Tamaracks Resort

We arrived for a three-night stay at the first of June so we could attend a wedding up the road in Condon, 25 minutes to the North. We probably would have opted for one of the excellent Forrest Service campgrounds, but we wanted a reservation since Kris was asked to play piano for the ceremony. We also wanted power in case Max the wonder dog needed air conditioning while we were away at the wedding.

Nobody was around to greet us when we arrived at 4:30 pm. The office was locked, but a posted note encouraged us to use the house phone on the porch table to call for help. Alas, the phone was not there. But since we already had our reserved site number, I grabbed a map from a box on the porch and we found our site with no trouble.

Tamaracks Resort consists of a number of cabins, the oldest of which dates back to 1916. There are 10 RV sites on dirt, which I would describe as adequate, but nothing special. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. There is water and 30-amp power. We were in site #2, and there was no breaker on our pedestal, which is a bit unusual. Still, our surge protector indicated that the power was clean, and we certainly had no issues with it.

The cabins appear to be in good repair, although we couldn't see inside. The grounds are well-maintained. The whole place has what I would call a vintage resort vibe. There is an office with a small store (although it was closed while we were here), a boathouse where one can rent kayaks, fishing boats, ski boats, jet skis and a pontoon boat. There is a good-sized dock and great waterfront access. A well-marked trail leads to the town of Seeley Lake, some two miles to the South. We enjoyed a very pleasant walk on Friday morning on trails, old logging roads and a country lane. We spotted a number of white-tailed deer on the way. I would encourage carrying bear spray, as this is wild country.

Things certainly picked up as the weekend arrived. All campsites were occupied as well as most of the cabins. Live music kicked off at the amphitheater, which sounded like some sort of country from our campsite. Lots of folks walking around enjoying the evening.

All in all, it was a pleasant, quiet stay for $60 per night (plus tax). Would we stay here again? Probably not, since we prefer National Forrest campgrounds which are plentiful in the area. But the lake and surrounding scenery is drop-dead gorgeous, the resort has a nice, laid-back feel, and folks were certainly friendly.