Bogachiel State Park in Washington, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-30. Check linked official notices before travel.

Bogachiel State Park near Forks is a forested base beside the Bogachiel River on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. A short day visit can focus on the picnic areas and woodland setting. Campers should choose a specific site group: the published operating seasons are not the same across the campground.

A forest stop beside the Bogachiel River

Use the upper picnic area for a simple stop, or the lower kitchen shelter when it is available. Rain, moss and a river fed from the Olympic Mountains define the setting. The park also provides a practical Highway 101 base for visits around Forks.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Give elk room and expect changing river levels

Stay at least 100 feet from elk and never feed them. Rainfall can produce large changes in the river’s flow, particularly in fall and winter. Keep a woodland or picnic outing separate from a river trip that requires its own conditions check.

Use designated areas

Keep dogs leashed. Horses are not allowed in the park. Use only the fire areas permitted by the current notice, and allow wildlife to move without approaching it.

Match the booking to the campsite group

Use the authorized state reservation system, or call 888-226-7688. The selected Bogachiel campsite group has its own operating and reservable dates. A published season does not establish that a site is available. Confirm water and other services for a winter stay.

Reach the park from Highway 101

Use 185983 Highway 101, Forks, WA 98331, for Bogachiel State Park. The official park page links the campground map and directions. Select the state park rather than a similarly named rain-forest trailhead in a different land-management unit.

Other park stops near Forks

Tillicum Park is a City of Forks park on Tillicum Lane, with a playground and covered picnic area. Olympic National Park’s Rialto Beach is another coastal option reached via Mora Road; confirm the current road notice before making that separate drive.

Use the picnic areas and forest setting

The upper area has picnic tables. In the lower area, the kitchen shelter has electricity, lighting and a large grill, with first-come, first-served use. Leave time to observe the mossy forest instead of treating the state park as the starting point for every longer Bogachiel-area trail.

Campground layout and seasonal planning

Standard, partial-hookup and hiker-biker sites serve different camping setups. RVs and vehicle combinations must fit within the park’s 40-foot limit. The group camp accepts tents only. A restroom is near the lower picnic area. Review the winter-service guidance and confirm the facilities needed for your selected site.

About this rain-fed river park

The Bogachiel River receives its headwater flow from lower Olympic Mountain elevations rather than glacial melt. Fall and winter rain drives much of its variation. That moisture also supports the mosses that cover the surrounding forest.

Indigenous territory and park development

The park lies in the traditional territory of people whose descendants include the Quileute Tribe and Hoh Indian Tribe. Washington reserved these lands for park purposes in 1931, and the state park commission began staffing the park after a lease was formalized in 1961.

Elk, steelhead and moss

Elk may move through the park, while steelhead return to the river as water levels rise. Observe without expecting a particular animal. Mosses absorb moisture directly and form an important part of this wet forest setting.

Contact

Call 360-374-6356 or email [email protected] for park-specific questions. Ask about the site group and services you intend to use, particularly for an off-season stay.