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Activities

Free Camping Collection

Dispersed Camping

Carbon River

Carbon River is located near Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. The area features forested terrain with trails leading to the Carbon Glacier and other natural sights. Temperatures range from lows in the 30s Fahrenheit in winter to highs in the 70s during summer, making it suitable for seasonal exploration.

Description

USDA Forest Service

Dispersed camping is the term used for camping in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Typically, it refers to roadside car camping, but also refers to backpacking in undeveloped sites. Dispersed camping means there are no services like trash removal, and amenities such as toilets, tables and fire pits, are not usually available.

It is your responsibility to plan ahead and learn the extra skills necessary for dispersed camping. Camping rules and regulations apply to make your experience safe, and to keep the natural resources scenic and unspoiled for other campers.

Dispersed camping along Forest Service roads is allowed where there is adequate space to safely park completely off the roadway and not on any vegetation. Whether car camping or backpacking, choose an existing campsite on bare or compacted soil. Unless signed as an area where a fee is required, dispersed camping is free. Dispersed camping is prohibited in developed campgrounds and areas posted closed or no camping. Some designated Wilderness areas have additional restrictions. For the best information on dispersed camping opportunities and local restrictions, please contact the nearest ranger district office.

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Location

Carbon River is located in Washington

Detail location of campground

Coordinates

46.99974533 N
121.9170245 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Good
  • Verizon
    Good
  • AT&T
    Available
  • T-Mobile
    Good

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Dispersed
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Big Rig Friendly

DISPERSED CAMPING

Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.


PERMIT might be REQUIRED

We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Carbon River needs a permit.

Contact

General Info

Drive Time


Reviews

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4.0

out of 5

3 Reviews

Reviewed Sep. 1, 2024

Tons of places to camp, can be a party spo5

I came on a Friday so i could get up early to go hiking. I put up my hammock around 7pm, nobody's else there. Around 9-11pm a few people including a 5th wheel arrived and spent a bunch of time moving that around. They ran their generator, lights and music until 2:30am. My bad for coming on a Friday. Woke up to a beautiful sunrise and spent time on the bridge taking photos before riding up the gravel road up to the Summit Lake hike.

Lots of spots along the road which I'll utilize next time to avoid the party :)

Sitenear the bridge
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Carbon River by BMRTV , September 1, 2024
Reviewed Jun. 18, 2024

Carbon River (first time)

It is currently the beginning of June '24, cold at nights and the mornings. My fiance' and I are sleeping in a tent and it has rained a lot but if you go into the woods, you can still find dry branches for starting a fire. We were set up by the river, mostly quiet and can hear traffic now and then but nothing obnoxious. Would definitly camp here again as it seems we had a prime location.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Carbon River by Flare9 , June 18, 2024
  • Review photo of Carbon River by Flare9 , June 18, 2024
Reviewed May. 14, 2023

Great camping spot but the people....

So first off, this location is beautiful. It is so relaxing! We were so excited when we found a spot with a fire pit. We set up camp and started enjoying ourselves. Here where it gets weird. People were harassing us about camping. We spoke to a ranger and verified that we were at the right spot. She said yes. One person drove past and yelled that you don't belong here. It was super uncomfortable specially considering I had a four year old with me. We ended up packing up camp and hiking into a further remote camp site. It was great after that.

Month of VisitMay

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are fires allowed at Carbon River?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Carbon River, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Does Carbon River have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Carbon River does not have wifi.