Washington's State Park Between Seattle And Spokane Offers Peaceful Camping By The Lake

If you're thinking of traveling to Washington state, you may assume that all of the best sights are along its coastline. After all, Seattle is one of the cleanest cities in America, and Olympic National Park has some of the best scenery in the Pacific Northwest. However, if you're looking for lakeside scenery, you may want to head farther inland. Situated about four hours east of Seattle and two hours west of Spokane, Steamboat Rock State Park is a worthy travel destination, especially if you love lakeside camping.

Surrounded by Banks Lake and the Devil's Punchbowl, the park is actually on a peninsula, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the water. Whether you prefer swimming next to a sand beach, fishing, boating, or paddling, you can do it all against the scenic backdrop of Steamboat Rock, a massive stone butte jutting out from the landscape.

But part of the appeal of visiting Steamboat Rock State Park is camping under the stars. The park offers a wide array of amenities, and it's quite a peaceful place to relax on vacation. So, let's break down why you should plan a visit.

There are several ways to camp at Steamboat Rock State Park, ranging from cabins to primitive campsites. First, you can rent a cabin, which comes with a bunk bed, a futon, a microwave, heating and cooling, and a mini refrigerator. The cabins can sleep up to five people and don't have restrooms inside, but there are some nearby with showers. You can also bring pets into the cabins, but you must pay $15 extra at the time of this writing.

Next, if you're traveling to the park in an RV, there is a main campground with 162 sites spread out over four unique loops. This is also where you can find the three cabins. Most of these sites have full hookups, but 26 of them have none. There is a dump station on site as well, and you must pay a $5 dump fee at the time of this writing. Each campsite also comes with a picnic table, a fire ring, and a grill. One thing to keep in mind is that the park is mostly unshaded, and winds can pick up regularly. During the summer, temperatures are hot, so you'll need to stay hydrated and avoid staying in direct sunlight for too long. If you need supplies, you can buy essentials and snacks at the Lake Craves store within the park. However, the store is open weekends only in May and daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, so you'll have to bring everything with you if you're visiting in fall and winter.

Finally, there are two primitive campgrounds located about 7 miles north of the main park. These sites have no amenities except for vault toilets. If you're bringing horses with you, there is an equestrian campground across the Devil's Punchbowl at Northrup Canyon. While you can reserve other campsites and cabins online, you must call to reserve an equestrian site.

If you're going to camp at Steamboat Rock State Park, it helps to know what kinds of activities you can do during your stay. As we mentioned, the park is mostly surrounded by water, so you should plan accordingly. If you're bringing a boat, kayak, or canoe, you can launch into the lake from one of seven boat launches throughout the park. Although Banks Lake isn't one of the 10 cleanest lakes in America, it's still a pristine and scenic body of water, stretching over 27 miles. So, you can easily spend the entire day on the lake, especially if you love fishing. Here, you can catch bass, trout, walleye, catfish, and bluegill. There's even a fish-cleaning station at the park for added convenience. 

Another popular activity is to climb the park's namesake, the towering Steamboat Rock. The trail takes you to the summit, offering excellent views of the landscape below. The rock spans over 600 acres, so you can take your time while you're up there. But if it's dazzling imagery you're after, you can drive about 20 minutes north to Crown Point, which is also part of the park. 

The easiest way to reach Steamboat Rock State Park is to fly into Spokane International Airport, which is less than two hours east. If you don't want to camp at the park, you can find hotels and vacation rentals in nearby towns like Grand Coulee and Electric City. Then, if you want to add some more natural beauty to your trip, you can head west to one of America's least-visited national parks, North Cascades National Park.