Community Forums

fiddleddd · 05-14-2015, 04:21 PM

We wanted to stay in Mt. Rainier but they have a limit of 27' on travel trailers, and ours is 30'. Can you recommend a good place outside the park? We were really looking forward to staying inside the park because we have the Senior Pass for the National Parks, so we'd like something not too expensive, yet convenient. Thanks!

twogypsies · 05-14-2015, 07:02 PM

We stayed at Iron Creek campground in Gifford Pinchot National Forest off Hwy 12 west of Packwood. It was a very pleasant place with big sites. Our 40' motorhome fit in it. It's a paved road to get to it.

It was an easy drive into Mt. Rainier taking 123 off Hwy 12.

A big plus is easy paved access to the east side of Mt. St. Helens. There's a beautiful drive to Windy Ridge Viewpoint from the campground .

They will accept the Senior Pass for 1/2 off. Here's a link to it.

Have a great trip!

Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Campground: Iron Creek

fiddleddd · 05-15-2015, 06:43 PM

Thanks SO much! This is exactly the kind of place we're looking for. I wonder if you'd be kind enough to tell me if you think that's a good place to use as a home base the entire time we're there. We'd like to see the park in depth, and I wonder if it would make sense to stay at this campground while seeing the eastern side of the park, then move to another campground to see the western side of the park. Never having been there before, it's hard to get a sense for distance and scale. Thanks again! Sounds like you are professional travelers!

twogypsies · 05-15-2015, 09:23 PM

We really don't know about the west side of the park. Unless you can fit in the park itself, I think you'll have lots of driving. Good luck!

coupevilleDF · 05-15-2015, 10:23 PM

We have stayed at Taidnapam RV Park off highway 12. It is on the lake, a nice park run by Tacoma City Liggt. They take reservations and accommodate your size easily.

fiddleddd · 05-15-2015, 10:25 PM

Thanks!

fiddleddd · 05-17-2015, 06:38 AM

We'll definitely check out this one. We usually like to get the RV set up in one campground and stay put for awhile. But at Mt. Rainier it sounds like it takes so long to get from one part of the park to another. And we're photographers and like to get places early in the morning, so I think we'll try to move the RV this time. This sounds like a perfect location, and I haven't seen it in any of my materials. Thanks so much for posting!

OLYLEN · 05-17-2015, 08:44 AM

East of Packwood is La Wis Wis camp ground and a few more miles is Ohanapecosh CG are near the two east entrances. There are several entrances, three main an east and west with a road beween to Paradise and a east entrance to Sunrise. These three entrances give you access to most of the park although if you enjoy hiking there are several more ways to enter the park, look on line for a free good map to plan by. One of my favorite EZ hikes is off of the Paradise root called Snow lake and be sure and use or go to the outhouse toilet.

LEN