U.S. Forest Service · Gifford Pinchot National Forest · Trout Lake, WA

Lower Falls Campground

Lower Falls Campground is located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Visitors enjoy several waterfalls in the area and access to the Lewis River Trail. The campground is open from mid-May through October.

Closed for the season Reservable · Recreation.gov 44 sites From $20 per night No hookupsPets okFires ok

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗

Photos courtesy of Gifford Pinchot National Forest · Recreation.gov

3fires
active

High Lava · 22 mi away · 2,899 acres

2 more within 50 miles

Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups		41
Host/management		3

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

41 sites in 3 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

Site	Loop	Entry	Fits, ft	Surface	Shade	People / vehicles	Fires
03	Lower Loop	Back-in	56	Paved	Full	8 / 1	Yes
04	Lower Loop	Back-in	43	Paved	Full	8 / 1	Yes
05	Lower Loop	Back-in	47	Paved	Full	8 / 1	Yes
06	Lower Loop	Back-in	50	Paved	Full	8 / 1	Yes
07	Lower Loop	Back-in	50	Paved	Full	8 / 1	Yes
09	Lower Loop	Back-in	35	Paved	Full	8 / 1	Yes
10	Lower Loop	Back-in	42	Paved	Full	8 / 1	Yes
11	Lower Loop	Back-in	38	Paved	Full	8 / 1	Yes
12	Lower Loop	Back-in	57	Paved	Full	8 / 1	Yes
13	Lower Loop	Back-in	45	Paved	Full	8 / 1	Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

Hookups	None
Equipment	RVs & trailers, Tents
Pets	Allowed
Campfires	Allowed, subject to restrictions
Fees	If a customer does not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time (1 p.m.) the day after arrival he or she will be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night use fee and will release the campsite for others to use.

Lower Falls Campground offers 43 standard sites that accommodate both tents and RVs (36 feet), but no hookups are available. Picnic tables and campfire rings with grills are provided, as are composting toilets and drinking water.

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

Season & status

Status	Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
Forest	Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Booking	Camping is by reservation only during the summer months. Reservations may be made at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
Fees	Single site: $20/night. Double sites: $40/night, $5/extra vehicle (Site # 08 and #28). Premium Site: $35/night (Site #21)
Rules	Maximum vehicle length is 36 feet.

Gifford Pinchot National Forest recreation page ↗

Getting there

From Portland or Seattle take I-5 to exit 21 for WA-503 E toward Woodland/Cougar. WA-503 will turn into FR 90, turn right at the Pine Creek Visitor Center. Lower Falls Campground will be on your right hand side after you pass mile marker 28 on FR 90.

Nearest town	Trout Lake, Washington
Coordinates	46.1566° N, 121.8785° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

Wildfire
High Lava
22 mi from the campground · 2,899 acres · 95% contained
Prescribed
Tracy Hill Rx
37 mi from the campground · 28 acres
Prescribed
Top Of The World Rx
37 mi from the campground

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

Supplies & services

Dump station	Dump station ↗	19.9 mi
Outdoor gear	RMI Expeditions - Mountaineering Guide Service ↗	42.4 mi
RV sales & service	Camping World ↗	44.8 mi

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

Explore

Video

Camping! Lower Lewis Falls is More Beautiful Than We Expected

Worth a stop

There are falls viewing opportunities at Lower Lewis River Falls, Curly Creek Falls, Big Creek Falls, and Middle Falls, all within 15 minutes of the campground. Hiking trails within 10 miles include trail #31 Lewis River, Trail #5 Quartz Creek, and trail #80 Wright Meadows.

8.6 mi
Smith Creek Trailhead (Road 8322) ↗Trailhead
10.6 mi
Trailhead: Thomas Lake ↗Trailhead
12.5 mi
Site: Wakepish Picnic Area ↗Day use
13.3 mi
Smith Creek Picnic/Viewpoint ↗Day use

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

under 0.1 mi
Upper Campground Loop
0.2 mi trail
0.1 mi
Lower Campground Loop
0.07 mi trail
0.1 mi
Lower Falls Viewpoint ↗
0.1 mi trail
0.1 mi
Horse Bypass Lower Falls Cg
0.3 mi trail
0.7 mi
Wright Meadow ↗
8.7 mi trail
0.8 mi
Middle Falls
0.5 mi trail

Trailheads within three miles

0.7 mi
Trailhead: Wright Meadows ↗
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
0.8 mi
Trailhead: Middle Falls ↗
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
1.2 mi
Trailhead: Crab Creek ↗
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
2.3 mi
Trailhead: Upper Falls/Quartz Creek ↗
Gifford Pinchot National Forest

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 Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

in
Gifford Pinchot National Forest ↗
National Forest · Forest Service · 1,496,308 acres
8.1 mi
Indian Heaven Wilderness ↗
Wilderness · Forest Service · 20,784 acres
11.9 mi
Mount Adams Wilderness ↗
Wilderness · Forest Service · 47,123 acres

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.

Other campgrounds nearby

FS · WA

Lewis River Hc Gifford Pinchot NF

Cultus Creek CG Gifford Pinchot NF

First-come9.6 mi

FS · WA

Campground: Twin Falls

First-come10.9 mi

Cabin and lookout rentals nearby

FS · WA

Peterson Prairie Cabin

Cabin rental16.62601570292386 mi

FS · WA

Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta

Cabin rental19.811324260306243 mi

Natural features

The campground is just off the Lewis River at an elevation of 1,300 feet. The campground road is paved and shaded by large evergreen trees. There are trails down to the Lewis River and falls area.

Recreation

Near the campground are several trailheads that provide visitors with a variety of recreational opportunities. There are hiking trails, mountain bike trails, horse trails, and motorcycle trails within 10 miles of the campground. The Lewis River contains rainbow, cutthroat, and bull trout as well as whitefish. The area is catch and release only.

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 Lower Falls Campground?

Sites at Lower Falls Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Camping is by reservation only during the summer months. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Lower Falls Campground?

If a customer does not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time (1 p.m.) the day after arrival he or she will be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night use fee and will release the campsite for others to use.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Lower Falls Campground?

Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Lower Falls Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Lower Falls Campground have?

44 sites, including 41 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Lower Falls Campground?

Lower Falls Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Lower Falls Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Lower Falls Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Lower Falls Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 3 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Maximum vehicle length is 36 feet.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Lower Falls Campground?

Near the campground are several trailheads that provide visitors with a variety of recreational opportunities. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Lower Falls Campground?

Trout Lake, Washington. There are falls viewing opportunities at Lower Lewis River Falls, Curly Creek Falls, Big Creek Falls, and Middle Falls, all within 15 minutes of the campground.

Source: Getting there

What if Lower Falls Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Lewis River Hc Gifford Pinchot NF (2.4 mi, first-come), Tillicum Campground (5.3 mi, first-come), and Cultus Creek CG Gifford Pinchot NF (9.6 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby