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nina_70's avatar
nina_70
Explorer
Feb 09, 2014

Olympic Peninsula, WA - all NFS sites 21-foot limit?

I'm in the process of planning our summer trip to the Olympic Peninsula in WA (travelling 101 around the peninsula) and I was gutted to see that all the National Forest sites have 21-foot limit. We're 40 feet, so obviously much bigger, but I also know that sometimes the site sizes are conservative.

Anyone have experience in these campgrounds (e.g. Kalaloch, Mora, Heart O The Hills...)? Are they really 21-foot limits? How much wiggle room is there?

Any other decent, inexpensive, options along this route?

38 Replies

  • "National Forest" is one thing, "National Park" is another.

    But in both cases, little has been done in the past forty years or so to enlarge sites to accommodate Big Rigs. When the Public places were set aside, no one anticipated that folks would be driving what amounts to a Greyhound bus with two passengers in it to a so-called "campground"

    I live here and have camped at them all...my advice is to make reservations at one of the Private Campgrounds that have sprung up to accommodate bigger rigs.
  • Just get two 21 foot sites back to back and you've got 2 feet to spare.....:B:B....Dennis
  • NO, not all sites 21 foot limit. But very few "oversize" sites. Heart O Hills; I wouldn't take 40 ft into of some loops. Most of the places you are asking about have private parks close by for any size. Not exactly "camping" 10 feet from neighbor but you can take your toad to see NF. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfleLjZ3fd8 typical about the places your asking about, matter of fact filmed up here. Not all have 21 foot limit some have a few bigger sites but you might need reservations well in advance.
    Kalaloch; We don't even stop there during summer, to many beach/sunset worshipers that love that place. I see why they love it, but we don't like to make reservations so we by-pass Kalaloch during summer months. RV reviews would put you on to private parks close to NF.
    (Sort of funny) my kids in So Cal asks "if your going to get a MH why not get the biggest you can afford"? I explain that our 26 bumper to bumper is sure tiny in his land of big RV's, but ours fits into just about anything up here.
  • nina_70 wrote:
    I'm in the process of planning our summer trip to the Olympic Peninsula in WA (travelling 101 around the peninsula) and I was gutted to see that all the National Forest sites have 21-foot limit. We're 40 feet, so obviously much bigger, but I also know that sometimes the site sizes are conservative.

    Anyone have experience in these campgrounds (e.g. Kalaloch, Mora, Heart O The Hills...)? Are they really 21-foot limits? How much wiggle room is there?

    Any other decent, inexpensive, options along this route?


    Its a case of the access roads are too narrow to get your 40' around the turns.
  • Kalaloch has 9 sites for 40'. They go fast. Better check now. South Beach has a few sites, but first come. I have stayed in Forks to visit Hoh Rain Forest. There is a private CG on the road into Hoh.
  • Their rules state that sites accomodate 21 feet (or smaller) well. But it does say that there are larger sites in some of the major campgrounds.