Washington State Parks

Park overview:

Battle Ground Lake State Park is a camping park with 280 acres of beautiful, forested land in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. The lake itself is of volcanic origin and is considered to be a smaller version of Crater Lake in Oregon.


Want to support Washington State Parks? Get involved by joining a friends' group. For more information, visit the Friends' Group web page.

Park hours/updates:

Summer: 6:30 a.m. to dusk.
Winter: 8 a.m. to dusk.

The park is open year round for camping and day use.

Camping:
Check-in time, 2:30 p.m.
Check-out time, 1 p.m.
Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Agency information:

Don't move firewood: Please protect the Pacific Northwest from invasive species by obtaining or purchasing your firewood at or near your camping destination (within 50 miles). Firewood can carry insects and diseases that threaten the health of our western forests. You can make a difference by buying and burning your firewood locally. For more information, visit online at www.dontmovefirewood.org or the Washington Invasive Species Council website.

Campsite Information:

The park has 25 standard campsites, six hookups sites, 15 primitive sites that require campers to hike .25 to .5 mile from the parking lot, four cabins, one RV dump station, two restrooms and four showers. Maximum site length is 35 feet (may have limited availability). To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

Group Accommodations:

Group camp G-1 has four adirondack (three-sided) shelters that each sleep eight people. The camp offers a covered cooking and meeting area, a group fire ring, room for 32 people in tents and two vault toilets. Due to a small, unlevel parking area, RVs are not allowed in this camp. There is a minimum group size of 25 people. For year-round reservations, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

A horse camp G-2 is available by reservation. This group camp requires that horses accompany overnight quests. Occupancy is four families. Horse camp includes four two-stall corrals or eight small corrals, one vault toilet, two fire rings and four picnic tables. There is a minimum group size of 10. To reserve the horse camp, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

Overnight Accommodations

Four cabins at Battle Ground Lake sit among a grove of Douglas-fir tree. Each cabin is 12-by-24 feet in size and accommodates up to five people per cabin. Bathrooms and showers are nearby. For more information visit the cabins/yurts page To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

2013 camping fees:

Please note that the following general fee information is not customized for each individual park, so not all fees will apply to all parks (for example, primitive campsite and dump station fees listed apply only to parks that have primitive campsites and dump stations).

May 15 – Sept. 15 (peak season)
Primitive campsite and water trail camping: $12
Standard campsite: $23 non-premium site, $26 premium site
Partial-utility campsite*: $30 non-premium site, $35 premium site
Full-utility campsite*: $32 non-premium site, $37 premium site
*Please note: Camping fees during the 2013 peak season are $28 for partial-utility sites and $29 for full-utility sites at Beacon Rock, Lewis & Clark and Schafer state parks. These parks are first come, first served.

Jan. 1 – May 14 and Sept. 16 – Dec. 31 (off-peak season)
Primitive campsite and water trail camping: $12
Standard campsite: $22 for non-premium and premium sites
Partial-utility campsite: $28 for non-premium and premium sites
Full-utility campsite: $29 for non-premium and premium sites

Maximum eight people per campsite.

Second vehicle: $10 per night is charged for a second vehicle unless it is towed by a recreational vehicle. Extra vehicles must be parked in designated campsite or extra vehicle parking spaces.

Dump stations (if available): Year-round dump station fees are $5 per use. If you are camping, this fee is included in your campsite fee.

More about park hours
Check-in time is 2:30 p.m., and check-out time is 1 p.m.
Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
Engine-driven electric generators may be operated only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Length of stay: You may stay up to ten consecutive days in any one park from April 1 through Sept. 30; the stay limit is extended to 20 days between Oct. 1 and March 31.

To view campsites and facilities reservable at this park, visit the reservation system and campsite maps.

Driving Directions

Located 21 miles northeast of Vancouver, Wash., on the state's western side in Clark County.


Park address:
18002 N.E. 249th St.
Battle Ground, WA 98604

From I-5 northbound or southbound:
Take exit #11 and drive east to Battle Ground. On the east end of town, turn left on N.E. Grace Ave. (just in front of a Foodliner Grocery). Follow the signs to the park, approximately three miles from the city of Battle Ground.

