Explore Kid Valley Campground: Your Local Basecamp for Mount St. Helens

Kid Valley Campground Introduce

For local residents in Washington State seeking "camping near me" with a focus on exploring the western side of the majestic Mount St. Helens, Kid Valley Campground, located at 9360 Spirit Lake Hwy, Toutle, WA 98649, offers a small, wooded option in a strategically advantageous location. Reviews from campers provide insights into the campground's sites, amenities, and proximity to key attractions, allowing local users to make an informed decision about whether it suits their outdoor adventure plans.

The environment of Kid Valley Campground is primarily described as "small" and "wooded," suggesting a setting surrounded by trees, which can offer shade and a natural ambiance. The campground is conveniently situated right off Spirit Lake Highway, making it relatively easy to find and access, with "pavement all the way until you arrive at the park." Its primary appeal lies in its location as a gateway to the west side of Mount St. Helens, with reviewers noting its great proximity to trails and observation areas. However, while the setting is wooded, the campsites themselves are described as lacking significant vegetation barriers between them, resulting in limited privacy. This might be less of an issue when the campground is not fully occupied, as noted by one reviewer who experienced having neighbors on only one side due to low occupancy (excluding long-term residents).

Kid Valley Campground offers a variety of sites catering to different camping preferences. Sites 1-20 are designated as RV sites, with most offering full hook-ups (water, electricity, and sewer). Sites 17-20 are mentioned as having water and electric hook-ups only. It's important to note that sites 1-6 are reportedly occupied by long-term residents, which one reviewer found "off-putting" due to the condition of some of the trailers and the presence of what appeared to be cargo-type trailers. For tent campers, sites A-J are available and are described as smaller. All sites, regardless of type, are reported to be "easy to get in and out," with dirt surfaces that are "pretty level." Each site is also equipped with a picnic table and a fire pit, and firewood is available for purchase on-site for $10 per wheelbarrow.

In terms of amenities and utilities, Kid Valley Campground has some limitations that local users should be aware of. A significant drawback is the complete lack of cell service and Wi-Fi availability. Reviewers noted that internet access was nonexistent not only at the campground but also throughout the drive to the west side of Mount St. Helens, making it necessary to rely on offline maps and brochures for planning. This lack of connectivity is a crucial consideration for those who need to stay in touch or access online resources during their trip. Additionally, the campground does not have a store, and the gas station across the street is permanently closed. The nearest grocery store, Drew’s Grocery, is approximately 8 miles away, so campers need to ensure they bring all necessary supplies. While there is no laundry facility, the bathroom is reported to be "fairly clean and maintained." For pet owners, there is no dog park, but the campground does provide doggie bags for waste disposal.

The primary feature of Kid Valley Campground is its strategic location for accessing the western side of Mount St. Helens. Key attractions such as the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake, the Johnston Ridge Observatory, and the Coldwater Lake Recreation Area are about a 30-40 minute drive away. This makes the campground a convenient base for local users planning to explore these significant sites and enjoy the hiking trails in the area. Additionally, a short trail from the campground leads to the Fire Mountain Grill (formerly Patty’s Place at 19 Mile House), offering a dining option with a view of the Toutle River, although one reviewer noted that the food and service were not exceptional. For those interested in water activities, access to swim and fish in the Toutle River is available about a quarter of a mile from the campground, with a popular spot featuring rope swings under a bridge. Within the campground itself, there is a large grassy area for recreational activities, along with a small plastic toddler slide, tetherball, horseshoes, a rundown basketball hoop, a balance beam, and a sandbox, making it somewhat family-friendly.

It is important for local users to note some of the campground’s policies and financial aspects. Kid Valley Campground does not offer a military discount. The current rate mentioned in a review was $28 per night for full hook-ups, and another reviewer paid $30 per night. A critical point is that payment is accepted in cash or check only; credit cards are not accepted. This requires visitors to come prepared with the necessary form of payment. One reviewer who stayed early in the season experienced a self-serve check-in process.

Overall, Kid Valley Campground appears to be a functional and conveniently located option for local users specifically interested in exploring the western side of Mount St. Helens and enjoying access to the Toutle River. The small, wooded setting provides a basic camping environment. However, potential visitors should be aware of the limited privacy between sites, the lack of cell service and Wi-Fi, the absence of an on-site store and laundry facilities, and the cash/check only payment policy. The presence of long-term residents in older and sometimes unkempt trailers was a significant concern for one reviewer. For those primarily focused on proximity to Mount St. Helens' west side attractions and don't require extensive amenities or strong connectivity, Kid Valley Campground could serve as a practical base. However, those seeking more privacy, modern amenities, or central access to all areas of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument might want to consider other campgrounds in the region, as one reviewer suggested that for exploring areas like Ape Cave (over two hours away), a more centrally located campground might be preferable.

Currently, no specific promotional offers or discounts are mentioned in the provided reviews. Local users interested in staying at Kid Valley Campground should contact the provided phone number, (360) 274-9060 or mobile +1 360-274-9060, to inquire about current rates, availability, and any seasonal promotions that might be offered. It would also be wise to ask about the current status of long-term resident occupancy and any updates to the campground's amenities or policies. By gathering the most up-to-date information, local campers can determine if Kid Valley Campground meets their needs for a "camping near me" experience focused on the Mount St. Helens area.

