Tucked up in the Northeastern part of the state, roughly 18 miles east of Colville is a little set of lakes accompanied by a campground that gives the potential for adventure for all seekers of the wild. It may offer quiet solitude for someone making the trek solo, as a couple, or even as a family looking to play and explore.
The Opportunities
I have been to this destination only a few times, each time, the weather was different. But I believe that no matter the weather, there are great opportunities for all to be had. This place is the Little Twin Lakes. Two lakes, one campground.
Being nestled in the heart of 41,000 acres of public land in the National Forest it is hard not to find recreation available by someone. Hiking, exploring, nature admiring, bird watching, mushroom finding, hunting, fishing, riding, camping, all of it and more is at one’s fingertips. But make sure to check the status of the campground by checking the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service webpage.
The campground is only open for use from Memorial weekend (end of May) through October 31. The times I have visited, I have only seen a handful of people admiring what the lakes had to give, but according to the website it gets a medium amount of use. There is no fee for camping but a Discover Pass is required to access the land.
The times I have experienced the Little Twin Lakes was for the primary purpose of fishing with a buddy and our boys. The wilderness offers a small alpine feel and sits just a little below 4,000 feet in elevation. The lakes are connected by a small channel and are completely surrounded by thick trees and an abundance of underbrush.
We fished for both trout and bass. The first 20ish or so yards off of the boat launch include a covering of lily pads, so if you plan to use a boat, don’t drop that electric motor until you get out through those bad boys first. There have been plenty of times I had to pull the motor out of the water in the boat launch area and in the channel connecting the two lakes to clear stalks of lily pads so I could use my trolling motor again. The lakes, however, are relatively small, perfect for putting around and relaxing. If you wish to fish, we caught a lot of them! We used most kinds of spinners and baits too, orange though did do the best if I had to pick. Anything orange.
After our fishing expedition we went back to the campground to fry up our quarry and teach the kiddos how to properly respect the fish and the food we were about to eat. The campground for a small area, tucked up in the mountains was fairly impressive. The spots are first come, first serve and are spacious. There is tent camping, trailer camping, drinking water, bathrooms and drinking water all available on site. We parked at the first space and with so much underbrush and trees, you have a little privacy from one space to another. Each space is completely cleared though and plenty of room for parking, tents and a trailer.
These are only the two uses I used it for though. Relaxing, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, mushroom hunting, animal hunting, flat out camping, bike riding, really any outdoor recreational activity that one can think of, one can do at this location. The only thing to consider is the rules for use on National Forest land.
How To Find the Lakes
For those looking to explore the lakes and campground within the Colville National Forest, head east on Highway 20 out of Coville, WA. Roughly within 12-13 miles, take a left onto Black Lake Road/Little Twin Lakes Road and continue for almost 2 miles before taking a right to stay on the correct road. After roughly 3 miles, take a left onto NF-150 (National Forest Road 150). The destination will be visible through the thick timber and after following the road for almost half a mile, part of the campground and boat launch can be found. Continue along the road to find the other end of the campground and sites to set up camp if desired.
Once turning off of Highway 20, most of the driving is on dirt roads and is windy. The road conditions are typically rough and full of potholes and a few sharp corners, so be careful of others recreating and driving on the roads. Like previously mentioned, it is thick, some parts of the road to offer openings to view. Additionally, there are some houses as well, so respect their homes and spaces. Otherwise, it is beautiful and is easy to find where you are hoping to go. Enjoy the area!
