With the imminent close of the 2023 camping season, we had time for one more quick trip before winterizing the Grizz for year. Previously, we had made reservations for the Grandy Creek KOA, but we were forced to cancel due to extenuating circumstances. However, we remade our reservations for the campground, and were not disappointed.
Experience the beauty of nature nestled at the foot of Mount Baker, with convenient access to North Cascades National Park, Baker Lake, and the serene Grandy Creek flowing by the campground’s edge. Embark on a day adventure to Bellingham, the San Juan Islands, or British Columbia and explore the stunning Northwest at your leisure.
Getting to the campground is really easy if you can follow directions. But use caution if you are using Google Maps. Using Google Maps will send you up Baker Lake Road, and there are limited areas up there to turn around. From Interstate 5, head east on highway 20 for about 23 miles. Take a left on Russell Road (just past Baker Lake Road), and head straight toward the mountain. After approximately 3/4 of a mile, you'll find the campground on the left, with a giant yellow KOA sign.
Check-in is painless. After turning left off Russell Road, you’ll be greeted by a two-lane entry. Take the left lane to go to the "guard shack" and get checked in, with the right lane being secure entry for guests who have already checked in. The nice lady at the guard shack took our names, and gave us the map and other documentation for the campground, as well as answering the few questions we had about the place.
Premium Pull-Through includes a cement patio, picnic table, chairs, benches, a swing, and a fire pit. The site shown is #112 (I think), and was the one next door to our site.
We opted for a premium pull through, and navigating to the site was fairly easy, even though some of the interior roads are a bit narrow. For example, I would have liked a wider road where we could swing wider to pull into our spot. The site we stayed in had a beautiful old pine tree next to it that required some careful maneuvering to dodge both the tree and the cement patio (with fire pit, chairs, etc). We ended up disconnected the toad in the middle of the road, as well as moving some of the furniture, to make the needed wide turn in to the spot.
Once we were in the spot, all was right and good with the world. The gravel spaces are mostly level, and minimal work was needed by our levelling jacks to get the Grizz solidly planted.
Utility connections were a breeze. The power connection was a clean 50 amps as reported by my tester and the Hughes Power Watchdog that we use for the connectivity. We noticed no brownouts or other drops during our stay. This being the weekend after Labor Day, the park was approximately a little over half full, so that may have contributed to the power cleanliness.
The sewer connection looked to have been recently updated, sporting a PVC screw-on connection for our Camco right angle adapter. If you don’t know, this gives you a solid connection when dumping, without the need to put a rock or have someone stand on the connection to prevent spillage. No poonamis.
Water pressure was good, and with the pressure regulator that we always use, we had a steady 40psi of clean water.
Connectivity
We asked about wifi when we checked in, as it was not mentioned during the opening spiel. The nice lady told us that the only wifi was in or around the clubhouse. However, in the paperwork, we noticed that while there was no free wifi, you could purchase connectivity for $5 to $15 a day, depending on the speed you wanted. We didn’t try it, so I can’t comment about the speed or quality. The paperwork specified $5 will get you 5.92mbps, while $15 would get you 10mbps. Seemed a bit spendy to me.
Cellular connectivity with Verizon was surprisingly good, with 4 bars of 4GLTE. Some might think is unacceptably low, being used to 5G connectivity. However, keep in mind this campground is in the Skagit River valley, with steep mountains on both sides. So, 4 bars of 4G was a nice surprise. Neither myself or the wife had any issues browsing social media, doing some light emailing, or a bit of web surfing.
Facilities
The offers spacious Pull-Thru RV Sites (accommodating up to 90 feet), along with Tent Sites and Cozy Camping Cabins. Engage in activities like mini-golf, volleyball, basketball, swimming, hayrides, and the exhilarating Jumping Pillow. Wander the campground’s trails, bond over a pancake breakfast or an ice cream gathering.
Amenities
| Hookups | Site Amenities | Facilities | Discount Clubs | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50/30/20 amp Water Sewer Full hookups Cable TV |
Big rig accessible Pull-through Back-in |
Dump station Laundry Propane Recycle Restrooms Showers Outdoor pool Trash Water available Horseshoes Playground Volleyball |
Good Sam AAA/BCAA |
Pet friendly Dog run |
Contact Info
Concrete / Grandy Creek KOA Holiday
7370 Russell Rd.
Concrete, WA 98237
360-826-3554
Reservations: 888-562-4236
Rates
We booked a premium pull-through site with patio for $85 per night, Friday and Saturday. After taxes and KOA membership discount (10%), the total was $168.60.
Be sure to check out their website (linked in the contact info above) for the latest rates and availability.