A Well-Crafted Tipi Camp Experience
In a nut shell... You will experience the essence of glamping. The secluded outdoor camp is tucked underneath towering pines. It features a tipi with a queen bed, three tent cabins with trifold mattresses, an outdoor shower, a 400 sq. ft. deck, outdoor furniture, a fully equipped cookhouse with hot running water, and a cedar shake privy. Sheets, Pillows, and a Comforter are provided for the Queen Bed in the Tipi. For those overnighting in the tent cabins, you will need to bring your sleeping bag and pillow.
More Information... HELLO! Jim Wells here… The following is information for your stay at the CASCADIA TIPI CAMP in Trout Lake. Additionally, you can find ideas, tips, and advice for discovering the nearby region. Okay, let's get started…
Orientation and Walk Through… Stove Operation, Light / Electric Operation, Shower Operation, Recycling, Compost & Trash, Sink Disposal, Fire Extinguisher & First Aid Kit, The "Rose Room," If it rains…#!? Yellow Jackets, Mice & Bears, Property Boundaries Upon Checking Out (Notify Jimmy or Sally When You Depart -- Text or Stop by the House) In the event of a travel delay or last-minute questions, contact 509-637-6175 (Jim's Mobile Phone) Jim & Sally Wells 509-395-2553 (Home Phone), (509) 637-0038 (Sally's Mobile Phone) Emergency Telephone Number CALL 911 -- Emergency, Police, Fire, Equipment Rental (Best to pre-arrange rentals) Inflatable Kayaks - One or Two Seat Kayaks, Paddles, Pump, PFDs. They fit rolled up in the back of your car. $50 each per day. These are top-shelf AIRE LYNX or FORCE kayaks. Hard Shell Kayaks – Paddle and Spray Skirt - $50 per day. Strap to the top of the car. AIRE Raft -- 14' Raft with paddles and pump. 4 – 6 person capacity. $175 per day. FLOAT TUBES -- Available – FREE FOR CASCADIA TIPI CAMP GUESTS. General Guidelines / Camp Rules -- Don't park or walk or set stuff down on wild plants. Stay within the property boundaries. No Fires – A strict Burn Ban is in effect. Quiet time after 10:15 pm (IMPORTANT) Keep valuables locked in your car. (We've never had a theft problem in the 42 years we've lived here). Counters and tables should be clean and clear of open food to avoid attracting yellow jackets, bears, or mice. Bear spray and alert horn are located at both the Cook Shack and "Big Tree." Park your car in a designated TIPI CAMP parking spot. Our Top 10 Local Attractions 1) Raft Trip (Take a full-day whitewater raft trip down the White Salmon River. Contact Wet Planet or River Drifters – both are good companies. 2) Alpine Hike and Huckleberry Picking. (Drive up to Mt. Adams COLD SPRINGS for a hike above 6,000').3) Hike to the top of Sleeping Beauty (Located about a half-hour drive, you will find a trail to this fascinating volcanic plug. Hike to the top for an amazing view of the Trout Lake Valley and Mt. Adams). 4) Trout Lake Natural Area Preserve --(A close-by place to visit for a picnic or leisurely hike along Trout Creek. Don't miss the overlook spur that takes you up for a fantastic view of Mt. Adams and the Natural Area Preserve). 5) Secret Swimming Holes -- (For the Secrets, speak with Jimmy or Visit Trout Creek Swimming Holes and cool down / have fun. Located near the bridges that cross Trout Creek.) 6) Huckleberry Milkshakes -- (Visit the café at the Trout Lake Gas Station for these famous shakes or enjoy a specialty coffee). 7) Ice Caves and Natural Arches-- (Visit the Forest Service Ranger Station and get directions to these local natural wonders) 8) Bike Riding -- (Trout Lake has the best roads for riding. Explore the Trout Lake Valley by bike and view the organic farms and roadside views. Bring your bike!) 9) Mountain Lake Swimming, Fishing, and Picnicking -- (Visit the Forest Service Ranger Station and get directions to our local lakes, FORLORN, MOSQUITO, and GOOSE). 