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Pleasant Valley Campground is located in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in the Northern Cascade Range of Washington.
With the scenic waters of the American River running alongside the site, and access to pristine wilderness, scenic highways, and a multitude of recreational activities nearby, this campsite offers an ideal setting for outdoor enthusiasts.
Pleasant Valley Campground offers outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to hike, fish, ski, raft and enjoy a multitude of other outdoor recreational activities throughout the year.
Beautiful rivers and streams, high elevation lakes, reservoirs, and small ponds provide an endless number of fishing opportunities for the experienced and beginning angler.
The American River, adjacent to the campground, supports a variety of trout including rainbow, brook, and cutthroat. The river also offers a scenic backdrop for swimmers braving its cold, refreshing waters. Whitewater enthusiasts may enjoy a rafting trip on the American, or on one of the many other scenic rivers in the area.
Smaller than other campgrounds in the area, Pleasant Valley Campground offers about a dozen standard sites, accomodating both tent and RV camping. Picnic tables, vault toilets and drinking water are available, however there are no electrical hookups.
The unique beauty of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest attracts visitors from throughout the country.
High, glaciated alpine peaks tower along the Cascade Crest. Lush valleys of old growth forest define its western boundary, and at its eastern edge, rugged shrub-steppe country comprises a more arid region. Elevations range from below 1,000 feet to over 9,000 feet.
Precipitation varies greatly thoughout the area, ranging from approximately 140 inches along the Cascade Crest to only 10 inches along the eastern edge. Visitors to the area can expect many days of warm, sunny weather in the summer, and clear skies and plenty of snow in winter.
Nearby Goat Rocks Wilderness is an exciting adventure for those wanting to traverse higher elevations. Peaks within the area are remnants of an extinct volcano, taking the name "Goat Rocks," in honor of the numerous mountain goats traversing this isolated region. Gilbert Peak is the highest summit in this area at an elevation of 8,184 feet.
Crow Lake, Swamp Lake, Cougar Valley and Union Creek Trails all have trailheads near Pleasant Valley Campground. Hikers may also want to traverse at least a portion of the spectacular Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), one of the world's premier National Scenic Trails.
Boulder Cave National Recreation Trail is one of the most popular places in the Naches District. Visitors can walk the accessible trail along the river or explore Boulder Cave. Interpretive signs along the trail explain the geology, plants, animals, and fire history of the area.
Nearby Mount Rainier National Park offers fantastic glimpses of glaciers, subalpine ecology and volcanic landscapes.
This location has limited staffing. Please call (661) 702-1420 for general information.
Cancellations
Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.
A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite.
Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.
No-Shows
A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date.
No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite.
Refunds
Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended.
Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay.
For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive.
In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
**From Naches,** take Highway 410 northwest approximately 42 miles to milepost 80.2.
I found the campground to be quiet and peaceful. The strong presence of Trasher Ants was a bit of a challenge but access to the clean flowing river was wonderful. The anrs and water balanced the visit.
We stayed here for 3 nights and it was great. It’s a little bit outside of Mt. Rainier but it was quiet and we had plenty of space so we really enjoyed it. They have vault bathrooms and a water pump too so that was helpful. Just beware that there are so many ants!!! We weren’t at camp a ton so it didn’t affect us much but it was definitely noticeable. Other than that it was great!
This is a nice little campground on the American River. Typical amenities for a Forest Service campground; several vault toilets and one water spigot. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Most sites are small and I wouldn't recommend bringing an RV in that's larger than 30ft. There's a nice 1 mile walking trail near the entrance and the campground is off the road enough that I couldn't hear traffic.
The area is beautiful and the campsites are spread well apart. We had campsite number 3 and it was the biggest and most private that we saw. We went in July. There are several small trails to get down to the river which was slow-moving at several points so you can swim or walk in the water. The only downside was that they weren't kidding about the warnings for thatcher ants. When we arrived our campsite was infested with them everywhere. However, I sprayed the tent area with a bunch of ant Raid and, once we set up camp, the ants seemed to disperse. I say just keep a can handy and spray around your table, tent area, etc. But we were never bit and seemed to become one with the ants. lol. There is a well pump for drinking water only. Otherwise, bring plenty of your own water for dish-washing, etc. No electric or sewer hook-ups. It's gravel pathways but was compacted well enough for bike riding. Also, mostly all sites are well-shaded which is VERY nice.
