Thousand Trails Grandy Creek Review: Camping Near North Cascades National Park

Our Campsite

We had a 50-amp, full-hookup site, which worked well for our family and our RV.

One of the things I really liked about Grandy Creek was how green everything was. There were large grassy areas throughout the campground that were pretty well maintained, and the overall setting was beautiful.

It felt like a campground where you could actually enjoy spending time outside rather than just using it as a place to park your RV while exploring the surrounding area.

Pool, Hot Tub and Kids’ Activities

The campground had a pool and hot tub that were open during our stay, although we did have one frustrating experience with the pool.

One day, we went to use it in the afternoon. Even though the pool was supposed to open at 10 a.m., it was around 2 p.m. and it still hadn’t been opened or cleaned, so we weren’t able to use it that day.

Overall, the campground seemed a little understaffed during our visit. The employees appeared to be juggling several different responsibilities and trying to keep up with everything, which may have contributed to some of the issues we noticed.

There was also supposed to be a playground, but it hadn’t been built yet when we visited. Because the playground wasn’t available, we were able to use the KOA jumping pillow for free.

The kids absolutely loved it.

Jumping pillows are always one of those simple campground amenities that can keep kids entertained forever, so having access to it was a big win for us.

Walking Along Grandy Creek

One of my personal favorite things about the campground was the beautiful walking area along Grandy Creek.

I took Willie on walks there and really enjoyed having such a pretty place right inside the campground to get outside with the dog. It’s one of those small campground features that can make a big difference when you’re staying somewhere for more than a night or two.

The campground was very strict about dogs being kept on leash, which is something to keep in mind if you’re traveling with pets.

They also had a conveniently located dog park that was pretty nice. Willie got to meet and play with several different dogs while we were there, which he loved.

Overall, I thought Grandy Creek was a good campground for traveling with a dog.

Cell Service and Wi-Fi

We didn’t have any major issues with cell service or Wi-Fi during our stay. Everything worked fine for what we needed, which is especially important for us since we travel full-time and need to stay connected while we’re on the road.

The Campground Atmosphere

One of the things I remember most about our stay was the atmosphere.

Over Memorial Day weekend, the campground was full of people camping, spending time outside and enjoying the holiday. After the weekend crowds left, everything became much quieter and more peaceful.

We also had the opportunity to meet and talk with a few of the people camping around us. We even met a couple who were traveling pastors, which was really cool. Those little interactions are one of the things I enjoy about campground life. Sometimes you end up meeting really interesting people you probably never would have crossed paths with otherwise.

Location and Visiting North Cascades

We stayed at Grandy Creek mainly because we wanted to visit North Cascades National Park, and I thought the location worked well for that.

From the campground, we were roughly 40 minutes from the areas of North Cascades that we explored. During our visit, part of the road through the park was still closed for the season, but we were able to visit Diablo Lake, hike the 3.6-mile Thunder Knob Trail and stop at the visitor center.

For major shopping and groceries, we did have to drive outside of Concrete. We typically headed toward Sedro-Woolley or the Burlington and Mount Vernon area when we needed access to larger stores.

That means Grandy Creek isn’t necessarily the most convenient campground if you want major shopping right down the road, but for us, the tradeoff was worth it. We were surrounded by beautiful scenery and had relatively easy access to North Cascades National Park.