Big Pines
Yakima River Canyon — riverside, fishing, hiking
Location: Wenatchee, WA, WA
Price: From $15 per night
Price range: $15–$30 per night
Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (132 reviews)
Season: Year-round
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.
Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.
Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Fishing
Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/big-pines to be notified when sites open up.
Big Pines offers camping along the Yakima River Canyon with access to a Blue Ribbon trout stream and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. The site provides 43 tent and RV sites with fire rings, picnic tables, vault toilets, and drinking water.
Wildlife alert: Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Common Merganser, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cliff Swallow, Yellow-breasted Chat, Wandering Garter Snake, Great Basin Gopher Snake, and Southern Alligator Lizard are documented in the area.
Insider tips for Big Pines: Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand. Most sites have no hookups; suitable only for self-contained RVs. The Yakima River Canyon offers Blue Ribbon trout fishing and multiple recreational activities including rafting, hiking, and wildlife viewing.
Skip Big Pines if: Your RV requires electric hookups, as most sites do not have them.. You expect seasonal operations to differ from year-round availability..
Best time to visit Big Pines: Year-round — Campground operates year-round according to verified data..
Nearby campgrounds: Roza (Wenatchee, WA), Umtanum (Wenatchee, WA), Windy Point Campground (Naches, WA), Riders Camp (Ellensburg, WA).
Cell Phone Coverage at Big Pines
Cell signal at Big Pines (Wenatchee, WA): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.
- Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
- AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage
- T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage · T-Mobile 5G: 100%
Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.
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.
Verified facts
RIDB / Recreation.gov official databaseAmenities
RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verifiedStraight talk
CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reportsKnown issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.
Insider tips & when to go
CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entryBook early as this is a federal campground with high demand.
Most sites have no hookups; suitable only for self-contained RVs.
The Yakima River Canyon offers Blue Ribbon trout fishing and multiple recreational activities including rafting, hiking, and wildlife viewing.
Campground operates year-round according to verified data.
Things to do nearby
RIDB /activities /recareas + intelConditions today
LiveCell signal
FCC BDC · quarterly datasetFCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.
Wildlife nearby
iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 kmLocation
Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Getting there →
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.
Campground entrance
Google Maps APICommunity
#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)Pro tips
- Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Yakima River Canyon fills fast in peak season.
- Check current road conditions at Yakima River Canyon before arrival — seasonal closures common.
Frequently asked questions
RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakableHow much does Big Pines cost per night?+
What season is Big Pines open?+
Does Big Pines have hookups?+
What is the maximum RV length at Big Pines?+
How do I make reservations at Big Pines?+
What is the cell service like at Big Pines?+
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Official resources
●Data sources on this page
CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.
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