Brookhollow RV Park in Kelso, Washington, strikes a nice balance between rustic and convenient. Nature lovers will relish the location on the Coweeman River in the lush setting in southern Washington near the Oregon border. Practical campers will like the proximity to Interstate 5 and an array of dining and entertainment options in downtown Kelso.
Adventure can be found just a short distance from Brookhollow RV Park. Less than a mile to the south lies the Columbia River. This popular Pacific Northwest playground hosts boating, fishing, and water sports. To the East, Mount St. Helens looms on the horizon. This geological marvel thrills visitors with its endless hiking and sightseeing possibilities. Several surrounding towns can keep tourists busy with festivals and unique shopping.
Brookhollow RV Park
Roomy and Rural
Surrounded by tall trees and green fields, the park exudes a genuine Pacific Northwest vibe. But management hasn’t sacrificed creature comforts. Paved roads lead visitors to their spaces, and an exercise room, a kitchen, and a meeting room help guests meet with others. The park welcomes pets but has some restrictions on breed and quantity. (Check with park management beforehand). Escorts to sites are offered.
Of the park’s132 spaces, 52 are full-hookup and paved. Owners of big RVs can take advantage of the 20 pull-through sites; the max site length is 60 feet. Guests can enjoy ample room for slide-outs along with tables at each site. Several sites are shaded. For entertainment, guests can connect to basic cable TV and Wi-Fi in 52 sites.
The park has laundry facilities, restrooms and showers, and onsite RV service. Nature trails around the park give travelers a chance to stretch their legs just steps from their sites.
A trail along the banks of the Cowlitz River.
Rivers Run Through It
Paddlers can launch their craft steps from their sites on the serene Coweeman River, which connects to the Cowlitz River south of the park. Ambitious canoers or kayakers can then follow the Cowlitz to the Columbia River to explore scenic shores and homey small towns along the banks. Paddlers also can navigate their craft upriver and along the Cowlitz Trail, which follows the waterway more than 100 miles north to Puget Sound. Historical sites and small islands on this river make a trip north worthwhile (even if you don’t plan to go all the way to the sound).
From the RV park, hikers can follow the water and stay dry on the Coweeman River Trail. The gravel out-and-back pathway runs for 2.4 miles and treats hikers to stunning scenery. Highlights of the hike include Tam OO’Shanter Park, a former golf course encompassing 94 acres. Follow the trails here to catch sight of colorful warblers, herons, scarlet tanagers, and orioles.
Cruising the Columbia
Boaters eager to navigate the Columbia will find launches in Longview, on the Columbia River banks. Also nearby is the Lewis and Clark Bridge. This bridge connects motorists to the Oregon side and the town of Rainier. The bridge’s name commemorates the iconic explorers who passed through this area in 1805 and 1806.
Several guide services on both sides of the river take anglers into the current for hefty hauls of salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, Kokanee, and other fish.
The Lewis and Clark Bridge connects Rainier, Oregon, to Longview, Washington. Getty Images
For a more sedate water experience, Lake Sacajawea in Longview offers a serene getaway. Follow the 3.5 miles of jogging, walking, and biking trails that circle the water. During the warm months, a stroll under landscaped bridges amid blooming rhododendrons offers a dose of tranquility. For something quirky, pay a visit to the Nutty Narrows Bridge. The 60-foot span was built for squirrels in 1963 from aluminum and lengths of fire hose. The odd attraction has garnered international attention.
Lake Sacajawea in Longview is a placid retreat. Getty Images
Castle Rock
North of Longview on the banks of the Cowlitz, the town of Castle Rock takes its name from the 190-foot rock that towers over the city. Founded as a stop for steamboats on the river, the town has grown to become a center for major regional events and festivals. October brings the Halloween Jamboree, and the Castle Rock Festival of Lights welcomes the Holidays. Motorsports has found a home here, with the Hooligan Stampede and Eruption at the Rock bringing motorcycle racers to the Castle Rock Race Park.
Anglers can take their pick of bountiful rivers, like the Kalama and Lewis, as well as Abernathy Creek, for steelhead and salmon. Prefer lake fishing? Check out Kress Lake and Silver Lake, among others, which yield crappie and bluegill.
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument bears the scars from its massive 1980 eruption.
Mount St. Helens
About an hour east of Kelso, the remains of an epic volcanic event from 1980 entice hikers and sightseers to Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument. Visitors can go hiking, hunting, horseback riding, non-motorized boating, and bicycling around the tortured landscape.
Experienced hikers can climb to the top of Mount St. Helens in seven to twelve hours for stunning views of the caldera and to feel a sense of raw geology. With an elevation gain of 4,500 feet in five miles, the crater hike poses a few challenges but doesn’t require technical skills. The 28-mile Loowit Trail encircles Mount St. Helens. This route dishes out 360-degree panoramas and views of the blast recovery area. For novice hikers, the shorter Eruption Trail affords views of the lava dome, crater, and landslide deposit.
Light painting in the Ape Caves of Mount St. Helens. Getty Images
In the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, south of Mount St. Helens, the Ape Cave lava tube makes for a worthy side trip. The lava tube formed around 2,000 years ago and stretches for 2.5 miles. It’s the longest continuous lava tube in the U.S. It’s also one of the longest on the continent. Discovered by a logger in the early 1950s, it was named for local Boy Scouts (known as the Apes), who conducted the first detailed surveys of the tube.
Brookhollow RV Park, Kelso, 360-577-6474.
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