Gorgeous camping spot. The campsites themselves are clean and well maintained. The restroom was kept clean and stocked. The restroom nearest to us had a shower which was lovely. The line could be long in the morning, but if you showered at night, it was generally pretty easy going. The park is nice and clean with a decent amount of parking but does get very busy on a sunny weekend in the summer. Great spot for kayaking, especially as a beginner. I didn't go past the inlet as it was my first time on the water, but I had a great time paddling around. I already booked my site for next year! read more

We did a day trip to just the beach area. The restrooms are kept pretty clean for a park area and they empty the trash regularly. The park rangers regularly patrol and are super friendly. It wasn't overly crowded especially for a weekday. The pup loved all the space to roam about. read more

Penrose Point State Park - Parks Near Me - Lakebay, Washington

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Clean bathroom with a shower that is currently free with warm/hot water. The camp sites are generally really shaded. I got bitten by a handful of small mosquito at night. A walking distance to the water. Overall it was quiet, we didn't catch any racoons or bears at night. read more

Great location and family fun at the Penrose Point State Park. We went with 3 more families and booked 4 adjacent lots. Despite the fire ban, we had a lot of fun. The location is great, with easy access to two beaches, both walking and driving, in case you have to transport kayaks or gear. The beach on the left, looking towards the water, has a pretty steep road from the parking lot to the beach, so if you have to transport something, get some help or plan to have a cart. Unfortunately the gate was closed so I could not drive down to drop off the heavy stuff, but I could transport a single kayak down on my own and then I got some help for the other stuff. The facility itself is pretty nice, I didn't explore it completely but it seems like it could use a few more restrooms. As far as I could see there was only one shower, which had some considerable amount of people lined up waiting for their turn. I was lucky though, got there with no line. Anyway, great spot for a weekend of family and friends fun! read more

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Nice State park on the key peninsula. Lots to do here, camping, hiking, good for bike rides, enjoy the beach, canoeing and so on. Clean bathrooms and RV dump available. Get suppliers before you head to the park, not a lot of shipping close by. read more

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Great State Park. Took my family here to play at the beach and there's a nice trail around the point. Love when the tide goes out really low, it's super neat! read more

One of the best Washington parks. Clean, great trails, beautiful campsites and good for picnics. My family has been enjoying Penrose for generations. I find the park less crowded than in the past, probably due to the park pass. The annual fee is the best deal at $30 and totally worth it. I recently visited with friends and their kids, and we all had a really good time, just like always. read more

Penrose Point State Park - Penrose is beautiful even in winter - Parks Near Me - Lakebay, Washington

Wonderful camp grounds with clean bathroom facilities. Like super clean - cleaner than most restaurant bathrooms! When we visited there we're park rangers on site who did go around ensuring each visitor had legitimate reservations (something I appreciate as a paying visitor). I didn't get to explore on the trails much, but the hiking I did do was enjoyable for the whole family (my daughter's 6 and my dad is 64). The lawn area by the water was jam packed with activity, but there was lots of fun to be had thanks to the friendly groups of people visiting. We didn't take advantage of the fire pit by the water but that's definitely on our to do list for the next visit. I can't wait to go back next summer! read more

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Have camped here several times over nearly two decades. Funny how some places never change. In this instance that's a positive. Camping is great with decent privacy. The beach is perfect for killing time during the day. They offer close fishing, clamming, and crabbing during open season as well. Best part is the walking trails. read more

I took my whole family camping for the first time. It is a great place for families that aren't comfortable with crazy intense heights. The bugs weren't too bad and our campsite fit all of us perfectly. There is fishing, but you will most likely want to drive to any of the fishing spots. And you might as well get a saltwater/freshwater license, since you're surrounded by both. Our dogs had a freaking blast! I took them on a three mile hike, and found the most beautiful hidden spot on the beach. I didn't get bothered by other campers or any rangers. Get all of your food before you decide to camp here, though. All of the local stores are very expensive. read more

