Free camping
Free camping in Washington, on the public-land road network.
Zoom into the map below, click any purple forest service road, and open a pin in Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze. Save spots for later — all stored on your device.
Last updated June 25, 2026 · Editorial maintained by Kimbo Campers
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Tiles: OpenStreetMap contributors (streets) · Esri World Imagery (satellite). National forest boundaries + forest service road network: USFS Enterprise Data Warehouse. National park boundaries: NPS Land Resources Division.
About
How free dispersed camping works in Washington.
Washington has roughly 9.1 million acres of federally-managed forest, plus another 437,000 acres of BLM land and around 3 million acres of state-managed recreation forest. Most of it allows free dispersed camping under the standard 14-day public-land rules.
The rules vary by who manages the land you're standing on. USFS dispersed camping in Washington's five primary national forests (Olympic, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie, Okanogan-Wenatchee, Gifford Pinchot, Colville) follows the federal default: pull off any forest service road into a previously-used site, camp up to 14 days in a 30-day window, pack out everything you packed in. BLM land in Washington is concentrated in the eastern half of the state and follows the same general framework. Washington DNR forest land requires a Discover Pass ($30 annually or $10 daily) and limits stays to 7 consecutive nights at most recreation sites (shorter than the federal 14-day rule). National park land in Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades does not allow dispersed camping at all; inside park boundaries, you reserve a developed campground.
The map below covers Washington public land. Click any pin for coordinates plus a one-tap link to Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze. Closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal access changes happen on weekly cycles, and quarterly data refreshes cannot track them all in real time.
By the numbers
Free camping in Washington, by the numbers.
Public-land acreage, governance, and access facts for Washington, sourced from the federal and state agencies that manage the land.
Federal forest land
~9.1M acres
Source: USFS Region 6 annual summaries
National forests in WA
5
Source: USFS Pacific Northwest Region
BLM-managed public land
~437,000 acres
Source: BLM Spokane District
WA DNR recreation forest
~3M acres
Source: Washington Department of Natural Resources
Discover Pass (DNR access)
$30 / yr · $10 / day
Source: Washington State Parks
USFS / BLM dispersed stay limit
14 days in any 30
Source: 36 CFR 261.58 (USFS) and 43 CFR 8365 (BLM)
Highway 20 seasonal closure
Nov to May (typical)
Source: WSDOT North Cascades Highway
Rules at a glance
Dispersed-camping rules in Washington, by land manager.
Quick reference for the rules across every public-land type in Washington. See the FAQ + Permits sections below for the full version of each rule.
| Land manager | Dispersed allowed | Stay limit | Fees / permits |
|---|---|---|---|
| USFS — National Forest | Yes | 14 days in any 30 | Free (NW Forest Pass $30 / yr for some developed trailheads) |
| BLM — Public Land | Yes | 14 days in any 30 | Free (most BLM-WA is in the Spokane District, eastern WA) |
| WA DNR — State Forest | Yes | Varies — most areas 7 nights per visit | Discover Pass required ($30 / yr or $10 / day) |
| NPS — National Park | No | Reservation-only at developed campgrounds | $30 / vehicle 7-day pass (per park) |
Permits & passes
What you need to pay or carry in Washington.
Most BLM and USFS dispersed camping in Washington is free with no permit. These are the exceptions and add-ons by destination.
Discover Pass
Any vehicle parking on WA DNR or State Parks land for any purpose, including dispersed camping access. Required on the 3M acres of state recreation forest.
$30 / yr · $10 / day
discoverpass.wa.gov ↗Northwest Forest Pass (USFS day-use)
Vehicles parking at developed USFS trailheads + day-use sites. NOT required for dispersed camping itself — only for parking at fee trailheads en route.
$30 / yr · $5 / day
fs.usda.gov ↗National Park entry pass
Required to enter Olympic, Mount Rainier, or North Cascades National Park. Covers in-park developed campgrounds (which still need separate reservations on recreation.gov).
$30 / vehicle, 7-day pass per park · Annual America the Beautiful pass $80 covers all parks
nps.gov ↗Mt Baker-Snoqualmie peak-season designated permits
A few high-use Mt Baker-Snoqualmie corridors (Heliotrope, Park Butte) have started requiring free permits during peak season — check the specific district before you go.
Free (registration only)
fs.usda.gov ↗BLM vs USFS
BLM vs USFS dispersed camping in Washington.
