Bremerton & Port Angeles area camping

Bruce Wayne · Samba Member Joined: May 15, 2007 Posts: 1210

we will be leaving on Sunday the 17th for our annual road trip. plan to be in Bremerton area on the 18th,and Port Angeles on the 19th to hop the ferry over to Victoria on the morning of the 20th. any good campgrounds in the Bremerton and Port Angles areas? never been to Bremerton,and last time in Port Anglese was in a hotel.

then hop the ferry (is it really $80 for two people and the Van?) for a couple of nights in Victoria (friend is working on getting us a condo for cheap right downtown) then plan to wander around Vancouver Island for a couple of weeks. been a few years since we have been there. thanks

climberjohn · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:33 am Post subject:

Bruce,

I have not stayed there, but this county park place near Dungeness looks pretty nice:

http://www.clallam.net/CountyParks/html/parks_dungeness.htm

I would LOVE to see a Samba trip report, or let me pick your expertise over a beer or two, when you are back in Portland. I plan a similar trip in mid August and I would love to hear about your adventures.

Cheers,
CJ
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windnsea · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:43 am Post subject:

I'd bypass a night in Bremerton and go up past Port Angeles to Sol Duc Hot Springs in the Olympic National Park. A great camground and within walking distance to the hot springs! About 1 1/2 hours past Port Angeles IIRC.

Enjoy! I'm jealous already!

buildyourown · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:04 pm Post subject:

Elwha campground is a private place just west of town. It's one of the nicest private grounds I've ever been in. All grass, nice amenities, and cheap.
If you want to drive a bit further, Salt Creek has awesome views and is generally nice. The raccoons, however, are smarter than most people I know so keep your food in your van.

mattcfish

BlackDogVan · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:48 pm Post subject:

When you get here (Vancouver Island) I highly recommend the fully paved newish marine circle route section from Port Renfrew to Lake Cowichian.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Such a great drive through some stunning (if well logged) areas. The campground on the spit after Port Renfrew is a beauty too, (1st left after the 1st one lane bridge on the lake cowichan road just outside of port renfrew). Actually any of the camp sites on that road or Lake Cowichian are as good as they get.

If you're a bit more into getting off the beaten path definately head to Nitinhat Lake west of Lake Cowichian.

http://www.vancouverisland.com/regions/towns/?townid=4137 Its a Mecca for wind seekers but the campground & vibe is pretty perfect. This is active haul roads but as long as you give way to the trucks (not that they give you any choice, they either drive in the middle or hte center of the road) & drive with your lights on during the day (it can be dusty) its a fine drive my van has doen dozens of times. Form there you can head to Port Alberni staying on the logging roads & then Tofino & Long Beach are a quick drive.

& Don't forget to go to Coombs!

So ya, skip Washington & come to the Island!
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ragnarhairybreeks · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 1:43 pm Post subject:

I second Blackdog's suggestion of the paved loop. If you want an option to paved to do the route to Cowichan lake, you can take the next valley north, the Gordon river valley.
Has much the same feeling except on gravel and more logging trucks Smile

Some pics of the paved road area to Cowichan in April last year
http://shufti.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/weekend-trip-in-april/

Some pics of Gordon river valley area in March

http://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/03/27/gordon-river-trip/

Port Renfrew are and camping at north end of the beach at Port Renfrew this June. Was $20/vehicle, nice spot, but it was unusually "un-busy" for a weekend.

http://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/june-weekend-trip-with-3-vanagons/

In addition to going to Nitinat, consider going on to Bamfield, then the road up the side of Alberni Inlet to Part Alberni.

Pics of that route (cold April this year) including museums at Port Alberni (mostly logging oriented), beach at Port Renfrew, changing flat at Sarita (near Bamfield), booming area at Sarita, low tide at beach at north end of west coast trail (near Bamfield), road overlooking Alberni Inlet, Martin Mars water bombers at Sproat Lake near Port Alberni.

http://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/another-logging-road-trip/

If you go to Port Alberni then you are just an hour or so from Long Beach, Pacific Rim National Park, but probably very hard to get govt. campsite this time of year.

alistair
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jerrydog411 · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:31 pm Post subject:

My only tidbit ... as it is where I would like to be right now ... is , rather than Bremerton 7 if travel routing (kinda) permits; stay your first night at Fay Bainbridge State Park campground on Bainbridge Island.
As you'll be withih a day or so .. you'll spend the evening / night looking across the beach & water at the rising full moon then see a fabulous sunrise in the morning nice & early for a walk on the beach.
Then pack up, head 3 miles back to town to the Blackbird Bakery / Cafe for an apple mezzaluna and an great americano then head up to Port Angeles ( & maybe a pitstop along the way into Port Townsend). mmmm
Wherever you go on the peninsula ... it's a bit of magic.

John

Bruce Wayne · Samba Member Joined: May 15, 2007 Posts: 1210

Bruce Wayne · Samba Member Joined: May 15, 2007 Posts: 1210

Bruce Wayne · Samba Member Joined: May 15, 2007 Posts: 1210

Vunderbus · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 9:35 pm Post subject:

Check out Scenic Beach State Park. Beautiful location on Hood Canal, nice wooded camp ground and it is only minutes from Bremerton.

http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Scenic%20Beach
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BlackDogVan · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:31 pm Post subject:

Bruce Wayne · Samba Member Joined: May 15, 2007 Posts: 1210

climberjohn · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:02 am Post subject:

Hi Vancouver Island locals,

Woo hoo, keep these good travel tips coming!
This is a great thread, thanks for your expertise.

Moderators - Any chance for a new Sticky category for great road trip threads to specific areas? No, it's not van specific, but still very useful info to have readily available.

-CJ
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Know your limits. Exceed them often.

SlowLane · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:44 pm Post subject:

On our trip down from BC last month, we stumbled upon Old Fort Townsend State Park, just south of Port Townsend. Absolutely beautiful wooded campsites. Shouldn't be too far out of your way...
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BCWesty · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:54 pm Post subject:

Bruce Wayne · Samba Member Joined: May 15, 2007 Posts: 1210

heading out tomorrow. thanks for all the tips. what about the northern part of the island? any good spots up there?

ragnarhairybreeks · Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:11 am Post subject:

Lots on the North end of the island, couple of highlights:

1. North Island - Telegraph Cove - orca rubbing rock area, whale watching etc
2. Mid island - Strathcona park - access from both sides, east side can be reached easily via Mt Washington ski hill, and you can get onto Forbidden Plateau area easily. Middle and west side reached via the road to Gold river. Flower Ridge trail at towards the southern end of Buttle lake might make a nice day hike.
3. Tip of island, Cape Scott. Multiday trip (about a day's hike in). Spectacular beaches.
4. Schoen lake park - mentioned because if you head to the southern edge of the park (main entrance is the north end), via logging roads (adam/eve rivers watershed area), it is a nice hike in. Its been a while since I took that route, but it was fun, wolves, elk etc.

alistair
_________________
'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com

BCWesty · Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:19 am Post subject:

Haven't done much camping a the northern island. Past Campbell River is pretty wild, lots of lakes and trees.


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