Taidnapam of Tacoma Power Parks Riffe Lake, WA
Taidnapam is our FAVORITE PNW camping spot! It's another special place tucked away from the crowds and bonus...less than two hours from home. It's also possible to get there with ZERO I-5 miles, which is a miracle in and of itself.
Tacoma Power owns this massive swath of land on pristine Riffe Lake - an aquamarine treasure among a hilly landscape at the base of Mt. Rainier. Though our littlest is still too much of a small fry for hiking, many occupants were here to take advantage of all the hiking and exploring options Mt. Rainier National Forest offers. We stuck to the groomed paths, criss-crossed our way around the property on our bikes, and cast our poles into water in hopes of landing a fish or two. Jim managed to snag one that could most accurately be described as a minnow.
The spots are generous, but you're still going to be nestled among the trees with your neighbors. We noticed almost all of the occupants were families and many had young children. The roadways had a constant stream of kids on bikes, though it was never obnoxiously loud or distracting. We made friends with the folks next to us and the kids kept each other entertained.
The washrooms here were fantastic! Absolutely the best we've seen. Exceptionally clean. There is a traditional multi-stall restroom per gender, a single style family restroom, and the shower facilities were each their own fully-enclosed room. The showers are not free, but there are enough of them that you probably won't have to wait.
Unfortunately, the mosquitoes were epic here. Unrelenting. I brought a large fogger that I used to douse the grounds around our trailer, we hooked up our Costco bug-catcher, covered ourselves in Deet (which will take the ink right off your tablecloth, FYI), and burned citronella candles. Our outside time was bearable, but we still employed long sleeves, pants tucked into socks, and a healthy dose of smacking each other around when the opportunity to kill one presented itself.
And lastly - Taidnapam has zero cell reception. You will not be able to connect to your data network, making a call is nearly impossible, and texts are so unreliable it just isn't worth it. You can get a signal in the nearby town when absolutely necessary, but don't expect to find much other than a few bars of cell service there. I recommend walkie talkies if you have older kids that need to explore but also stay connected.