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I loved this park. There's a lot to do here and the campground is beautiful. The trails are fairly well groomed with some of the smaller trails quite rustic. Right now there is a big log at the head of the spit that makes a great place for kids and adults alike to hop on and bounce up and down. At high tide the water comes up high enough so falling off gives you a splash! We arrived and took one of the mooring buoys available for boaters. There are 5 buoys on the west side of the Penrose Point and 3 on the east side. They are all well anchored and feel secure. The eastern side is far away from the trailhead so it's a bit of a dinghy ride and then another 1/2 mile hike to the day use area. My one complaint with the park actually extends to all the parks in WA state. THEY CHARGE TOO MUCH! Someone on a limited income would NOT be able to camp in these parks. They've pretty much priced camping right out of many people's budget. We recently camped in a little park in Iowa and the non-electric site was $6 while the electric site was $11 in off peak and $11 non-electric and $16 electric during peak season. Granted this is Iowa but why such a huge difference? Camping is the one typically affordable pleasure to all people. Why price it out of the reach of so many? read more

Penrose Point State Park - Log at the head of the spit at Penrose Point SP - Parks Near Me - Lakebay, Washington

I love penrose!! It's my favorite trail near my house. My dog loves the walk and the beach in the middle and I love how well maintained the path always is. In the summer it gets crazy but we just go during the week when it's less busy. read more

I am sure this is a great campground but the rangers are RUDE. We wanted to hurry up and set our tent up before the sun went down and get a fire started. The ranger comes over (May 23rd around 8:20pm) the female ranger came over and told us our fire was too big, we had JUST lit it. Then she tells us that not only do we need to leave right this second to fill out registration and pay $35 WHAT?! Hell no. Luckily we found a spot for half the price down the road at the beach. There were two rangers but the female ranger was extremely rude and made it very clear that our presence was 100% unwanted. WE WONT BE BACK!! read more

A great place to hike with an awesome view of Mt. Rainier! Campfires & BBQ by the beach! Cool kayak spot! Camping is cool during the hot summer! Lots of shade! Camp hosts and park officials are friendly and keep the park clean! read more

I spent many years coming here as a kid and loved it. I remember great trails for riding bikes and friendly campers. Things still seem the same. I stayed one night and saw loads of kids biking around, families enjoying time together in the woods, and campfires. As with any state park, there is a fair share of noise and crowds. There was a large group with huge RVs and a generator making a ruckus most of the evening, drinking and carrying on. To me this is expected, and the cost of convenience for a quick overnight in the woods close(ish) to home. One complaint for this trip was dealing with the park's staff. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, as everyone has bad days, but how hard is it to keep track of who is in what campsite? We'd arrived and been told to take whatever campsites are open on a first-come-first-serve basis, then come back and let them know what we'd taken. When we came back they told us that campsite was taken and there was some confusion about us possibly having to move to a different spot. Mostly this can be chalked up to miscommunication and misunderstanding, but it would have been easily avoidable had staff been trained to deal with this type of thing beforehand. In the end they did work out the problem and we weren't forced to switch spots, but the undo stress was an unwelcome beginning to what was meant to be a relaxing trip. I was also a little displeased to see there was only 1 dumpster in the camping section, yet the park was 70-80% full. At the prices they are charging for an overnight stay, I would assume they can afford trash pickup. $35 a night for a picnic table and fire ring seems ridiculous. Half the park was closed for winter still, which meant limited selection of sights and overcrowding. From my experiences, this park was one of the worst campgrounds I've stayed in, and charges a premium price. I understand this is because it's close to civilization...supply & demand...yadda yadda. I would think the higher price would pay for some more conveniences, perhaps an earlier start to summer-season trash collection and park amenities, etc. Instead more is charged and less is given. I only give the second star because of fond childhood memories and lingering hope that things might improve. read more

Very cool camping site for those that are prepared to rough it (except for clean bathrooms and coin operated showers)! The sites are mostly dirt and gravel, so bring padding or a mattress if you like sleeping on grass. The trails are nice and plentiful for a weekend of hiking. The quiet hours start at 10pm... and they enforce it! The beach is great and during the summer have volunteers collecting marine wild life for you to "pet." Great for kids to learn about the coastal waters! read more

We did a family overnight camping trip and we came here because of the distance. It was only an hour away from Kent and it was a nice ride there. Although it was close to the city, it felt like we were far away. The campsites were located in a thick forest covered with trees which gave us plenty of privacy and shade. Tent pads were flat and the double site that we were in was roomy enough for 4 tents and a bug screen that went over one of the benches. Since we were there for only a day, we went to the park, flew kites and hung out by the beach. I wouldn't mind going there again to do some hiking next time. The nice part was there were no bugs! I highly recommend this camp site if you want to do a quick getaway. read more

Penrose Point State Park - One of my nieces trying to skip a rock. - Parks Near Me - Lakebay, Washington

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Lovely place! The camp sites are roomy and private. However, there is no one to monitor the place, only the useless camp hosts. It's 11:30 pm, and our neighbors are disruptive and loud even after I nicely asked them to remember that quiet hours begin at 10. I'd really like to enjoy the quiet of nature and get some sleep, but that's not going to happen here. read more

Great camping! Very secluded and authentic camping feel. There are great trails and the beach is beautiful. There are bathrooms and water faucets but no showers. This was my favorite place I've camped in Washington. read more

Penrose Point State Park - Penrose point loop trail view - Parks Near Me - Lakebay, Washington

This is a great place to take your kids this is great place to even go to look around waiting in the water have a picnic it is a nice place I took my grandbabies and they loved it they wait in the water look for seashells had a blast read more

It was so peaceful & relaxing. We were pretty much the only ones around & our dog had free reign to roam about. The beach area wasn't ideql but you expect that in winter over here. The sun was out & it was a beautiful day to visit this fun park! Trails are good too!! read more

Penrose Point State Park - my hubby skipping rocks - Parks Near Me - Lakebay, Washington

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Beautiful area to swim, picnic, bbq. Huge area for families. Nice location to walk your dog and play with the kids. Very safe area. I just wish you didn't have to pay to go visit a local park. I think that should be free of charge to the public. read more

We went on a Thursday during a burn ban, so the campground was only about 10% full. Our tent pad (#67) was mossy, so it was a little softer than others we've used. I think we were the farthest camping site from the beach area--it took us 15 minutes walking the trail to get there. There are lots of trails in the camping area and none of them are marked, so it might be easier to walk on the roads (definitely easier to drive to the beach). You don't have to pay for the $10 one-day Discover Pass if you are camping. Some of the sites cost $25 (marked with an E for economy), some cost $30 (B for basic), and some are $35 (P for popular); they all looked similar to me. The bathrooms were clean, heated, had hand soap, and air dryers. The beach is rocky so it's not comfortable to go barefoot. You need to use cash or a check for self-check-in. read more

Just came back from a two nights July 4th camping trip in Penrost Point. Wow! What a nicely operated and managed camp ground. The camp ground was nice and clean even during a packed July 4th weekend. The people and rangers working there were super friendly and going around frequently to make sure everyone was safe and having a great time. The host house even opened during the July 4th weekend so we can get our fire wood to start camp fire. The camp ground also has very clean shower room and easy to access restrooms. The park itself was simple amazing. We did crabbing and walking around different trails. We love this place so much we already scheduled couple more camping trips in Penrose Point before end of Summer. Best camping in WA state park ever! read more

Very good place if you want to have picnics chill with your family just have a day off like you're off work you have a little free time just some time to spare you can come down there hike the trails bike the trails do whatever you want but I recommend having a picnic is pretty good swimming is good too it's not bad there isn't trash everywhere it's pretty clean the people keep up on it definitely come and visit it's one of my favorite spots to hang out read more

Nice but not great. Not crowded at all. Bathrooms and dog friendly. Tons of sand dollars for collecting.

