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Washington Free Camping Rank and Rules

Washington ranks #7 of 50 for free camping

Washington ranks #7 of 50 for free camping, with 17.0 known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi.

Data as of

Washington free camping in numbers

Washington ranks #7 of 50 for free camping, with 17.0 known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi.

Rank
#7
Known dispersed sites per 1,000 sq mi
17.0
Known dispersed sites
1,133
Land area
66,456 sq mi
Developed campgrounds
1,040
State-land rule
Open by default
Forest restrictions tracked
2

Dispersed camping in Washington

Can you camp on Washington state land?

Open by default. DNR trust lands allow dispersed camping along the Green Dot road systems (Ahtanum, Tahuya, Capitol Forest, and Teanaway), with a 10-day limit in any 30 days. (WAC 332-52-300) Wildlife areas work differently. Inside one, only the marked camp spots count, never a pullout along the road. Every state, with the rule behind each answer: dispersed camping on state land, state by state.

Where is dispersed camping restricted in Washington?

We track 2 National Forest restrictions on dispersed camping in Washington. Read each one before you camp nearby.

  • Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Middle Fork Snoqualmie river valley. Camping is banned along particular roads or around particular features, not across the whole forest.
  • Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Forest-wide. A cap on how many nights you can stay. It says nothing about where you may camp.

Each restriction, cited and dated: where dispersed camping is restricted.

How the rank works

We divide the known dispersed campsites in a state by its land area, in square miles, and multiply by 1,000. The rules above sit beside the rank but never change it. The count includes only sites that public sources map, so mapping effort affects the result. Roadside camping corridors and the points we place inside state wildlife and forest areas are not counted.