10) Tubing! We provide "state of the art" inner tubes to float around Mountain Lakes in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. F A Q'S -- Let's start with bugs… In July / August, mosquitos on a 1 to 10 (ten being bad) it is about a 1 to 2… It's almost a non-factor. A few might show up around sundown, but they are not annoying. I don't even remember putting on mosquito repellant last summer. Sometimes, if it is extremely dry, you may have some yellow jackets that show up. But we are on to them now! We put up Yellow Jacket Traps around the Camp, drawing them away from the deck and Tipi. We also try to catch the Queen Bees early in the spring, which has really helped. Be vigilant not to leave food scraps, and that will reduce the yellow jacket visits. Bears… For the first time in all the years at the property, we had a bear invasion in 2022. It raided the refrigerator. All food must be appropriately stored in locked Aluminum River Boxes located in the cook shack and the lockable refrigerator. You will receive an orientation on responding if a bear wanders into the Tipi Camp by chance. Having operated three lodges in Alaska for over 25 years, I am prepared to provide helpful risk management information on Bear Prevention and Bear Encounters. What types of beds are there? In the Tipi, we have a Queen bed (two additional twin beds can be added if needed. In the cabin tents, expect a twin mattresses and tri-fold sleeping pads – they are 3 to 4" thick and are friendly to sleep on. The Cabin Tents (you can stand up in them) have Tri-fold foam mattress pads. Beds, mattresses, and foam mattress pads can be shuffled around to suit your needs. Enjoy a nice double-sized quilted hammock you might like to sleep or relax in. Additionally, you can set up your personal tent or hammock as you wish. How about bedding and nighttime temperatures? You'll need to bring your own bedding and/or sleeping bags and pillows for the Tent Cabins. Sheets, Pillows, and a comforter are provided for the Tipi queen bed. Nighttime temperatures are in the mid fifty's / 60's. Bringing an extra blanket or two is best; be prepared to take off that chill. How is the Kitchen in the Cook House equipped? -- In the cookhouse, you'll find plenty of pots, pans, griddles, cooking implements, silverware, cups, glasses, plates, French Press coffee pots, etc. There is no need to bring any of that. You'll find a three-burner propane stove that gives you a big flame if you need it. In addition, we have a barbed-que grill, which comes with an extra propane burner to heat a pot or skillet. The Kitchen has a two-basin sink with hot and cold water. You'll find paper towels, and a few dish rags to help you keep everything tidy. Also, you will find a bucket for compost, a trash can, and a container to recycle glass, metal, paper, and plastic. Refrigeration? You will discover a large 14' fridge with a freezer. And the Bathroom? The tipi camp has a deluxe outhouse, "the Rose Room," which is well-constructed, clean, and private. Another new edition to the TIPI Camp is our hidden-in-the-woods "au naturel outdoor shower." It is very simple, but our guests enjoy the hot shower. Privacy? When you reserve the Tipi Camp, it is all yours. There won't be other people at the Camp. Parking for the Camp is a short walk into the deck (a minute or two). The magic of the place is maintained by having a "walk-in" pathway. The Tipi Camp is forested, and the property borders the state forest on one side and a tree farm on the other. The Camp is located at the end of a one-mile-long gravel road and 200 yards away from the Wells Family house. The Tipi Camp is located two miles from Trout Lake Town Center. What is there to do nearby? Now, that's my favorite question, and here is what comes to mind…For Kids, here are some ideas…Arts and Crafts, Archery with Vine Maple Bows, Storytelling in the Tipi, Hide and Seek or Camouflage Game, Star Gazing, Lying around in the Hammock, and Running through the Sprinkler. Catching Bugs with Bug Nets… Checking them out with a large magnifier. Squirt Guns or borrow our aqua blasters. Hiking a trail through the forest looking for wildlife and mushrooms. Bird Watching. Creating a treasure hunt.Shooting an arrow into the woods with a $1 on it and having the kids find it. Making Primitive Shelters with sticks, moss, and pine boughs or miniature Fairy Houses. Plant Pressing. Playing Bocce Ball or Croquet or board games on the deck. In Trout Lake, there are Huckleberry Milkshakes at the Café. Visit THE HALL, a historic landmark with live music, bar, and food. Visiting the Forest Service Ranger Station. Bicycling the rural country roads around Trout Lake Valley and hiking the trail along Trout Creek in the Trout Lake Natural Area Preserve.
