[Brain]

I'm either going to Crater Lake or Mt. Rainier this weekend. The decision on whether to head north or south depends on my chances of getting a spot to camp in MRNP. I may just wait and reserve a spot and go later in August and go to CLNP this weekend, but I don't want my wife and kids to miss out on the wildflower display. Camping reservations are obviously full for this weekend, but they do release a few spot on a first-come first-served basis...do I have any prayer of one of those at Cougar Rock campground if I get there around 10am on Saturday. I kind of doubt it, but I would really like to get up there this weekend. Any guidance is greatly appreciated. My wife is a little nervous about going back to Crater Lake...she hit a bear there two years ago and it traumatized her.

[Brain]

I'm also open to camping at the White River campground...any chance of finding a spot there on Saturday if I get there before noon?

[lookout bob]

MRNP is extremely busy this time of year. You probably won't get a white river site. Or if you did, I'd be surprized. Good luck and happy hunting. ( but really, why not camp outside the park and just go in to where you want to go????)

[Brain]

Where's the best place to camp outside of the park? I'm coming up from Portland.

[lookout bob]

fool for heights.... Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 166 Location: stuck at work on computer Fri Jul 22, 2005 10:45 am -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- if I were you, I would camp outside the park. There are freebies on all sides....( you did say you wanted cheap....) North and east....Corral Pass, or Buck Creek area...the road up to Lake Eleanor....logging roads and rough sites abound. south side.....Skate Creek road, High Rock area,just outside the park.....from the Skate Creek road, you can find a side road that goes near the Nisqually facilities....there's a ranger use only(for cars....) there that you can use to walk into the park thusly avoiding the entrance fee.....however you are now without wheels and have to walk.....pshaw....) west side.....rough campsites on f.s road 59 ( to Glacier View and Beljica...) North.....lots of free camping on the road that heads north just before the Carbon River Entrance...road goes to Summit Lake area.....hope these help (from previous post in this part of the forum.....LB if you need more specifics, PM me and let me know where at MRNP you're headed and I can be more specific.....alohas....

[Ski]

Northbound on I-5, take the exit to Hwy 12 ( Randle/Packwood/Mossyrock/Yakima ) and drive east on Hwy 12 to Packwood. Just past the center of "downtown" Packwood, go left ( north ) on Skate Creek Road, which runs north-south between Hwy 12 and Hwy 7. There are undeveloped, dispersed campsites all along the length of Skate Creek on that section of road which is within the National Forest. ( no toilets, no picnic tables, no fees ). Most of the "choice" sites are heavily impacted and can be pretty trashy, but the S L O W driver will be able to pick out a cherry here and there. Skate Creek runs north to south, and the forest canopy is fairly dense, so don't expect blazing sunshine. Continuing north on Skate Creek Road will take you to Hwy 7 just a few miles west of the Nisqually entrance to MRNP. Hope this has been of help.

[sarbar]

As for Rainier, they keep a certain amount of sites open for non-res's. The biggest campground is Ohanepocsh on Hwy 123. Nice sites for cars White River is nowhere as nice, and much smaller. Get there VERY early, I mean REALLY early! If you can go up tommorow, even better Avoid Cougar Rock CG on the Longmire/Paradise side. Horribly overrun.

[Don]

www.mounthaven.com They are located just 1/2 mile outside the Nisqually Entrance and always have tent camping available, as well as all the amenities of a resort. Don

[Brain]

Thank you all so much for the help! You've given me what I need to go to Rainier this weekend and save Crater Lake for later in the year (they really don't have much of a wildflower season so it will be about the same in another 3-4 weeks). I think we'll check out the Ohanepecosh situation upon arrival and, in the likely case that there isn't anything open, we'll find a place to camp along Skate Creek road somewhere. I'm excited

[sarbar]

BCJ, and if all else fails, you can go up HWY 123 to Hwy 410, and drop a couple miles over Chinook Pass-and car camp in a ton of places-it is NF land, so there is a TON of free dispersed camping (and regular campgrounds also.)