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Submission
From Tacoma, take I-5 south to State Route 512. Travel east on SR 512 about 2 miles to the Pacific Avenue exit (SR 7). Go south on SR 7 about 27 miles. Turn right at the Alder Lake Park sign (at School Road) and drive into the park.
We really enjoyed camping here. There's a ton to do to keep the kids happy and busy. The campground area is very well maintained. There is so much to explore around the area.
What makes this place not earn 5 stars is that the $15 per vehicle charge (besides the tow rig,) is pretty steep. I've never been to a campground where they charged that much for a second vehicle, if at all. We had a group site that was $375 for 5 rv hookup spots, so I think the extra charge for my friends car was crazy.
Also, the beach area at the lake is not very well maintained. I always remember the beach being pretty debris free when I was younger so was surprised there was so much stuff in the sand area. My kids couldn't run around without shoes on very easy.
We also tried to reserve the shelter/kitchen thing, as it states, is available on the website. When my cousin called to do so, he was told there wasn't one there. There is and it was right behind our group site, so it would have been great to be able to use it because the lady on the phone seemed to not be familiar with the park.
Very beautiful lake/park. You can walk to the other island when the water is at low level. Very unique place to see tree trunks under water. There is plenty of parkings plus restroom. It also has designated swimming area. Highly recommend.
Love the location! Day park access only during summer season is $10 per vehicle. A few handicap spots and regular parking fills up fast so make sure you get there early! Easy lake access for kayaks and paddle boards with designated swimming area but no lifeguard on duty. Nice open field area to play catch or football. No grills available for use so you must bring your own.
Attention Tourists: stay clear of here. It’s not worth your time. Repeat: it’s not worth it in its current state. What a disappointment. There was broken glass everywhere too. The lake is so far down. It’s a muddy mess and my son got stuck. It was full of locals (nothing wrong with that). The best part of this was the flushing toilets and bear prints (no live bears seen).
My favorite things about Alder Lake? First, the dock. Where else can you camp and have a free place to moor your boat? I left my jet ski in the water for three days. The dock is high quality, nice and wide, with built-in fenders. You can fish off the dock too. I saw people catch Kokanee and rainbow trout. Second, I loved the close-up view of Mt. Rainier. I loved coming around the tip of an island on the jet ski and seeing the mountain burst into view. Wow. Third, I loved the aqua (turquoise?) color of the water. Fourth, the bathrooms were very well stocked and very clean. It kinda sucked that you had to pay for showers though. I just said "screw it" and stayed dirty. Other things I liked were the low prices for campsites, the relative ease of reserving a site, the well-maintained boat launch, the safe swimming area, the dish washing stations (covered with sinks), the many islands and arms of the lake to explore, cliff jumping ... as you can see, Alder Lake is, well, pretty cool.
