Colonial Creek South Campground
10Heads up5 park alerts, one naming this campground · 5 fires, nearest 11 mi
- Right now
- Diablo Lake Boat Launch Inaccessible to PowerboatsCaution naming this campground · nobody has said
- A night
- $24From, per site
- Sites
- 9490 on recreation.gov
The place
the agency’s own description · what’s there · 9 notices
In the agency’s own words
Colonial Creek South Campground requires reservations during the peak season, from late May through early September of each year. Important changes to booking windows: To better serve visitors, Colonial Creek South Campground will release campsites in two staggered block releases. These block releases will be 6 months in advance and 7 days in advance. Campsites #64 - #95 and #116 - #164 are available for reservations 6 months in advance. Campsites #96 - #113 are available for reservations 7 days in advance. Keep reading
Any sites not reserved during the peak season are available same-day as first-come, first-served for 1 night only and can only be claimed in person at the campground. Colonial Creek South Campground may be open as first-come, first-served after the peak season until most of the campground closes for the year, typically in mid to late September. Ten walk-in, tent-only campsites (#64 - #73) are open as first-come, first-served before and after the peak season, from January through late May, and early September through December of each year. The campground is remote, yet bustling and is nestled in old-growth forest. Located on the south side of State Route 20 near milepost 130, there are 93 campsites that are surrounded by forest and located on Diablo Lake. Colonial Creek South Campground can accommodate a variety of camping, whether it’s drive-in camping, or walk-in tent camping. The campsites vary in size from small to medium. Most of the campsites do not accommodate large trailers or RVs.
Recreation
Campers can access the Thunder Creek Trailhead from the South Loop. The Thunder Knob Trailhead is on the north loop across State Route 20. Fishing is allowed in Diablo Lake with a Washington State Fishing license, the nearest location to purchase a license is in the town of Marblemount, WA. Follow Washington State Fishing Regulations when recreating. Black bears are active in this campground and the surrounding trails. Be aware of your surroundings while hiking, picnicking, and camping. Use the provided bear boxes in your campsite to store coolers, cookware, and other odorants when not in use. If you encounter a bear around the campground or on a trail, inform campground staff or go to the North Cascades Visitor Center and fill out a bear report.
Facilities
The campground is located on the southern side of State Route 20, with some campsites along the lakefront of Diablo Lake. The entire facility offers drinking water, flush toilets, garbage and recycling, RV dump station, and some paved parking spaces, but most sites have uneven gravel parking. Each campsite offers a picnic table, bear box, and campfire ring.
Natural Features
Colonial Creek South Campground is surrounded by a forest of western redcedar, western hemlock, Douglas-fir, red huckleberries, and other native vegetation. The campground has easy access to Diablo Lake for recreating.
Nearby Attractions
Traveling west on State Route 20: The North Cascades Visitor Center is 11 miles (18 km) west on State Route 20 from Colonial Creek South Campground, operating seasonally, typically from May to September. Campers can find the passport stamps, exhibits, park film, park store, and much more. Traveling east on State Route 20: Diablo Lake Overlook is 1.5 miles (2 km) east on State Route 20. the turquoise lake can be viewed safely from this area and there is ample day use parking and vault toilets. Ross Lake Overlook is 5 miles (8 km) east on State Route 20, this is a less developed vista point. There are two pull off areas with interpretive way sides and with views of the Ross Dam and Ross Lake. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (360) 854-7200.
What the agency tells you
This campground is located within a hydroelectric project. A warning system is in place to notify campers of high water. See entrance area or campground staff for specific information upon arrival.
Wildlife frequents the area. All food must be stored in animal-resistant food lockers or hard-sided vehicles until use.
There are no shower facilities or electrical hookups available.
Everything else this campground posts · 6
Firewood, ice, gas, and other services are not available in the park complex. The nearest services are in the town of Marblemount, WA.
Don't Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit dontmovefirewood.org to learn more.
Campsite occupancy is limited to eight people, three tents, and two vehicles per site.
Campground reservations are accepted during the specified season dates. Campgrounds may be open before or after the reservation season on a walk-up basis. For more information on camping in the North Cascades visit, www.nps.gov/noca.
No Show Policy: If you do not arrive at a campground or cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date, your reservation will be cancelled. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. Please cancel your reservation if you are unable to use it to make spaces available for others. You can contact the park at 360-854-7301 to assist with changes for a reservation or to notify about a late arrival.
Refund Policy Customers may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Customers may also initiate a refund request through the call center at any time after their reservation has ended. Fees: Applicable fees, such as reservation fees, service/cancellation fees, lottery application fees, and change fees, are non-refundable. Debit or Credit Card Purchases: Refunds for debit or credit card payments made after October 1, 2018 will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. In the event that a customer has cancelled this card, they will need to contact their card company to have the funds released. We cannot issue refunds to any card other than the one used to pay. If a customer paid with a debit or credit card prior to October 1, 2018 their refund will be issued in the form of a Treasury check. Check or Cash Purchases: Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. You may update the address at the time you request the refund. It may take up to 6-8 weeks for the Treasury check to arrive. Please make sure your address is up to date in your customer profile. Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within your Recreation.gov customer profile.
Tents and rigs
- Sites
- 94 · 42 walk-in
- Hookups
- None
- Longest rig
- 43 ft
- Paved pads
- 35 of 94
- Accessible sites
- 3
- Pets
- Allowed
- Campfires
- Allowed, barring fire bans
- Shade
- 86 of 94 sites
Facilities
- Toilets
- Flush Toilets - seasonal · Vault Toilets - year round
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- recreation.gov lists “Dump Station”
- Bear boxes
- Yes
- Stay limit
- 30 nights
- recreation.gov facility rule maxStay
Around the campground
- On the water
- Lake, Creek
- Birding
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Ranger programs
- Kayaking
- Water access
- Night sky · 83rd darkest of 400 in WA
- Bortle 2
- Fall color · reported 14 days ago, 34 km away
- Peak color
No reading yet, book on recreation.gov
recreation.gov lists 90 of the 94 campsites the agency files here. The rest aren’t on its booking system, so a reservation won’t get you one.
No availability snapshot inside the last 36 hours, so this page draws nothing rather than ageing a reading into fiction.
Watch for a cancellation
Full? Watch it.
One email when a night opens, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We read recreation.gov once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time a site in your window is free for the nights you asked for.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
Tell me when the season opens
Watch for the season to open
One email when the season goes on sale, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We check once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time the agency has that season on sale.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
We make nothing when you book. The link goes straight to the government.
Every line of the receipt · 12
What you actually pay
Derived by CAMPANAC: the agency’s published rate for this season, $24 a night, plus one $8 recreation.gov reservation fee for the booking. A weekend here means Friday and Saturday night, booked once. Optional charges (an extra vehicle, a second tent, a dump-station fee) are listed separately and aren’t in this total.
Who keeps the booking fee
The agency’s own policy text says the reservation fee and the cancellation processing fee are “retained by the reservation service contractor”, and that a campground concessionaire will decline to refund them because “they did not receive these fees”. Recreation.gov is run under contract by Booz Allen Hamilton. What share of your booking fee the contractor keeps isn’t published in any federal dataset we can read, so we print no number for it. Our reporting on the contract →
How we know this receipt · 5
rules read Sep 9, 2026 · rates Oct 1, 2026 · How we know all this
The sites
94 sites · which ones have room · the site map
The sites, ranked
from 90 mapped sitesAll 94 sites
The price is derived by CAMPANAC, not published per site: the per-night rate this campground publishes for each site’s own site type. 94 of the 94 sites listed carry one, and a site whose type has no published rate sits out of the price rather than being called free.
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 064 | walk to | 115 ft | 48 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 065 | walk to | 35 ft | 44 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 066 | walk to | 47 ft | under 10 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 067 | walk to | 35 ft | 21 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 068 | walk to | 43 ft | 62 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 069 | walk to | 43 ft | 33 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 070 | walk to | 75 ft | 11 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 071ADA | walk to | yes | 83 ft | 99 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 072 | walk to | 72 ft | 27 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 073 | walk to | 72 ft | 65 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 074 | walk to | 17 ft | 96 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 075 | walk to | 17 ft | 85 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 076 | standard nonelectric | 38 ft | 97 ft | 39 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 077 | standard nonelectric | 25 ft | 82 ft | 94 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 078 | walk to | 31 ft | 15 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 079 | walk to | 31 ft | under 10 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 080 | walk to | 36 ft | 14 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 082 | walk to | 37 ft | 77 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 083 | walk to | 31 ft | 69 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 084 | walk to | 31 ft | 98 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 085 | walk to | 35 ft | 41 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 086 | walk to | 21 ft | 119 ft | 198 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 087 | walk to | 35 ft | 51 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 088 | walk to | 39 ft | 52 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 089 | standard nonelectric | 25 ft | 71 ft | 93 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 090 | walk to | 22 ft | 105 ft | 196 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 091 | standard nonelectric | 43 ft | 46 ft | 172 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 092 | walk to | 71 ft | 39 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 093 | walk to | 65 ft | 66 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 094 | walk to | 65 ft | under 10 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 095 | standard nonelectric | 23 ft | 51 ft | 72 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 096 | standard nonelectric | 37 ft | 46 ft | 185 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 097 | standard nonelectric | 24 ft | 51 ft | 71 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 099 | walk to | 74 ft | under 10 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 100 | walk to | 77 ft | under 10 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 101 | walk to | 49 ft | under 10 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 102 | walk to | 49 ft | under 10 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 103 | standard nonelectric | 28 ft | 48 ft | 191 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 104 | standard nonelectric | 23 ft | 48 ft | 238 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 106 | standard nonelectric | 16 ft | 42 ft | 292 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 108 | standard nonelectric | 24 ft | 52 ft | 223 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 110 | standard