Dash Point State Park RV & Campground Guide
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Dash Point State Park is famous for its vast sand flats at low tide. The tide rises and falls more than 11 feet, which creates a veritable playground on the sand. Many people enjoy skimboarding at the park, which is using a bodyboard on the beach and riding it the same way you would skateboard across very shallow water. People also like to look for driftwood, shells, and creatures like starfish. Kite flying is popular, too, because the wind is constantly blowing, and there are no trees for hundreds of feet that could snag your kite.
Nearby Cities:
Tacoma, WA
Seattle, WA
Puyallup, WA
Olympia, WA
Spring 37-65 F
Summer 50-75 F
Fall 38-69 F
Winter 33-50 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Dash Point State Park
Campground Accommodations
Dash Point State Park Campground
Water hookup: Yes
Electrical hookups: Yes
Sewer hookup: Yes
Wi-Fi: No
Pet-friendly: Yes
Max RV length: 40 feet
Other amenities: Fire rings, restrooms, showers, dump station, picnic shelters
Cedars RV Court
A low-key, family-friendly campground offering full hookups with a smile, Cedars RV Court is a great spot to stay at when the Dash Point State Park campground is full.
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wifi: n/a
Pet-friendly: yes
Other amenities: coin-operated laundry, yard for dog walking and playing
Gig Harbor RV Resort
Want to reconnect to the great outdoors without sacrificing any of the comforts of home? Gig Harbor RV Resort offers a wide range of on-site amenities as well as proximity to lots of local conveniences and markets, like Costco, Albertsons, Target, and more. Weekly and monthly rates are available!
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wifi: yes
Pet-friendly: yes
Other amenities: laundry facility on-site, playground, pre-arranged activities, free personal mailbox
What to Do at
Dash Point State Park
At high tide, you can surf cast or put out in a canoe, kayak, dinghy, or other craft that doesn't require a boat launch. You can skimboard, fly kites, hunt for shellfish, or stroll on the sand flats at low tide. Grilling what you catch is a great way to enjoy a relaxing dinner at your campsite.
Take advantage of the big tides to tailor your activities to your preference. Should you wish to collect shellfish or skimboard, make sure you go out at low tide. If you would rather paddle your canoe or kayak, then high tide is the best time for that.
Inside Dash Point State Park
When you live in a big city like Tacoma, any wilderness retreat is welcome. But what brings visitors to Dash Point State Park from far and away? Here are a few of the most common activities.
Boating and swimming - With sandy beaches and inviting waters, there are all sorts of ways to get wet and wild at Dash Point State Park. Take advantage of the boat ramps to launch your paddleboard or kayak, or skip the seafaring vessel and take a dip!
Saltwater fishing - Whether you’re hoping to reel in a delicious dinner or set a trap for some shellfish, properly-licensed Washington anglers are welcome to plumb the depths of Dash Point State Park’s waters.
Hiking and biking - Even if you’re a landlubber, there’s plenty to keep you occupied at this state park! With 8 miles of biking trails and 11 miles for hikers, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy on the terrestrial side of things.
Hiking
There are at least seven major hiking trails in Dash Point State Park. The 3-mille Dash Point State Park Mountain Bike Trail is an easy loop that only gains about 300 feet along its length. The Dash Point Trail is 4.8 miles long and climbs about 500 feet along its loop. Because of the added climb and the terrain, it's considered moderately strenuous. The other five trails range from 1.6 miles to 3.4 miles long.
Stargazing
If you time your visit to a day when low tide occurs in the middle of the night, you can set up your telescope on the sand flats and get some stellar photographs of the night sky.
Flora and Fauna
You get a nice assortment of birds in Dash Point State Park. Forest dwellers and sea birds mingle because of the proximity of their two habitats, and you can get crows, doves, and eagles sharing the same sky with gulls, geese, and wading birds. The area is well-known as a haven for many migrating species.
Geocaching
There's at least one geocache placed in Dash Point State Park, but there might be others. It's a great, family-friendly activity to search for geocaches that might be there, and it's also rewarding to leave your cache behind.
Fishing
Chinook salmon and pink salmon are two of the bigger fish that anglers chase at Dash Point State Park. Coho salmon are there, too, but in fewer numbers. Rarely can you catch sculpin. Regarding shellfishing, oysters, mussels, and horse clams can be collected in the right season. Check with the park staff to find out the current season.
Boating
There is no boat ramp, so you're limited to small craft that can be launched from the beach.
Swimming
You can swim, but the water is icy even in summer. It's dangerous without an insulated wet suit or dry suit. The water temperature never reaches even 60 F, so you should exercise extreme care if you swim.
How to Get to
Dash Point State Park
From Olympia, take Route 5 east until you reach Route 705 in Tacoma. Take Route 705 north about a mile, and then turn east on Route 509, which will take you to Dash Point State Park.
From Snoqualmie Pass and all points east, proceed on Route 90, going west. Follow Route 90 to Seattle, then turn south on Route 509, which will take you to Dash Point State Park.
Entering Dash Point State Park
As with all state parks in Washington, day-use parking is $10 per day. A Discover Pass is $30 annually.
Dash Point State Park Day Pass : $10.0
Dash Point State Park Annual Pass : $30.0
No matter how you get to Dash Point State Park or where else your RV adventure takes you, we can’t wait to hear all about your travels! Send photos and details to us directly at [email protected], or tag us in your social media posts. We’ll choose some special winners whose stories we’ll share on our own social media channels or in a blog post!
Frequently Asked Questions About Dash Point State Park
Summer is the best time to visit because of the mild weather and the long periods of daylight. Usually, the winds aren't too strong for kite flying, and the birds are most plentiful. If you want to collect shellfish, then early spring and early fall are the times to visit because you can't shellfish in the summer.
All kinds of birds visit the park and the campground all the time, and you can photograph raptors, songbirds, and waterfowl often in the same shot.
There are 114 standard and 27 full-hookup RV-specific campsites in Dash Point State Park.
You must make a reservation at least a day before you arrive at Dash Point State Park. There are three different seasons for the price of campsite rental: peak, shoulder, and winter. Peak is from May 31 until Labor Day. "Shoulder" is from April 1 to May 15 and Labor Day to November 1. Winter is all other periods. The full-hookup sites cost $35 a night in winter, $45 in shoulder, and $50 in peak time. The other sites cost correspondingly less.
Pets are welcome at Dash Point State Park. You must have them on a leash no longer than eight feet, and you must clean up after them. They must be in your vehicle or a tent when you're away from your campsite.
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