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Cowlitz Riverside Retreat
Hosted by Julie · Kelso, Washington
2 sites · RV, Tent · 5 acres
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2 sites
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The Eagle
96%
(24)Potable water
Pets allowed
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The retreat
100%
(3)Pets allowed
Reviews
96% Recommend27 Ratings · 24 reviews
Recommends
· August 2026
7 m travel trailer · With pets ·
The Eagle
The hosts were very kind and inviting. The property was lovely and relaxing. We will be back for sure!!
(Reposting my original review. Hipcamp wants me to review both sites)
We had such an amazing stay here! We ended up renting both campsites for our group and it was perfect, we had the place to ourselves! Plenty of open space to make camp, plenty of shade. Even though there was no bathroom there was a very clean porta potty which totally sufficed for us. The communal fire area was so nice with a beautiful view of the river. Access to the river was great for floating and swimming. Our hosts, Steve and Julie, were extremely welcoming and accommodating. We would absolutely book here again, we had so much fun and it was so relaxing!
We had such an amazing stay here! We ended up renting both camp sites for our group and it was perfect, we had the place to ourselves! Plenty of open space to make camp, plenty of shade. Even though there was no bathroom there was a very clean porta potty which totally sufficed for us. The communal fire area was so nice with a beautiful view of the river. Access to the river was great for floating and swimming. Our hosts, Steve and Julie, were extremely welcoming and accommodating. We would absolutely book here again, we had so much fun and it was so relaxing!
The hosts were gracious and the vibes were good and the space clean and well-kept. But I do have to leave a review that indicates the swimming/fishing beach was washed away with the winter flooding, so it is no longer a particularly "family friendly/fun" site. There's virtually no access to get down to the water, and what is there is not swimmable. The bank is steep and sandy, with a lot of near-bank bushes, so even getting down to land a fish is challenging. With the steep banks, you really do have to keep an eye on your kids even more than usual so they don't venture too close and slip into the water.
I don't blame the host or the listing, but people deserve to know that the site has fundamentally changed since most of the reviews were written. If you're a dedicated plunker who doesn't mind sliding down a bank to land your fish, you'll still have a good time here. I just don't recommend it if you're looking for a swimming/hang-out beach for your family.
We were anxious to try out dry camping in our new nobo trailer and it could not have been better. The site was flat and grassy, right by the river. Steve was an excellent host, taking every opportunity to ensure our stay was successful. It was everything they advertised, we wish them well and a healthy future. Thanks for the stay.
Upon arrival, I located Steve who hopped in his side by side and along with his one year old pup kindly led the way to an open, lush green field with places for me to choose from. By the trees, in the open or the option to park up atop the raised sandy bank area (just not too close to the edge). I chose to be closest to the river. Perhaps not the best option for having to cleaning sandy paws each time we got back in the van. Steve made sure I knew if I needed anything not to hesitate to ask. The next morning, he made sure Maxx, my Search & Rescue K9 was able to get the exercise he needed prior to getting back on the road. They even went the extra mile and made dog poop bags available with a bin to dispose of them. I met Julie on our way out and she seemed very nice. We will definitely be staying there again.
K9 Maxx and I recommend staying here.
My wife and I will be coming back. We stayed for one night in our truck top camper. There are pole holders and a net for fishing, solar powered garden lights over your picnic table and an awesome fire pit. The host was more than welcoming and gracious for sharing their beautiful property. We will be back soon.
Recommends
· September 2024
6 m Class B · With pets ·
The Eagle
Really enjoyed this spot on the river as a stopping point on my way north and back. I'm making plans to visit again. Great hosts.
This was a dream come true to stay at Julie's hipcamp!! Fisherpeople, this place rocks!! It was such a pleasure to roll out of bed, grab a coffee, and go plunk for salmon and steelhead!! I saw eagles every morning, salmon rolling on their upstream trek, and a nice place to take a cool dip on a hot day!!
Julie was such a great host, checking with us to see if there was anything we needed.
If I lived closer, I'd be renting a spot whenever possible!!
I highly recommend this place and would definitely stay here again!!
My first time to Washington and staying at the Eagle I felt comfortable and welcomed by the hosts. The area is well kept, close access to clean Honey Bucket and portable shower. Night view from tent of almost full moon lighting the area to waking close by water. Thank you for the check ins during the storm and assist if needed. Till next time
I loved tent camping at the Eagle. The area has river access, a small beach, grassy plain, and trees. There are only a couple of sites so plenty of privacy. Portapotty bathrooms, a handwash station, and portable shower area.
Each site has its own picnic table. There was a fire ban in the area so we brought a propane fire pit.
Although hopeful, we didn’t catch any fish though. We’re planning a return stay with friends in a couple of weeks.
