Bureau of Land Management
Big Pines
Bureau of Land Management campground in Yakima River Canyon, Yakima / East Cascades with 43 sites, Reservations may be available.
Campground Details
- Season
- Reservations may be available
- Rate
- $15-30/night
- Sites
- 43
- Accessible sites
- Not listed
- Max RV length
- Not listed
- Phone
- Not listed
- County
- Yakima / East Cascades
- Parent area
- Yakima River Canyon
Overview
The gentle Yakima River winds for 27 miles through massive basalt cliffs and rolling desert hills between Ellensburg and Yakima, Washington. The Canyon offers excellent wildlife watching, plant viewing, fishing in a Blue Ribbon trout stream, family river rafting and camping. The Bureau of Land Management administers over 9700 acres in the Yakima River Canyon area, including five developed river access sites. An overnight and day use fee is charged and reservations are accepted through www.recreation.gov, campsites will only be held until checkout time (11am) the next day. If reservation holder doesn't show up by then, the site is released. Hookups and potable water are not provided. The recreation sites are open year round, with the largest crowds filling the sites on hot summer weekends.The State Scenic Byway of Highway 821 follows the Yakima River through the canyon running between the cities of Ellensburg and Yakima, WA. Central Washington University, and Cowiche Canyon trails are nearby. Umtanum recreation site offers a footbridge to cross the Yakima River and access to Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Lands on the west side of the river. The Yakima River...
What the Source Lists
Activities
Camping styles
Reservation type
Location Notes
- Address
- BLM Wenatchee Field Office, 915 Walla Walla Avenue, Wenatchee, WA
- Directions
- From Seattle, take I-90 east to Ellensburg Exit 109 (Highway 821 Canyon Road). At the traffic circle, take the second exit onto South Canyon Road. Stay on the road, which will take you south through the Yakima River Canyon. Big Pines campground is located at milepost 9 on the Canyon Road.
Source Notices
warning
Campsites will only be held until checkout time (11am) the next day. If reservation holder doesn't show up by then, the site is released.
warning
There are no hookup services and no potable water. Cellphone coverage is limited.
warning
Be aware of rattlesnakes, bees and poison ivy.
warning
Extra vehicle overnight fee: Campsite fees include parking for two vehicles at each campsite. There is a $10 per vehicle, per night fee to park an extra vehicle. Extra vehicles must be registered using the yellow day use envelopes available at the fee station at each recreation site, and must be parked at the designated campsite (if room on the parking pad), or in designated extra vehicle parking spaces in the parking lot.
warning
The reservation system is only available from May 1 - Sept 15 of each year. After reservation season has ended, all camping and day use will need to use the self-serve fee payment station at each site.
warning
All visitors are required to pay and display on their vehicle(s) valid permits for overnight ($15.00 per night) or day use ($5.00 per day).Washington State Discover Passes are NOT valid on BLM-managed lands.