Our next destination was Mount Rainier National Park with a one night stopover at a national forest campground along the Naches River. A few weeks earlier we had received an email from Recreation.gov notifying us that our reservation was cancelled with a full refund due to the campground being closed. We knew there was a wildfire (Schneider Springs) in the area and assumed it was somehow related to that. So in the meantime we thought we would stay somewhere in central Washington to avoid potential wildfire smoke. We opted for our old stand by at Wanapum Recreation Area.
On our way to Wanapum we stopped, as usual, at the Wild Horses Monument Viewpoint,which is just off I-90 along the Columbia River before you reach Vantage (as you approach from the east). It provides magnificent views of the Columbia River and the surrounding area AND has statues of wild horses up on the hills.
Campground: Wanapum
Location: Vantage, Washington
Site: 19 (pull thru)
Cost: $58
Services: FHU
Comments: A lovely state park along the Columbia River with easy access and great views. There are a few short hiking trails around the campground and the day use area and along the beach.
We usually like to try new places but this is a nice, reliable campground with great views so we just could not resist.
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