WASHINGTON
Lower Falls campground, Skamania
This camp in the Gifford Pinchot national forest is set at 426m above sea level in the primary viewing area for six major waterfalls on the Lewis river. The spectacular Lewis river trail is available for hiking or horseback riding and has a wheelchair-accessible loop. Several other trails in the area branch off along backcountry streams, so there is plenty of variety for hikers. Note that above the falls, the water in the river looks safe, but it is not. In addition, the Lewis trail goes along cliffs, providing beautiful views but potentially dangerous hiking.
• +1 360 449 7800, fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot. Reservations are not accepted, pitches from $15 a night. Open May-November, weather permitting
Mossyrock Park, Mossyrock
Mossyrock Park is on the south-west shore of Riffe Lake. It is an extremely popular campground, and for anglers it provides the best of both worlds: a boat launch on Riffe Lake and on the nearby Swofford pond, both of which offer great fishing options. Swofford pond is south of Mossyrock on Swofford Road, and no motorised boats are permitted. This campground provides access to a 0.5-mile loop nature trail. Bald eagles and osprey nest on the north side of the lake in the 14,000-acre Cowlitz Wildlife Area, making this a great campground for spotting wildlife.
• 249 East State Street, +1 360 983 3900, mytpu.org/tacomapower. Reservations are accepted, pitches from $16 a night. Open all year round, excluding 20 December-1 January
Pacific Beach state park, Pacific Beach
This is the only state park campground in Washington where you can see the ocean from your tent. Set on just 10 acres, within the town of Pacific Beach, it boasts 700m of beachfront. This spot is great for long beach walks, although it can be windy, especially in the spring and early summer. Note that rangers advise against swimming or body-surfing because of strong riptides. This campground is popular and often fills up quickly.
• +1 360 276 4297, parks.wa.gov. Reservations are accepted, with pitches from $12a night. Open all year round
OREGON
Nehalem Falls, Nehalem
This beautiful campground in Tillamook state forest, amid old-growth hemlock and spruce, is a two-minute walk fromlovely Nehalem Falls, making this one of the best west-coast spots for spectacular waterfall views. Note that swimming in the pool below the falls is hazardous and not advised – campers can take a half-mile loop trail that follows the Nehalem river for excellent fishing and swimming options.
• Foss Road, Tillamook, +1 503 842 2545, oregon.gov/odf. Reservations are only available for the group site. Pitches from $10 a night. Open mid-May to mid-September
Honey Bear campground and RV resort, Ophir
This campground offers wooded sites with beautiful ocean views. The owners have built a huge, authentic chalet, which contains a German deli, a recreation area, and a big dancefloor – so campers have plenty of options. On summer nights it holds dances with live music, and an on-site restaurant has wonderful German food. The nearby pond is fully stocked with trout and perfect for fishing.
• 34161 Ophir Road, +1 541 247 2765, honeybearrv.com. Reservations are accepted, and pitches from $18 a night. Open all year round, weather permitting
Laird Lake campground, Medford
This secluded campground is at 487m above sea level, along the shore of pretty Laird Lake (1.8m at its deepest point). Some old-growth cedar logs are in the lake. Most campers have no idea such a place exists in the area, making this scenic spot very private. The spectacular view of the lake, along with the serene surroundings, makes this one of the best waterfront campgrounds in the Pacific Northwest. Note that there is no drinking water, and garbage must be taken out.
• Forest Service Road 5325, +1 541 439 6200, fs.fed.us. Reservations are not accepted, and there is no fee for camping. Open all year round
CALIFORNIA
Salt Point state park, Jenner
This is a gorgeous piece of Sonoma coast, home to Fisk Mill cove, inshore kelp beds, outstanding short hikes, and abalone (sea snails) diving. In fact, this is one of the finest diving areas for red abalone in the state. There is also an underwater reserve for divers, which is a protected area. There are two campgrounds here, Gerstle Cove and the much larger Woodside (open until 2 September 2013). Great hikes include Bluff trail and Stump Beach trail, both with amazing views. The Kruse Rhododendron Reserve is within the park and definitely worth the stroll, with its 317 acres and five miles of hiking trails.
• +1 707 847 3221, parks.ca.gov. Family sites and group camping can be reserved. Pitches from $6
Goldfield, Hayfork
For hikers, this camp makes a perfect first stop after a long drive. Campers can wake up, get their gear organised, and then take the trailhead to the south. The trail is routed along Boulder Creek, and a left turn at the junction leads to Boulder Lake, inside the edge of the Trinity Alps Wilderness, one of the largest wilderness areas in California. Goldfield is the best campground for easy backpacking in California, and travellers will enjoy spectacular scenery along the way.
• Off Coffee Creek Road, Weaverville, +1 530 623 2121, fs.usda.gov. Reservations are not accepted, and there is no fee for camping. Open all year round
Del Norte Coast Redwoods state park, Klamath
The campsites at Del Norte are set in a series of loops in the forest, so while there are a lot of camps, you still feel a sense of privacy here. In addition to redwoods, there are also good stands of alders, along with a rambling stream fed by several creeks, making for a very pretty setting. The best coastal access is at Wilson Beach or False Klamath Cove, where there is a half-mile of sandy beach bordered by excellent tide pools. Hike-in and bike-in campers beware—there is a 300m elevation change over the course of two miles between the US 101 access road and the campground.
• +1 707 465 2146, nps.gov.redw. Summer reservations accepted, see website for rates and opening times
Van Damme state park, Little River
The campsites at Van Damme are extremely popular, usually requiring reservations, but with a bit of planning your reward is a base of operations in a beautiful park with redwoods and a remarkable fern understory. The hike-in sites on Fern Canyon Trail are perfectly situated for those wishing to take one of the most popular hikes in the Mendocino area, with the trail crossing the Little River several times and weaving among old trees. Just across from the entrance to the park is a small but beautiful bay with a pretty beach, ideal for launching sea kayaks. Ten miles of trails extend through the Little River's fern-rich canyon, and a paved road is popular with cyclists and joggers.
• 8001 California 1, Little River, +1 707 937 5804, parks.ca.gov. Reservations are recommended. Sites from $5 a night. Open all year round for family camping
Selected from Moon California Camping and Moon Pacific Northwest Camping by Tom Stienstra, and available to buy at guardian.co.uk/bookshop
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