Scooteney Park and Campground
Connell, Washington · on Scooteney Reservoir
Verified · 2 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $15 per night
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Scooteney Park and Campground
Scooteney Park and Campground sits on Scooteney Reservoir, a Bureau of Reclamation irrigation-storage reservoir in the Columbia Basin Project about 11 miles northwest of Connell, Washington. The reservoir is impounded by three dikes and doubles as a developed recreation site and swimming hole, with camping, a boat launch, and a swim area that give the region's high desert scabland a lake to swim in.
The reservoir occupies a stretch of eastern Washington's Columbia Basin scabland, an arid, sparsely vegetated landscape shaped by Ice Age floods, with the campground and shoreline described by visitors as a green, waterfront 'oasis' amid otherwise dry, hot terrain.
Swimming at Scooteney Park and Campground
Visitors describe an open swim area used for casual swimming and tubing alongside boating and fishing; there is no lifeguard on duty. The reservoir also supports water skiing, kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding, suggesting calm, open reservoir water suited to families and casual swimmers rather than a swift current or deep technical swim.
How to get to this swimming hole
The site is reached via Scooteney Park Road (address 800 Scooteney Park Road, Connell, WA 99326), roughly 11 miles northwest of Connell per Bureau of Reclamation location data.
Parking: Blacktop parking pads at individual campsites; reviewers with larger RVs/trailers (e.g., a 35-foot trailer) note the pads and pull-throughs are tight, especially with slide-outs extended.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No hike needed. The swim area is described by campers as 'nice and open' and directly accessible from the campground shoreline, a short walk from the parking pads/campsites, not a hike.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
The reservoir has a designated open swim area right at the campground, but reviewers note there is no lifeguard on duty, the swim area shares the reservoir with boat launch/water-ski/motorboat traffic, and a seasonal algae bloom has been reported to shut swimming down for about a month in some years, fine for families willing to supervise closely, not a hands-off spot.
Parking
Paid, $15/night camping fee (~$7.50 for seniors/disabled, cash only), plus $5 for an extra vehicle
Blacktop parking pads at individual first-come-first-served campsites; reviewers with larger rigs (e.g., a 35-foot trailer) found pads/pull-throughs tight, especially with slide-outs extended. No separate day-use-only parking fee was documented in any source found, the $15 figure is the overnight camping rate.
Restrooms
Yes
Flush toilets at the campground (one reviewer noted the toilets were clean but a sink lacked running water); potable water spigots near campsites.
Water clarity
Varies with season and flow
No direct water-color/clarity description was found in available sources. One camper review from September 2020 reported an 'annual month-long algae bloom' that closed the area, and another mentioned wildfire smoke obscuring the view (not a water-quality issue). Treat clarity as seasonally variable rather than confirmed clear or murky.
On the water
Recreation.gov's facility listing for the site (entity 1226) lists 'Boating' and 'Water Sports' among on-site activities but states no specific restrictions. Visitors likewise report water skiing, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, and paddleboarding as activities on the reservoir, with a boat launch and small dock present. No wake-limit, electric-only, or carry-in-only restriction was found in any source; absence of a restriction is not confirmed as 'no restriction,' just undocumented.
What regulars say
Camper reports say the campground and swim area run well under capacity most of the season, 'about 1/3 full' in late June and 'only a handful of spaces occupied' in August, giving a 'surprisingly serene' feel despite tightly spaced sites. Camping is cash-only at $15/night ($7.50 senior/disabled, +$5 extra vehicle) on a first-come-first-served, no-reservations basis, and at least one camper wasn't sure fee payment is actively enforced. A recurring complaint is the hot, largely shade-free desert scabland setting. One September 2020 report flagged an annual month-long algae bloom that can close the swim area for a stretch of the season.
Backstory
Scooteney Reservoir is part of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Columbia Basin Project, formed by three dikes (Scooteney North Dike, Scooteney Dike 1, and Scooteney Headworks Dike) that store irrigation water for the surrounding agricultural region while also creating wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities.
Scooteney Park and Campground: FAQ
Does Scooteney Park and Campground charge a fee?
Camping listed at $15 per night (about $7.50 for seniors/disabled) with an additional $5 for an extra vehicle in one source; payment is cash only and sites are first-come, first-served with no reservations accepted.
Is Scooteney Park and Campground kid friendly?
The reservoir has a designated open swim area right at the campground, but reviewers note there is no lifeguard on duty, the swim area shares the reservoir with boat launch/water-ski/motorboat traffic, and a seasonal algae bloom has been reported to shut swimming down for about a month in some years, fine for families willing to supervise closely, not a hands-off spot.
Do I need to hike to reach Scooteney Park and Campground?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Scooteney Park and Campground?
Blacktop parking pads at individual first-come-first-served campsites; reviewers with larger rigs (e.g., a 35-foot trailer) found pads/pull-throughs tight, especially with slide-outs extended. No separate day-use-only parking fee was documented in any source found, the $15 figure is the overnight camping rate.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Scooteney Park and Campground?
Recreation.gov's facility listing for the site (entity 1226) lists 'Boating' and 'Water Sports' among on-site activities but states no specific restrictions. Visitors likewise report water skiing, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, and paddleboarding as activities on the reservoir, with a boat launch and small dock present. No wake-limit, electric-only, or carry-in-only restriction was found in any source; absence of a restriction is not confirmed as 'no restriction,' just undocumented.
What are the rules at Scooteney Park and Campground?
No reservations are accepted at the campground; the swim area has no lifeguard on duty.
What water body is Scooteney Park and Campground on?
Scooteney Park and Campground is on Scooteney Reservoir, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
