What To See And Do At Potholes State Park

What To See And Do At Potholes State Park!! I love to explore our state parks here in Washington State. I have learned they also make the perfect spot to stop for lunch on a long road trip! We have our favorite parks on the west side of the state, so it was fun to check out some I had heard about while we were on our way to Spokane last month! 

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Kylie and I love road trips, and this was our big one for summer vacation. We went to Spokane to meet up with some family we hadn’t seen in a while, so we planned stops along the way. Now summer got away from us, and we didn’t get out camping much, but in a Wa State Camping Group on Facebook (you can find it ->here), pictures shared from Potholes State Park looked amazing!

We dropped off I-90 onto highway 26 to swing by and check out the park.  We knew from the pictures and website that picnic tables are in the day use.  Also, we picked lunch and used the park as a stopping point to stretch out our legs. 

DAY USE AT POTHOLES STATE PARK:

As we were driving in on Hwy 26, I wondered if I had mapped the wrong park since everything was so dry beside the orchards! (The orchards are a site to see as well) When you first get to the park, the first part you come up to is the day use.  This area has an amazing playground, shade, green grass, and picnic areas! It was like an oasis compared to the rest of the scenery in the area!! The day use does require a Washington Discover Pass.

What Is A Washington Discover Pass:

WA State Parks requires a Discover Pass for day use and vehicle access. The Discover Pass includes the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR); the national pass does not work on these parks.

You can purchase a pass at the park for $10 a day or a yearly one for $30. (Or online ->here) Buying them at a local store before your first trip of the year is the best way to get the most bang for your buck.

There are pay stations in the parks, and many now have a computerized pay station. This pass will pay itself off in just three-day trips and save money on admission on other trips to state parks for the year. There are several different free days and no passes are required for that day. You can see those free days -> here.

CAMPING AT POTHOLES STATE PARK:

Potholes State Park has two different campground loops to reserved (See more ->here) to stay at. One loop has hookups for trailers to use for full hookups.  Now, while tent camping is allowed, there are restrictions on when due to the wet grass.  This park section has bathrooms and State Park token-operated showers for use.  Everything was super green in the loops with the full hookups for trailers.  

In addition to the hookup loop, there is a “primitive” loop without hookups. This loop also had cabins that are reservable! I loved that these sites have a pretty view of the water! We didn’t look closely at the camping sites, but they looked decent-sized. 

ACTIVITIES  AT POTHOLES STATE PARK:

I wish we had more time to explore, but it was also hot as the last week of August.  The weather was pushing 90 degrees so even though I didn’t hike I wanted too.  Potholes State Park has three miles of hiking trails to explore, I love to camp where there are trails for hiking with Bentley or just for a good work out as well.  

We didn’t take our kayaks either, but the water was impressive even just to look at!! There was plenty of room for parking boats with trailers, and this area was in the same area as the day park! Now, as a mom, safety is always a priority, and I loved to see this life jacket station right on the boat ramp! While we have life jackets, there have been “Oh man, I forgot that bin with the life jackets at home moments.” 

In addition to the boat launch, Potholes State Park has a fish cleaning station! We usually tent camp, so I love that there is somewhere to clean the fish! Luckily, the last time we camped and fished, we had my parents’ camper to clean up the bass fish we caught quickly. There are also bathrooms and showers close to the boat launch. 

There is also the Potholes General Store not too far from the State Park (let’s face it I always forget something when packing).  Not too far down is the Beach House at Mardon isn’t far either if you want to take a cruise around Potholes Reservoir.

Have you been to Potholes State Park? What is your must-see in the area?