I found my favorite moss photo of our trip to Columbia River Gorge in the early morning. I was hiking on a trail behind the campground when I came across a log with these bright green layers of moss and lichen that made me giddy.

We camped at Ainsworth Campground in the Columbia River Gorge in early April during the week. The friendly ranger told me the campground is 100% full from late April throughout the summer, so book early. This is mostly an RV and car camping campground. There are only 6 walk-in only tent spots. However, these tent spaces are nestled in trees and have a good amount of room separating one from another. Very lovely.

Alert for Light Sleepers: Be aware that trains come through the whole Columbia Gorge with their horns blaring several times a night. If I was a light sleeper, I might choose to stay outside the Columbia River Gorge area.

The night we arrived we stayed in a car / RV space near the road. The train noise kept my husband, who is a bonafide light sleeper, up all night. The following nights we were in one of the 6 tent only walk-in spaces which worked fine for him. The trees seemed to muffle the train noise.

Other Amenities: This campground was perfect aside from the train noise. It’s close to the waterfalls and trails. The bathrooms are large, clean and there are even free showers. There are a few other things like a tether ball court. We found the wood we bought at the campground was poor and heard others say the same, so you might want to bring firewood with you.