Battle Ground Lake State Park

We just needed a place for the night on our way home to SW Oregon and this was fine. It is about 8 miles off I-5, and is just past the town of Battle Ground. It was a hot Sunday pm when we pulled in, the day use area was super busy (maybe 100 cars), with the attendant noise of happy people swimming and playing music, kids on bikes everywhere! The little lake (28 acres) is great for SUP, swimming, kayak, etc. The sites are uphill from the lake, are fairly large, all shaded by large trees (mostly conifers) and some understory. Most sites looked pretty level, except ours, but we used chocks and it was fine. A ding for our site is that the site just past ours was angled so their "yard" was right next to our camper, but no one showed up so it was okay. Our site had water and electricity so we turned on the AC and waited for it to cool off a bit, then went on a short hike on one of the trails. If we camp here again I will choose a site further from the lake, which would be quieter. There were some fairly large trailers there, maybe 25-28 feet, but the road is narrow and curvy and could be tricky, especially if arriving after dark. The bathroom/shower house (3 toilets 1 shower) is old but clean, with hot water. The shower usually requires tokens but the dispenser wasn't working so showers were free. Dump station is free for campers.

We stayed for one night in this park in our 35’ motor home towing a Jeep. We lucked out without a reservation and got the last site with electric and water hookups coming in on a Thursday afternoon mid July. The friendly camp host said they have been Full or nearly full every day this summer.

It’s a really pretty heavily shaded campground with tall trees and ferns everywhere. Trails go throughout the park with a nice one that goes around the small lake. Lots of day use folks on a weekday but it didn’t feel crowded.

The loop road through the campground is pretty narrow and curvy. While it was fine for us some with larger RVs may find it challenging. Our spot (19) was a very long back in asphalt pad which was awesome and private. It was considered a ‘premium’ spot which was $5. Ore than non premium RV sites. It’s under 10 min to Battle Ground with a good selection of restaurants, grocery stores, etc.

Nice quiet little campground. Close to quaint town of Battle Ground which has a laid back vibe. Shout out to Barrel Mountain Brewing Co in town, small selection to brews but recommend the lager and hefe! Back to the campground (sorry, SQUIRREL!): Two bad notes, very few hook up sites (maybe 6-7? Some are full timers hogging them) and one portion of the loop is more challenging to navigate for a novice camper pulling anything over 25’. We’ve got a 28’ and regularly pull a 40’ gooseneck cargo trailer so I’d chalk us up as intermediate level or higher. Most sites (Concrete pad) are not level and may prove difficult. Loop road a little worse for wear (potholes/chewed asphalt near site 20). Overall enjoyed our stay but would opt to stay elsewhere, particularly during peak season (stayed over New Years 2019/2020). Would not recommend trailers longer than 30’ or overall length of truck/trailer over 50’.

We arrived on a Wednesday, figuring we would have the campground to ourselves, since it was mid-March and still pretty chilly at night. But apparently in the winter there are a lot of long-term campers, so only one site with water and electric was available (#18). Only a couple of the sites without utilities were taken.

The sites RV sites are paved and fairly level, but some have trees very close to the pad which might make backing in or pulling out a challenge (even in the pull-through sites) - which is why I downgraded to 4 stars on site quality. Once we were in and settled, the campground was quite nice with lots of trees, nice areas to sit outside and enjoy the outdoors. There are not many sites with a view of the lake, but still a very comfortable campground. We enjoyed walking the many trails around lake and park area and the campground was quiet at night. The campground host was friendly and helpful.

I really like this campground. The cost is a bit high, it’s around $25 off season and upwards of $40 for electric and water hookups. They have some nice cabins as well, that we stayed with friends this summer. The lake is small, but great. Nice swimming area and lots of fishing. Never really over crowded. During the off season its quiet and peaceful. Also be sure to hike around the lake, it’s about a 1 mile hike and pretty easy.

Here is a great campground few people outside the Vancouver/Portland area know about: Battle Ground State Park. The Park centers around a lake that was formed from a small volcanic crater. You can walk around the entire lake, bring horses for the trails, or even rent a cabin with a lake view. The campsites are also excellent, especially the walk-in sites at the back side of the lake. Think of it as a vacation to Crater Lake National Park without all the hype. For more info, click on http://campeverycountywa.com/clark-county.html