We had a great first visit to hammocks today! The parking lot was completely full by 11 when we arrived and people were beginning to park in the grass. A ranger told us it was ok to park in the grass—so don’t be afraid to park in the grass around the lots. The next ferry was full but we were able to catch the noon ferry. There were exhibits to look at while you wait and plenty of covered seating—we ended up just sitting and eating our lunch while we waited. The summer Ferry schedule meant there was a ferry departing every half hour. It easily fit 40 people and various chairs/carts/beach accessories. Any wagons have to be able to fold (only in the case there isn’t room for it to remain expanded). The ride was only 10-15 minutes and was enjoyable—we even saw dolphins on the way back. The walk from the ferry to the beach was 10 - 15 minutes (the guides said it was a half mile) and there was a golf cart going back and forth to assist those who needed it. You pass the entrance to the bathroom/concession stand just before you reach the beach as well as a path to the campsites. We scouted out the campsites and decided when we camp later in the summer we will walk down the beach to access our site. The sites all appear to have short trails to the beach and carrying everything down the beach would be much easier than the winding and hilly trail through the dunes. The beach was beautiful and there were lifeguards on duty. There is a well maintained bathroom with running water and real toilets, also a full shower for campers. There are outdoor shower stations, a water fountain, and a potable water spigot for daily beach goers as well. The concession stand is just a short walk down the boardwalk from the bath house. They had chips, pop, ice cream, etc but were cash only so plan accordingly. (Keep in mind there are no trash cans so you have to pack out all of your trash.) They also had a tank of fish at the concession stand and there was a worker there to discuss the fish on display. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our day and are returning to camp later this summer. Overall I was a little surprised at how many people were there (though there was plenty of Beach to space out).

UPDATE: we just camped for a night and would HIGHLY recommend bug spray and long pants/shirts. We had fire ants at the campsite and biting black flies swarming us everywhere all evening. We were desperate to cover up (even despite the heat) because the bug spray didn’t seem to deter them. We ended up just going to bed early so we could escape the bugs in the tent. The next morning we had no issue with bugs so I’m wondering if it was due to there being no wind the first night.

We had a nice stay here, right on the river. The man who runs it was very kind and helpful. The site was flat and had electric hookup which was nice. The view of the river and access to it were great! Our daughter loved being able to walk right down to the bank and play while we watched sitting by the fire. The bathrooms were pretty clean and decently stocked. There was a sink for washing dishes which was a nice surprise—though other campers seemed to have clogged it while we were there. They had live music and a shaved ice truck for Father’s Day—a really nice little event to top off a great weekend. A few things to note: There were several ant hills on our site—they didn’t bother us during our stay but it would give once of mind for those to be taken care of. No picnic table at our site and also the fire ring is stone with no grate for cooking. Also plan to get firewood on your way in. He sells it onsite but it was $14 + tax for about 20 pieces of wood. Additionally It seems like no one follows the rules to leash your dog. We had to pick up and carry our small leashed dog on any walk we took because of other people not following the rules. We also felt like we were babysitting other dogs telling them that their dog was swimming down the river. That’s obviously just the luck of who you end up camping beside, but the sites are close together, so you will definitely get to know your neighbors! The train is also very loud and does run several times a night. None of this would keep us from staying here again, but knowing it ahead will help us be more prepared next time! Also—only a 20 minute drive to cascade falls trail—highly recommend hiking it while you are in the area!