Denny Creek Campground

The Denny Creek Campground began as an auto camp for travelers on the new 1915 Sunset Highway. The new highway allowed more people to be able visit visit far away towns in the west and these people needed a cheap, convenient, comfortable and safe place to sleep. To meet this need the automobile tourist camp was born. In the beginning, a community would set aside some land for the tourists to park their cars and set up a tent. There was next to nothing in the way of amenities and the campers were basically on their own. By the early 1920’s the auto camp developed into a park with good clean restrooms, bath houses, cooking stations and swimming pools.

The original entrance to the Denny Creek Campground was a little farther downstream from the current entrance. You should be able to find in the bushes just as the river and road separate when you are driving eastbound. The 1867 wagon road followed the path of the old entrance and followed the river on it's way up the hill. This first road crossed the river 5 times between the campground and the summit. By 1879 the crossings were reduced to 2. In 1883 the river crossings in this section were illuminated and the wagon road stayed on the eastern side of the river and meets the 1915 road at the new parking lot.

In 1915, when the highway was constructed and the old wagon road became the auto camp entrance. The 1915 road continues up the current road for about a quarter mile and then instead of curving to the left the original road continued forward and comes out at the entrance to the new parking lot. 

This section of road between the campground and the switchbacks becomes impassible after each winter. This is a steep area and many trees would topple from the harsh winter conditions. The road crew has to cut away these trees after the melt to open the road fro traffic. This was one of the main reasons Yakima Pass was the preferred crossing prior to 1867.

Just past the parking lot, the wagon road continued straight up the hill through the lower switchback and then continued to the left of the 1915 road to the top. This section is very steep and the new 1915 highway used a series of switchbacks to eliminate the steep hill.