Camping near Ellensburg, Washington
Camping near Ellensburg, Washington includes 8 public campgrounds on record, 4 reservable and 3 first-come. The Bureau of Land Management runs the most, 4 of 8. The nearest, Kittitas Valley Event Center RV Camping, is 0.8 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line, and 4 of 8 are within 15 miles. 4 stay open all year. Another 31 public campgrounds filed under nearby towns are within 30 miles of Ellensburg.
Kittitas Valley Event Center RV Camping Bighorn Recreation Site 
Umtanum Recreation Site 
Lmuma Creek Recreation Site 
Roza Recreation Site Riders Camp Icewater Creek Camping near Ellensburg at a glance
- Public campgrounds
- 8 (4 BLM, 3 National Forest, 1 County)
- Getting a site
- 4 reservable and 3 first-come
- Cost
- Lowest posted fee at Manastash Campground: "Single Site: $5 per night"
- Distance from Ellensburg
- 0.8 miles (Kittitas Valley Event Center RV Camping) to 19 miles (Manastash Campground) in a straight line; 4 within 15 miles
- Elevation
- 1,231 ft (Roza Recreation Site) to 4,197 ft (Riders Camp), 7 of 8 on record
- Season
- 4 open all year, 3 seasonal with posted dates
- Campsites
- 75 across the 6 campgrounds that state a count
- RVs
- 4 take RVs; hookups at Kittitas Valley Event Center RV Camping; longest stated RV length 20 ft (Umtanum Recreation Site)
- Drinking water
- 1 of 8
Distances are straight-line miles from Ellensburg's point in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer (2025), not driving distances. Every other fact comes from each campground's own sourced record, linked from its page.
Reservable Kittitas Valley Event Center RV Camping - Agency
- County
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- $40/night RV (water/power), $30 winter (no water), $20 RV or tent dry camping
- Agency
- BLM
- Sites
- 15
- Season
- Year-round
- Fee
- Not on record
Reservable Umtanum Recreation Site - Agency
- BLM
- Sites
- 18
- Season
- Year-round
- Fee
- $15 per night camping, $5 day use
Reservable Lmuma Creek Recreation Site - Agency
- BLM
- Sites
- 7
- Season
- Year-round
- Fee
- $15 per night camping, $5 day use
Reservable Roza Recreation Site - Agency
- BLM
- Sites
- 6
- Season
- Year-round
- Fee
- $15 per night camping, $5 day use
- Agency
- National Forest
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Early June to Late October
- Fee
- Single Site: $5 per night
- Agency
- National Forest
- Sites
- 15
- Season
- June to Snowfall
- Fee
- Single site: $24 per night; additional vehicle $11 per night
- Agency
- National Forest
- Sites
- 14
- Season
- Early June to Late October
- Fee
- Single Site: $5 per night
No campgrounds match.
More campgrounds within 30 miles of Ellensburg
- Big Pines, 15 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , BLM , reservable ($15/night camping, $5 day use); listed under camping near Selah.
- Taneum, 16 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $24 per night; additional vehicle $11 per night); listed under camping near Cle Elum.
- Liberty Recreation Site, 18 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , BLM (free); listed under camping near Liberty.
- Mineral Springs, 21 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $24 per night; additional vehicle $11; group site $125 per night); listed under camping near Cle Elum.
- Mineral Springs Group, 21 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable ; listed under camping near Cle Elum.
- Squilchuck State Park, 23 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , State Park , reservable ; listed under camping near Wenatchee.
- Swauk Campground, 23 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $24 per night, Double Site: $40 per night); listed under camping near Cle Elum.
- Cottonwood, 23 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $22 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- Teanaway Camping Area, 24 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , State Forest , first-come (No camping fee (first come, with a Discover Pass)); listed under camping near Cle Elum.
- Halfway Flat Campground (main), 26 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $10 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- Halfway Flat Campground (south), 26 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $10 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- Sawmill Flat, 26 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $24 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- Halfway Flat Campground (north), 26 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $10 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- Little Naches, 26 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $22 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- Rocky Coulee Recreation Area, 27 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , Other Agency , first-come ($15/night; cash or check at the drop box); listed under camping near Vantage.
- 29 Pines Campground, 27 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , State Forest , first-come (No camping fee (first come, with a Discover Pass)); listed under camping near Cle Elum.
- Windy Point, 27 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $22 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- Ponderosa, 27 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $8 per vehicle); listed under camping near Naches.
- Wanapum Recreation Area, 27 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , State Park , reservable (Peak nightly (statewide): full hookup $46-$56); listed under camping near Vantage.
- Kaner Flat Campground, 27 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $20 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- Kaner Flat Group Campground, 27 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Naches.
- Long Meadow, 28 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $8 per night per vehicle, paid through the Recreation.gov app); listed under camping near Naches.
- Crow Creek, 28 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $10 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- Indian Camp, 28 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , State Forest , first-come (No camping fee (first come, with a Discover Pass)); listed under camping near Ronald.
- Indian Flat Group Campground, 28 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Naches.
- Longmire Meadow, 29 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $8 per night per vehicle, through Recreation.gov); listed under camping near Naches.
- Sand Hollow Recreation Area, 29 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , Other Agency , reservable ($20/night; cash or check at the drop box); listed under camping near Vantage.
- Yakima Sportsman State Park, 29 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , State Park , reservable (Peak nightly (statewide): standard $31-$43, full hookup $46-$56); listed under camping near Terrace Heights.
- Cedar Springs, 29 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $22 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- American Forks, 29 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $15 per night); listed under camping near Naches.
- Crescent Bar Recreation Area Campground, 30 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line , Other Agency , reservable ($50-$60 standard, $65-$75 premium per night (April 1-Oct 15); $35 off season); listed under camping near Crescent Bar.
