Peterson Prairie Campground

Pacific Northwest

Peterson Prairie Campground in Pacific Northwest — photo 4

Peterson Prairie Campground

Pacific Northwest

About this campsite

Overview

Peterson Prairie Campground offers shaded and secluded campsites nestled in a forest of large pine, spruce and fir trees. The campground tends is popular among huckleberry pickers.

At an elevation of 2,800 ft., Peterson Prairie offers a cool summertime climate during the hottest part of the season. Several kid-friendly attractions are a short distance away, making this campground a great choice for families.

Recreation

Seasonal harvesting of huckleberries and mushrooms is a popular pastime.

Natural Bridges and Ice Cave are scenic, family-friendly nature trails near Peterson Prairie Campground. A stairway leading into the Ice Cave allows convenient access to the cave's incredible ice formations. Please be prepared when visiting the caves. Information is avaialble at the campground and the Mt Adams Ranger Station.

Facilities

Drinking water and vault toilets are available. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. The sites are spacious with gravel parking spurs.

Natural Features

Located in southwest Washington State, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest encompasses 1.3 million acres and includes the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument established by Congress in 1982.

Peterson Prairie is located in the Mt. Adams Ranger District. Nearest town is Trout Lake, WA.

The Mount Adams Ranger District offers a large variety of habitats and natural features, from old growth to second growth forest, wetland areas, low and high elevation meadows, glaciers, and low and high elevation lakes.

Contact Info

This location has limited staffing. Please call (509) 427-3677 for general information.

Nearby Attractions

This campground is near Bird Creek Meadows, a trail that offers spectacular wildflower displays and opportunities to observe numerous birds.

Goose Lake is 8 miles west of the campground and offers excellent trout fishing.

Charges & Cancellations

Cancellations

Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.

A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite.

Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.

Group Sites

Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): A visitor who cancels a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee.

No-Shows

A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date.

No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite.

Refunds

Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended.

Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay.

For 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. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive.

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 the Recreation.gov visitor profile.

Location

Peterson Prairie Campground•WA

Explore on our map Get Directions Open in Maps

Weather Forecast

via Open-Meteo

THU☁️

19° / 8°

💧 19%

FRI🌧️

11° / 5°

💧 88%

SAT🌦️

16° / 3°

💧 6%

SUN☁️

18° / 5°

💧 1%

MON☁️

17° / 3°

💧 2%

Nearby Campsites

within 50km

Peterson Prairie Cabin

Overview The Peterson Cabin is located on the Mt. Adams Ranger District, is powered by propane, and wood heat and can sleep six people. The cabin was salvaged from demolition in 2014 and moved into place of a cabin that was razed by fire in 2012. The cabin has been meticulously restored and is open year round. Between December 1st and April 1st the road to the cabin is closed. Parking at Atkisson Sno-Park is required between these dates and a Washington State Sno-Park Pass is required. Ski, snowshoe or snowmobilers can access the cabin from Atkisson Sno-Park. Recreation Many recreational opportunities are within close proximity of the cabin. Hiking, biking, fishing, hunting and mushroom and huckleberry picking are popular during the snow-free months. Guests can enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing during winter. The Pacific Crest Trail, Indian Heaven Wilderness and Mt. Adams Wilderness are all within easy driving distance and boast scenic vistas. Atkisson Sno-Park is approximately 2.5 miles from the cabin and serves as a portal to the forest's network of 95 miles of groomed snowmobile trails. Three signed, ungroomed cross-country ski loops also depart from the Atkisson Sno-Park, offering loop opportunities of 4 to 11 miles. Portions of these loops overlap with each other and the snowmobile trail network. Facilities Peterson Cabin accommodates up to six guests. The rustic cabin's lower floor has an accessible bedroom with a double bed, a kitchen area and living/dining room with two loveseats and a fireplace/wood stove insert. Propane lighting and heating are provided throughout. The kitchen is equipped with a propane cook top, stove, and refrigerator, pots and pans, dishes and utensils, as well as a dining table and four chairs. An outdoor picnic table and vault toilet are on-site. Firewood is provided. No water is available during from October through Spring; guests must bring plenty for drinking, cooking and washing. In the summer months potable water is available. Although the cabin has several amenities, guests do need to provide their own sleeping bags, linens, towels, dish soap, matches, first aid kit, toilet paper and garbage bags. Bringing an additional light source in case of emergencies is also advised. Natural Features A dense canopy of Douglas fir towers over the cabin and huckleberry bushes are thick in the understory. Nearby Mt. Adams Wilderness is dominated by its namesake peak. At an elevation of 12,276 feet, Mount Adams looms over at least ten glaciers, forested slopes and subalpine meadows. Wildlife in the area is abundant, including spotted owls, black tail deer, Roosevelt elk and black bear. The more elusive cougar, bobcat and pine marten are seen occasionally. Nearby Attractions Guler Ice Cave is one mile west of the cabin. It is filled with spectacular ice formations that resemble stalactites, stalagmites, columns, fans and boxwork. The ice is believed to form because the cave acts as a trap, retaining the heavy cold air that settles into the cave in winter. As the snow melts above, moisture dripping into the cave forms into ice columns and masses. The cave is about 650 feet long, with four sections separated by three ceiling collapses. The Forest Service has built a stairway down to the cave, but the steps can be slippery during winter. When exploring the cave, wear warm clothing, boots and a helmet. Use crampons if you have them. Have three sources of light. Winter access requires cross-country skis, snowshoes or snowmobile. Many of the ice formations are just inside the cave entrance, so it's not necessary to explore deep inside.

4.1 km away

Atkisson Group camp

Overview Sitting just west of Washington's second largest mountain, Mt. Adams, Atkisson Group Camp is open for campers between May and September and becomes a sno-park for a variety of activities in winter. The flat, forested terrain makes Atkisson a popular spot for hikers, mountain bikers and winter sports enthusiasts. Recreation The flat terrain surrounding Atkisson is ideal for biking and hiking during the warmer months. Huckleberry and mushroom picking is permitted, and Nordic skiing and and snowmobiling are popular during the winter. Facilities This group site is a large paved area with plenty of room for RVs. There is a covered, common picnic building in the center. Atkisson will accommodate up to 50 people and offers 99 feet of paved driveway. In winter, this area serves as Atkisson sno-park, with a covered warming shed a large wood burning stove. Campers must bring drinking water, but vault toilets, a fire ring & picnic table are available. Natural Features Located in southwest Washington State, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest encompasses over 1.3 million acres, including the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument established by Congress in 1982. Atkisson is located in the Mount Adams Ranger District in the easternmost portion of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. This Ranger District comprises 367,000 acres and includes Mt Adams Wilderness, Indian Heaven Wilderness and Trapper Creek Wilderness. Mt Adams, a potentially active stratovolcano and the second-tallest mountain in Washington state, is a prominent landmark of the District. Elevations here range between 1,200 feet at the Wind River Work Center (12 miles north of Carson, WA) and 12,276 feet at the summit of Mt. Adams. The District also features a great diversity of habitats, from old growth to second growth forest, wetland areas, low and high elevation meadows and lakes, as well as glaciers. Contact Info This location has limited staffing. Please call (509) 427-3677 for general information. Nearby Attractions Atkisson is a great base for exploring the region further, including the abundance of activities and sights around Mount Adams. The nearby town of Trout Lake offers restaurants and shopping. Charges & Cancellations Group Sites Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): A visitor who cancels a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For 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. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. 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 the Recreation.gov visitor profile.