Howard Miller Steelhead Park, Skagit County

[Dave]

Recently my wife and I took a couple short 3 night trips to Howard Miller Steelhead Park located in Rockport WA, about 8 miles east of Concrete WA on Highway 20. Howard Miller Steelhead Park is owned and operated by Skagit County and offers an open camping experience which isn’t really for me but other nearby State Parks were booked solid so we settled for Steelhead Park. The park has 10 tent sites that are right on the river, 30 RV sites with electric only, 21 RV sites with water & electric, 8 Adirondacks (up to 8 persons), and 3 RV sites w/o hookups. The sites are open so privacy is nonexistent which is the only drawback. There is also a pub right outside t he grounds and we did hear music playing one of the evenings we were there which sucked. There are two restroom facilities with showers and everything is very clean and well maintained. There is also a covered area with tables for a group event.

The park is immaculate and very well maintained by a great crew of guys. The park is managed by a gentleman named Rusty who I have spoken with twice. He is super friendly and willing to do whatever he can to make your stay a great one. The best site in the park is #8. This site is a drive through site that parallels the river just 25 feet from the river. The sites on both sides are maybe 50’ away which provides the most privacy you will find n the park because your fire pit and picnic table is between your RV and the river.

The one thing we also experienced that was an issue were a few people who thought it was acceptable to walk in to our camp site to look at and take pictures of the river which upset my wife and I however we refrained from making confrontational contact which I was dying to do. When we were getting hooked up to leave I was contacted by the very kind assistant Manager to Rusty who asked me how our stay was. I told him everything was great except for the couple in the Airstream 3 camp sites away who twice entered our site and dinked around. I told him that I spoke with the two the first time they walked in to our site telling them politely when asked how we were that we were tired of people walking through our site and they just slowly walked off and returned the following evening while we were inside our trailer playing cards. I think they thought they weren’t bothering us since we were inside BUT they were. Anyway, this kind manager left us and drove over to the Airstream where he spoke with the male. My wife told me while we were on the road leaving the park that the male walked away from the manager's contact looking pissed so I am sure the manager mentioned to him not to enter someone else’s camp site again which pleased me. I am amazed how stupid and inconsiderate so many folks are. We would never in a million years ever think to walk in to someone else’s site whether they were there or gone on a day ride.

Before the park manager initially left us, I suggested having some signs made up and posted that read, “Please do not enter or cut through an occupied campsite.” He told me that was a great idea and he would look in to doing that since they had their own sign crew in the county. Steelhead Park is a reservation campground and you may also make reservations in the off season to insure you get the spot you want. In addition and the best part is if a site is not occupied or reserved when you arrive there, you may take it for as long as it is not reserved which is great. This allows you to come up there without reservations as we did when we occupied site # 34. Rusty told me that even during the often busy summer; Sunday through Thursday you can easily get a site without making reservations.

Pictures: The first 2 pictures are of site # 8 which is right on the river. The second 2 pictures are of site # 34 which is in a cul-de-sac type loop. These cul-de-sac loop sites are wide open with no privacy. The walk to the river from these sites is about 2 minutes.

[saltyseadog]

why dont people use their frickin heads! the guy sounds like a moron. thanks for the pics dave

[Rock]

It's people like you Dave,that I hope I have for a neighbor when I arrive on the river.I am into respect 100%.I live in Marysville,and never did know about this park. Thankyou for you're post! I like it when stories like these appear. I hope it makes other people think right,before they think left :-)

Thanks Dave,
Rock

[rseas]

We have tent camped at Howard Miller Steelhead Park and had a blast. We did have a different take on the local hooscow, we thought that it was fun that it was in walking distance. The fishing in this stretch of river can be stellar, an excellent Dolly Varden and Coho fishery.

[Dave]

I'm not sure why there are so many selfish inconsiderate people in our world today. We were absolutely amazed when these folks just walked right through, and, that they didn't get the hint when I commented about it. Trust me, I wanted to tell them to get the F out of my site before I through them both in the river but I didn't want the stress that would come with the confrontation so I glared at them and they left. I was elated when the manager spoke with them before we left noting that the guy clearly didn’t like what he was hearing. Maybe he will think next time before he disrespects someone else who has less restraint than I.

When I read a forum post I want details and pictures. This allows all of us to paint a decent picture of what we are reading about. I’ve read a few posts on camp spots and they are brief with no pics. I want to see a few camp sites in the park and the area as well as hear about the writer’s personal experience and opinion about the camp ground they are telling us about. That way I can make a better decision as to whether or not I want to spend the money and take a trip there. So, that’s what I try to do her on the site with both my fishing reports and my forum posts. Not just a fishing report that says, “We caught 20 fish and man they sure were biting.” I just don’t get that, but that’s a whole other topic. So thanks Rock for the kind words. I’m solid when it comes to the respect for others and I wish there were more people who lived their lives that way.

We didn’t mind the Tavern that’s a baseball throw from the park, in fact we through about having a cold beer there one of the hot afternoons we were there, but when the music was blaring and it was 1:00 am I was less happy about its existence.

[bionic_one]

Were they walking through your campsite, or along the bank of the river?

[rjn cajun]

Thanks for the pics. Looks a very nice and relaxing place to go. I can honestly say everytime I`ve ever been camping we have had this happen. But it`s usually young kids and when they see us sitting there they will apologize. But there has been times where they go and get the hole family to come back and walk through our camp.

[Dave]

Sorry I'm so late responding to your replies. Bionic_one, the folks I mentioned in this post all walked IN our actual camp site. Had they been walking the river shoreline I would have had absolutely no issue but they were bold, didn't give a darn about anyone but themselves, and they just walked right into our site to look at and take pics of the river, from our site. I wanted to ring their necks!!! I would never fathom doing that to someone but today, many just don't care about anyone but themselves. Again, sorry for my late reply.

PS; The opening between the two trees in picture number 1 is where these disrespectful you know what's stood after walking in to and through our site to take pics of the river.

[MartyMoose]

My wife loves this park for the camping, I like it for the river access and the camping. The kids like it for the playground, and the open areas to run around in.

I haven't made it up to the tavern yet, but one of the weekends we went, it sure sounded like a good time.