Eightmile Campground

Eightmile Campground is the closest Forest Service campground to Leavenworth on Icicle Creek Road, sitting about 8 miles west of town. With 41 single sites and 4 double sites spread across two loops — plus a reservable group site — it is one of the larger campgrounds in Icicle Canyon and one of the few with a meaningful mix of reservable and first-come spots. Around 60 percent of single and double sites are bookable through Recreation.gov; the remaining 40 percent are first-come, first-served. Worth noting: the campground may open as early as mid-April, but reservable sites typically do not open until mid-June. Earlier in the season, first-come sites are your best option.

The two loops — sites 3 through 27 in one section and sites 28 through 41 in the other — both feed off a single entrance road. None of the campsites sit directly on Icicle Creek, but a river trail from the campground leads down to the water, giving campers access to the creek for fishing, wading, and a break from camp. Three vault toilets and potable water serve the campground. Eightmile Campground is also the closest Forest Service camping base to several well-known climbing areas in Icicle Canyon, including Icicle Buttress, Barney's Rubble, and Forestland Boulders. The Eightmile Trailhead, starting point for the hike to Eightmile Lake, is about a 15-minute drive away.