Colonial Creek Campground

On the shore of bluish-green Diablo Lake, Colonial Creek Campground features 142 campsites and a multitude of outdoor activities. Open year round, this campground is a great base for your next North Cascades adventure.

Once you get settled in at Colonial, you may never want to leave. Lakeside, creekside, and forest sites are all available. Hiking trails, a fishing pier, docks, and a boat launch await. The only potential downside is the absence of RV hookups. This makes Colonial Creek Campground best for tent camping, though RVs are welcome. There are several back-in and pull-through spots for RVs, as well as a dump station. Restrooms (without showers) and potable water are available throughout the grounds.

Fed by Colonial Peak's glaciers, the campground's namesake creek flooded in 2003 and 2006, causing irreparable damage to several campsites in the north loop. Today, you can cross Colonial Creek by footbridge and walk through its diverted creekbed on the hike to Thunder Knob. At the south end of the campground, Thunder Creek Trail leads hikers past several backcountry campsites to Fourth of July Pass and beyond.

Great for families, Colonial Creek Campground offers ranger programs and activities at the on-site amphitheater during summer. Launch a kayak or canoe from the campground to explore Diablo Lake, and paddlers can access nearby Ross Lake from here, too.

Note: Colonial Creek Campground is generally open May through September with services and fees. The campground remains open during winter months without water, services, or fees.