U.S. Forest Service · Gifford Pinchot National Forest · Carson, WA

Moss Creek Campground

Located in the southeast corner of the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest and close to Columbia River Gorge, Moss Creek Campground sits alongside the Little White Salmon River. At an elevation of 1,400 feet, the campground is shaded by a thick canopy of hemlock, cedars, firs and maples. Moss Creek is ideal for those wishing to escape the summer heat.

More like this: reservable in Washington · big rigs in Washington · pets allowed in Washington

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Moss Creek CampgroundMoss Creek Campground siteMoss Creek campgroundMoss Creek campground
Photos courtesy of Gifford Pinchot National Forest · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups16
Tent-only1
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 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFires
001StandardBack-in20GravelPartial6 / 1Yes
002StandardPull-through30GravelPartial6 / 1Yes
003StandardBack-in25GravelPartial6 / 1Yes
004StandardBack-in30GravelNone6 / 1Yes
005StandardBack-in20GravelPartial6 / 1Yes
006StandardBack-in20Gravel6 / 1Yes
007Tent onlyBack-in25GravelPartial6 / 1Yes
008Standard30GravelPartialRiverfront6 / 1Yes
009StandardBack-in30GravelPartial6 / 1Yes
010StandardBack-in30GravelPartial6 / 1Yes

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 length40 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesExtra Vehicle Fee $8.00

This small campground has 16 sites that are ideal for tents but useable by smaller RVs and trailers. Drinking water and vault toilets are available. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided, and firewood can be purchased on-site.

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.
ForestGifford Pinchot National Forest
BookingReservations may be made at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
FeesCamping: Reservations start on May 24th, 2024 Single Site: $25. Extra Vehicle: $8
RulesMaximum vehicle length is 32 feet.

Gifford Pinchot National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Moss Creek Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 5.23 inches of precipitation, 6.9 inches of snowFebruary: 3.51 inches of precipitation, 2.5 inches of snowMarch: 3.18 inches of precipitation, 0.7 inches of snowApril: 1.84 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 1.32 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.82 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.24 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.24 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.71 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.64 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowNovember: 4.83 inches of precipitation, 1.5 inches of snowDecember: 5.86 inches of precipitation, 5.5 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 35.6°F averageFebruary: 38.7°F averageMarch: 43.9°F averageApril: 49.6°F averageMay: 57.0°F averageJune: 62.3°F averageJuly: 68.6°F averageAugust: 68.5°F averageSeptember: 61.6°F averageOctober: 50.9°F averageNovember: 41.4°F averageDecember: 35.4°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Hood Rvr Exp Stn, 10 miles from the campground at 500 feet, station USC00354003 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 30 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 17 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From I-5 at Vancouver, WA, turn east on Highway 14 for 56 miles to Cook. Turn north on Cook-Underwood Rd, drive 5 miles then turn left onto Willard Road, drive 2+ miles continue onto Oklahoma Rd, drive under 1 mile Campground is on your right.

Nearest townCarson, Washington
Coordinates45.7978° N, 121.6392° W · Directions ↗

Charges and cancellations

Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay.

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Top Of The World Rx

    12 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Tracy Hill Rx

    13 mi from the campground · 28 acres

  • Wildfire
    High Lava

    24 mi from the campground · 2,899 acres · 95% contained

  • Wildfire
    Grasshopper

    38 mi from the campground · 93,972 acres · 98% contained

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

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗8.2 mi
Outdoor gearOuter Limits Sports ↗32.2 mi
RV sales & serviceLook No Further RV's ↗48.7 mi

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

Explore

Video

(4K UHD) REVIEWING EACH CAMPSITE @ Moss Creek Campground | Little White Salmon River Giffo

Worth a stop

Moss Creek Campground is an excellent base for exploring the various sights around Mount Adams and the Columbia River Gorge.

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 →

Gifford Pinchot National Forest begins about 7 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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.

Natural features

Located in southwest Washington State, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest encompasses 1.3 million acres and includes the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, established by Congress in 1982. Moss Creek is located in the Mount Adams Ranger District in the easternmost portion of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Mount Adams is a prominent landmark on the District, where elevations range between 1,200 and 12,276 feet. The District features a great diversity of habitats, from old growth to second growth forest, wetland areas, low and high elevation meadows, glaciers and low and high elevation lakes.

Recreation

The Little White Salmon River offers rainbow and brook trout for anglers. Visitors can enjoy wading in the cool waters.

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 Moss Creek Campground?

Sites at Moss Creek Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations may be made at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Moss Creek Campground?

Extra Vehicle Fee $8.00

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Moss Creek Campground?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Moss Creek Campground?

Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.

Source: Charges and cancellations

Is Moss Creek Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Moss Creek Campground have?

17 sites, including 16 standard sites without power and 1 tent-only site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Moss Creek Campground?

The longest site here provides 40 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 Moss Creek Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Moss Creek Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Moss Creek Campground?

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. Maximum vehicle length is 32 feet.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Moss Creek Campground?

The Little White Salmon River offers rainbow and brook trout for anglers. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Moss Creek Campground?

Carson, Washington. Moss Creek Campground is an excellent base for exploring the various sights around Mount Adams and the Columbia River Gorge.

Source: Getting there

What if Moss Creek Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Oklahoma Campground (5 mi), Wyeth Campground (9.8 mi), and Trailhead: Crest Camp (10.9 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby