Washington's Scenic State Park Is A Quiet Camping Haven With Destination-Worthy Fishing

Washington State is one of the country's great outdoor wonderlands, boasting not just unspoiled outdoor splendor, but a deep variety of it. From high desert canyons to a pristine Pacific coastline where you'll find one of the largest rainforests in the United States, the Evergreen State is blessed with an array of outdoor destinations that may awe and surprise you. While some of these are marquee attractions — like this serene Swiss Alps-like mountain known as the "Crown of the Pacific Northwest" — Washington is also full of smaller sites that are also very much worth visiting, including Schafer State Park.

Situated between the coastal community of Aberdeen and Olympia — Washington's vibrant state capital — Schafer State Park sits on the gentle flow of the East Fork Satsop River near the town of Elma. This reserve occupies 119 lush and tranquil acres of wooded land, and is perfect for picnics, family gatherings, and especially camping. Its riverside location also draws visitors who, in the warmer months, are keen to plunge into the cool, clear waters or lazily float along on a tube. However, it's most known as a fishing destination, which, depending on the time of year, presents anglers with the opportunity to hook into salmon, steelhead, or sea-run cutthroat trout.

Schafer State Park is named for a trio of brothers who once owned the land and used it for their logging company picnics. These huge events drew up to 6,000 people and featured lumberjack games such as log rolling and tree climbing, along with a tug-of-war, canoe races, and a pie-eating contest. In 1924, the brothers donated the land to the state, which turned it into one of Washington's first state parks, and it has been enjoyed by the public ever since.

Today, Schafer State Park is a peaceful getaway featuring over 2 miles of interpretative trails that detail the area's logging history as they wind through the thick forest. The East Fork Satsop River flows by gently, and it's perfect for wading, swimming, and tubing. You'll also find a visitors center, a number of old stone buildings, picnic tables and shelters, along with 68 campsites that can accommodate both tents and RVs. The park also has two cabins that you can rent if you're keen to sleep with a solid roof over your head, and it's especially known for its quiet and serene atmosphere.

"We stayed here in September and it was some of the best peace and quiet we've had thus far in our RV adventures," wrote this visitor on Google Reviews. "In our quest to find the best state parks in Washington this definitely ranks as one of our favorites." Another Google user agreed, remarking, "I wasn't expecting much out of a campsite until I came here. Definitely one of my favorites in WA State. It's quiet, the facilities are clean, and the river is lovely. Definitely a must for campers coming to the area."

Perhaps the biggest draw of Schafer State Park is the chance to cast a line into the East Fork Satsop River, which is known as a very solid local fishery. There are different species in the river during different times of the year, ranging from feisty trout to big slabs of salmon, so whether you're a serious seasoned angler or just looking to take the kids out for an afternoon of casting, Schafer State Park has got you covered.

In the summer, most fishers go for sea-run cutthroat. As the name suggests, this trout species spends part of its life in saltwater but returns to rivers to spawn, and the waters around Schafer Park are known to hold plenty of these fish. "I fish it for trout," observed this angler on a Facebook post about fishing at Schafer State Park. "Caught my PB [personal best] a month ago on a 3wt fly rod. Caught seven over 12 inches that day. It's my favorite place to fish."

Come fall, the Satsop River fills with salmon coming upstream to spawn, especially coho and chum. Schafer Park offers plenty of bank access to try your luck at hooking one of these behemoths, as well as a drift boat launch near Decker Creek. In addition, in the winter, the river sees a run of perhaps the most coveted game fish in the Pacific Northwest: the legendary steelhead. These muscular sea-run rainbow trout are known for both their size and acrobatic fighting ability, and while there are rivers with bigger numbers of the fish, the Satsop offers the chance to target steelhead without the crowds found elsewhere. For more of Washington's outdoor wonder, check out this secluded San Juan Park that's a remote haven to camp, fish, or hike.