When I was living in Utah I used to go camping on BLM land land all of the time. It was free, easy to find, and offered me a place to sleep when I was doing various outdoor activities. When I moved to Washington, I couldn’t find any information on where to camp for free. It took time, but eventually I learned about free camping on forest service roads in Washington. In this blog I will talk about the rules around free camping in Washington State.
What is Forest Service Road Camping?
Forest Service road camping, also known as dispersed camping, involves setting up camp along designated Forest Service roads on public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Unlike traditional campgrounds, where reservations and fees are required, dispersed camping allows you to camp for free in designated areas, often with no amenities. One of the great parts about doing this in Washington is that there is typically a river or lake nearby, so as long as you pack your water filter you will have plenty of water!
Rules and Regulations
While free camping in Washington is fairly easy, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations. By following these guidelines, you can help preserve Washington state while you save a little money.
Stay in Designated Areas: When camping on Forest Service roads, be sure to choose designated dispersed camping sites indicated by established campsites or signs. Avoid setting up camp in undesignated areas to minimize your impact on the environment and protect sensitive ecosystems. These areas should be fairly obvious. Look for established fire rings, large pull outs, and as a best practice sleep at least 200 feet away from any stream or body of water.
Leave No Trace: Practice Leave No Trace principles by packing out all trash and waste, including food scraps and human waste. Leave your campsite cleaner than you found it to preserve Washington state. I also encourage you to bring an extra trash bag along and take a few minutes to clean up any garbage you can find. I have camped along forest service roads in Washington countless times, and it is rare that I don’t find any garbage to clean up. If we all work together we can clean up Washington state one campsite at a time.
Respect Wildlife: Keep a safe distance from wildlife and refrain from feeding or approaching animals. Store food securely in bear-resistant containers or bear-proof lockers to prevent encounters with wildlife and minimize the risk of attracting bears to your campsite. Be sure not to leave food at the campsite when you leave in order to keep future campers safe. A fun fact about bears is that they have incredible memories. They can remember where they found food and they will come back around looking for more.
Campfire Safety
Follow local fire regulations and restrictions when building campfires. Use existing fire rings where available and always fully extinguish your campfire before leaving your campsite or going to sleep. Consider using a portable camp stove for cooking to reduce the risk of wildfires. This is incredibly important due to the increase in wildfires over the past few years. As a general rule, if you’re unsure about fire regulations just stay on the safe side and opt out.
Stay Limitations
Most Forest Service roads in Washington state have specific stay limitations for dispersed camping. These typically range from 14 to 16 days within a 30-day period.
Where to Find Information
For detailed information on dispersed camping opportunities and regulations in Washington State, visit the official website of the U.S. Forest Service.
Additionally, the Washington Trails Association offers valuable resources and tips for planning your dispersed camping adventure, including trip reports, trail conditions, and Leave No Trace guidelines.Washington Trails Association
Conclusion
Sometimes there is no way to get around paying for a campsite, but I almost always opt for free camping in Washington state. I have camped on forest service roads countless times and have had really great experiences. Pack your bags, grab your phone, pull up your map, and start looking for forest service roads that you can camp at for free in Washington. It’s as simple as that!
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