nonelectric | 25 ft | 104 ft | 192 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 111 | standard nonelectric | 23 ft | 64 ft | 45 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 112 | standard nonelectric | 25 ft | 64 ft | 108 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 113ADA | standard nonelectric | 30 ft | yes | 156 ft | 195 ft | $24 |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 114 | type not stated | 30 ft | 245 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 115 | type not stated | 30 ft | 244 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 116ADA | standard nonelectric | 40 ft | yes | 47 ft | 292 ft | $24 |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 117 | type not stated | 23 ft | 336 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 118 | standard nonelectric | 22 ft | 65 ft | 407 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 119 | standard nonelectric | 19 ft | 65 ft | 471 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 120 | standard nonelectric | 30 ft | 56 ft | 575 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 121 | standard nonelectric | 28 ft | 84 ft | 524 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 122 | standard nonelectric | 23 ft | 56 ft | 623 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 123 | standard nonelectric | 21 ft | 78 ft | 592 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 124 | standard nonelectric | 23 ft | 70 ft | 672 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 125 | standard nonelectric | 23 ft | 76 ft | 627 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 126 | standard nonelectric | 23 ft | 76 ft | 703 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 127 | walk to | 99 ft | 727 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 128 | hike to | 70 ft | 718 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 130 | walk to | 113 ft | 661 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 131 | walk to | 110 ft | 643 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 132 | hike to | 91 ft | 703 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 133 | hike to | 70 ft | 647 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 134 | hike to | 91 ft | 556 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 135 | hike to | 125 ft | 459 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 136 | standard nonelectric | 23 ft | 96 ft | 605 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 137 | standard nonelectric | 26 ft | 96 ft | 549 ftRhode Creek | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 138 | hike to | 54 ft | 319 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 139 | hike to | 44 ft | 297 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 140 | hike to | 44 ft | 284 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 141 | hike to | 111 ft | 384 ftRhode Creek | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 142 | standard nonelectric | 24 ft | 68 ft | 410 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 143 | standard nonelectric | 20 ft | 133 ft | 371 ftRhode Creek | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 144 | standard nonelectric | 36 ft | 47 ft | 338 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 146 | standard nonelectric | 22 ft | 80 ft | 416 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 147 | standard nonelectric | 25 ft | 32 ft | 414 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 148 | standard nonelectric | 30 ft | 42 ft | 324 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 149 | standard nonelectric | 16 ft | 32 ft | 422 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 150 | standard nonelectric | 23 ft | 41 ft | 425 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 151 | standard nonelectric | 20 ft | 59 ft | 367 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 152 | type not stated | 35 ft | 456 ft | $24 | ||
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 153 | standard nonelectric | 20 ft | 59 ft | 405 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 154 | standard nonelectric | 18 ft | 92 ft | 487 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 155 | standard nonelectric | 30 ft | 72 ft | 480 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 156 | standard nonelectric | 20 ft | 72 ft | 550 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 157 | standard nonelectric | 33 ft | 72 ft | 409 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 158 | standard nonelectric | 18 ft | 74 ft | 526 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 159 | standard nonelectric | 27 ft | 72 ft | 396 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 160 | standard nonelectric | 23 ft | 68 ft | 430 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 161 | standard nonelectric | 22 ft | 93 ft | 320 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 162 | standard nonelectric | 21 ft | 67 ft | 239 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 163 | standard nonelectric | 24 ft | 67 ft | 206 ft | $24 | |
| Colonial Creek South Campground | 164 | standard nonelectric | 27 ft | 101 ft | 296 ftRhode Creek | $24 |
25 of 94 listed
Getting there
the map and the coordinate · the agency’s directions · the phone number
Where it is
Colonial Creek North CampgroundRoss Lake National Recreation Area · 0.2 mi
Gorge Lake Campground3.1 mi
Newhalem Creek CampgroundRoss Lake National Recreation Area · 7.6 mi
Lower Goodell Group CampgroundRoss Lake National Recreation Area · 7.8 mi
Upper Goodell Group CampgroundRoss Lake National Recreation Area · 7.8 mi
Goodell Creek CampgroundRoss Lake National Recreation Area · 7.9 miColonial Creek South Campground is located near milepost 130 on State Route 20. From Burlington, WA, drive 70 miles (113 km) east on State Route 20. From Twisp, WA, drive 71 miles (114 km) west on State Route 20.
The weather
the next four days · the thirty-year normal
Next four days, and the thirty-year normal
Forecast
NWS forecast for Marblemount, WA
Typical weather
Typical October night 42°F, day 58°F.
Coldest month of the year: typical January night 30°F, below freezing. Bring a bag rated colder than that, and expect ice in the water bottle.
Daily high and lowDays with 0.10 in or more
A normal is the 1991-2020 average for the month, not a forecast: about half of all Augusts are colder than the August line. The seven-day forecast above answers the other question.
The land, and who answers for it
who answers for it
Who answers for this land
Colonial Creek South Campground is in Washington’s 2nd congressional district. Its representative, Rick Larsen (D), votes on the laws that decide what happens to this land. Public-lands grade so far: A+. See every public-lands vote →