Washington is a USFS-dominant state — about 9.1 million acres across five national forests vs only ~437,000 acres of BLM. The BLM that exists is concentrated in eastern Washington (Spokane District). For the wet-side west audience, the BLM-vs-USFS question barely applies; almost everything you'll camp on is USFS or WA DNR. For the dry-side east audience, the BLM is a real but secondary option to the much larger Okanogan-Wenatchee and Colville national forests.
| Category | BLM (Bureau of Land Management) | USFS (US Forest Service) |
|---|---|---|
| Acreage in WA | ~437K acres (Spokane District, eastern WA) | ~9.1M acres across 5 national forests |
| Stay limit | 14 days in any 30 | 14 days in any 30 |
| Typical fees | Free for dispersed | Free for dispersed (some developed trailheads require NW Forest Pass) |
| Where it dominates | Eastern WA shrub-steppe, Channeled Scablands | Cascade Range west + east, Olympic Peninsula, Selkirks |
| Map color on this page | Not shown (BLM polygon layer not yet ingested for WA) | Deep evergreen polygons + purple road network |
Frequently asked
Free camping in Washington, answered.
Is dispersed camping legal in Washington?
Yes. Dispersed camping is legal on most national forest land, BLM land, and Washington DNR recreation forest in Washington, subject to the rules of whichever agency runs the specific area. National forests and BLM land allow free dispersed camping under the federal 14-day rule. Washington DNR land requires a Discover Pass ($30 annually or $10 daily) and a shorter stay limit (7 consecutive nights at most recreation sites). Dispersed camping is not allowed inside Olympic, Mount Rainier, or North Cascades National Park boundaries.
Where can I camp for free in Washington?
Free dispersed camping in Washington is concentrated in the five national forests (Olympic on the west side; Mt Baker-Snoqualmie and Okanogan-Wenatchee through the Cascades; Gifford Pinchot south of Mt Rainier; Colville in the northeast) plus BLM land in eastern Washington. Popular regions include the Olympic Peninsula's forest service roads, the Methow Valley in Okanogan-Wenatchee, the area around Mt Adams in Gifford Pinchot, the Mountain Loop Highway in Mt Baker-Snoqualmie, and the Selkirks in Colville. The map on this page shows the legal road network across all of it.
Do I need a permit for free camping in Washington?
It depends on whose land you're on. USFS and BLM dispersed camping does not require a permit or a pass. Some USFS day-use trailheads in Washington require a Northwest Forest Pass ($30 annually), but the pass is for parking at developed trailheads, not for dispersed camping itself. Washington DNR land requires a Discover Pass ($30 annually or $10 daily) for any vehicle access including overnight camping. Some specific USFS areas with developed dispersed sites (notably parts of Mt Baker-Snoqualmie) have begun requiring a free permit during peak season; check the specific district before you go.
What is the 14-day rule for dispersed camping in Washington?
On USFS and BLM land in Washington, you can camp at one dispersed site for up to 14 consecutive days. After 14 days you must move at least 5 miles away (USFS) or 25 miles away (some BLM districts) and cannot return to the same camping area for 28 days. The rule exists to prevent dispersed sites from becoming permanent occupancy. It is enforced inconsistently in practice but the cap is the federal standard published in 36 CFR 261.58 and 43 CFR 8365.
Are there fire restrictions for dispersed camping in Washington?
Yes, and they tighten significantly between July and September, especially in eastern Washington where the forests are dry. Restrictions are set per forest and per BLM district and are updated weekly during fire season. Stage 1 typically prohibits open campfires outside designated rings. Stage 2 typically prohibits all campfires including in fire rings, plus most off-road vehicle use, plus chainsaw and welding work. Always check the specific forest or district website before lighting a fire. The Okanogan-Wenatchee and Colville national forests issue the most frequent restrictions historically.
When does the North Cascades Highway close?
Highway 20 through the North Cascades closes annually due to snow, typically in mid to late November, and reopens in late spring, typically in May. Exact dates vary by year based on snowfall and avalanche conditions. WSDOT publishes the current status. The closure cuts off vehicle access between Mazama and Diablo Lake, which means free camping along the Highway 20 corridor (a popular summer route) is winter-inaccessible from the east side. Plan around it if you're targeting Methow Valley or Lake Chelan dispersed sites from Bellingham or Seattle in winter.
Can I have a campfire while dispersed camping in Washington?
Outside of fire-restriction periods, yes, in an existing fire ring at the dispersed site. Build your fire inside the existing ring, keep it small enough that you can fully extinguish it before leaving, and drown it with water until the ash is cold to the touch. The wet, western half of Washington (Olympic Peninsula, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie) allows campfires more often than the dry, eastern half (Okanogan-Wenatchee, Colville), where Stage 1 or Stage 2 restrictions are common from late June through September. Even when fires are technically allowed, packing a propane or canister stove instead is the lowest-risk option during fire season.
Featured regions
Where to look first in Washington.
Five regions that account for most of the high-quality free dispersed camping in the state. Each one is a multi-day base.
USFS — Olympic National Forest
Olympic Peninsula
Olympic National Forest wraps the inland side of the Olympic Peninsula with about 633,000 acres of forest road network. Dispersed camping is allowed on most forest service roads outside the Wilderness boundaries. Hoh, Quinault, and Wynoochee corridor roads are the most-used access points. The forest is wet — rain through most of the year on the west side — so creek crossings and washouts are routine. Olympic National Park (in the middle of the peninsula) does not allow dispersed camping; only the surrounding national forest does.
