Spring Canyon Campground is a large campground located on beautiful Lake Roosevelt. It is a big change from the Northwestern section of the park, as it is in the shrub-steppe ecosystem known for its sagebrush and desert environment.
Spring Canyon Campground - Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
Lake Roosevelt is actually just a wide spot along the Columbia River that was created when Grand Coulee Dam was completed in 1942. The 130-mile-long Lake Roosevelt is the key feature of Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, which Congress created in 1946. The park was dedicated to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who authorized the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam in 1934. Water that comes from the mighty Columbia River originates high up in the Canadian Rockies from its glaciers and snowmelt that happens each year.
Make sure to take full advantage of the sun and cooler days of spring and fall before the intense heat of the summertime that often exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The camping area and day-use areas have lots of trees and grass that provide some shade from the sun, but you should use sunscreen or other suncare products when enjoying the summer sun.
Things to do when camping at Spring Canyon Campground
- Nearby attractions include the famous Grand Coulee Dam has a laser light show nightly from Memorial Day weekend through September 30. It is a short drive to several pullouts to view the show, and you can listen to the program by tuning into a specific radio channel on your vehicle's radio.
- Tour the Grand Coulee Dam visitor center, which is only three miles away from the campground.
- Campers will enjoy easy access to several outdoor recreation opportunities in the area like hiking along the Bunchgrass Prairie Nature Trail right at the campground.
- Campers will also appreciate the convenience of a day-use area with picnic tables and access from the shoreline of Lake Roosevelt, a swimming area, a playground, a boat ramp/launch, overnight boat moorage, beach access, docks, and barbecues.
- Go to the day-use area, which includes a picnic area, boat launch, beach access, barbecue braziers, and has plenty of space to sit and relax!
- Don't forget your binoculars and cameras as there is abundant Wildlife in the area, including Deer, Elk, Moose, Black Bears, Bobcats, Mountain Lions, Beavers, Squirrels, Marmots, Bald Eagles, Osprey, and more!
- Water sports, including canoeing/kayaking.
- The park's main attraction is everything that is a water-based activity, like boating and fishing.
- Fishermen will enjoy the dozens of species of fish to fish for.
- Common species include Rainbow Trout, White Sturgeon, Yellow Perch, Lake Whitefish, Kokanee (a non-migrating form of Sockeye Salmon), and Burbot.
- Less common fish include Cutthroat Trout, Bass, Walleye, Sunfish, Carp, Perch, Pike, and Bullhead.
Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area Does Not Have A Entrance Fee
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Spring Canyon nightly rate/ Camping Fees
Campsite Cost:
Standard Camping Fee, May 1 – September 30 - $23.00
Standard Camping Fee, October 1 – April 30 - $11.50
Group camping - $55.00
Senior/Access Camping Fee:
Senior / Access Rate, May 1 – September 30 - $11.50
Senior / Access Rate, October 1 – April 30 - $5.75
Payments accepted: Credit/Debit cards (online booking)
Campground Reservations
Reservations: All campsites are reservation only, year-round.
Are Campground Reservations Available? Yes
Phone Number? 877-444-6777
Online? Recreation.gov
How Far Ahead can you make a reservation? Individual sites at this campground operate on a 6-month rolling basis
Spring Canyon Campground Map
General Information about Spring Canyon Campground
Number of Sites: 68
Season: Open Year-round. The lower loop is open year-round, the upper loop closes from November 1 through March 31.
Location in the park: Located near the towns of Grand Coulee and Coulee Dam, as well as the Grand Coulee Dam.
Latitude/Longitude: 47° 55' 59.0002" N 118° 56' 20.6599" W
Elevation: 1222'
Campground Address: Spring Canyon Campground Road, Grand Coulee, WA 99133
Lake Roosevelt Headquarters Address: 1008 Crest Drive, Coulee Dam, WA. 99116
Accessible Sites: Campsite 20 is an ADA site
Campground Amenities
Potable Water? Yes
Bear Boxes: No
Flush Toilets: Yes, Seasonal Vault/CXT Toilets are available year-round.
Payphone: Yes
Laundry/Showers: No
Is WiFi available? No
Is firewood available for purchase? No
Is Cellular Phone Service Available? Yes
Most major carriers have some cell coverage at Spring Canyon Campground.
Is camp host available on-site? Yes, Seasonal
Amenities at each campsite
Fire pit in the site? Yes
Picnic Table in the site? Yes
Don't forget to pack
Insect repellent is always a great idea outdoors, especially around any body of water.
We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips. Please read my article on preventing biting insects while enjoying the outdoors.
Sunscreen - I buy environmentally friendly sunscreen whenever possible because you inevitably pull it out at the beach.
Bring your water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.
Sunglasses - I always bring sunglasses with me. I personally love Goodr sunglasses because they are lightweight, durable, and have awesome National Park Designs from several National Parks like Joshua Tree, Yellowstone, Hawaii Volcanoes, Acadia, Denali, and more!
Click here to get your National Parks Edition of Goodr Sunglasses!
Binoculars/Spotting Scope - These will help spot birds and wildlife and make them easier to identify. We tend to see waterfowl in the distance, and they are always just a bit too far to identify them without binoculars.
RV Camping at Spring Canyon Campground
RVs and trailers may camp at Spring Canyon. Maximum vehicle length varies from site to site. Vehicles, trailers, or RVs cannot be parked on the grass or anywhere except the designated parking spot for each site. Spring Canyon Campground does not have hookups.
