Blue Lake Creek Campground - Gifford Pinchot NF (WA)

Located in southwest Washington State, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest encompasses over 1.3 million acres, including the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument established by Congress in 1982. Blue Lake Creek Campground is located in the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District, which is in the northernmost portion of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. This Ranger District manages four Wilderness Areas including the Goat Rocks Wilderness, Glacier View Wilderness, Tatoosh Wilderness and William O Douglass Wilderness. The Cispus River runs nearby the campground and can be accessed via a short hike. Blue Lake, a small mountain lake with beautiful turquoise waters, can also be reached by via a trail leaving the campground.

Recreation: There is direct access to the Valley Trail, which is used by OHV riders, mountain bikers, hikers and horseback riders. Valley Trail offers a network of over 50 miles of OHV trails. The shorter High Log Trail is only open to foot traffic and connects with the Cispus River, where fishing and other water activities abound. Hikers looking to explore the stunning scenery of Blue Lake, can take the Valley Trail #270 to the Blue Lake Trail, which leads visitors on a trek of moderate difficulty to Blue Lake, where fishing and beautiful mountain landscapes await.