Pasco is the county seat of Franklin County, Washington. With a population of 75,432, Pasco is a medium-sized city but, with Kennewick and Richland, is part of the larger Tri-Cities region, making it an integral section of a much larger metropolitan area. Throughout much of its modern history, Pasco was an agricultural town with several boom and bust periods controlled by a nearby nuclear production complex. This complex, known as the Hanford Site, is now decommissioned.
Pasco is a great place for RV campers to visit and offers many different activities to enjoy. Visitors wishing to learn more about the area’s history will find many museums and learning opportunities. The Pasco Aviation Museum is a great place for aviation buffs and features the Old NAS Control Tower building as well as several exhibits highlighting the historic planes that flew out of the area. Originally built in 1911, the Franklin County Historical Museum is a great place for families to explore the area’s rich history and features many exhibits within Pasco’s historic Carnegie Library.
There are many unique dining opportunities in Pasco. The Fiesta Mexican Restaurant is an authentic Mexican restaurant with a modern and spacious aesthetic that has become wildly popular because of its large selection of Mexican beers. People looking for a more Asian meal will find a lot to love at Swadee Thai, which features large portions prepared by their master chef. After dining on a filling meal, stopping in at We Ice, the traveling food truck offering more than 50 flavors of gourmet shaved ice, will keep Pasco visitors cool and satisfied.
Campgrounds Near Pasco, Washington
Located in Kennewick, Washington, the Columbia Sun RV Resort offers beautiful grounds and large sites for RV campers near Pasco, Washington. The campground features 145 sites in total with 70 of them able to accommodate larger motor coaches. Each site has full hookups with 20/30/50 amp service. Campers can also find three on-site laundry facilities, a seasonal heating pool with a hot tub, and two fenced dog parks.
MoonRiver RV Resort is located just minutes from Pasco, Washington. Opened in 2010, the campground prides itself on its modern, state-of-the-art facilities that include 156 luxury lots carved into 12.5 acres situated on the beautiful vistas overlooking the Columbia Basin. For RV campers, there are many amenities at MoonRiver, including full hookup, propane tank refill sites, wired internet, satellite TV, and full laundry facilities.
Campers looking to experience Washington’s Wine Country in the Lower Yakima Valley will find no better place to camp than the Wine Country RV Park. The campground offers 126 sites with full hookups, eight private restrooms with coin-operated showers, and a basketball court.
State Parks Near Pasco, Washington
Sun Lakes State Park is located at the foot of Dry Falls and covers 3,774 acres. Dry Falls is the main attraction of this park and is a 3.5-mile-long scalloped precipice containing four major alcoves. There are many activities to take advantage of within the park, including fishing, hiking, and swimming. Campers will find 96 standard campsites to stay at, and 41 of the sites offer full hookups. There is also a dump station.
Located on the southern shore of Potholes Reservoir, Potholes State Park is 13 miles south of Moses Lake. The main attraction of this state park are The Potholes. These flood-carved depressions in the ground work together to create hundreds of tiny islands surrounded by small lakes. The Potholes have a variety of fish and are great for year-round fishing and boating. Fishermen can find yellow perch, largemouth bass, walleye, and rainbow trout in the many lakes throughout the park. The park offers 60 full-hookup sites for RV campers to enjoy. Each campsite can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet in length.
The Wanapum State Park sits along the Columbia River and is the perfect place for campers looking to enjoy water activities. The Wanapum Reservoir is located within the park, offering 27,000 feet of shoreline for visitors to enjoy. Boating and water skiing are popular activities within the park, and the park offers a double-lane boat launch to quickly get crafts into the water. People looking to camp at Wanapum State Park will find 50 reservable sites that offer full-hookup for RVs. The sandy beach along the Wanapum Reservoir is a favorite location for people to enjoy peaceful relaxation beneath the sun.
National Sites Near Pasco, Washington
Located just west of Walla Walla, Washington, the Whitman Mission National Historic Site resides on the former Whitman Mission at Waiilatpu. The historical site commemorates Dr. Marcus Whitman and Narcissi Whitman, a married couple who were slain by Native Americans in 1847. The Whitmans were integral to the establishment of the Oregon Trail. This historical site is a great place for families. There are guided tours of the park offering a comprehensive learning experience about the history of the Whitmans as well as the Native American tribes of the area. There is no camping within the site, but RV campers can take advantage of nearby campgrounds, such as the Tucannon River RV Park.
The Oregon National Historic Trail runs through seven states and traces the historic journey of migrants traveling westward into the then-unknown world of western America. Many people died on their journey westward, and relics of this travel can still be seen today along the trail. Fort Vancouver is the best place to visit the trail within Washington. Campers looking to stay in their RVs near the Oregon National Historic Trail can stay at the nearby Vancouver RV Park.
The Lake Roosevelt National Recreational Area is located just outside of Spokane, Washington. The park contains the 130-mile-long Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, making it a popular spot for boating, canoeing, and kayaking. The national site is a big draw for nature lovers and is one of the few places people can witness moose in their natural habitat within the contiguous United States. There are many historical sites within the park, including the still-standing St. Paul’s Mission. Camping is a popular activity within the recreational area, and RV campers will find many different campgrounds accessible to them. The Kettle Falls Campground is a popular pick for RV campers and features large sites along the lake shore.
National Forests Near Pasco, Washington
Spanning 1.4 million acres of the Blue Mountains in northeast Oregon and southeast Washington, the Umatilla National Forest is a popular site for camping, OHV riding, hiking, and fishing. Nature lovers will find many different animals rarely seen in the United States, such as elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and timber wolves. This national forest is a great place for RV campers to stay. There are almost 40 campgrounds within the park, each with its own identity. Several of the campgrounds lack any form of amenities while others provide warm showers and bathrooms. None of the campsites within the national forest provide any type of hookup.
The Malheur National Forest covers 1.4 million acres within the Oregon section of the Blue Mountains. The park mostly consists of high desert and features many interesting plants, such as grasslands, juniper, and sage. The Cedar Grove Botanical Area is one of the forest’s main attractions and features the only isolated stand of Alaska yellow cedar that can be found east of the Cascades in the United States. Camping is a favorite activity for people visiting the national forest, and RV campers can find five campgrounds offering RV amenities within the forest.
Located in Central Oregon’s Ochoco Mountains, the Ochoco National Forest covers 850,000 acres consisting of canyons, rimrock, pine forests, and several geological oddities. Stein’s Pillar is a main attraction of the forest. The 350-foot monolith is made of welded tuff and can be reached by hiking two miles along the Stein’s Pillar Trail. There are more than 20 campgrounds within the forest that can be accessed by RV. The campgrounds are divided into three sections. These sections include the Crooked River National Grassland, the Ochoco NF-Ochoco East - Paulina Area, and the Ochoco NF-Ochoco West - Prineville Area.