Hookups:No, Dry Camping Only
Pull-Through Sites Available:
RV Length: 31 feet max length
Dump Station: Yes, open seasonally
Generators: Generators may only be used from 6 am to 10 pm.
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando
Spring Canyon Group site
Spring Canyon Campground has two group campsites, both being able to accommodate up to 25 people.
The group camp costs $55.00 and is reservable from March through November.
How to get to Campground
Take State Highway 2 west of Spokane for 65 miles to the town of Wilbur, Washington. Turn north on State Highway 174 (follow road signs). Travel 19 miles and turn right at the sign for Spring Canyon Campground.
Campground Regulations
The maximum number of people in a campsite:
Individual sites - 10 people
Group sites - 25 people
The number of cars per campsite: 2
Checkout time: 12 noon
Quiet Hours: Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am
Pets Allowed: Yes, Pets must be on a leash at all time.
Lake Roosevelt Campgrounds
Lake Roosevelt covers a large area along Lake Roosevelt and has 16 developed frontcountry campgrounds.
Below is a complete list of all campgrounds, starting from the far Northeast corner of the park and ending at the furthest-lying campground.
If one campground is full, chances are there is availability in another nearby.
There are no glamping tents, cabins, or National Park Lodges available at Lake Roosevelt National Park.
If you want hotel options, the weather turns bad, or you keep running into sold-out campgrounds, here is a list of hotels in the main areas of Lake Roosevelt NRA.
Kettle Falls Hotels - Click here for options in Kettle Falls and the surrounding area.
Colville Hotels - Click here for hotels and vacation rentals in Colville.
Davenport Hotels - Click here to find hotels and vacation rentals near Davenport.
North - Kettle Falls Area Campgrounds
Snag Cove Campground - Snag Cove is a small 9-site campground on the Northwest side of the park North of Kettle Falls, WA.
Kettle River Campground - The Kettle River Campground is a shady 13-site campground on the banks of the Kettle River. It is also on the Northwest side of the park north of Kettle Falls, WA.
Kamloops Island Campground - Kamloops Island Campground is a small and shady 17-site campground North of Kettle Falls, WA.
Haag Cove Campground - Haag Cove is a quiet 18-campsite campground on Lake Roosevelt's West side, past Colville and Kettle Falls, WA.
North Gorge Campground - North Gorge Campground is a small 12-site campground that is very popular. It is on the Northeast edge of the park and mostly built for tent camping.
Evans Campground - Evans Campground is a busy summer campground with 43 campsites located on the West end of Lake Roosevelt, north of Kettle Falls, WA.
Marcus Island Campground- Marcus Island Campground is located North of Kettle Falls, WA. on the park's west side.
Kettle Falls Campground - Kettle Falls Campground is a Year-Round 74 site campground just South of Kettle Falls, WA. on Hwy 25.
Cloverleaf Campground - Cloverleaf Campground is a small 7-site campground that is open from May 1 through September 30. The campground is approximately 34 miles from the Fort Spokane Visitor Center, heading North towards Kettle Falls, WA.
Gifford Campground - Gifford Campground is a 42-site campground with most sites having views of Lake Roosevelt. The campground is approximately 33 miles from the Fort Spokane Visitor Center, heading North towards Kettle Falls, WA.
Hunters Campground - Hunters Campground is a 37-site campground 21 miles north of the Fort Spokane Visitor Center.
Central - Fort Spokane Area Campgrounds
Fort Spokane Campground - Fort Spokane Campground has 67 sites with a visitor center, boat launch, and day-use area within walking distance.
Porcupine Bay Campground - Porcupine Bay Campground is a small 20-site campground tucked up against the wall of a coulee with beautiful views of the lake. Campground near the Fort Spokane Area heading back towards Davenport, WA.
Hawk Creek Campground - Hawk Creek Campground is a small, unique, 20-site campground. What makes this campground unique is that instead of being on Lake Roosevelt, it is tucked back from the lake on Hawk Creek and, for a surprise, is a small waterfall.
West - Grand Coulee Dam Area Campgrounds
Spring Canyon Campground—On the west end of the park near Grand Coulee, Washington, Spring Canyon has 68 campsites and sweeping views of Lake Roosevelt.
Jones Bay Campground - Jones Bay Campground is a small rustic 9-site campground on the west side of the park. The campground is mostly boat-in; however, you can drive there, but it may be difficult to find.
Additional National Park sites near Lake Roosevelt NRA
North Cascades National Park - Your complete guide to exploring North Cascades National Park
Mount Rainier National Park - Your complete guide to exploring Mount Raniner National Park
Olympic National Park - Your complete guide to exploring Olympic National Park
Glacier National Park - Your complete Guide to exploring Glacier National Park
Whitman Mission NHS—The Oregon Trail brought with it an influx of missionaries, disease, and more. The change brought on a single violent act that changed the fate of many nations.
Manhattan Project NHP - Discover the project that forever changed the world as it brought in the nuclear age and the world's first atomic bombs.
Ice Age Floods National Geological Trail - Learn about the great floods from the last Ice Age that forever shaped this region
Check out all of the National Parks in Washington, along with neighboring Oregon National Parks and Idaho National Parks.
Additional Spring Canyon Campground Photos
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