the new York of campgrounds. Everyone was so close. Not the best of camping experiences. If you are looking for a good time and are not picky about being around tons of people this is the place to go read more

Love going swimming here.. nice clean location tall trees. Trails and wildlife to die for. Cant wait to go back

The camp RV sites are open to each other so there is no privacy and people come to use the bathrooms/showers who are clearly living in their cars. The roads are full of potholes. The beach at the lake is clean and there's a nice walking trail through the woods. read more

Overall it was nice. I cannot people would complain about "noise" knowing how close each site are close each other. People if you don't like noise at all stay home or camp outside your house!!! there was a big family that had lights around the trees and had music all night. Im sure they confused us with them but we aren't going to point fingers. We weren't bothered of the music & loud talking, we were bother of people complaining of noise. Once again, camp far away away by yourself where you won't hear anything or stay home. We came to camp, mind our business and make memories not to point fingers and be Karen's. read more

This place is definitely worth the trip! Very well run and a very nice place and atmosphere to camp at :) very family friendly and would highly recommend to anyone who loves camping and also loves having a town or a city close by ( In this case Olympia) also was very clean site as well and the lake which is like a 10 min walk away was very nice ! read more

Enjoyed the trails in a beautiful forest setting! The bonus is the charming beer garden in the middle of the park. read more

Millersylvania State Park - Lakes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

My friends and I stayed here over the weekend of July 4th. It's easy to get to from either Portland or Seattle. They have well shaded campsites. The lake is pretty nice and was surprisingly warm given the temp outside was not quite 70. My two dislikes were parking and bathrooms. The staff and rangers were really annoying about parking. We had 1 extra car between 3 campsites which we could comfortably fit within the boundaries of our campsite *or* in the completely empty overflow parking. However, park policy limited each site to 2 cars regardless of size or if they could fit on the site. They wouldn't sell us another parking pass. So one of our friends went and bought an entire campsite just to park her car. Stupid. Oh and the bathrooms were ok, but not impressively clean. They were located only at one end of the campground. We had to do a lot of walking back and forth to use them. Fortunately for me, the world is my bathroom. The females in our group weren't so lucky. read more

This is a great park for camping, hiking, and lounging in the sand near the lake. There are several strips of sandy beach along the shore of the lake; each with really nice swimming areas. In addition, you can rent kayaks or bring small boats for fishing. The beaches have small snack stands and tons of grills for people to cook their own food. The lake is surrounded by walking and hiking trials. It seemed well groomed and clean. I am not sure whether you could hike the trials for hours and hours, but you could keep busy for quite a while before lounging on the beach or swimming in the lake. Most people in Lewis County and southern Thurston County travel to Mayfield Lake for summer refreshment. If you don't want to make the drive, Millersylvania is a great alternative. read more

3.5 stars. This is a nice family campground and a pretty good day use park. We come here fairly often, mainly because we live less than 20 minutes away. If we were say, an hour away, we probably wouldn't come here much because there are other options if you are willing to drive. The parking situation is this: To park in the lots you must have a Discover annual or day pass ($30/$10). To park overnight in the lots or in the campground you must have an "extra vehicle" campground permit (about $10), assuming yours is not the primary vehicle registered for the campsite (the primary vehicle is included in the camping cost). High points: -The tent camping area is situated among nice, large second-growth Douglas-fir and cedar. There are even a few old growth trees near the edge of the campground. Overall, a good setting to camp in. -There two OK swim areas on a nice little lake. It has a dock and lots of picnic tables located among the trees close to the lake. -There are something like 11 miles of trails to walk on. These are mostly among large trees, including a little old growth. Some of it is on a marsh boardwalk. The trails are flat or gently sloping. -There is lots of C.C.C. infrastructure from the 1930s in place, still in good condition. Low points: - Tent sites (1 tent/1 car/2 people) run as much as $31.00 per night in the summer! Plus a reservation fee of $6.50, which brings the total to $37.50!! - The trash collection service is terrible. I arrived on a Saturday morning and there were already campground dumpsters that were overflowing with bags heaped around them. I left on a Monday and there were still bags piled around dumpsters. Thank goodness it was not hot, or it would have smelled terrible for all the folks camped nearby the dumpsters. - Some of the campsites are too close together. You really end up close to two or three different neighbors. Others have good privacy, but those are the exception. - Bathrooms are poorly maintained. Paper towels usually out or machine broken. Electric hand dryer not working. - Some people do get swimmer's itch from the lake. I've seen it happen, but not to me. read more

We just discovered this park last summer. Truly feels like you are on a camping trip even if you are just visiting for the day. We originally checked it out for the trails. They weren't very pretty but would be great for an easy trail run as some are pretty wide. We were most impressed with the roped off swimming areas. Everything was kept very clean and maintained and my kids still are asking when they get to swim here again. read more

Nice park for camping or just coming up for a day to hike or swim. It's pretty and there are lots of trees and picnic tables. The bathrooms are kind of gross, especially since the ones I went in didn't have any soap to wash your hands. Ew. Overall a good park but next time I will bring hand sanitizer... read more

First time here. Only hiked so I cant say about the other amenities. This is a great state park, We bought a discovery pass for the year and hiked for several miles. The trails were clear and well maintained. The swimming and rec areas looked very clean and were uncrowded. They were many picnic facilities, grills, horseshoes, and covered buildings. The lake was super clear and minimal trash. read more

We used to come here a lot when I was a kid but I hadn't been back in years. Then a friend and I met up for some hiking and it made for a neat day. We went on a hot Saturday in August, so it was pretty crowded but even then not ridiculously so. We were actually able (barely) to snag a picnic table to eat our lunch on. Then we hiked around on the trails and pretty much had the place to ourselves. Access and parking is easy and there was even a little concession stand. Trails are nice and have a mix of wooded and open areas, with some boardwalks as well. Great place for a day trip! read more

Great campgrounds and facilities! In the middle of nowhere but not at all far from civilization. Lol! Far enough to lose cell signal, which is a good thing so you can focus on the good ol outdoors and the camaraderie. I was there with my church youth group. Probably the best time I've had not having to worry about looking at my cell phone or social media for a week. However there is a cell signal if you're willing to walk to the lake and some cabins may also have signal. So you're not completely cut off from your cell service. I definitely recommend this place to families wanting to escape the hussle and bussle of everyday life. My over all experience was great and we are making our visits there annually. read more

There are not many private camp sites. Very close together & know what your neighbors are doing. Have to pay for showers. Prob great for campers with kids due to close by activities. Clean bathrooms. It's not for us anyways. We like a lil privacy, more trees, etc. read more

One of our favorite parks, campground is well maintained. Fishing and swimming areas are a short walk away. Close to olympia. Been there half a dozen times. read more

This is my favorite park! always clean and easy to find signs,trails are great even with the muddy spots. Dogs on leashes and everything!

First time and last! Very strick with check in time with no further explanation. Campsites are bit small.

I love the trees and seclusion. Great camping close to town with summing areas for the kids, a dock to fish, nature trails, a snack shack, and boat rentals. read more

Great campground, the tent spaces were fair in size and cleaner than other campgrounds I have visited. My kids loved the roped off swim area which made it easy to watch them from the beach. The boat rentals could be better, better boats would have been appreciated. The fishing was great for my husband and son and they had a fair amount of bites by decent sized fish. I would definently come back for a long weekend of camping. read more