Glamping Near Olympic National Park: Our Stay at Mossquatch Resort

This post is not sponsored (we paid for our stay), but includes affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission. See our Affiliate Policy. We booked a 4-day stay at Mossquatch Resort near Forks, Washington, thanks to a mix of last-minute planning and wanting to be close to Olympic National Park’s coastline. We weren’t originally looking for glamping near Olympic National Park. In fact, we weren’t sure how camping would work with our two small dogs with us. With most places in Forks already full, our options were pretty limited. But Mossquatch ended up being one of the biggest surprises of our trip. And one that we’d happily book again! Why We Chose Mossquatch Resort Near Olympic National Park For last years road trip, we were late booking our Olympic Peninsula stays, so most places in Forks were already full. That pushed us to look just outside of town, and that’s when we found Mossquatch Resort. It’s halfway between Forks and the coast (like Rialto Beach and La Push), so it worked out way better for the Olympic adventures we had planned. The name alone (Mossquatch) really got our attention. Olympic is known for its moss-covered forests (like the Hall of Mosses), and this place leaned into it with quirky, mossy Sasquatch statues hidden throughout the property. It felt playful, unique and instantly memorable. We didn’t spot Bigfoot, but we did fall for their mossy mascot. I grew up tent camping almost every summer with my family in Wisconsin, eventually graduating to a pop-up camper. Minerva hadn’t camped like that before, so this was a fun middle ground. It gave her a chance to slowly ease into tent camping without being directly on the ground in a sleeping bag. Their canvas glamping tents gave us a real mattress, shelter from the rain and access to showers and bathrooms, all while being surrounded by thick woods. It’s definitely one of the more unique, dog-friendly places to stay on the Olympic Peninsula! Inside the Canvas Glamping Tent at Mossquatch We stayed in one of the canvas glamping tents (basically a sturdy yurt on a raised wooden platform) which was very helpful in the damp Pacific Northwest. The tent had a queen bed, a chair, a chest we used as a table and battery-powered lights. There was no electricity, but they had motion-activated lights outside and in the outhouse. There’s a little covered sitting area in front of the tent where we’d hang out in the mornings with coffee, listening to the rain and rustling trees. It was mostly overcast and spitting the entire time we were there. Cell service was very spotty and, although they do have free Wi-Fi, our tent was too far away to see it. We were actually pretty happy to disconnect from our phones for a while. Though we downloaded a couple movies while in Forks to watch in the evenings. The tent was cozy inside Plenty of light outside It did get pretty damp and none of our clothes really dried during the trip, but it was kind of expected. We were constantly out hiking and exploring the dog-friendly beaches (like Ruby, Rialto, and First), so we were already wet most of the time (dogs included). Each tent had a propane heater, which helped warm things up before bed. Cooking Setup and Camp Life at Mossquatch Every campsite comes with its own small kitchen setup which includes a shack with a grill, some folding tables, cookware and a big blue jug of water for washing dishes. We made pancakes in the morning and grilled burgers at night. We used our AeroPress Go for coffee, which made our mornings sitting under the canopy listening to the light rain that much better. We made good use of the kitchen So. Many. Banana slugs There was even a little mouse that made an appearance in our kitchen one night. It was a good reminder to keep food in the car. Also: banana slugs. So many banana slugs. They were on the tent, the water jugs, near the bathroom, you name it. Our dogs were very interested, but we kept an eye on dogs if you bring them since slugs can carry lungworm. Olympic was under a no-burn restriction during our stay, so we weren’t able to have campfires for most of the trip. But on our last night, the resort gave us the okay to light one, and that evening, sitting around the fire under moss-covered trees, was one of our favorite moments. Relaxing by the fire Dog-Friendly Glamping Near Olympic National Park Our two pups loved glamping with us. We let them explore off-leash at our site, but always kept a close watch, especially with slugs and wildlife around. The tents aren’t sealed along the bottom edges, so our dogs could sneak out if left alone. We always took them with us when we left. Even though there were other campers around, the place felt quiet and tucked into the woods. You hear the wind, the rain, the birds, but not much else. There are about 11 tents and a few cabins, plus some trails winding through the property. One led to a whimsical little door and a waterfall. We loved how they played into the mossy-ness that Olympic is known for. A door in the woods? Yep. Waterfall on the other side? Even better. If you’re looking for pet-friendly places to stay near Forks WA, Mossquatch was a great fit for us and our two dogs. Shared Bathrooms, Showers & the Wood-Fired Sauna There were shared outhouses throughout the resort, which were nothing fancy, but were always clean and stocked with high quality toilet paper. We brought our portable bidet and were glad we had it. Showers are shared too, a short walk away from the tents. The water is trucked in, so you pull a cord to run the water and it’s best to conserve it. Hot water was limited depending on how many people were using it, but it was enough to get clean. Though we’d recommend wearing flip-flops in the showers. The wood-fired sauna was exactly what we needed after exploring all day. They also have a wood-fired sauna near the showers. It’s surprisingly big (room for probably 10 people) and smells amazing when the steam hits the wood. We hung out in there for a while one evening and then cooled off using the cold shower outside. A great way to end the day. Nearby Attractions in and Around Olympic National Park One of the best things about Mossquatch is how close it is to everything: Rialto Beach: under 15 minutes; famous for sea stacks, driftwood, and the Hole-in-the-Wall hike La Push: about 20 minutes; home to First, Second, and Third Beach Ruby Beach / Tree of Life / Big Cedar: roughly an hour (through Forks); dramatic coastline and Olympic icons all in one stretch Hall of Mosses: about an hour (through Forks); a short rainforest trail covered in green moss Sol Duc Falls: about an hour east near Lake Crescent; one of the park’s most photographed waterfalls Marymere Falls: also an hour east; a short, family-friendly hike from Lake Crescent Lodge We had easy access to all the places we wanted to explore on the Olympic coast and further into the Olympic Peninsula, without staying right in Forks. Looking for a more guided way to explore the Olympic Peninsula? Final Thoughts and Tips for Staying at Mossquatch We’d 100% stay at Mossquatch again. In fact, we still talk about our Olympic glamping stay. It hit everything we were looking for: nature, quiet, comfort and great access to the wild Olympic coast. Toby: Are you going on another adventure? If you’re thinking about booking, here are a few tips: Bring a flashlight or headlamp, especially if you’re arriving at night Wi-Fi is unreliable and cell service is basically nonexistent so download your maps ahead of time Pack flip-flops for the showers Expect everything to stay damp Keep food in your car (unless you want mouse visitors!) Watch your dogs around banana slugs You can book through Airbnb (that’s what we did, this links to all of their listings), or directly on their website. After packing up, we drove northwest toward Sekiu, a tiny fishing town tucked near the northwesternmost tip of the contiguous United States. Remote, quiet and full of character, it was the perfect next stop along the Olympic coast.