Ike Kinswa State Park Cabins: A Hidden Gem

Ike Kinswa State Park is the perfect Washington weekend getaway. It’s located in the forest on the banks of Lake Mayfield, a peaceful break from the bustle of daily life. The Ike Kinswa State Park cabins are a fantastic and affordable option for people seeking a year-round nature escape.

A perfect morning at Ike Kinswa State Park, in the day use area.

Ike Kinswa State Park Map & Location

Ike Kinswa State Park is located in Central Washington. Mossyrock is the nearest town (about 4 miles east of the park) but the closest larger city is Chehalis, which is about 30 miles away. Here’s a map of Ike Kinswa State Park, provided by the state park website.

Ike Kinswa State Park Cabins

The cabins at Ike Kinswa State Park are located a quick walk from Mayfield Lake. Some of them are even basically at the edge of the lake itself (the C-loop cabins, C1-C5).

A gorgeous grassy area by Mayfield Lake where we enjoyed our coffee every morning, a couple minutes from our cabin.

Ike Kinswa State Park Cabin Cost

The cost to stay at Ike Kinswa State Park cabins varies depending on the season, shoulder, winter, or peak, and if you are bringing a pet. Costs can change from year to year, but for 2024 the fees are as follows:

Peak Season, May 15-September 15: $79/night plus tax

Shoulder Season, April 1-May 14 and September 16-October 31: $69/night plus tax

Winter: November 1-March 31: $55/night plus tax

There are three pet friendly cabins at Ike Kinswa State Park if you plan to bring your dog. You can bring your dog to cabins C4, C5, and C9 only, and there is a pet fee to do so ($15/night).

Above: picture of the campground loop B from our cabin, C9.

Ike Kinswa State Park Cabins General Information

There are nine cabins available in Ike Kinswa State Park. You can have up to five people in each cabin. There are two rooms: a bedroom with a double bed on the bottom bunk and a twin on the top bunk that sleeps three, and a living room with a fold out sofa bed that can sleep two. There is a table and four chairs as well. Each cabin has heating and electric outlets so you can be comfortable year round. Our cabin also had a ceiling fan in the living room.

Each cabin site has a lovely covered porch, a fire pit, a picnic table (uncovered), and a water spigot and electrical hookup. You can use the RV hookup for an additional cost. You’ll need to plan to cook your meals outdoors as there are no kitchen facilities inside, so be sure to bring your camp stove.

You can bring 2 vehicles, but second vehicles will cost an additional $10/night.

Your campground/cabin stay counts as your Discover Pass for the time you’re in the park, so you won’t need to pay for parking at the day use area!

There are bathrooms with flush toilets and showers available at no cost to you.

Ike Kinswa State Park Cabins Reservations

You can reserve a cabin stay 9 months out; for peak season, you should reserve as far out in advance as possible because the sites will get snatched quickly in my experience. You can make reservations at the Washington Going to Camp website by selecting Ike Kinswa State Park and “Roofed accommodations”. You can also make tent or RV camping reservations here! Simply select the “Camping” tab to view options.

Ike Kinswa State Park: Things to do

Ike Kinswa State Park has a lot of water activities available in the summer season. You can swim in the day use area, use kayaks or paddleboards, fishing (rainbow trout, tiger muskie, kokanee, and largemouth bass), hiking, biking, and picnic areas. There is a grassy area in the campground that is amazing for having your morning coffee or a picnic lunch. We spent each of our mornings here!

There is a lovely day use area across the highway from the campground that has a swim area, boat area, and playground for children. This is located on the north side of SR 122.

When we went in April, we were interested in renting kayaks or stand up paddleboards from the Mayfield Lake Resort, but confirmed with staff that the opening weekend for rentals is Memorial Day Weekend. Plan to bring rentals from elsewhere or your own kayaks/SUPs if you want to get on the water outside of peak summer season.

Mayfield Lake Resort is located at 250 Hadaller Rd, Mossyrock, WA 98564. They offer kayak, boat, jetski, and stand up paddleboard rentals. You can find rates and other information here.

Hikes near Ike Kinswa State Park

We are big hikers, and I will say that the hiking within the park is extremely limited. There is a 1.5 mile trail at Mayfield Lake, which you can combine the Tilton River trail (same trail essentially but not part of the park, just follow signs for Tilton River) for additional mileage. When we hiked this area in the spring, we enjoyed how lush it was, and appreciated the gentle forested walk.

A spot along the Mayfield Lake Trail.

The end point of the Tilton River trail: the waterside.

There are a few other trails that are relatively close to Ike Kinswa State Park that may or may not be accessible depending on the season.

Sulphur Creek Falls: 1.6 miles roundtrip, a 20 minute drive from the park, this was the hike we elected to do on day two of our visit. This trail is gorgeous and extremely rugged. There were many downed trees, washed out areas, and in general it was the least maintained trail I’ve ever been on. This meant we had it all to ourselves which was awesome. But be warned: this isn’t a very safe area and exercise caution if you choose to visit. You will definitely want poles and shoes with good grip.

The Sulphur Creek Falls trail had obstacles a lot worse than this one.

The reward for a rough trail to Sulphur Creek Falls? This incredible view, all to ourselves!

Additionally, there is not a formal parking lot for Sulphur Creek Falls. If you go to the location on Google Maps for the trail, there is a circular area shortly before the trail gate where we were able to park where maybe 5-7 cars will fit. No pass required!

Cathedral Falls: 3.3 miles roundtrip, 50 minute drive from Ike Kinswa State Park. We had planned to visit this trail but decided to enjoy the Mayfield Lake area instead of driving more. I would like to return here someday, the trail looks gorgeous.

Peterman Hill: 3.9 miles roundtrip, 17 minute drive.

Packwood Lake: 11.9 miles, 1 hour 10 minute drive.

When to visit Ike Kinswa State Park Cabins

The cabins are available year round, however, the best time in terms of available activities would be summer. That way, you can take advantage of all the water sports and swimming opportunities! However, if you just want a peaceful nature getaway, Ike Kinswa State Park cabins make for a great getaway year round.

Want more great cabin weekend inspiration? Check out this post on Dosewallips State Park cabins or Wallace Falls State Park. I highly recommend a visit!