Kid Valley Campground Photos

Kid Valley Campground Location

Kid Valley Campground

9360 Spirit Lake Hwy, Toutle, WA 98649, USA

Kid Valley Campground

9360 Spirit Lake Hwy

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Kid Valley Campground Reviews

Small wooded campground in a great location to see the westside of Mount St. Helens.Sites/setting:Sites 1-20 are RV sites. Most have full hook-ups. I believe sites 17-20 are just water/electric. Sites 1-6 are currently occupied with long-term residents. Sites A-J are smaller tent sites.Sites are in a wooded setting; however, the woods are in the back of the sites and there is nothing in between each site, so there isn’t much privacy. It wasn’t too bad because it was pretty empty (aside from the residents), so we only had other campers on one side of us.All sites are easy to get in and out, dirt, and pretty level.All sites have a picnic table and a fire pit (you can purchase wood there for $10 a wheelbarrow).Amenities/Utilities:Cell service was nonexistent. There was no wi-fi available. From the campground to the westside of Mount St. Helens (trails and observation areas) we were never able to get internet, so we had to rely on maps/brochures to plan our days. I wish I would have know this so I could have been more prepared in planning our activities during our stay ahead of time.The campground doesn't have a store(the gas station across the street is permanently closed), so aside from firewood, the closest store is Drew’s Grocery which is about 8 miles away.There is no laundry facility. Bathroom was fairly clean and maintained.No dog park, but they do provide doggie bags.Activities:The westside area of Mount St. Helens was about 30-40 minutes away (Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake, Johnston Ridge Observatory, and Coldwater Lake Recreation Area).You can take a short trail to the restaurant Fire Mountain Grill (used to be called Patty’s Place at 19 Mile House). The food/service wasn’t the greatest, but you get a nice view of Toutle River.Access to swim/fish the Toutle River is 1/4 mile down the road. Turn right out of the campground and take a right on the first road. My little ones enjoyed swimming in the river and swinging on the rope swings into the water hung under the bridge.The center of the campground had a nice large grassy area to run around, a small plastic toddler slide, tether ball, horse shoes, a rundown basketball hoop, a balance beam, and a sandbox.No military discount offered. Current rate was $28 per night for full hook-ups. Must have cash or check! No credit cards accepted.Overall, it was a nice little campground; however, the long-term residents were very off-putting. Some of their trailers were old and unkept some people looked to be living in cargo type trailers even. This is the main reason for the lower rating.We didn’t realize when booking that it was so far from some of the trails we were interested in doing during our visit. For example, Ape Cave was over two hours away. Next time I would choose to stay at a campground more centrally located (maybe near Kalama), but if you just want to see the mountain and do a few hikes nearby than this is your place.#tencatestravel
Jan 04, 2019 · Marisa TenCate
The park was easy to find. It is located right off of Spirit Lake Highway It is the closest park to Mount St. Helen’s. There is pavement all the way until you arrive at the park. Signage is adequate. Check in this early in the season was self serve. Find a site, fill out the envelope and pay CASH only.. The rules are fairly basic.Our site, 20, was a back in that was just long enough for our Coach and Towed. Services (30 amp and water) were to the left side. Distancing is somewhat close for a rural park. Most sites do not have a vegetation barrier. Each site has a table and most have a fire pit. Our site was flat but sloped to the rear. Overall the park was pretty and well manicured. There is a big grassy field, Basket Ball hoop. Ping Pong Table and a Sand Box for the younger set. On a very hot day, one might want to venture a short distance up the logging road behind the park to find, under the bridge, a pair of rope swings over the water.We could not obtain any Verizon cell service thus had NO internet. We did not find a few OTA TV. Satellite might be difficult because of the trees if you don’t have a portable dish. We did not use the washrooms or pay showers (25 cents for 2 minutes) but we checked and found them dated but clean.There is a pathway that starts between sites 7 and 8 that runs alongside a steep bank that leads to a restaurant a short distance away. The restaurant was closed while we here but it looks like the views from the deck would be amazing.We found this park to be a well run rural RV park. We paid $30.00 per night and we feel we received very good value. We will be back if in the area again.
Apr 10, 2022 · Darrell & Jeredene Ollenberger
Beautiful campground but there was a drunk guy during the night screaming. I was a bit scared to leave my tent to go to the restrooms. And there was a rude person that thought it was funny to start his car at 3 in the morning and leave after 5/10 minutes.Okay restrooms and showers, although the big second shower didn't work.
Jun 23, 2023 · Tashina van Zwam
So we discovered this place when we stayed at another place 20 miles closer to town. We absolutely loved it! The owner, is SO nice! I had to rescedule multiple times because my dates were mixed up and she worked with me. Other places ive been would have told me to go somewhere else.Ray, hes the camp host, is super awesome and very nice. He was more than happy to give us directions or tell us how to get places. Since you dont get signal out there you kind of need to know.As you can see, our campsite was MASSIVE! So much space, we loved it. Didnt really have to worry about other people to much.The showers are on the quarter method, but i didnt have a bad experience with it. Maybe people who take 1 hour showers while camping would. Me however, I realize there are other people that might need the showers so were out within 7 minutes.Theres no water at the campsites themselves so we would just take the short walk to the bathroom and fill up our jug with the hose.The trees are gorgeous at the campsite and even though it rained we didnt feel so much of it. Thanks to the big beautiful trees!Theres lots of stuff to see, we spent a significant amount of time at the river, 1/4 a mile away. Also went up to see st.helens and the dam.Barrel of wood is $10A bucket is $5And they have ice! Only $3 a bag!Pros:-Great people here, even the few that live there are super nice- showers-lots of stuff near by-nice stretch of grass to play-you wont have signal hereCon- you probably wont have signal here-no water at each individual site- the guy that cleans the bathrrom is kind of mean and takes 2 to 3 hours to clean small bathrooms, he also closes them both during that time.
Jul 13, 2020 · carli yingling
Beautiful campground near Loowit/Mt. St. Helens. Stayed here over 4th of July weekend with some friends and we had a wonderful time, and the host was incredibly nice.
Jul 19, 2022 · Kelsey C