The resident puppy (Coco) and elderly dog (Wrangler) came out to greet us a couple of times during our stay. We had a great time,
Recommends
· August 2024
2 m pop-up camper · Group trip ·
The Eagle
Very open and private space the owners are super accommodating and pleasant. Everything you need from there use of kayaks and fishing poles. The river is perfect for fishing, swimming and kayaking.
Recommends
· July 2024
3 m travel trailer ·
The Eagle
Another wonderful weekend spent with amazing people, fishing and weather! Our favorite place to be 🥰
Positives: The owner's are very friendly and communicative, making sure we got the right spot as soon as we arrived. As seen in the pictures, the property is right on the cowlitz riverbank and we saw some people reel in beautiful salmon. The port-a-potty was clean and accessible.
Not so positives: the property is actually fairly close to busy traintracks and trains seem to pass all hours of the day and night. They rarely blew their horns, but the train noise itself might be disruptive to some. Also, one review refers to the river as a swimming hole - I would disagree there. The cowlitz has a pretty good current and probably only strong swimmers should attempt a dip. It should also be noted that there is a short but somewhat steep gravel hill down to the camping area from the road. We watched someone with a larger trailer have some difficulty getting back out. Last, spots are spaced out, but there really is no trees or anything in between for privacy.
Overall, I feel this hipcamp spot is priced right and is a good option since there's not a lot else in the area. It's not somewhere I am anxious to return, but I can see how it would great for fishers and multifamily gatherings.
Recommends
· July 2024
5 m Class C · With kids ·
The Eagle
It’s a beautiful place and not far away. Everyone was very friendly.
Julie and Steve are excellent hosts. The camp site was beautiful & right by the river! We spent the day fishing on the bank while our dog swam in the water. A small slice of paradise! We will definitely be camping here again.
Recommends
· July 2024
3 m travel trailer ·
The Eagle
What an amazing experience in every way! Julie and Steve are so accommodating and are so fun! Steve set us up with a steelhead pole and we just relaxed on this Incredible property with amazing other guests. Steve and Julie shared steelhead for dinner and we had a little potluck. The full moon was beautiful over the River and the beach was so peaceful. We get to go back again this weekend!!! Definitely a hidden gem.
Recommends
· July 2024
3 m campervan ·
The Eagle
This was an unexpected stop for me and my daughters. We had a day to wait until our further travels plans.
They welcomed us and made our stay amazing. Steve and Julie were willing to help, above and beyond .
This is such a great set up. Right on the river. Amazing sunsets.
Met some great people . We will definitely be back.
We saw multiple bald eagles. That was great.
My kids loved it. The swimming is good.
Recommends
· July 2024
4 m campervan ·
The Eagle
Such a magical spot! Steve and Julie were the most gracious hosts. We loved the large grass field and even though there were 3 other groups there we all had plenty of room and much more to spare. Beautiful little river access and sandy bank to sit and fish on. Peaceful and quiet, it certainly was a retreat. We’ll certainly be back!!
First off, there is nothing that I can say that will do justice to the amazing weekend we had. Steve and Julie are such amazing people. They open their beautiful property to total strangers and welcome them with open arms. They went above and beyond the entire weekend. There were 3 other groups so made it 4 total and they said they wanted to keep it small and low key, although their gorgeous property could have held so many more…. They definitely made the right decision to keep it small. We made the best friendships with every one there. One of the guys caught a steelhead and Steve had also caught one a day or two before we got there, so he brought his smoker down where we all were camping and cooked the fish and we all threw in something and had ourselves a potluck. Amazing food, amazing group of people and bonus, All our dogs got along so well. We all talked about having a reunion and coming back. (Ps, we didn’t have so much luck catching fish, but what a fun time we had trying 🥴)
We absolutely adore the hosts, Steve and Julie. Thank you for making our weekend so awesome, we WILL be back. 🥰
Julie and Steve were absolutely incredible hosts. This place is beautiful and has an awesome swimming hole. We enjoyed our stay! Can’t wait to come back.
Highly recommend!!
This place is beautiful! So much space, gorgeous River with a solid swimming hole. Julie and Steve were such fantastic hosts. We will absolutely come back. Thanks guys!!n
Julie and Steve were amazing hosts! Their place is so perfect for safe camping, with plenty of shade or sun option and a sweet sandy beach. I would totally stay again! They were unbelievably kind and helpful folks with huge hearts 🌟
So great! Wonderful swimmers hole, totally relaxing, great shady or aunny apot options. Host was amazing and reached put to me right away.
I had an unfortunate breakage on my truck camper and Steve not only came to my rescue with epoxy and a ladder, but also offered to let me have the part shipped to their address!! To top it off, the host shuttled my dog and I a few miles upriver so we could enjoy the gentle kayak float back to camp. Such kindness!!!Made my week!!! Unbelievable!
Location
Kelso, Cowlitz, Washington, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Julie And Steve B.
Joined in July 2024Things to do nearby
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Hipcamp acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.