Camp on the Sunny Side: 8 Eastern Washington Camping Adventures

Camp among nesting great blue herons and bald eagles at 123-acre Curlew Lake State Park. Once a summer camp for Native American tribes in the region and later a hot spot for gold panning, it’s now a quiet and scenic family camping park with a swimming beach, boat launch, putting green, and trails alongside wetlands and through the lodgepole pine forest. Bring fishing poles for catching rainbow trout and a pan to fry them in. The campground has 57 tent spaces and 25 utility spaces, with the prime spots being walk-in tent sites right on the lakeshore.

Do: In nearby Republic is the Stonerose fossil site, which includes an interpretive center and real fossil beds for kids to dig around in.

Reservations: Book online.

Next stop: Columbia Hills

^{Image credit: Mary & Dan/Flickr CC}