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Battle Ground Lake State Park
Need a quick getaway?
Battle Ground Lake State Park is a forested camping park in the Cascade Mountain foothills; its proximity to Vancouver and Portland and its cool green lake make it a great escape from the bustle of city and suburbs.
Children frolic in the shallow swim area under the watchful eyes of their picnicking parents, anglers float on the lake, hikers and campers take quiet strolls in the woods. On sunny weekends, laughter fills the playground, lakefront and kitchen areas. Whether you've come for a rest or a family play day, time spent at Battle Ground Lake will leave you refreshed and ready to tackle your life once again.
Park features
The 275-acre park offers hiking, biking, horse trails and a primitive equestrian camping area. The spring-fed lake is attractive to swimmers and paddlers and is stocked with trout, making it a favorite of anglers.
Discover Pass: A Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to state parks for day use. For more information about the Discover Pass and exemptions, please visit the Discover Pass web page.
Automated pay station: This park is equipped with an automated pay station for visitors to purchase a one-day or annual Discover Pass and boat launch permit.
ADA amenities/facilities
- Campground
- Day-use area restroom
- Picnic area
Use our interactive ADA recreation map to search for other state parks with ADA amenities and facilities.
Picnic & day-use facilities
Two kitchen shelters without electricity are available on a first-come, first-served basis year-round. Each accommodates about 20 people. There are 70 unsheltered picnic tables.
One kitchen shelter with electricity is reservable. The facility accommodates 20 to 150 people. Fees vary based on size of the group. Reservations can be made online or by calling (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.
Activities & features
Trails
- 5 miles of biking trails
- 10 miles of hiking trails
- 5 miles of horse trails
Water activities & features
- Boating (non-motorized)
- Diving
- 60 feet of dock
- Fishing (freshwater)
- Swimming
- Watercraft launch
Other activities & features
- Badminton area
- Baseball field
- Bird watching
- Fire circle
- Horseshoe pits (2)
- Mountain biking
- Softball field
- Volleyball field
- Wildlife viewing
Interpretive opportunities
There is a self-guided nature trail in the park.
Additional information
- The sports field has room for soccer but no goal posts. There are movable poles for badminton or volleyball. Groups provide net and ball or shuttlecock.
- The park does not have designated bike trails. Mountain bikers may use horse trails as long as they yield to horse riders.
- A recreational license is required for fishing and shellfish harvesting at Washington state parks. For regulations, fishing season information, or to purchase a recreational license, visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- Printable park brochure (PDF).
Boating features
Located in Clark County, Battle ground Lake has one boat ramp (non-motorized boats only).
Launching a boat at a state park requires one of the following:
- An annual launch permit (Natural Investment Permit; or
- An annual Discover Pass and a daily launch permit; or
- A one-day Discover Pass and a daily launch permit.
Annual permits may be purchased at State Parks Headquarters in Olympia, at region offices, online, and at parks when staff are available. Additional information can be found in the Boating Program.
Boat launch
Latitude: 45D 48' 16.92" N (45.8047)
Longitude: 122D 29' 37.67" W (-122.4938)
Campsite information
The park has 35 standard campsites, six partial-hookups sites, 15 primitive sites that require campers to hike up to half a mile from the parking lot, two primitive equestrian sites, four cabins, one RV dump station, two restrooms and four showers. Maximum site length is 35 feet (may have limited availability).
Check-in time is 2:30 p.m.
Check-out time is 1 p.m.
Group accommodations
Group camp G-1 has four Adirondack (three-sided) shelters, each sleep eight people. The camp offers a covered cooking and meeting area, a group fire ring, room for 32 people in tents, and two vault toilets. Due to a small, unlevel parking area, RVs are not allowed in this camp. There is a minimum group size of 25 people.
A horse camp, G-2, is available by reservation. This group camp requires that horses accompany overnight quests. Occupancy is four families. Horse camp includes four two-stall corrals or eight small corrals, one vault toilet, two fire rings, and four picnic tables. There is a minimum group size of 10.
Overnight accommodations
Four cabins at Battle Ground Lake sit among a grove of Douglas-fir trees. Each cabin is 12-by-24-feet in size and accommodates up to five people per cabin. Bathrooms and showers are nearby. For more information, visit our cabins and yurts page.
Reservations & fees
Reservations for all of the above accommodations can be made online or by calling (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688. For fee information, check out our camping rates page.
Services & supplies
The park store is a privately operated concession. It offers burgers, fries, ice, firewood, fishing supplies, soft drinks and candy. The store has game horseshoes available for rent and is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
In park
- Firewood
- Four horse stables
- Park store
Historical information
Battle Ground Lake is set in the caldera of a volcano that erupted as part of a geologic event known as the Boring Lava Volcanics, approximately 100,000 years ago. Basalt boulders and volcanic ash from the eruption are still visible in the park, although much evidence of its volcanic past is now covered by vegetation.
The area that now comprises Battle Ground Lake State Park lies within the traditional territory of several Native American tribes. The name Battle Ground originates from an event that occurred near the lake when Washington was still a territory.
In 1855, a band of Native Americans (thought to be a mixture of Cowlitz and Klickitat) were ordered by the U.S. Army to move encampments next to Fort Vancouver. It was a precautionary measure, as tensions had been growing between Euro-American settlers and tribes throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Native Americans initially complied but later fled towards the Cascade Mountains due to rumors of an uprising.
The Army caught up to the Native American group and confronted its members in the vicinity of Battle Ground Lake. No battle actually occurred, but Chief Umtux was shot in the middle of the night and was found dead the next morning. The exact circumstances of his death are unknown. After Chief Umtux was buried, the Native Americans returned to Fort Vancouver.
In the 1860s, the town of Battle Ground was settled near Battle Ground Lake. A post office opened in 1871 near what is now the park's entrance. Henry Blystone began developing a resort on the lake in the 1910s and it became a popular picnic spot. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission acquired most of the land that is now Battle Ground Lake State Park over a four-year period from 1966 to 1970.