Tinkham Campground — Hotel in North Bend

This is a very pretty campground, with a gorgeous river (south fork of the snoqualmie) and plenty of sites with direct access to the water.

The vault toilet bathrooms were pretty rough at first on a Sunday afternoon after the weekend rush, but the host cleaned up when they had the chance and they were just fine the rest of our stay.

If you prefer to camp within cell service to maintain that blue light glow while visiting nature, the signal here is strong. In fact I heard several cell phones mixed in with the limited amount of nature audible as it is... (I'll explain in a sec).

The host had not put up the current reservation signs until the last minute, so we almost set up in a site that was taken but mislabeled. We luckily decided to check in with them before setting up.

They brought around fire wood for sale which was convenient and nice. Kind of small bundles for 8 bucks though. That on top of the $28 nightly fee and the billions of tax dollars and the millions in discounts to big timber... seams a bit unfair for "public land."

But the real problem I've got here, and ultimately why only 3 stars for such a beautiful place, is the roaring sound of the freeway. I-90 is right on the other side of the river and it is sooooooo loud. We couldn't hear the river at all (which is one of my favorite sounds when camping). The noise of heavy traffic drowns out the conversation around the fire. And it didn't quiet down a bit until roughly 11pm. Only to start back up in full force and wake up the whole fam at a little before 6am.

With a strong desire to flee the city but unable to go without the phones for a night, I may come back for a single night stay (or explore this area further). Otherwise... I don't see this being a likely future trip's...

#13 Camping spot was great! Came with 2 sedans and still extremely spacious, thanks to the hidden riverfront spot where you can fit 2 3-person tents. All in all, I'd say you can fit in 4 tents and 8 people. However, 6 is only allowed so that's on you. It's the perfect spot for river access and was told by host that #13 is the most booked campsite in Tinkham. You'll see why when you get there. :D You have the river and the restroom nearby. Cookies!

As with many Google/Foursquare/Yelp reviews, the only downside of this campground (hence the 4/5 star rating) is the highway noise. Although the noice blends in with the river, it still isn't as peaceful as you'd want it to be. Also, one thing is that there tends to be a lot of flies in the area. Repellants are your friends.

Sadly, while swimming, I found a broken liquor bottle at the middle of the river and this is not only dangerous to us humans, but to other wildlife too. Imagine stepping on those with your foot or accidentally slipping and landing your hands on one of those glass shards. I had to pick it up while shaking my head in complete disappointment.

Overall: Great campsite with plenty of...

The campsite itself was clean and tidy, with a large fire pit and a grill rack connected. The campground, though, is right next to a highway and has over a mile of unpaved road you have to drive through to reach it. Although the highway noise is not loud, those who like to fully experience the peace and nature in camping will not be completely satisfied. There are only three bathrooms in the entire campground, and if you don’t ask the host it won’t be easy finding them. Aside from these inconveniences, the campground is pretty nice. Depending from where your site is, a river may range from a few steps to a short walk away. It’s perfect for wading, playing with your dogs, or relaxing. Overall, my time at this campground was good, but I would encourage you to find a better, quieter place to camp unless this is your...