South Beach Campground campground
National Park ~4 hr 30 min from Seattle

South Beach Campground

Bluff-top RV campground in Olympic National Park overlooking the Pacific Ocean with beach access and whale watching from your campsite.

RV Sites
55
total sites
Max Length
35 ft
dry camping
Hookups
None
dry camping
Surface
Gravel
site surface
Dump Station
Not available
Nearest dump in town
Reservation
FCFS
availability varies
Why Visit

South Beach Campground

South Beach puts you on forested bluffs with unobstructed Pacific Ocean views just 3 miles south of Kalaloch Lodge. It is a primitive campground with no drinking water, but the setting is stunning. Bring binoculars for gray whale spotting and plan for wide sandy beach walks at low tide. Most sites have partial ocean glimpses through the trees.

US-101, Queets, WA 98331 (milepost 160)
~4 hr 30 min from Seattle (270 mi)
Recreation.gov · First-come, first-served
NPS America the Beautiful pass accepted
Campground Specs

Details that matter for your rig

Maneuverability
Moderate
Some tight turns — manageable
Cell Coverage
Spotty
Download maps before you go
Generators
Restricted
Designated hours only
Site Surface
Gravel
Check conditions at check-in
Dump Station
Not available
Nearest dump station in town
Hookups
None
Bring full tanks
Things to Do

Activities at South Beach Campground

🥾 Hiking 🎣 Fishing 🏊 Swimming 🚣 Kayaking 🏖️ Beach ⛵ Boating 🛝 Playground

On-site & nearby activities

  • Pacific Ocean beach access
  • Gray whale watching (spring)
  • Beachcombing and driftwood exploration
  • Sunset and coastal photography
  • Shorebird and wildlife viewing
National Park

One of Washington's crown jewels

South Beach occupies a narrow strip between Pacific Ocean breakers and coastal spruce forest at the southern edge of Olympic National Park's coastal section, one of the longest stretches of undeveloped Pacific shoreline in the contiguous United States. Gray whale migration routes pass close to shore here each spring and fall, making this one of the more reliable land-based whale-watching sites in Washington State. The beach's wide tideline supports Pacific razor clams in season and provides critical shorebird habitat on the Pacific Flyway, attracting hundreds of species of migratory birds each spring and fall.

Facilities

What's on-site

🚻
Toilets
Flush toilets
🚿
Showers
Not available
💧
Drinking Water
Not available
🔥
Fire Pits
Every site
Only flush toilets are available on site — no showers or drinking water. Every site includes a fire pit.
Insider Knowledge

Site recommendations from the field

Sourced from first-hand visits, park ranger notes, and RV community reports. Updated when conditions change.

🗺️

First-come, first-served — arrive by Thursday for summer weekends. Sites closest to the beach access trail (1–15) are most popular; the walk to the Pacific is under five minutes. The campground is fully exposed to ocean wind — bring extra stakes and a windbreak. The dark skies here are exceptional; on clear nights the Milky Way is visible directly above the beach.

Logistics

Nearest services

📍 Nearest TownForks, WA
⛽ Gas Station3 mi
🛒 Grocery Store50 mi
🏪 Costco50 mi
☕ Starbucks31 mi
🏕️ Nearest State Park60 mi

Stock up in Forks, WA before heading out — services get limited near the campground.

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Ready to book?

Ready to book South Beach Campground?

Check availability online. First-come, first-served.

Reserve a Site
Information sourced from official park agencies and publicly available data. Conditions, fees, and availability change — verify details directly with the campground before your visit.