Clear Lake Recreation Area: Fairchild AFB Guide
QUICK ANSWER
Bottom line: Clear Lake Recreation Area is a 34-acre military-only campground and beach run by Fairchild AFB’s 92nd Force Support Squadron, sitting 20 minutes west of base on a public Eastern Washington lake. Cabins start at $90/night, the yurt at $30, tent sites at $20 — and every boat and watercraft rents at half price Monday through Thursday, June through August.
Who’s eligible: Any DoD ID cardholder, active duty (all branches, including Coast Guard), Guard and Reserve (drilling or activated), retirees, 100% disabled veterans, and DoD civilians plus their families.
Best immediate action: Reservations open April 1 each year through Outdoor Recreation at 509-299-5129. Summer weekends sell out. Book early, and ask for a lower wooded site, not the hill.
It is also the easiest first win after a PCS to Fairchild. You can be checked in and unpacked 20 minutes after leaving base, the whole weekend runs under $150 for a cabin and a half-price boat, and you are surrounded by other military families — useful when you have been at a new installation for three weeks and know exactly nobody. Treat it as a low-cost reset, not a vacation you have to plan around.
Who Can Use Clear Lake — Full Eligibility
Access runs on your ID card, not your branch. Clear Lake is operated by the 92nd Force Support Squadron and welcomes DoD ID cardholders and their families (fairchildfun.com). Here is how that breaks down by group.
Active Duty — all branches, including Coast Guard. Active duty members of the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard are eligible, along with their families. Coast Guard families: your CAC is the same access credential — you are in.
National Guard & Reserve — drilling or activated. There is no activation requirement. Guard and Reserve members are eligible whether you are drilling on a normal weekend status or on active orders. The FSS’s own half-price-days policy spells this out, listing “National Guard, active members of the Reserves” among authorized patrons (fairchildfun.com). Your military ID is what gets you checked in.
Veterans & Retirees. Military retirees are eligible. Clear Lake’s published guidance also specifically welcomes 100% disabled veterans and their families. Under the 2020 expansion of MWR access, other VA service-connected disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipients, former POWs, and primary veteran caregivers are also generally eligible and use a Veteran Health Identification Card for access. One caveat worth stating plainly: an honorable discharge by itself does not grant access — eligibility runs through a DoD or uniformed services ID, retiree status, or one of those expanded categories. If you are in a broader category, confirm it with the office at 509-299-5129 before you book.
PHS & NOAA Commissioned Corps. Eligibility for Public Health Service and NOAA Commissioned Corps is case-by-case. Members hold uniformed services ID cards and are generally afforded MWR access, but Clear Lake’s published policy does not name these services directly — confirm with the Clear Lake office before booking.
DoD civilians. DoD civilian employees and their families are eligible (fairchildfun.com).
One logistics note that saves confusion: Clear Lake is off-installation, in Cheney. You do not pass through Fairchild’s gate to get there. Bring your ID for check-in at the rec area office if you’re staying overnight.
What Clear Lake Actually Is
Clear Lake Recreation Area is a 34-acre military-run park: campground, cabins, a swim beach, a boat dock, a snack bar, and equipment rentals, all operated by the 92nd FSS at 14824 S Clear Lake Rd, Cheney, WA (fairchildfun.com).
The recreation area is military-only, but the lake is not. The campground, beach, cabins, and rentals are restricted to DoD ID holders. The water itself is a public Washington lake. The state stocks it with fish, and there is public access for civilian boaters. So expect civilian boat traffic on the lake even though the shoreline facilities are yours. It is a very quiet lake though.
