A Perfect Weekend in Dosewallips State Park

Dosewallips State Park is an incredible family getaway. Located about two hours from the Seattle area in the Olympic Peninsula, with access to Olympic National Forest, it’s a fantastic place to spend a couple of days in nature. Read on for everything you need to know about planning your own trip to the park, including things to do in Dosewallips State Park and surroundings, the cabin features, costs, and reservations!

Where to stay

Ever the budget conscious travelers, we generally camp when traveling in the US. However, in the colder months, it is less feasible (and certainly less pleasant) to camp. 

Dosewallips State Park has camping available AND basic cabins with heat and electricity, making it an excellent option for people looking for budget-friendly options. 

You can reserve campsites and cabins at Dosewallips State Park 9 months in advance, so be sure to book early if you want to snag your dates, especially in the summer months.

You’ll need the Washington State Parks Discover Pass to access the various areas of the park. 

Dosewallips State Park Cabins

Let’s dig into the details about the cabins!

Our cabin was number 76; it was one of three cabins with 2 rooms. The rest are single room cabins, but all have capacity for up to 5 people.

We were able to bring our dog. Only some cabins are pet friendly, and are labeled as such in the reservation process.

The cabin was small but perfectly adequate. It had a living room with a foldout bed couch, a table with four chairs, a side table, a counter area, and many windows with shades. 

The bedroom had a bunk bed with a double/full sized bed on the bottom and a twin on the top, with plenty of space for our baby’s pack and play.

The cabins are heated and have electrical plugs so it’s cozy in cooler months. You aren’t allowed to cook inside the cabin, but on the front porch there was a table that was perfect for preparing meals on our campstove. 

Each cabin also has a picnic table, fire pit, and spigot outside. Check in is 4 pm or later, and if you arrive late, the cabins are unlocked with the key hanging inside (but be sure to check in before 1 pm the following day). Check out is 11 am.

I will say that the bed in our cabin was not very comfortable, but this was something I expected and so I don’t think it’s a reason not to visit. Out of the 4 state park cabins we’ve stayed in thus far, these beds were the worst. Read about our stay at Wallace Falls State Park cabins here.

All in all, the experience of staying at the cabins was fantastic and I’d definitely return and/or visit other state park cabins.

How much do the cabins cost? [2024]

The price of the cabins varies depending on the season, but you can find the current costs for the Dosewallips State Park cabins under the “Rates & Fees” section here. 

At the time of writing, the price varies from $55 to $79 per night. You can bring a pet, but that will add an extra pet fee of $15 per night.

When to visit Dosewallips State Park 

Accessible year round as it is lowland nature, there isn’t a bad time to visit. However, we visited in the fall (October) and it was incredible for a couple reasons.

Fall is an ideal time to visit Dosewallips State Park because the park and the surrounding trails were not very crowded. There were even open campsites, and the trails were downright deserted compared to many trails near Seattle. 

Secondly, it’s elk season! Apparently, the elk know it’s hunting season and stay near the state parks, where hunting is prohibited, which means you’ll have a good chance of seeing elk while visiting in the fall. We saw them for the first time here. It was such a special experience!

What to do at Dosewallips State Park 

What makes Dosewallips State Park a fantastic and underrated spot is its proximity to beautiful areas, especially easy waterfall trails. Here’s our itinerary:

Day one: Hike Murhut Falls, (one of the best waterfalls in Washington!) have lunch at the cabin, visit Dosewallips State Beach in the afternoon

Day two: Visit Rocky Brook Falls, then hike Fallsview Canyon Loop Trail

Other things I would have liked to do, but didn’t end up doing:

• Dosewallips River Trail (recommended by a ranger)
• Ranger Hole Trail: you could easily combine with Murhut Falls as trails are off same road, but we ran out of time because our son needed lunch and a nap
• Steam Donkey Loop Trail: within the campground area, and a nice stroll
• Mount Walker: you want a clear day for the hike because it’s a more challenging one, or in the summer you can drive to the top

Are there stores, gas, and facilities near the park?

The park is right at the edge of the town of Brinnon, and just a few minutes away from a gas station and convenience store, Brinnon General Store. 

There’s also a restaurant, Halfway House, right across the street from the store. Quilcene is about 15 minutes north of Dosewallips State Park and also has a few shops and restaurants if you need more than what you can find in Brinnon.

Should you visit Dosewallips State Park? 

Hopefully this post has convinced you that the park is indeed worth a visit! My family truly loved our time here and we will definitely be returning in the future. 

Staying at the park’s cabins, especially during the cooler months, is a fantastic way to spend a weekend in nature. And camping at Dosewallips State Park would also be amazing (for us, in warmer weather).