Camping in the Western United States
Cape Lookout State Park, located one and a half hours west of Portland Oregon, offers its visitors the opportunity to enjoy hiking tails, forests, whale watching, wildlife watching and waterfalls. This park is also popular with hang gliders and paragliders. Cape Lookout State Park offers campers 38 full hookup sites, 1 electric only site, 173 tent sites, 13 yurts and 4 group tent areas. There is also hiker and biker camps and 3 deluxe cabins. Campers will also have access to a dump station and restrooms. Camping rates vary depending on whether it is summer or winter. Summer is considered May 1 through September 30 while winter is October 1 to April 30. Full hookup sites are $20 a night during the summer and $16 a night during the winter. The site with electricity only is the same price as full hookups. Tent sites are $16 per night during the summer and $12 per night during the winter. Hiker and biker camping sites are $4 per night, both summer and winter. Yurts rent for $27 per night, both summer and winter and cabin rental is $66 per night in the summer and $45 per night during the winter.
Cape Lookout State Park is found by taking US 101 in Tillamook, Oregon. Stay on US101 through Capes Scenic Route and travel southwest 12 miles. For more information, go to www.oregonstateparks.org.
Cimarron Canyon State Park, which is part of the Colin Neblett Wildlife Area, is located three miles east of Eagle Nest, New Mexico. This state park is a great place to enjoy time camping in the northern part of New Mexico. Beautiful palisade cliffs and clear running streams brimming with trout are backdrops for 88 camping sites. There is a 21-day camping limit. The campsite fees range in cost from $8 for a primitive campsite to $18 for full hookups. Activities here include trout fishing, wildlife viewing with the possibility of seeing elk, deer, turkey, grouse, and other wildlife native to this area. Visitors to Cimarron Canyon State Park also enjoy Day hikes and cross-country skiing. To get to this New Mexico State Park, take US164 and travel 36 miles east of Taos, New Mexico. For more information, go to www.nmparks.com or www.emnd.state.nm.us.
D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay State Parks, located on Lake Tahoe, California. Camping is available at D.L. Bliss, May 24 to September 30 and at Emerald Bay June 14 to September 1. There are 268 family campsites, but all are primitive with no hookups.
Campers here in the high Sierras, will have the opportunity to enjoy the summer temperatures of 75-degree days and 40-degree nights. Activities include trout fishing, hiking, swimming and wildlife viewing. There is a maximum camper length of 18′ and a maximum trailer length of 15′. There are also 20 primitive campsites accessible only by boat. Dogs are welcome here as long as they are on leashes, kept off the trails and beaches and kept inside at night. To get to these California state parks, go to South Lake Tahoe, and then travel northwest for 7 miles on State 89. For more information, go to www.parks.ca.gov.
Salt Point State Park, also located in California, is another great location to go camping. This California state park is open from sunrise to sunset and offers campers panoramic views of over 16000 acres on the Sonoma County coast, including 6 miles of coastline. Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy an underwater park, picnicking areas, horseback riding trails, fishing, diving, hiking and mountain biking. For $25 per night, campers will have drinking water, a fire ring, a picnic table and a food locker. Dogs on leashes are welcome and there are restrooms, but no showers. To get to this state park, travel 18 miles north of Jenner, California on State 1. Salt Point State Park is open year round and can be wet during the winter months. For more information, go to www.parks.ca.gov.
Flathead Lake State Park, located in northwest Montana, is a great place to go camping in this area. Camping sites here are open from May to October even though the park is open year round for day use. Campers and visitors have the opportunity to enjoy fishing, boating with a boat ramp on the park grounds, water sports during the warmer months and ice fishing or ice skating during the cooler months. This Montana state park is vast and beautiful, providing scenic vacation areas. To get to this state park, you will leave Kalispell, Montana on US93 and travel south for 8 miles. For more information, go to www.fwp.state.mt.us.
