Deva
For La Wis Wis Campground: La Wis Wis
Set beside the Cowlitz river, multiple loops make up this campground, with Loop A being best for larger rigs. B,C,D, and E require some tight turns not suited for medium or large campers. Sites are labeled with a number and a letter designating the loop, and either S, M, SP, or MP. Per the camp host, S is for single vehicles, M for multiple. Makes sense, right? He didn’t tell me about the P and I only saw that the next day, when I happened to run across a rep from Rocky Mount, who manages the CG reservation system. She didn’t know what the P meant, either. In fact, she told me “M†no longer stands for “multiple†and some of these are now single sites in their system, although there is ZERO explanation of this in the CG or anywhere on the info boards. Turns out I could have camped *right* on the river if only I were omniscient. Porta-potty bathrooms. Water spigots throughout CG, no hookups, dry camping only. Didn’t see a dump station, but since I don’t use one, I could have missed it. Heavily wooded area, very few good solar sites due density of canopy. The CG itself is in poor repair with crumbling, un-level parking pads, rickety porta-potties, and sites missing letters/numbers. I thought I was in D1S, turns out I was in D17S but who knew because the “7†was missing? The ranger office is closed and slowly disintegrating. $22/night for “single†sites, $40 for multiple, although, who knows if you’re actually in a single site now? I feel like a year and a half ago, single sites would be in the $12-15 range...Walk-up sites still available at this CG, but I’m sure they will be going to 100% reservable in the near future to maximize the profit. There were multiple sites reserved for the weekend I was there and no one ever showed up, a few right on the river. Mostly quiet, the river was running swiftly when I was there so it tended to drown out other camper’s conversations. I have a Extended Chevy Camper Van and I just barely fit, front to back. Very short parking pads on most sites. Some sites more private, while others are quite close together. Zero cell reception with AT&T anywhere in the CG. Beautiful area, but no real hikes or other activities, except for a short 1/4 mile hike to Purcell Falls, which is lovely. Can’t imagine anyone swimming in this cold water with a ripping current. I was also surprised by the lack of bear proof garbage areas and food storage lockers. Maybe bears aren’t a problem here, but even raccoons can become an issue for CG’s that don’t have secured garbage areas. Beautiful area, poorly managed campground, and over-priced for the “amenities.†I came, I camped, I won’t be back.
Posted Jun 14, 2021 by Deva from Florida. This is the subjective opinion of a traveler and not of AllStays LLC.
