battle ground lake state park

Bring your rafts and floaties because this is the place to relax on the small lake all weekend long. We go here (go early, because it fills up quickly) almost every weekend during the summer and it's a great place for all ages. They have a small sand beach with a shallower end for little ones and the water is actually pretty warm. There is also a small grassy area to lay out with your beach towels and a few picnic tables to eat your lunch. Park at the top and walk down the hill to the beach/water area. It does cost $10/day or $30 all year for access. They have campgounds and a small non-motor boat launch here as well. There are bathrooms at the top and bathrooms at the bottom near the water. On the weekends they sometimes have a small store/cafe open that sells ice and drinks, but not sure what kind of food.

We love to take friends and family there when they come to visit! It really is a beautiful park and lake.

BG Lake state park used to be the place to be in the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's. After this, all the "entertainment" was removed and it became focused on camping, fishing, and swimming. In the 90's, the lack had to be closed due to the toxic levels of urine (as the story goes) from all the people swimming but also using the lake as their bathroom instead of the long walk to the facilities.Fishing was decent in the past - today it is stocked by Fish & Game so get their early in the season if you want to catch a keeper.There are many walking/hiking trails that explore the park boundaries. I challenge you to explore these trails as there are unique and secluded things to see.

I love this park. It was so clean. I walked halfway around the lake and had a great time.. so quiet and peaceful.. you saw and heard birds. The water was calm. I cant wait to purchase a kayak and come back!

Tried to correct the error that occurred where my review on the Battle Ground SKATE Park in downtown Battle Ground was incorrectly placed under the STATE park. Clearly the STATE park does not have concrete bowls for skaters, bikers , and scooters.

Beautiful small lake with a nice beach for the kids. We camped there and brought some tubes to float on. I had a nice swim across the lake and the dogs enjoyed themselves too. However, dogs aren't allowed in the main beach area which is fine since there is another spot nearby. There was a steep grade to get down to the water that could've put a damper on the trip if I accidentally slid down it and twisted my ankle. Luckily, I didn't. The walk around the lake is nice. We went looking for another place to get in the water and didn't find any suitable ones, I highly recommend water shoes. There were some people fishing, although I'm not sure what fish can thrive in such a small lake, maybe they stock it with something? We stayed in site #43 which was a great spot although still a bit close to our neighbors on the left. We had to hike everything in a little ways uphill which was made quicker if you could find a wheelbarrel to borrow. There was a water spigot and a camp toilet nearby. There was a little bit of afternoon sun through the tall pine trees which was nice after enjoying the lake. Now, there may not have been any Lochness Monster, but there were Wild Things in the woods. The second night I woke up to the sound of what my imagination thought was a bear attacking the other part of the campground with a bunch of people screaming. I grabbed my weapons, listened some more and then thought it was just a lot of people having a really good time and yelling. After ruling out the serial killer scenario which is always a concern when camping without locked doors, I surmised it was coyotes partying. I had never heard that many coyotes before and I could be totally wrong and no, I wasn't drunk or high. In fact, I really should've drank more beer so that I could get some sleep. Overall, a nice place and a nice spot. We did take note of #44 and #45 since they had a nice view overlooking the lake. Although they weren't as private as #43 since they were right on the trail.

I knew there was a skate park in Battle Ground somewhere, and an internet search came up with good reviews, so I brought my five-year-old granddaughter and her rollerblades and scooter to take a look. At eleven a.m. on a weekday, there were two other teenaged boys on scooters, and by the time we left around noon needing a repair to our secondhand scooter, there were about eight boys on bikes, skateboards, or scooters sharing the park. Several but not all were wearing helmets.There is an amazing variety of ramps, bowls,stairs, and levels to challenge experienced skaters, boarders, etc. The concrete was swept clean although somewhere out there, there is a small nut that fell off of a scooter wheel's bolt. We asked one of the other scooter people for advice, and they directed us across the street and a block down to NW Ambush Paintball/Skateboard that repaired our scooter's problem in one minute for $7.53 for two ball bearing thingies and a new bolt.Morning seems like the best time for beginners to use the park when it was less busy. It was inspiring to see the tricks people could accomplish most likely after a lot of practice. The park is adjacent to the Battle Ground Community Center that has ample, free parking unless they are hosting an event. There was probably a restroom but didn't look for one. There are benches, but the trees are young so not much shade. We were there when it was overcast, but I imagine it could be pretty bright on a full sun day, so spectators might like to wear sunglasses, sunscreen, and maybe a hat .

