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

Esswine Group Camp

Esswine Group Campground is located on the banks of the tranquil Stillaguamish River in The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The camp is close to several wilderness areas and offers visitors opportunities to experience both the serene and wild aspects of the Cascade region.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov1 site75 ft maxPets okFires okTents only

More like this: reservable in Washington · big rigs in Washington · tent only in Washington · pets allowed in Washington · group sites in Washington

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
View of the Stillaguamish River from the Esswine Group Campground on a beautifully cloudy day.Esswine Group CampEsswine Group CampEsswine Group Camp
Photos courtesy of ExplorUS · Recreation.gov
4fires
active
Little Giant · 39 mi away · 172,912 acres
3 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Group sites1
This site is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFiresRating
001GravelFull25 / 5YesStandard

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

Max vehicle length75 ft
EquipmentTents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Esswine offers one large group campsite, making it a perfect setting for families or groups wanting privacy. The site can accommodate about 25 campers, and is ideal for a mix of tent and RV camping. The site is equipped with tables, tent pads and campfire rings with grills. Vault toilets are also available.

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

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestMt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
FeesView Recreation.gov for Fee Information and for open season dates.

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Esswine Group Camp30°40°50°60°70°January: 12.75 inches of precipitationFebruary: 8.58 inches of precipitationMarch: 9.31 inches of precipitationApril: 5.58 inches of precipitationMay: 3.70 inches of precipitationJune: 2.86 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.32 inches of precipitationAugust: 1.71 inches of precipitationSeptember: 3.39 inches of precipitationOctober: 8.49 inches of precipitationNovember: 13.24 inches of precipitationDecember: 12.13 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 35.3°F averageFebruary: 37.7°F averageMarch: 42.3°F averageApril: 48.4°F averageMay: 55.6°F averageJune: 60.3°F averageJuly: 65.7°F averageAugust: 66.3°F averageSeptember: 59.6°F averageOctober: 49.0°F averageNovember: 40.2°F averageDecember: 34.9°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Darrington RS, 14 miles from the campground at 550 feet, station USC00451992 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 83 inches a year.

Getting there

From Seattle, Washington, go north on I-5 to Everett. Take exit 194 onto Highway 2, then at Highway 204 go north toward Lake Stevens. Turn north on Highway 9, then east on Highway 92 to Granite Falls. The campground is approximately 16 miles east of Granite Falls on Highway 7 Scenic Byway.

Coordinates48.0733° N, 121.6968° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Little Giant

    39 mi from the campground · 172,912 acres · 95% contained

  • Wildfire
    Sisi

    44 mi from the campground · 4,615 acres · 34% contained

  • Wildfire
    King

    46 mi from the campground · 3,427 acres · 36% contained

  • Wildfire
    Three Queens

    50 mi from the campground · 9,575 acres · 33% contained

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

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearRerouted ↗14.9 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗19.5 mi
RV sales & serviceOpen Road RV ↗20.4 mi

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

Explore

Worth a stop

Visitors enjoy the North Cascades and Mt. Rainer National Parks, where interpretive programs and exhibits offer education about the diverse landscape and history of the area. The spectacular Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), one of the world's premier National Scenic Trails, showcases some of North America's most fantastic scenery, winding its way its way from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington, and is accessible near the campground.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.3 mi
    Schweitzer ↗
    10.5 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
  • 1.9 mi
    Gold Basin Mill Pond ↗
    0.3 mi trail · hiking
  • 2.1 mi
    Pinnacle Lake
    3.3 mi trail · hiking
  • 2.3 mi
    Lake 22
    3.9 mi trail · hiking
  • 2.5 mi
    Youth - on - Age
    0.3 mi trail · hiking
  • 2.8 mi
    Boardman Lake/ Boardman Camp
    1.1 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 Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

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

Old-growth forests of cedar, fir and hemlock line the wide, gently-flowing Stillaguamish River and tower over trails winding through moss-covered rocks. On a clear day visitors can spot Mt. Baker, the most prominent feature of the Mt. Baker Wilderness Area. Rising 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. The surrounding undeveloped wilderness, clean streams and diverse forests support an abundance of wildlife. In addition to being home for a multitude of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, the area sustains more rare species such as lynx, moose, wolves and wolverine. Grizzly bear sightings have been confirmed in the Cascade region, though black bear sightings are more common.

Recreation

In addition to being a prime location for hiking, fishing, picnicking and horseback riding in summer and early fall, Esswine offers excellent skiing and snowshoeing in the winter months. Anglers will enjoy fishing from the gently-flowing Stillaguamish River, which is known for its salmon run. Chinook, coho, chum, pink and sockeye salmon, steelhead trout, sea-run cutthroat and bull trout use the river and its tributaries for spawning.

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 Esswine Group Camp?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Esswine Group Camp?

View Recreation.gov for Fee Information and for open season dates.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Esswine Group Camp?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Esswine Group Camp open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Esswine Group Camp have?

1 site, including 1 group site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Esswine Group Camp?

The longest site here provides 75 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 Esswine Group Camp?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Esswine Group Camp?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 4 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Esswine Group Camp?

In addition to being a prime location for hiking, fishing, picnicking and horseback riding in summer and early fall, Esswine offers excellent skiing and snowshoeing in the winter months. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Esswine Group Camp is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Wiley Creek Group Camp (0.8 mi), Boardman Group Camp (1 mi), and Gold Basin Campground (1.9 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby