Washington state is home to many amazing campgrounds. One of our favorites is Panther Creek Campground in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. If you are looking for wooded campsites with tons of shade, this is the one for you.
The Campground
It’s a beautiful, forested campground with 33 campsites available including 6 double sites and 1 handicap accessible. There are vault toilets and potable water available, but none of the individual campsites have hookups so anyone with an RV should be ready to dry camp.
Panther Creek is a small creek that runs along one side of the campground. Several of the campsites are adjacent to the creek offering easy access to cool off on hot days.
Details
Address: NF-65, 12 miles north of Carson, WA
Seasons/Dates: Mid-May through Late September
Cost: $25-$45 depending on site type.
Reservation Site: Recreation.gov
- Back-in
- Firewood ($)
- Pets Allowed
- Vault Toilets
- Potable Water
- Creek Access
- Hiking
Things To Do
From your campsite you can walk to panther creek, a small creek that runs along the edge of the campground. It’s a great place to cool off on hot days or just relax and read a good book with the sound of rushing water in the background.
The Pacific Crest Trail runs through the campground which makes it easy to go on a hike right from your campsite. It also means you might run into someone thru-hiking the PCT. If you do, offer them a bite to eat, a beer, or just some conversation. We’ve met several hikers while camping at Panther Creek and it’s always been fun hearing their stories.
Nearby
The campground is located in Gifford Pinchot National Forest which means there are plenty of other recreation options nearby. A short 4 mile drive up the same forest road that the campground is on will take you to Panther Creek Falls. An easy 0.3 mile hike will take you to an observation deck where you can view the beautiful waterfall.
Carson
Just 15 minutes away is the town of Carson, Washington. Our favorite spot in Carson is Backwoods Brewing. They have great beer, plenty of seating indoors and outdoors, and delicious food. If you visit on a weekend they have a smoke house menu with pulled pork, brisket, and sausage they smoke themselves. I can confirm both the pulled pork and brisket sandwiches are delicious. You can also buy the meat by the pound to take back to your campsite.
Hiking
Being in Gifford Pinchot National Forest means there are plenty of amazing hikes nearby. One that we really enjoyed is a 3.2 mile out-and-back hike to Falls Creek Falls. The hike ends at an overlook of a tiered waterfall. It’s a great place to stop for lunch or a snack before hiking back to the trailhead.
No matter what distance or difficulty you are looking for, there are plenty of hikes to choose from in Gifford Pinchot. I do recommend that you read recent reviews of any trail you plan on hiking. The elevation varies throughout the forest and some of the trailheads will still be inaccessible due to snow well into the summer months. Also be sure you are packing the 10 essentials before you head out on a hike. It’s always important, but especially somewhere like Gifford Pinchot where there is no cell service and help can be farther away in an emergency.
Tips
- Sites next to the creek are the most popular.
- There is no cell coverage from any carrier in this campground.
- Starlink most likely won’t work in any of the campsites here because of how heavy the tree cover is.
- Some sites do allow RVs, but beware there are some tight turns and low branches on the campground road. Also most of the campsite driveways are short and not very level. It’s much better suited for small campers or vans than towables.
- Firewood can be bought from the camp host near the campground entrance. You can also buy firewood at a gas station in Carson just 15 minutes away.
- Also in Carson you’ll find a Dollar General for any basic supplies you might need.
Our Rating
When we were tent campers this was by far our most visited campground. It’s perfect for feeling like you’re deep in the forest while still being close to food and supplies if you need them. The sites are very private with lots of greenery between each one which makes it one of the quietest places we’ve camped.
If you enjoy the outdoors and hiking, and don’t mind (or prefer) being disconnected while camping, you’re going to love Panther Creek Campground. Overall this is a fantastic campground that we would highly recommend to anyone who wants to explore Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
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