Rock Creek is the Washington DNR’s horse camp in the Yacolt Burn State Forest: nearly 20 acres of woods an hour from Portland, built for riders, with a few sites a tent will do fine on. Cold Creek is under a mile away.
The state forest is named for the Yacolt Burn: in September 1902, dozens of fires burned nearly 239,000 acres of southwest Washington and killed 38 people. Replanting began in 1910 and the fires kept coming back for decades; the tall, even firs around the sites are the forest that grew back.
Quick facts
- Run by
- Washington Department of Natural Resources
- For
- Equestrian use, the DNR says; our note: “Horse camp with a few tent sites”
- Facilities
- Campsites, picnic tables, a shelter, vault toilets
- Trailers
- Up to 27 feet
- Stay limit
- 7 days in a row in one campground, 10 days in a year
- Trails
- The Tarbell and Appaloosa trails pass by
- From Portland
- About 35 miles, an hour and ten minutes; from Vancouver, 26 miles, under an hour
If you are bringing a tent
- On their own: A2, A8 About 400 feet from the next site.
- Nearest the creek: A8 About 270 feet from Rock Creek.
- Two together: B6, B7 About 100 feet apart.
Every site
| Site | To Rock Creek | Next site | In our photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| A2 | 460 ft | 430 ft | gravel pad, fire ring, grass at the edge |
| A8 | 270 ft | 380 ft | table on a pad under tall firs |
| B6 | 410 ft | 100 ft | table and grill, dappled light |
| B7 | 330 ft | 100 ft | table on a gravel pad, a fire ring |
| B8 | 340 ft | 360 ft | no photo |
Distances are straight lines from each pin, to the water and to the nearest neighbor, so read them as “about”. Photos from November 2019.
Questions
- Can I camp here without a horse?
- Yes, at a few sites. The DNR built it for riders, and our 2019 note calls it a horse camp with a few tent sites.
- What does it cost?
- The DNR’s page does not say for Rock Creek. Its campgrounds in the forest need a Discover Pass; check the DNR before you go.
- Where can I ride or hike?
- The Tarbell and Appaloosa trails pass close to the camp, part of the forest’s trail system.
Nearby
- Cold Creek Campground under a mile; eight free sites
- Sunset Falls Campground about 5 miles; open all year
Checked October 2026 with Washington DNR: Yacolt Burn State Forest, Wikipedia: Yacolt Burn and OpenStreetMap (Rock Creek). Been there since? Tell us what has changed: support@tentspots.com.
Amenities
ACCESSIBLE
5 Camping Spots
