U.S. Forest Service · Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest · Washington

Excelsior Group Camp

Located near the rushing Nooksack River in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Excelsior Group Camp offers access to numerous recreational activities popular in the north Cascades Mountains in Washington state.

Reservable · Recreation.gov2 sites30 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in Washington · pets allowed in Washington · group sites in Washington

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Excelsior Group CampExcelsior Group CampExcelsior Group CampExcelsior Group Camp
Photos via Recreation.gov
2fires
active
Luna · 28 mi away · 8,553 acres
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Group sites2
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

2 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
A30GravelFull25 / 5Yes
B30GravelFull25 / 20Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length30 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

There are two large group sites in the campground. Site A will sleep 50 people and has a group fire ring along with picnic tables ant fire pits at the tent sites. Site B accommodates 50 people and has picnic tables and fire pits. Vault toilets are also provided.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Excelsior Group Camp30°40°50°60°70°January: 15.31 inches of precipitation, 13.1 inches of snowFebruary: 8.80 inches of precipitation, 10.6 inches of snowMarch: 10.42 inches of precipitation, 3.4 inches of snowApril: 6.70 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowMay: 4.52 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 3.32 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 1.78 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.92 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 4.83 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 10.52 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 15.97 inches of precipitation, 2.2 inches of snowDecember: 14.15 inches of precipitation, 12.9 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 33.4°F averageFebruary: 35.8°F averageMarch: 39.9°F averageApril: 45.8°F averageMay: 52.8°F averageJune: 57.2°F averageJuly: 62.6°F averageAugust: 63.3°F averageSeptember: 57.9°F averageOctober: 48.2°F averageNovember: 39.0°F averageDecember: 33.6°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Upper Baker Dam, 19 miles from the campground at 690 feet, station USC00458715 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 98 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 42 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Seattle, Washington, go north on I-5 to Bellingham. Take exit 255 onto Sunset Drive/Mt. Baker Highway SR 542. Turn right (east) on SR 542 and continue past the town of Glacier near mile 33. Continue past Glacier approximately 7 miles to the campground. The sign for the campground is located on the left (north) side of the highway.

Coordinates48.9088° N, 121.8220° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Luna

    28 mi from the campground · 8,553 acres · 42% contained

  • Wildfire
    Border 2

    37 mi from the campground · 9,108 acres · 74% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗11.9 mi
Outdoor gearMt. Waddington's Outdoors ↗15 mi
RV sales & serviceCottonwood RV Sales and Service ↗18 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

Visitors enjoy hiking, picnicking and photography in the Heather Meadows area located along the upper reaches of the Mt. Baker Scenic Byway, SR 542. Many popular hikes and climbing routes are located in the surrounding Mt. Baker Wilderness and backpackers enjoy visiting the northern reaches of North Cascades National Park.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.9 mi
    High Divide ↗
    13 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.7 mi
    Church Mountain
    4.2 mi trail · hiking
  • 2 mi
    Boyd Interpretive
    0.5 mi trail · hiking
  • 2.2 mi
    Damfino Lakes
    3 mi trail · hiking, horse, motorcycle, e-bike and 1 more
  • 2.2 mi
    Excelsior Peak
    0.5 mi trail · hiking
  • 2.4 mi
    Upper Horseshoe Kayak Launch
    0.2 mi trail · hiking

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Mount Baker Wilderness.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest showcases rugged peaks, sparkling alpine lakes and old-growth forests. Mt. Baker, the most prominent feature of the nearby Mt. Baker Wilderness, rises to an elevation of 10,781 feet. This active volcano is perpetually snow-capped and mantled with an extensive network of creeping glaciers. Mt. Baker's summit, Grant Peak, is actually a 1,300-foot-deep mound of ice, which hides a massive volcanic crater. Fed by the high snowfields and glaciers of Mt. Baker, Mt.Shuksan and the Twin Sisters range, the Nooksack River system provides habitat for many species. Wildlife in the area includes five native salmon species, elk, bald eagles and black tailed deer. Migratory birds and black bears find ample habitat in the surrounding ecosystems.

Recreation

The area surrounding the campground is prime location for hiking, fishing and picnicking in summer and early fall. Hikers and backpackers are especially fortunate to have access to a variety of trails near the campground and in the surrounding areas. Horseshoe Bend Trail is an easy forest hike along the Mt. Baker Scenic Byway, highlighting old-growth forests, gushing whitewater rapids and forest wildflowers. The trail follows the North Fork of the Nooksack River upstream to a stunning view of East Church Mountain. The trailhead can be accessed from the nearby Douglas Fir campground. Another popular hike in the Mt. Baker Ranger District is the Skyline Divide Trail. This trail climbs steadily for two miles through forest into lush, open, flower-filled meadows with stellar views of glacier-draped Mt. Baker. The trail then wanders along Skyline Divide for another 1.5 miles, offering views of rivers, forests and countless peaks.

Guidebooks for Washington

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Washington
    Ellie Kozlowski, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Washington camping
    Tom Stienstra, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Waterfalls in Washington
    Sawyer Scheer, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Excelsior Group Camp?

Sites at Excelsior Group Camp are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Excelsior Group Camp?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Excelsior Group Camp have?

2 sites, including 2 group sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Excelsior Group Camp?

The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Excelsior Group Camp?

Yes, pets are allowed at Excelsior Group Camp. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Excelsior Group Camp?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 2 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Excelsior Group Camp?

The area surrounding the campground is prime location for hiking, fishing and picnicking in summer and early fall. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Excelsior Group Camp is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Douglas Fir Campground (4.1 mi), Silver Fir Campground (5.7 mi), and Park Creek Campground (13.9 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby