Dispersed Camping in Washington
Over Memorial Day weekend my friends and I got together for some socially distanced camping! This was our first car camping trip of 2020 and I can’t tell you how amazing it felt to fall asleep in a tent, to the sounds of a roaring river close by. My cup was most certainly filled from this adventure, even if it was just 1 night.
At this time, campgrounds were still closed in Washington due to COVID-19, so dispersed camping was our only option and on a holiday weekend, many other people had the same idea to get outside and camp. Huge thank you to Audrey and John for finding a great camping spot! I’ve only gone dispersed camping a couple of times but really like it! Dispersed camping basically means you camp in a first-come, first-serve fashion, where you can often drive up to a site so you get the luxury of car camping but you’re still kind of “roughing it” because you aren’t in a State campground with restrooms, campground hosts and other amenities. In Washington, dispersed camping is usually on U.S. Forest Service land and there isn’t really a map that can tell you where sites are. If you’re brand new to it and don’t know where to start, I suggest doing some Google searches of common forest service roads where people have dispersed camped before; take a drive down some random forest service roads and see what you can find; or you can ask me!
Here are some things to consider if you’re thinking of trying dispersed camping:
Only camp at established sites. Do not clear new vegetation to set up camp.
Do not camp within 200 feet from a water source.
You likely won’t find restrooms, electric or water hook-ups like at a State campground, so be prepared and read up on how to properly dispose of waste.
LEAVE NO TRACE. Please please please pack in what you pack out!!! (there was a ton of toilet paper left on the ground where we were). The campsite should be cleaner than you found it!
Many dispersed campsites will have an existing fire ring which you should use, rather than create a new one. It’s best to bring your own firewood but if you need to, use dead wood around the campsite and avoid cutting down live branches from trees.
Have fun out there and let me know if you end up trying dispersed camping in the comments below!!