47.80°N, 123.70°W
USFS — Mt Baker-Snoqualmie and Okanogan-Wenatchee
North Cascades
The North Cascades combine three federal units: Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on the west side, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on the east side, and North Cascades National Park in between. Both national forests allow dispersed camping along forest service roads. The Mountain Loop Highway corridor (out of Granite Falls) is the most accessible dispersed-camping area from the Seattle metro. Highway 20 east of Mazama opens access to the eastern Cascades in the warmer months only — the road closes November through May.
48.70°N, 121.00°W
USFS — Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Methow Valley
The Methow Valley sits on the east side of the North Cascades in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. It's drier than the west side, with more open ponderosa pine forest, and it gets significantly more sunshine. Dispersed camping is concentrated along forest service roads outside Winthrop and Mazama. The valley is one of the most popular eastern Washington destinations for owners with a small camping setup — the road network is well-graded, the views are open, and the camping density is high without being crowded outside of peak summer weekends.
48.50°N, 120.20°W
USFS — Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Mt Adams area
Gifford Pinchot National Forest covers the area around Mt Adams and Mt St Helens, about 1.37 million acres south of Mt Rainier. Dispersed camping is permitted along forest service roads, including the loop roads circling Mt Adams. The Mt Adams Recreation Area is on the Yakama Nation side and has its own rules, including a tribal permit requirement; the rest of Gifford Pinchot follows standard USFS dispersed rules. Mt St Helens has restricted-access zones inside the volcanic monument that prohibit dispersed camping; check the boundary before parking.
46.20°N, 121.50°W
USFS — Colville National Forest
Selkirks (NE Washington)
Colville National Forest covers roughly 1.1 million acres in the far northeastern corner of Washington, extending into the Selkirk Mountains. It's the least-visited of the five Washington national forests, which makes it one of the better choices for solitude. Dispersed camping is allowed along the network of forest service roads, and the forest also includes Sullivan Lake and Salmo-Priest Wilderness boundaries. Note: this is the one corner of Washington with a residual grizzly population, so standard bear-country food storage applies in addition to the more common black bear protocols.
48.70°N, 117.50°W
Camping Washington in a truck camper
Will a slide-in camper handle the road network here?
Most Washington forest service roads are graded gravel that any half-ton or midsize pickup can handle stock. The deeper spurs into Mt Baker-Snoqualmie, Okanogan-Wenatchee, and the Selkirks (Colville) reward higher clearance and a lighter camper. The wet-side forests (Olympic + Gifford Pinchot + Mt Baker-Snoqualmie west of the Cascade crest) have more washouts + creek crossings than the dry east-side forests (Okanogan-Wenatchee east, Colville) — plan accordingly between October and June.
A Kimbo 6 at 830 lb base dry weight is one of the lightest hard-side options for the small-pickup payload range; the Kimbo 8 (1,125 lb base dry) is the full-size option with a queen cabover and dedicated wet bath — both built for the kind of road network Washington has.
If you already have the truck and you're trying to figure out whether a Kimbo fits it, the per-truck fit guide is the right next step.
Land managers
Who manages the land in Washington.
The forests, parks, and recreation lands you can camp on across Washington.
USFS — Olympic National Forest
Olympic Peninsula forest service lands and roads (about 633,000 acres).
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Western Cascades from the Canadian border south past Mt Rainier (about 1.7 million acres).
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Eastern Cascades and Methow Valley region (about 4 million acres combined).
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Mt Adams and Mt St Helens region (about 1.37 million acres).
fs.usda.gov ↗
USFS — Colville National Forest
Northeastern Washington including the Selkirks (about 1.1 million acres).
fs.usda.gov ↗
BLM — Spokane District
Most of Washington's BLM-managed public land, concentrated in eastern WA.
blm.gov ↗
Washington Department of Natural Resources
About 3 million acres of state recreation forest; Discover Pass required for vehicle access.
dnr.wa.gov ↗
Washington State Parks — Discover Pass
Purchase the annual or day Discover Pass required for DNR-managed land.
discoverpass.wa.gov ↗
Leave no trace
Pack out everything. Stay 200 ft from water. Use existing fire rings only.
Free dispersed camping survives because the people doing it leave campsites better than they found them. The 14-day rule, the fire restrictions, and the road closures all exist because previous visitors did not. Pack out trash. Bury human waste 6 inches deep, 200 feet from any water source. Use existing fire rings only and drown campfires until the ash is cold. Park on durable surfaces. Drive existing roads.
Last updated: June 25, 2026. First published May 26, 2026. Editorial maintained by the Kimbo Campers team in Bellingham, Washington — we've been camping Washington public land for 9+ years and update this page when agency rules or seasonal access changes.