TL;DR: Very buggy. Extremely dusty, dirty, mossy sites. Decent facilities, with a catch! And plenty of noise. Longer version: If you like to be itchy, this is the place for you! You should only need to scan your eyeballs left or right about 6 inches to spot a nice lazy mosquito within striking distance of your face. You will find yourself easily distracted while you try to listen to your friends around a fireless camp fire (burn ban), as mosquitos dance around their heads. They can't see them, but it's all you can focus on as you await their landing upon an unsuspecting ear or eyebrow. Repellent sprays, badger balms, and even the smoke snake coils - you'll need them all, and you'll still come home lumpy and itchy, guaranteed. The beaches are quite calm and shallow and resemble more of a lake environment, save for the rocky shores. There is also a ton of thin and grassy seaweed everywhere so watch your step! The slime is slippery. The hike is nice and long out to the Point, although most of it is completely forested. If you know you are walking parallel to the water, there is usually a thick wall of foliage to disrupt any chance you might have to peek a view. But green leaves are pretty and plentiful. During our experience, there was absolutely no enforcement of quiet time. We had fireworks shot at 11:30 PM over our groggy heads loud enough to shake items in our car like a scene from Jurassic Park. They must have been shot off just feet from the "No Fireworks" signs found throughout the park. The exciting disruption of our sleep went on for at least 20 minutes (and no, it wasn't the 4th of July). And they weren't firecrackers, either, heard during the Chinese New Year dragon dance. No, these sounded like cannons. We also had multiple loud parties near and far that were just loud enough that the conversations were fully understandable even with ear plugs shoved so deeply you could taste them. We wondered what the heck the Camp Hosts were for - chaperones? One of the loudest parties seemed to be coming right from their direction. Maybe they were clinking vodka shot glasses, too. Who knows? We didn't go find out. The bathrooms were clean for state park standards. But there were only 2 showers available on the entire site, and this site is pretty danged massive. The bathroom/shower situation was bizarre, and felt poorly planned. When my son and I finished ours and we left the stall, the line was 7 people deep. The park did offer a great 1 hour show from park rangers about bats which the kids found fascinating. I'll say this - the kids simply loved the place, and for all the crap there were a ton of families with young children trying to enjoy themselves amongst drunken laughter. Whatever shortcomings we saw in vivid technicolor even with our eyes closed, we kept them to ourselves. They loved it. And it wasn't the worst (cough-cough Saltwater). But it was far from the best. At a place like this, you enjoy the company of your friends and family first and foremost. The site, however, is mostly worth forgetting when you compare it to some of the pure gems Washington has to offer. read more

Spent the Labor Day Weekend and we had a great time. Bathrooms were clean, staff was nice and helpful, beach was perfect, love being close to home, but out in the woods with fellow campers. We were lucky, they lifted the burn ban for fire rings the day we arrived so were able to have fires and all the memories that brings. Definitely would go again and again. read more

The camp staff have the worst attitudes and very bad customer service. I was treated so rudely and had to remind them that I paid them to be a guest there. I really hate any type of confrontation or drama but had no choice but to stick up for myself. Due to their incompetence I was sent to a campsite different than what I reserved. After I got to the site that I was told to go to they came and told me I was in the wrong number and when I said I was told by the other employee to go there (he even gave me a map and pointed out where I need to go) she said I was lying! She didn't even hear my side or let me explain or show a receipt before she accused me of lying. She insisted that I move from the site because someone else reserved it. She ended up realizing I was not lying and was in fact right and that it was their fault so I didn't have to move after all. I went through too much with them to even appreciate her finally agreeing with me. Also we had a large group of people and instead of kindly reminding us it was quiet hour another ranger came and pretty much yelled at us like a jerk and had the worst approach. I will never camp there again! read more