Things to do near Ellensburg
Public land and water within 30 miles of Ellensburg, the public land its campgrounds sit in, and landmarks at those campgrounds, nearest first.
- Mattoon Lake fishing, a fishing water whose mapped point is 1.6 miles from Ellensburg; stocking record and species on fishypedia.com.
- Olmstead Place Historical State Park, a state park whose mapped point is 3.9 miles from Ellensburg; its hours, entrance fee, and boundary on publiclandsdb.com.
- Olmstead Place State Park, a state park whose mapped point is 3.9 miles from Ellensburg; its hours, entrance fee, and boundary on publiclandsdb.com.
- Naneum Pond fishing, a fishing water whose mapped point is 4 miles from Ellensburg; stocking record and species on fishypedia.com.
- Fiorito Lake North fishing, a fishing water whose mapped point is 4.8 miles from Ellensburg; stocking record and species on fishypedia.com.
- McCabe Pond fishing, a fishing water whose mapped point is 5.6 miles from Ellensburg; stocking record and species on fishypedia.com.
- Yakima River Canyon, at Bighorn Recreation Site (7.6 miles from Ellensburg): Basalt cliffs up to 2,000 feet above the Yakima River, with blue-ribbon trout fishing and the densest nesting concentration of hawks, eagles and falcons in the state.
- Iron Horse State Park, a state park whose mapped point is 9.3 miles from Ellensburg; its hours, entrance fee, and boundary on publiclandsdb.com.
- Umtanum footbridge, at Umtanum Recreation Site (11 miles from Ellensburg): A historic footbridge crosses the Yakima River to trails on WDFW land on the west side, with a scenic overlook beside it.
- Roza Dam pool, at Roza Recreation Site (17 miles from Ellensburg): The southernmost camping and day-use area in the canyon, half a mile above Roza Dam, on the half-mile pool where BLM allows motorized watercraft.
Supplies and emergencies near Ellensburg
Nearest emergency room: Kittitas Valley Community Hospital, 603 S Chestnut St, Ellensburg, WA, 1.1 miles from Ellensburg , (509) 962-9841. Next nearest: Confluence Health Hospital, 1201 N Miller St, Wenatchee, WA, 32 miles, (509) 662-1511. Both report emergency services in the CMS Hospital General Information dataset (accessed 2026-09-26) . In an emergency, call 911.
- Groceries
-
- Happy's Market
- Food Mart
- 7-Eleven
- Fuel
-
- Texaco
- 7-Eleven
- JR's Fuel Station
- Propane
-
- Amerigas
- Exit 115 Shell
- RV dump station
-
- Indian John Hill Rest Area, I-90 Westbound
- Indian John Hill Rest Area, I-90 Eastbound
- Selah Creek Rest Area, I-82 Westbound
- Pharmacy
-
- Whole Health Pharmacy
- Safeway
- Laundromat
-
- Model Coin-Op
- The Laundry Center of Ellensburg
- The Laundry Center
Not mapped in OpenStreetMap within 25 miles of Ellensburg: potable water fill and ice. Stores, fuel, propane, dump stations, water fill, laundromats, and pharmacies are the nearest few mapped within 25 miles, straight-line, © OpenStreetMap contributors (data as of 2026-09-29; this extract under the ODbL). Hours are as mapped; call ahead.
Common questions
Where can I camp around Ellensburg, WA?
8 public campgrounds are on record near Ellensburg. Nearest first, straight-line from town: Kittitas Valley Event Center RV Camping (0.8 miles), Bighorn Recreation Site (7.6 miles), Umtanum Recreation Site (11 miles), Lmuma Creek Recreation Site (14 miles), and 4 more. 3 are first-come, first-served with no reservations, 3 book through Recreation.gov, and 1 books through Kittitas Valley Event Center online request form.
Where can I camp with an RV near Ellensburg, WA?
4 campgrounds near Ellensburg take RVs: Kittitas Valley Event Center RV Camping, Lmuma Creek Recreation Site, Roza Recreation Site, and Umtanum Recreation Site. Kittitas Valley Event Center RV Camping has hookups. The nearest mapped RV dump station is at Indian John Hill Rest Area, I-90 Westbound, 18 miles from town (OpenStreetMap).
Where can I go tent camping near Ellensburg, WA?
Umtanum Recreation Site lists tent or walk-in sites on record.
Where can I camp near Ellensburg with drinking water?
Kittitas Valley Event Center RV Camping has potable water on record.
Are there year-round campgrounds near Ellensburg, WA?
Yes: Bighorn Recreation Site, Lmuma Creek Recreation Site, Roza Recreation Site, and Umtanum Recreation Site are open all year, per the managing agency. The rest are seasonal or have no season on record.
When is camping season near Ellensburg, WA?
Of the 3 seasonal campgrounds with posted dates, most open in June (3 of 3) and close in October (2 of 3). Bighorn Recreation Site, Lmuma Creek Recreation Site, Roza Recreation Site, and Umtanum Recreation Site stay open all year. Each campground's own dates are in the table.
Where can I camp near a lake around Ellensburg, WA?
Kittitas Valley Event Center RV Camping sits on Mattoon Lake.
Where is the nearest emergency room to Ellensburg, WA?
Kittitas Valley Community Hospital, 603 S Chestnut St, Ellensburg, WA, is 1.1 miles from Ellensburg in a straight line and reports emergency services to CMS; phone (509) 962-9841. In an emergency, call 911.
Every campground in the state: camping in Washington ; by agency: BLM campgrounds in Washington , County campgrounds in Washington and National Forest campgrounds in Washington ; by county: campgrounds in Kittitas .