Explore Troublesome Creek Campground in 360°
This campground has a full virtual tour with interactive campsite markers. Walk through every loop, inspect individual sites, and see the views before you book.
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Troublesome Creek Campground is a beautiful, remote riverside spot on the North Fork Skykomish with trails, sandbars and plenty of forest to explore. Campers praise the serenity and river access, but site layouts vary: lower-numbered sites feel tighter and closer together while sites across the river are more spread out and private. Access requires a lengthy forest road — Google may route you toward a closed washout — and cell service is spotty. Facilities are limited (occasional closed restrooms and no potable water reported). Great for quiet nature seekers who plan ahead for rough roads and basic amenities.
Our summary of 75 traveler reviews.
✅ Amenities & Features
.GOV.RECREATIONBack-inCampfireDirtDogsFamily FriendlyFirepitsFishingForestForest ServiceHikingPetsPrimitivePublic ParkRVScenicTentsTrailsTreesUS Forest ServiceWildlife
📖 About This Campground
This campground is located approximately 20 miles east of Index, Washington in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. It offers guests a wonderful spot to take in the scenery and enjoy a multitude of recreational activities in the Northern Cascade Range. Sites are nestled in a mixed conifer forest on the banks of the scenic North Fork Skykomish River and its tributary, Troublesome Creek. Water is abundant in this area, offering visitors easy access to fishing, kayaking, and swimming. Guests will be lulled to sleep by its subtle, but ever-present gurgle. This campground is ideal for escaping the hustle of everyday life to enjoy time with friends and family.
Troublesome Creek Campground offers standard sites, accommodating both tent and RV camping. Tent-only sites are available as well. The campground is equipped with picnic tables, vault toilets and drinking water. No electrical hook-ups are available. Firewood may be available for purchase. Access to the Skykomish River is available from the campground, and several sites are near the river's edge.
The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest showcases rugged peaks, sparkling alpine lakes, and old-growth forests, providing visitors with unique and surprising landscapes. Mt. Baker, the most prominent feature of the Mt. Baker Wilderness Area, dominates the landscape on a clear day. Rising to an elevation of 10,781 feet, the active volcano from which the forest takes its name is perpetually snow-capped and mantled with an extensive network of creeping glaciers. Mt. Baker's summit, Grant Peak, is actually a mound of ice 1,300 feet deep, which hides a massive volcanic crater. Wildlife in the area includes mountain goats traversing the higher elevations, to coyotes and pine marten in the forests. Migratory birds and native fish find ample habitat in the varied ecosystems as well. These species, along with many others, depend on surrounding undeveloped wilderness, clean streams, and diverse forests to live.
At the campground, Troublesome Creek is a delight for exploring. A footbridge crosses the bubbling creek beneath towering pine and fir trees. For guests wanting to relax at the water's edge, or children searching for newness in nature, this is an ideal spot without even leaving the campground. The adjacent North Fork Skykomish River offers fishing for steelhead and salmon. For those wanting to venture further, the Beckler Peak Trail may be included on the agenda. Located 10 miles from the town of Skykomish, this trail is challenging, but worth the effort, offering hikers the opportunity to view the diverse landscapes of the area from a variety of perspectives. At the Jennifer Dunn Trailhead, the trail starts out on a decommissioned logging road, and climbs through young alder and vine maple to an expansive vista of the Skykomish Valley. The trail continues to switchback through huge trees and by the remains of a trapper's cabin. Climbing higher, and upon reaching the final ridge top through steep alpine forest, hikers will be in awe of the panoramic view of near and distant peaks.