Staircase Campground

Olympic National Park — lakeside

Location: Hoodsport, WA, WA

Price: From $24 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (90 reviews)

Season: May through October

Staircase Campground remains closed in the wake of the Bear Gulch Fire. Important information about booking windows: To better serve visitors, Staircase Campground will be releasing campsites in a series of three staggered block releases by loop. These block releases will be 6 months in advance, two weeks in advance, and 4 days in advance.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/staircase-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Staircase Campground offers a peaceful riverside camping experience with friendly ranger patrols and beautiful old-growth forest. Google reviews rate it 4.6/5 stars, with campers praising its magical setting and well-maintained facilities.

Wildlife alert: Mountain goats, Olympic chipmunks, Douglas' squirrels, bald eagles, western tanagers, sooty grouse, Steller's jays, and common garter snakes are present in the area. Rangers advise against feeding deer.

Insider tips for Staircase Campground: Book during staggered releases: 6 months in advance, 2 weeks in advance, or 4 days in advance by loop Waterfront sites (like site #6) offer magical river views but expect foot traffic North Lake Cushman Road has twisting terrain; check road conditions before visiting

Skip Staircase Campground if: You need hookups—no hookups available at most sites. You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only. Campground status uncertain—verify current operations before traveling as it was closed due to Bear Gulch Fire.

Best time to visit Staircase Campground: May-October — Official operating season. Early May (beginning of season) may offer first-come, first-serve availability before full reservation system activation..

Nearby campgrounds: Lebar Horse Camp (WA), Brown Creek Campground (Quilcene, WA), Hamma Hamma Cabin (QUILCENE, WA), Satsop Campground (Montesano, WA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Staircase Campground

Cell signal at Staircase Campground (Hoodsport, WA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›WA›Staircase Campground
Staircase Campground — photo 1
Staircase Campground — photo 2
Staircase Campground — photo 3
Olympic National Park — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Staircase Campground

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Hoodsport, WA, WA★ 4.5 (90 reviews)From $24/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Staircase Campground remains closed in the wake of the Bear Gulch Fire. Important information about booking windows: To better serve visitors, Staircase Campground will be releasing campsites in a series of three staggered block releases by loop. These block releases will be 6 months in advance, two weeks in advance, and 4 days in advance.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV48 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups—no hookups available at most sites✕ You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only✕ Campground status uncertain—verify current operations before traveling as it was closed due to Bear Gulch Fire

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book during staggered releases: 6 months in advance, 2 weeks in advance, or 4 days in advance by loop

Waterfront sites (like site #6) offer magical river views but expect foot traffic

North Lake Cushman Road has twisting terrain; check road conditions before visiting

Best: May-October

Official operating season. Early May (beginning of season) may offer first-come, first-serve availability before full reservation system activation.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mountain goats, Olympic chipmunks, Douglas' squirrels, bald eagles, western tanagers, sooty grouse, Steller's jays, and common garter snakes are present in the area. Rangers advise against feeding deer.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
360-565-3130· Olympic National Park
Getting there →

Staircase Campground is accessed off Highway 101 at the city of Hoodsport, WA. You take North Lake Cushman Road for a number of twisting and turning miles. North Lake Cushman Road will end with the blacktop and become Forest Service Road, NP - 24. You will simply follow this road to the end.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Olympic National Park fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Olympic National Park before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Staircase Campground cost per night?+
Staircase Campground costs $24 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Staircase Campground open?+
Staircase Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Staircase Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Staircase Campground?+
Staircase Campground can accommodate RVs up to 48 feet.
How do I make reservations at Staircase Campground?+
Staircase Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Staircase Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Staircase Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Staircase Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Staircase Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Olympic National Park - Plan your Visit Olympic National Park - Interactive Map
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$24 /night★ 4.5 (90)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Staircase Campground cost per night?+
What season is Staircase Campground open?+
Does Staircase Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Lebar Horse Camp

WA

From $14/night

Brown Creek Campground

Quilcene, WA

From $14/night

Hamma Hamma Cabin

QUILCENE, WA

From $60/night

Satsop Campground

Montesano, WA

From $30/night

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