Camping always fascinates me. I have done numerous camps in India but they were nothing like camping in USA.

This was my first camping experience in USA and I was pretty excited to execute it with my partner. I was excited about cooking in the wilderness, managing water, fire etc. the essentials of the trekking. Washington state has numerous campgrounds but limited summers hence they get booked way in advance, moreover, I was looking for more beginner friendly campgrounds to get familiar with camping culture here in states. I am so glad that I choose Willaby as my first campground for its ease of accessibility, well equipped campground and amazing view of lake Quinault.

Willaby Campground

Located at the heart of Olympic National Forest, it is a perfect location for the nature lovers. It offers numerous opportunities for water sports like kayaking, boating, fishing and comprises of spectacular hikes, ranging from easy to difficult. Campsites are located at idyllic location amidst dense coverage of flora and a backdrop of pristine waters of Quinault lake.

How to Reach?

Willaby campground is located at the shoreline of glacially carved Lake Quinault. It takes around 3 hours from seattle to cover the distance of 148 miles to the campground. We packed our supplies from Seattle itself apart from the firewoods that we managed to purchase at ThriftShop at Montesano. Montesano is a small town and the last one before you leave Olympic Highway and enter the Wynocchee Valley Road. Montesano is also the last stop on the way to campground where you will find grocery stores and restaurants. There are also numerous local vendors that put the firewood for sale outside their houses on the way to the campground, selling at slightly higher price.

Best Campground ?

We stayed at campground no. 14 and loved everything about it, its accessibility to portable water, restroom and to the lake. Earlier I wanted to book campground 13 since it has the best view of the lake but I am glad it was not available and I ended up booking campground no. 14 instead.

There are numerous campgrounds at Willaby with the lake view but the best ones are 13,14 and 15. Camp no. 13 has less tree obstructions and thus better view of the lake but what I loved about camp no. 14 is that the parking is right next to your picnic bench thus we were saved from the hassle of unloading everything from our car. Rather, we just used our car Boot as a shelf for keeping our kitchen stuff and took out only what was needed for cooking. Some of the campsites between 6 to 11 are pretty good but the parking is on the road and you have to take a flight of steps to reach your tent pad thus a little inconvenient. All the sites from 11 to 15 are close to the portable water and restroom equipped with flushable toilets, toilet paper and handwash dispenser. Also, the boat launching pad is next to camp site 15 therefore the lake access is pretty close to these campsites.

In order to enjoy the view of lake you have to get to the lake access which is near camp 15, all the more reasons to choose from campsite 11 to 15 and also, it is better to carry your own camping chair as the lake shore is entirely covered in a blanket of pebbles and there is no proper place to sit.

What to cook?

It was a one day camping trip thus we took some pre-cooked meal. For dinner , we took boiled spaghetti, sautéed mushrooms and prepared Aglio e Olio at the campsite along with some Caprese sandwich for which we took Mozzarella cheese, sourdough bread and basil. We prepared avocado toast for the breakfast and some quick brewed coffee from Blue Tokai that comes with disposable coffee with filter so as to quickly brew a strong aromatic coffee.

What to pack for camping?

Tent stuff, cooking stuff and Toiletries 🙂 Please click here to see the detailed list of what needs to be packing for the camping trip.

What to do at Willaby Campsite?

Water sports and trekking.

Willaby campground is at the shoreline of lake Quinault which is a glacially carved lake. It is perfect spot to do kayaking, swimming, paddle boating but at your own risk since there are no lifeguards here and also you would need to carry your own kayak/boat.

There are numerous trails that leads to the inside of the rainforest. There are rainforest loop trails, waterfall trails and many more. It is a perfect campsite to explore the flora and fauna of the Olympic National Forest. It is also famous for the site of world’s biggest Sitka Spruce tree. We enjoyed our short hike along the lake Quinault and will be back next year to explore more.

I hope this blog helps you in planning your camping trip to Willaby campground. Happy Exploring :X