Park Maps

To view campsites and facilities reservable at this park, visit the reservation system and campsite maps.

Battle Ground Lake downloadable pdf map #1


List of all downloadable Washington State Park PDF maps.

Park Features

This park offers five miles of horse trails and a primitive equestrian camping area. The spring-fed lake is stocked with trout and is a favorite of anglers. The lake is said to be a "miniature version" of Oregon's Crater Lake.

History

This area was named for a battle that settlers at Fort Vancouver expected to happen in 1855 between U.S. Army soldiers and some Klickitat Indians. The battle never occurred.

Captain Strong, the post commander, allowed some Indians to leave the fort on the promise that they would return after burying their chief, who had been accidently killed. Most fort residents believed a battle would ensue to get the Indians to return, and therefore dubbed the spot "Strong's Battle Ground." The Indians, true to their word, returned peacefully, but the name took hold. Later the area was simply referred to as "Battle Ground."

Interpretive opportunities

There is a self-guided nature trail in the park.

Services/Supplies

Available in the park	Available in the area
• Camping • Park store • 4 Horse stables • Fire wood	• Auto repair • Camping • Diesel • Fishing/hunting • Gasoline • Gifts • Golf • Groceries • Hardware • 4 Horse stables • Pay phone • Postal service • Propane • Recreational equipment • White gas • Wood • Swimming

The park store is a privately operated concession. It offers burgers, fries, ice, firewood, fishing supplies, soft drinks and candy. The store has game horseshoes available for rent and is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

Activities

Trails	Water Activities	Other
• 10 mi. Hiking Trails • 5 mi. Bike Trails • 5 mi. Horse Trails	• Boating (freshwater, non-motorized) • 1 boat ramp (freshwater) • 60 feet of dock (freshwater) • Fishing (freshwater) • Swimming (freshwater) • Diving	• 1 Badminton area • 1 Baseball Field • Bird Watching • 1 Fire Circle • 2 Horseshoe pits • Interpretive Activities • Mountain Biking • 1 Softball Field • 1 Volleyball Field • Wildlife Viewing
Swim Area Restriction: Children under the age of four are not allowed in the swim area. The sports field has room for soccer but no goal posts. There are movable poles for badminton or volleyball. Groups provide net and ball or shuttlecock. The park does not have designated bike trails. Mountain bikers may use horse trails as long as they yield to horse riders. A recreational license is required for fishing and shellfish harvesting at Washington state parks. For regulations, fishing season information or to purchase a recreational license, visit the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife website.

Events

Find other events at Washington State Parks

Boating Features

A daily watercraft launching permit for $7 and a trailer dumping permit for $5 may be purchased at the park.

Annual permits also may be purchased at State Parks Headquarters in Olympia, at region offices, online, and at parks when staff is available.

Picnic and Day-use Facilities

Two kitchen shelters without electricity are available first come, first served year-round. Each accommodates about 20 people. There are 70 unsheltered picnic tables. The day-use restroom is ADA-compliant.

One kitchen shelter with electricity is reservable. The facility accommodates 20 to 150 people. Fees vary, based on size of the group. To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

Wildlife

Mammals	Birds	Fish & Sea Life
• Chipmunks • Coyotes • Deer or Elk • Foxes • Rabbits • Raccoons • Skunks • Squirrels	• Crows or Ravens • Ducks • Geese • Hawks • Herons • Jays • Ospreys • Owls • Woodpeckers	• Bass • Catfish • Trout

Environmental Features

Physical Features		Plant Life
The park is largely evergreen forest with trails around the lake. Annual average rainfall is 35 inches. The lake's origin is volcanic, and is believed to have been formed as a "Maar" volcano. This type of volcano is the result of hot lava or magma pushing up near the surface of the earth and then coming into contact with underground water. This is thought to have resulted in a large steam explosion, leaving a crater that later formed a lake.		• Cedar • Douglas Fir • Hemlock • Alder • Apple • Cherry • Maple • Oak • Daisy • Lupines • Berries • Ferns • Moss or Lichens • Thistle

Park photo gallery