Ike Kinswa State Park

Improvements have been to this park since past reviews: 1. Showers no longer require tokens; 2. Additional full hook-up sites are being constructed & will open spring 2024. There have also been many improvements to the large day use area with many picnic tables, cookout areas & even a nice fishing peer.

Park is well-maintained & the staff was very friendly. Staff was frequently driving through park, cleaning, maintaining, & keeping an eye on things. There is a small day use area within the camping areas but it did not really have a beach- wide open grass with an area to set up a kayak/paddle board or to sit in a chair. The downside of this park is that it was a 35 minute walk one way to get to the nice, larger day use area- much too far to carry a kayak or SUP. We were not towing a car so that created a problem. It would be possible to kayak from the camping day use area to the nice, larger one & then kayak back to the campground- that would probably be a one-half day activity.

This place is beautiful! Nice sized wooded sites except for the sites with direct water access which are a bit tight.

Beautiful trails that are also dog friendly.

Only reason it doesn’t get 5 stars is due to some road noise which really takes away from the tranquility of this otherwise beautiful campground.

It’s also a bit pricy at $40 but for that price I did get water/30amp plus a nicer dump station. I did not use the restrooms/showers.

Decent Verizon signal - 2 bars with 2mb/0.5mb speeds.

Campers have been extremely quiet and respectful during my stay.

2:30 check in, 1pm check out.

We loved our time at Ike Kinswa State park, we had a great site that was prefect for privacy and had a nice fire ring area. The dense forrest surrounding the state park was great to feel very secluded with some cool trails to explore around the park. It did get windy on the trials at times, but we did get to see a great sunset while we were there. We went during the early spring in 2021 and the dry camping area was closed ,but those sites looked pretty good if you don't need power or water. We will be coming back to check those sites out. Also we did film a couple videos here for our Youtube channel including a partial site by site campground review (sites 1-40 were closed while we were there). - Unique Adventurez

Ike Kinswa State Park was my favorite Washington State park. The view from Cabin 1 is unsurpassed. On my second night an animal sprayed urine all over the front door of the cabin and all the gear I had outside of the cabin. That smell does not come out so I had throw away most of it. As this happened at a previous stay at Ike Kinswa, this time I asked a park employee and they confirmed that there is/are abandoned cats marking their territory. Be aware.

This campground is set amid a dense forest of tall douglas fir trees. Many sites have direct access to Mayfield Lake. We loved our week staying in site A24 which is a giant site with a slight view of the lake through the trees. We had our own path down the water which meant we paddled and swam nearly every day. The sites are both generous in size and well-spaced, so even though the campground was full it never felt overly crowded.

Check-in was easy, the campground clean and well-maintained, and there are several ways to access the water if you have an interior site. The only slight negative is that the showers are not only coin-op but they require a token which you must go up to the check-in booth to purchase. I guess it's a good way to discourage people from over-using the showers!

I would have liked to have had full, hookups, but this campground is a hidden gem. With lake/river access, a swimming hole, decent bathrooms and generous campsites, there isn’t much to complain about. Near enough to civilization and a heavily traveled highway, cell service was acceptable and greatly appreciated. Located on WA-122, a loop road that connects on the east and west side of Mayfield lake to Hwy 12, this location felt totally out of the way, but you were not really far from some kind of civilization.

Our space was back-in, but the angle to the park road, along with the lack of trees or obstructions next to the entry made backing in a snap. The site itself was plenty generous and had lots of extra space for a tent, plus a decent picnic table and fire ring. Restrooms for the loop were very nearby and appeared cared for. Although camp sites were fairly close together they felt mostly private and secluded. It would be fun to go back again.

My wife and I stayed for three days in our 21ft travel trailer and had a great time. While the cold of the last weekend in October was definitely evident, the changing colors of the trees and quiet surrounding of the lake led to a very peasant stay. It is also conveniently located along the White Pass Scenic Byway which is a must-drive at the beginning of fall.

We postponed a day due to a winter storm. Arrived the next day to find the campground completely cleaned up by park staff, including the volunteer hosts. Bathrooms were very new/clean in the "B" loop. Great walking paths, nice grassy areas by the lake in several spots. We had 30/50 amp power in space B49. Restrooms/showers were a three minute walk. There are lake front spots in the other loop which appeared to be excellent. If you have car we recommend you go east to Packwood, north on BEAUTIFUL Highway 52 (closed in winter, and many pot holes) to the Copper Creek Inn in Ashford for a great lunch and blackberry pie ala mode! Big Rock is on Highway 52 if you are a hiker. Quick way back is through Elbe, then south on Highway 7. There are several private campgrounds off Highway 12 that looked decent. Our AT&T hotspot had excellent service at Ike Kinswa State Park, T-Mobile phones two bars.

This is our third time at this location. First time was in Feb, which was surprisingly busy. Second time in early May - sold out campground and lots of groups and loud late night parties, complete with amplifiers for the already loud music. Third time was over the 4th of July holiday. Total madhouse. Loud music, hostile/drunk campers, off leash aggressive dogs. We escaped the madness in our little raft which made for a good time. Tons of speedboats on the water as well. I'd come again, but never over a holiday!