The 48 North Chapter invites you to join us July 27-29 for a weekend of fun on the Mountain Loop Highway in the Central Cascades. Deep woods, rushing streams, snow-capped peaks, a historic ghost town, great hiking, and plenty of caching - you'll find it all at WSGA's 9th annual Summer Campout at Masonic Family Park outside Granite Falls, hosted by FluteFace and Lizzy.
Masonic Family Park has 245 wooded acres along Canyon Creek in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. We've reserved a relatively secluded area with space for 30 tents and 15 RVs. There are restrooms with showers, fire pits, small shelters with picnic tables, and a playground. Thanks to Wrastro for being our Masonic host and camping with us, so we could stay here.
Who can attend? The Campout is open to everyone, members and non-members alike. Come for a day, or spend the weekend.
Saturday dinner: This is the main event, covered by your registration fee. WSGA will provide the hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and beverages. The rest is potluck, so bring your favorite side dish or dessert to round out the meal. After dinner, we'll have a raffle and the WSGA annual general meeting.
Camping: Campsites are available for Friday and Saturday nights only. If you are camping with us, you must select one of the camping options, as well as the per-person registration fee. Check-in starts at 3:00 pm Friday; check-out is 12:00 pm Sunday.
Day visitors: If you plan to join us for the Saturday activities (including dinner), please register your number of attendees.
Event Schedule: Come join the festivities! We’ll have prizes for all games and contests.
Friday
3:00 pm - Check-in starts - set up camp, sign up for no-host outings (Whidbey shelter)
8:00 pm - Campfire and s’mores near Whidbey shelter (bring your own sticks)
10:00 pm - Quiet time starts
Saturday
8:00 am - Good morning! (quiet time ends)
8:00-9:00 am - No-host groups leave for Monte Cristo, Big Four Ice Caves, Mt. Pilchuck, Alnilam's caches, Robe Valley, Lime Kiln Trail
9:00 am -7:00 pm - In-camp activities, including:
- Poker (cache) run: Bring a geocaching-related item to enter (adult)
- Scavenger hunt and string-pack art (kids)
- Swag Jar guess: closest to number of items wins a new jar with 11 geocoins (everyone)
7:00 pm - Dinner (we supply the hamburgers and hot dogs; you supply side dishes and dessert)
After dinner – WSGA annual general meeting, raffle, activity prizes
10:00 pm - Quiet time starts
Sunday
8:00 am - Breakfast with pancakes and fruit
9:30 am - Masonic Park CITO - please log your Will Attend so we can get a head count
12:00 pm - Campout ends
Registration fee: Covers the Saturday dinner and Campout goody bag (with pathtag). The fee is waived for children aged 10 and under (special goody bags, no pathtag).
Registration deadline: Campout registration is now closed. (Sorry, no refunds after the registration deadline, as we have paid the park.) You can still join us on Saturday and pay on-site ($10/person) for the dinner and goody bag (supplies limited). We also have 1 RV site and a few tent sites available - first come, first gets. On-site registration is at the nonmember rate and cash only.
| Fees |
Member |
Non-Member |
| Saturday dinner & Campout goody bag |
$7.00 |
$10.00 |
| Tent site (per night) |
$17.00 |
$22.00 |
| RV site (per night) |
$25.00 |
$30.00 |
Tent campers: You can reserve one or both nights, and you'll be in our central area (no assigned sites).
RV campers: You must book both nights (we had to pay both nights for the RV slots). These are dry sites - electricity only, no water or sewage. There is potable water nearby, and a dump station on the way out. Electricity is 20 amp house current; bring appropriate connectors, and you may want an extension cord. Please be careful, we don't want to overload any circuits.
Additional nights: None; this is a private camp and requires a Masonic host. But there are several other campgrounds along the Mountain Loop Highway.
Not camping? If you want to participate but prefer a hotel, there are accommodations in Marysville (17 miles), Everett (20 miles), Arlington (22 miles), and Snohomish (22 miles).
Park particulars: Be sure to read the park rules. Here are a few things to know:
- Cell phone reception: Spotty to nonexistent, and there's no internet.
- Showers: Coin-operated (25 cents), available elsewhere in park.
- Trash: You'll need to trash out, or pay $1/bag to use the dumpster.
- Bikes: Permitted.
- Pets: Permitted, but must be on a leash at all times, even within your campsite. If found off-leash, you'll receive one verbal warning from park staff; a second offense means removing the animal from the park. Pet owners are responsible for cleaning up after them.
- Firewood: You can buy on-site, but it's best to bring your own. No firewood gathering in the park.
- Fishing: Catch-and-release allowed with a valid license.
- Swimming: Canyon Creek is just steps away, and should be low enough to wade in, so bring your water wear.
Supplies: Food and other camp supplies are available in nearby Granite Falls (5 miles).
Tourism Info: If you haven't visited this area before, be sure to stop at the Mountain Loop Tourism Bureau. Coords: N 48° 05.012 W 121° 58.150.
Caching: The Mountain Loop Highway is a gold mine (literally!) of scenic and historic caching - Big Four Ice Caves, Monte Cristo (3rd-oldest WA cache), Mt. Pilchuck, old mines, Gold Basin and Fortson mill ponds, the Lime Kiln Trail, river hikes, waterfalls galore, and much more. Plus, if you've never done Alnilam's famous contraption caches near Darrington (this and that, both COTM winners), now's your chance. For more caching inspiration, see Lizzy's Mountain Loop Scenic Hwy bookmark list.
Trail passes: Depending on where you cache or hike, you may need a Northwest Forest Pass (Forest Service) or a Discover Pass (state parks). You can buy day or annual passes for both either online or in stores (e.g., REI, Big 5). You can also get the NFP at the Verlot Ranger Station not far from the camp.
 This event is sponsored by the Washington State Geocaching Association. If you are a geocacher in the state of Washington, please consider joining WSGA. See the WSGA website for details. |