Easy great walk on a sunny day; not too long to go all the way around, and when you are done you can sit in the beach area

For $94 we had a dirty cabin, dirty plastic covered thin mattress and walked to the shared bathroom that required quarters for every 3 minutes to shower. However it was somewhat close to Mt St Helen park.

We visited the lake and found a beautiful lake tucked away in the forest. I found some beautiful views to photograph on the walk around the lake. There were quite a few people there but it was still a nice place to visit. We live about 400 miles away so won't be back for awhile. Will visit again if the opportunity presents itself. I just marked "no fee" but that might not be the case since Washington is charging an arm and a leg to visit their parks. Don't really know and can't erase the "NO" mark!!!

This was a fun trip for me. Unfortunately, it rained all day my third day there but it was nice to get off in the woods and away from most people. The main drawback is how close the campsites are. I had at least five campsites within 50 feet of me. I was there in the off-season so it was nice and peaceful but I can’t imagine going during the summer. Why bother leaving your neighborhood if you are going to camp with that many people right next to you?I stayed in Cabin 17. They are all the same. I think Cabin 21 might provide a little more privacy but not much more. Cabins 12 and 13 are right next to each other so avoid renting those unless you and another family are renting both together. I was originally going to rent Cabin 13 and I’m glad I didn’t. It would have been hell if a family with kids had rented 12. As I said, I was lucky in that only few people were around because it was the off-season and I went during the week. Definitely the way to go if you are just a guy looking for some solitude. Every cabin can sleep 3 to 5 people but the beds are small. I wouldn’t have been comfortable on the full bed or the futon with another person. Each cabin has a small table and four chairs. There is a fire pit and small BBQ grill along with a standard picnic table outside. There are public bathrooms that are cleaner than expected but not as clean as I would like. Showers are 50 cents for 3 minutes. The park is about 10 minutes from town so it is easy to pick up extra supplies and I didn’t have any problems with my phone. There is a place in the park that looks like you could buy ice and firewood but they were closed while I was there. In fact, no one was staffing the gatehouse when I came to check in. The cabin was unlocked with instructions on the door. When you go to town do yourself a favor and try Burgerville. It reminds me of the non-chain burger restaurants that were around when I was a kid. Everything is fresh and cheap for what you get. Hiking was ok but I didn’t get to do as much as I liked. Some of the trails are no joke. You can easily break a leg if you don’t watch yourself. Very dense forest with lots of steep hills. The lake is nice. I don’t fish or swim but I was tempted to go by a large inner tube to float around on. It was a nice experience overall but I would hate to be there on a weekend during the peak season.

One of the nicest things you can do is take a nice hike around the lake. It's also full of great picnic spots.

It is hard to beat this lovely caldera for a scenic, tranquil spot to walk, fish, swim, or just contemplate. I have never camped, and with staffing and funding cuts resulting in no after hours supervision, high-use season overnights might depend on the luck of the Irish for uninterrupted tranquility. For day use, however, it is hard to beat, especially early when the mist is just lifting out of the caldera and the nesting eagle pair are taking flight. Fees are honor system off season and after hours - let your conscience be your guide. Food is available summere season; wheelchair access requires effort (steep slope).

Decided to take the family fishing on Independence Day and wanted to stay local so we decided on BG Lake State Park - we were quite pleased with the decision. Although we didn't catch any fish, we were able to relax in the tranquility of the forest, hear families having fun swimming and listen to the various sounds of wildlife. Definitely a nice niche outside of the 'city' life. If you're looking for a small walk, take a walk around the entire lake! On one section of the lake there's a swing from a tree into the lake, but you'll have to find that yourself!

I fell in love the first time I visited this park. It was very easy to find also. There was and entrance fee of 3 dollars when I went. Don't think you can slip in and not pay because you will come back to your vehicle and a little envelope will be on your window. He He. This park is amazing to walk/jog around. It has beautiful mossy trees and a nice walking trail with many camping spots. It is fantastic to capture pictures especially on a sunny day after a rain. My 7 year old nephew visited me and I took him to different places during his stay. His favorite was visiting this park. It was a beautiful and hot sunny day, we had a family picnic and he played in the river with a multitude of other children, searching for and catching things in the river. The water was mellow and safe for the children with supervision and it was refreshing for the adults too.