Trailhead: Crest Camp
This trailhead provides easy access to good hiking and horse back riding on the Pacific Crest Trail which runs north from the trailhead to Indian Heaven Wilderness and south past the Big Lava Bed. Parking for about 10 vehicles. Amenties include picnic table, information board, and vault toilet. No potable water.
More like this: first-come in Washington · tent only in Washington
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | $5/vehicle/day |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Forest | Gifford Pinchot National Forest |
| Fees | $5/vehicle/day |
| Rules | Only one back-in is allowed at this site. Others can park on the road. Motorized vehicles & bicycles prohibited on Pacific Crest Trail. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 45.9089° N, 121.8010° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedNatural Bridges Pile Rx
8 mi from the campground
- PrescribedTracy Hill Rx
23 mi from the campground · 71 acres
- PrescribedSouth Park Rx
24 mi from the campground
- WildfireClark Road
35 mi from the campground · 27 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 14.2 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Camping World ↗ | 39 mi |
| RV sales & service | Camping World ↗ | 45.4 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 6.9 miTrailhead: Thomas Lake ↗Trailhead
- 10.2 miTrailhead: Monte Cristo-Lower ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 2.2 miIndian Racetrack3.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.6 miShortcut0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 3.2 miPanther Creek Falls0.08 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 4.3 miBig Huckleberry0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 4.4 miGrassy Knoll ↗6 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 4.5 miUpper Falls Creek ↗11.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trailheads within three miles
- under 0.1 miTrailhead: Crest Camp ↗Gifford Pinchot National Forest
- 2.2 miTrailhead: Indian Race Track - South ↗Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
- inGifford Pinchot National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,496,308 acres
- 3.4 miIndian Heaven Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 20,784 acres
- 9.3 miTrapper Creek Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 5,963 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
Guidebooks for Washington
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to camp at Trailhead: Crest Camp?
$5/vehicle/day
Source: Forest Service
Is Trailhead: Crest Camp open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Trailhead: Crest Camp?
Trailhead: Crest Camp is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Trailhead: Crest Camp is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Goose Lake Campground (3 mi, first-come), Forlorn Lakes CG Gifford Pinchot NF (4.1 mi, first-come), and Horse Camp: Falls Creek (4.5 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby