Joint Base Lewis-McChord Travel Camp

This campground is a good choice if you are in the area. Pro: The campground has plenty of sites with trees and shade covering most spots. The staff was helpful in rescheduling when our schedule changed talking to them in person. The restrooms and laundry areas were clean and kept up. Con: No staff member will respond to a voice message. Staff says only one manager has the password, which does not help the camper or the staff to respond to the message. A restroom facility is in such disrepair with the doors padlocked. The sign for the restroom is still displayed on the building. This building needs to be torn down and rebuilt. A site had electrical problems that we were assigned. We were out shopping for a new power cord thinking it was our problem. The camp host knew about it and he reassigned us to a different site. The office staff keeps placing people in this same spot. If there is a questionable site, that site should be marked as not available. The staff in the office should know about any site issues before the site assignment. There is some site overgrowth that needs to be trimmed and cleaned out around the sites. There were limbs just cut and left in the grass/weeds. With all the cons listed, I believe this campground needs some TLC. I would stay there again if I was in the area. This North Lewis base has easy access to Dunlop and it has an outstanding large park area next to the water. Some other pluses that I would like to mention are the quick access to Texas Roadhouse, Exchange, and Commissary on the main base.

We stayed here a number of years ago when we came out from PA to WA for our youngest son's marriage. Sad to say we never even noticed the lake that trip with all the business. This trip was a lay over on our way to Okinawa to avoid jet lag, it is a very beautiful spot. We were in cabin B. Ft Lewis had lots for us to do, shop at the Thrift store is one of my wife's new favorites, indoor pools, bowling, etc. PX is large, Commissary is too and well stocked. We would have stayed longer if we hadn't a flight to make.

Only thing that keeps me from giving this place 5 stars is they are closed on random days. The staff is very helpful and the facility is clean and very safe. It could be a bit more convenient if there was better lake access but not to keep us from coming back. Another quirky thing about JBLM is it’s split into main and north post. While there are controlled roads that can be taken if you want the direct route to say the commissary or PX to the camp ground, you exit the fort and then have to go through security again and repeat the process going back. Agin, not bad enough to keep us away. Enjoy the beauty of western Washington!!

We stayed here while our child was setting up his household on base. The rates are now tiered, depending on whether you are retired or active and then tiered based on rank. The campsite sizes vary, and some can handle longer units and some can only handle pop ups. We stayed in site 308, and it handled our 44’ trailer with ease. There are 2 laundry rooms, and the one we used had 3 working washing machines and 3 working driers (#3 drier does not work, so it wasn’t counted). There was an ant issue in the bathrooms, and my kids did not like taking showers there. The camp hosts are very friendly and will help out wherever they can. There is no WiFi or cable at the campsites. There is only WiFi at the laundry room/wash house, and it doesn’t reach any site (site 108, which is right next to the laundry room/wash house, might get WiFi). Except for these small issues, the area is beautiful and well cared for.

Fantastic RV campground at American Lake. Restrooms, showers, and laundry facility was very clean and well maintained. Site 209 was level with an overlook of the lake. Solid water pressure and no issues with electric or sewer. Wood fires still authorized and a well stocked camp store made the little things available all weekend. Privacy was better than expected and campers were friendly. The Camp Host was amazing as I had moved sites the day prior and he was able to get my previous booking cancelled and refunded. Already booked another stay before the rainy season returns (hopefully).

Another phone number that you might try, 253.967.3377. I got a gentleman to answer this line, who passed on my information to the...967-7744 personnel, who in turn called me back.

Was charged $10 per day as a change fee. To change the reservation. There is ALWAYS a problem between reservation and checkin.

Lousy reservation system. We had reserved a 50 amp full hookup waterfront site 90 days before our stay and put a deposit down. When we arrived, we were given a 30 amp site adjacent to the busy main road that barely fit our 40' motorhome. The staff said whoever took our reservation probably just wanted to give us a site, any site, and wasn't paying attention to our request. Yeah, right! Other nearby campgrounds were booked because of the golf tournament in Chambers Bay. Our site was overgrown with knee high weeds and dry grass. Previous campers had left trash (xmas lights, confetti, plastic cups and lids, dead flowers, kitty litter, dog poop, cigarette butts) all over the site. We had to rake. It was disgustingly dirty. We took pictures and reported it to the lodging office because we didn't want to be charged for leaving a dirty site like their rules stated. The staff member we reported it to behaved as if a dirty site was normal. The campground does not trim trees away from the roadway either so our motorhome could not avoid hitting 3 branches on the way in and out. They do not enforce their own rules and turn a blind eye to unleashed dogs, or people leaving their sites dirty or multiple vehicles in their sites. The site next to us had two trucks, a boat and a motorcycle parked along with their 5th wheel. There are signs everywhere to not park in the grass but where do you park all those multiple vehicles if not on the grass? It could be an awesome campground if they just took care of it and enforced their own rules. Lanes are paved and narrow, sites are paved requiring minimal leveling. Wi-Fi is only strong in or near the common rooms. Elsewhere it's nonexistent. No cable and with the trees, satellite reception isn't good. The only good things about this park were the price and proximity to Seattle and Tacoma. They take reservations but you can never be sure you'll end up getting what you actually reserved. I asked if they ever confirm reservations with an email the way other military famcamps do and the staff member just shrugged and said they aren't required to. They don't seem to care or like their jobs much. Won't return.

A pretty nice place, the roads are tight to drive around to find your space. I was told to go to one site and found someone still in it. They put me in another spot that was open. Upon check in, they didn't tell me about needing a special adapter to use the cable, and luckily I had just enough tree clearance to use my satellite. Fairly quiet and the spaces are far enough apart to give privacy. The sites did need some clearing of weeds, limbs and cutting the grass. Paved spots that were fairly level, but others did angle downhill. The showers need major upgrade and more hooks/shelves at least in the female head. The directions did confuse me and I ended up taking a tour of the main base. At the exit off I-5, from south, go to the LEFT off exit to North gate, then right at light, etc...