Lodging at Clear Lake: Cabins, Yurt, RV, and Tent Sites
Clear Lake’s lodging is genuinely cheap, and the trade-off for cheap is “rustic.” Here are the 2026 rates straight from the FSS (fairchildfun.com/clear-lake-cabins) — all rates subject to change, so confirm when you book.
| Lodging type | Day rate | Week rate | Sleeps / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin (10×22 new / 11×24 old) | $90 | $450 | 4–6; window AC, queen bed, queen futon, twin bunk, mini-fridge, microwave, TV, charcoal grill, fire pit |
| 16′ Yurt | $30 | $150 | Cots, table and chairs, fire ring; no water or electric |
| Tent site | $20 | $80 | Water spigot, fire ring with cook grate, picnic table |
| Full-hookup RV site | $45 | $1,200/mo | 30/50 amp, water/sewer/electric, fits all sizes |
| Partial RV site | $30 | — | Electric only, shared water, no sewer |
| Dry camp | $25 | — | No hookups |
| Group camping area | $75 | — | Gazebo, large grill, 4–6 picnic tables; fits RVs and tents |
The Cabin Reality Check
Book a cabin and you get a queen bed, a queen futon, a twin bunk, a mini-fridge, a microwave, a TV with local channels, a window AC unit, a charcoal grill, and a fire pit for $90 a night. You also need to bring your own linens and cooking equipment. The cabin has no kitchen beyond a microwave and a table but you can grab dinner or lunch at the little restaurant.
Three things I learned staying in these cabins:
- The blackout problem is real. The windows do not have blinds that block summer light, and in a Pacific Northwest summer the sun is up past 9:00 PM. Getting toddlers down is a fight. Pack sleep masks for the whole family, or bring a couple [SHOPMY: portable suction-cup travel blackout blinds — link needed] — to hang over the windows. This is the single best thing you can do for your sanity.
- Cool the cabin down the second you arrive. The cabins have window AC units, and staff typically leave them switched off between guest stays. The structure bakes during hot Spokane summers and takes a couple of hours to cool down. The moment you unlock the door, drop your bags and turn the window unit on high before you unload the car, not after.
- The bathroom is a walk. The cabins have no plumbing. The campground does have a real bathhouse with free, clean showers and flush toilets, but the facilities closest to the cabin loop are shared porta-potties across the dirt road. Pack headlamps for the kids’ late-night trips — [SHOPMY: kids’ headlamp multipack — link needed].
The Yurt and Tent Sites
The 16′ yurt is $30 a night and is essentially a large, stand-up tent with cots, a table, and a fire ring — no water, no power. It is the single most popular budget option and books out first. Tent sites at $20 include a water spigot, a picnic table, and a fire ring with a cook grate.
RV Sites
Full-hookup RV sites run $45/night with 30/50-amp service and water, sewer, and electric. Reviewers consistently note the sites are close together but most have a lake view. Sites 11–24 are long-term stays (90-day limit); sites 1–10 are short-term (fairchildfun.com/clear-lake-cabins).
Booking Clear Lake: Timing, the Squadron-Event Trap, and Picking Your Site
When to Go
Reservations open April 1 each year. The 2026 season runs roughly April 25 through September 7, with the park open seven days a week from May 22 onward (fairchildfun.com). Call 509-299-5129 — summer weekends fill, and the yurt and cabins go first.
Because Clear Lake is Fairchild’s premier outdoor asset, the 92nd FSS rents the grounds for squadron functions and change-of-command parties. There are four reservable picnic areas, three first-come shelters, and a group camping area which means several large unit functions can run at once. When that happens, the grounds fill with hundreds of people and the quiet weekend you pictured is gone. Before you lock in your dates, ask the office what unit events are on the calendar. If you want calm, a weekday stay is a different park entirely.
The Campsite Selection Blueprint — Avoid the Hill
You can request a specific site, but the FSS states plainly that requests are not guaranteed and reservations may be modified to accommodate everyone. So make the request anyway, and make the right one:
- Ask for the lower, wooded loops. They are more private and more shaded.
- Avoid the upper hill. When major squadron events run, staff use the upper hill area for overflow vehicle parking. Camp up there on a big event weekend and you can end up ringed by parked cars. The lower loops protect both your privacy and your kids’ safety.
The Water: Boat Rentals, the Swim Beach, and Half-Price Days
This is where Clear Lake earns its keep. Watercraft rentals are genuinely cheap, and a Monday–Thursday discount cuts the price in half.
| Watercraft | Hourly | Daily |
|---|---|---|
| Kayak (1 or 2 person) | $25 | $75 |
| Canoe | $25 | $75 |
| Paddle board | $25 | $75 |
| Paddle boat | $25 | $75 |
| Watersport package (tube/ski/wakeboard, rope + vest) | $15 | $45 |
| 15′ Tracker fish boat (4 person) | $35 | $105 |
| 17′ bass boat | $40 + gas | $160 + gas |
| 18’/20′ pontoon (10–13 person) | $100 + gas | $400 + gas |
| 20′ Lowe deck boat (12 person) | $100 + gas | $400 + gas |
Source: fairchildfun.com/clear-lake-boats. Rates subject to change; a $50 deposit may apply.
Half-Price Boat Days: June Through August, Monday–Thursday
This is the cheapest win on the lake, and most families miss it. From June 1 to August 30, Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, all boats and water equipment rent at 50% off first-come, first-served, gas separate, open to all DoD ID holders . A weekday kayak drops from $75 to about $38 for the day; a pontoon drops from $400 to $200. If your schedule has any midweek flexibility at all, move the trip to a Monday–Thursday and rent on those days.
One requirement before you rent anything with a motor: you need a Washington boater’s license, or you watch a short safety video at Clear Lake or at Outdoor Recreation on base. Build five minutes into your morning for that.
The swim beach. There is a dedicated, roped-off swimming area, shallow and good for young kids. Officially the military beach is a “No Pets” zone but do not be surprised by the occasional dog.
Food, Fishing, and Summer Movie Nights
The snack bar serves burgers, fries, hot dogs, and corn dogs. Set your expectations at base-bowling-alley standard: nothing fancy, but cheap, reliable, and a real relief on the night nobody wants to cook. It runs roughly 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM in peak season.
Fishing is a legitimate draw. Washington stocks the lake with trout, bass, catfish, and crappie, and there is a fishing dock built for it. You need a Washington State fishing license; it is available at the base AAFES customer service counter or through Washington Fish & Wildlife.
Outdoor movie nights. In past summers the FSS has run free family movie nights by the lake on Friday evenings — pack lawn chairs and blankets and it is a free night out. Check the 92 FSS events calendar or call ahead for the current schedule.
Safety: Life Jackets and the Eastern Washington Fire Ban
Life jackets, not pool toys. The swim beach gets crowded on multi-squadron weekends, and a busy beach is exactly when a floatie fails you. Bring proper U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets for every child and keep them on whenever kids are on the docks or near the shoreline. If you do not already own well-fitting ones, a [SHOPMY: youth USCG-approved life jacket — link needed] is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy. Clear Lake does rent ski vests and PFDs for $5/day if you are caught short.
The summer fire ban is not a maybe. Eastern Washington runs severe fire danger in July and August, and Spokane County enacts seasonal burn restrictions most summers. In 2025, restrictions ran from late June to mid-October and prohibited campfires and fire pits in unincorporated areas. Families regularly arrive expecting s’mores over an open fire and find charcoal and wood fires banned outright. Manage the kids’ expectations before you leave home, and plan meals around a portable propane camp stove. Propane with a shut-off valve is typically still allowed during standard bans. A compact [SHOPMY: 2-burner propane camp stove — link needed] earns its place in the gear bin every Eastern Washington summer. Always confirm the current fire status with the Clear Lake office before you arrive the rules change week to week with conditions.
Distance Matrix: Getting to Clear Lake
Clear Lake is overwhelmingly a Fairchild-local asset, but it is within an honest road trip of every major installation in the region. Distances are to 14824 S Clear Lake Rd, Cheney, WA; drive times are approximate, via I-90.
| Installation | Distance | Drive Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fairchild AFB | ~12 mi | ~20 min |
| Yakima Training Center (JBLM) | ~205 mi | ~3 hr |
| Joint Base Lewis-McChord (main) | ~285 mi | ~4 hr 30 min |
| Naval Station Everett | ~290 mi | ~4 hr 30 min |
| NAS Whidbey Island | ~320 mi | ~5 hr 15 min |
For families road-tripping from the east, Malmstrom AFB (Great Falls, MT) is roughly a 6-hour drive — within range for a longer-haul summer trip. If you’re coming to Spokane or driving to Coeur de lane, this can be a great place to stay and get outdoors! They also have a new playground set for the kiddos.