The Japanese brand’s latest addition to the American camping experience calls into question everything we thought we knew about sleeping under the stars.
It was a hot topic all weekend: “Are we actually roughing it?”
The question came when we were sitting in comfy Snow Peak camping chairs, sitting around a lovely fire adjacent to our fully-apportioned tents and a multi-burner camp kitchen just steps away.
This is just one way the Japanese brand is blurring and redefining the lines of the American camping experience at its first North American Campfield location on the southern flank of Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula.
The Campfield concept is not new for Snow Peak – they have 11 in Asia – and it falls somewhere between glamping for beginners, a brand immersion, and an outdoor hotel. This is mostly to support Snow Peak’s mission of “restoring humanity” via outdoor experiences.
We got a first look at the new Campfield experience in Washington. Here’s what we thought.
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While the sightlines and materials are certainly beautiful, there is a price to pay for the experience here. At the time of writing, a midweek summer reservation of a “Field Site” (a basic ground spot) costs $85. That’s quite a bit higher than the average rustic site. But of course, this isn’t rustic: you also get routinely-cleaned bathrooms, sinks to clean dishware and private showers with great water pressure and continuous hot water.
Fans of the brand and first-time campers may opt for gear rental add-ons, which include cooking tools and tents in separate packages for up to $60/day. You’re inspired to learn how to set up everything on your own, but staff are available to help first-timers. If you’re coming in from far away without gear, it’s a nice luxury to have it there waiting for you.
You can also reserve a “Tent Suite” ($159+/night). It has just about everything you’d need for a very comfortable night out camping. These tents are set up close to the camp store and have their own “patios” with expansive sites.
What to Expect at Snow Peak Campfield
Snow Peak spent more than a year converting an RV park into a gorgeous, 70-site campground. There is a well-curated camp store, polished bathrooms and showers and a traditional Japanese Ofuro spa with three restorative options. You have two options with the way Snow Peak built out the Campfield. Your first option is a mostly-traditional camping experience with a few creature comforts. The second is a full glamping buildout showing off the latest and greatest of the brand’s gear. Whichever option you choose, it’s going to feel a few notches softer than the hardiness of a typical night under the stars in the Pacific Northwest.
At first glance, it feels a little schmaltzy. But Snow Peak’s Campfield setup inspires a sense of community that isn’t easily found at other campgrounds.
It begins at the entrance, which follows a meandering path above a portion of the restored wetlands into the main camping area. You can zig left through the Jyubakos, standalone mini-homes torn right out of architecture Instagram that are available by the night, or zag right through a few campsites and a quicker route to the camp store.
Wonderfully, there are no cars allowed inside the campground. You haul your gear to your campsite with the wheeled trolleys on hand. The tradeoff is a rare atmosphere of quiet that descends on the grounds after dark. All you hear is the gentle hum of conversation wading between campsites. It’s easy to imagine making new friends here over the course of a weekend as you meander along the Campfield’s gravel paths.
Families will rejoice in the close access to clean bathrooms and showers along with functional sinks. Even I enjoyed having these on hand, making something like a long hike possible with a warm shower awaiting me after I worked up a sweat.
You can also work up a sweat merely sitting in the Ofuro’s sauna, of which access can be purchased as a day pass or with certain stays. It is simply beautiful to sit either in the sauna, soaking tub or next to the fire and watch the weather outside or maybe enjoy a deer sighting as they graze the meadows. There’s also a cold plunge to complete the experience.
Snow Peak’s transformation of the traditional camp store completely turns the concept of a stop for ice and firewood on its head. Here, not only is there an expected full assortment of the brand’s gear, but also a great array of local foods, artisan snacks, fresh daily pastries and much more.
You won’t find a tube of Pringles or pack of Skittles inside — and that’s exactly the point.
Nearby Hikes and More
Part of the Campfield’s appeal is its location: it’s a little over two hours driving from Portland, Oregon and three hours from Seattle – enough to feel like a trip, but not a long haul.
The beauty of hiking here is exploring nearby Cape Disappointment State Park, or going up the peninsula to Leadbetter Point State Park. There are several other parks within driving distance both on the Oregon and Washington sides. These include Fort Stevens State Park, the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge and the several options within Lewis & Clark Historical National Park.
The weather here can be finicky even in summer. This cooler weather, however, makes for excellent beach walking that’s never too hot. True to its name, Long Beach has a 28-mile strip of sand that claims to be the longest continuous beach in the United States.
Final Thoughts on Snow Peak Campfield
I kept coming back to that question of whether a stay here counts as camping.
My final verdict is that it does — but barely. This is camping luxe. Purists won’t like the creature comforts within arms’ reach, but that’s not the point. The point is to connect with nature in a sensible way in a location that feels secluded, but isn’t remote.
Regardless of where you land on that spectrum, it’s a must-see for any outdoor enthusiast in the region. Snow Peak went to great lengths to reshape a tired, old campsite. It’s been transformed into a really interesting “outdoor lodging” experience that can be as simple or complex as you want it to be.
I’m already relishing a return during the coast’s less-traveled fall and winter months. I can hang out in the ofuro, sip on some wine in a branded titanium tumbler and enjoy that special feeling of community once again.
Seen in: Camping, Glamping, Lodging, Washington
