Best Dispersed Camping near Amanda Park, WA

Multiple dispersed camping options exist around Amanda Park, Washington, primarily along forest roads in Olympic National Forest and near Olympic National Park. Several free sites can be found along South Shore Road by the Quinault River, while others are located on forest roads like NF-2292, NF-2419, and Quinault Ridge Road. The area includes both riverside pull-offs and mountain ridge sites offering different wilderness experiences. Permit requirements vary by location, with some sites requiring a Discover Pass while others remain free with no permits needed.

Roads accessing these dispersed sites range from well-maintained gravel to rough forest service roads with potholes and occasional rocky sections. Many sites require high-clearance vehicles, particularly those along riverbanks or at higher elevations. Most locations lack amenities, with no drinking water, toilets, or trash service. Fire restrictions are common, especially during summer months. Camping is generally limited to 14 days in a 30-day period on national forest land. Cell service varies significantly, with better reception on ridgelines and little to no coverage in river valleys.

The primitive nature of these sites appeals to campers seeking solitude and natural settings. Riverside camping along the Quinault and Hoh Rivers provides opportunities for fishing and water access. "Very far off the beaten path, every time I camp here I don't run into anyone," noted one camper about the FS-2292 area. Others highlighted the balance of seclusion and safety: "It was nothing special but very quiet and peaceful other than one or two cars that passed by. Felt safe as a single tent camper." Wildlife viewing opportunities are common, particularly in early morning and evening hours. Some sites feature established fire rings, though campers should always verify current fire restrictions before planning to have campfires.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Amanda Park, Washington (37)

    1. Dispersed South Shore Road

    3 Reviews
    Quinault, WA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 288-0203

    "Several campsites along the gravel road, we found the perfect secluded spot next to the Quinault River. Drove right into the hidden alcove in our stealth camper van."

    "There are about 5 sites hidden on the road. Please be careful the road is a mix of private land, national forest, national park. The sites can be easily found by their stone fire rings."

    2. Quinault Ridge Road

    2 Reviews
    Amanda Park, WA
    7 miles

    "It was quiet and easy accessible. Once you enter the road there are a few turn outs sprinkled on the side of the road that you can pull in. Please clean up after yourself!"

    3. Cedar Creek Camp

    2 Reviews
    Amanda Park, WA
    7 miles

    4. quinalt ridge vistas

    1 Review
    Amanda Park, WA
    7 miles

    "Narrow road on mountain side with few turn arounds. There is a beautiful view through the trees. 2 bars Verizon LTE"

    5. FS-2292 Dispersed

    4 Reviews
    Matlock, WA
    20 miles

    "No signal and got a little snow on the roof in the morning but it was a good spot with a great view."

    "Very far off the beaten path, every time I camp here I don’t run into anyone. You’re camping on the Ridgeline so it can be a bit windy."

    7. Hoh River Dispersed Camping

    5 Reviews
    Forks, WA
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 956-2402

    "Camping right next to river. Tall bushes for shade. Need to drive over very bumpy dirt road to get to sites near river. Then need to drive over rocky road to get into sites near river."

    "Trying to find an open camping site next to the river was proving very difficult, but this semi-hidden pull off was perfect. There’s a fire ring and some extra firewood collected to the side."

    8. Upper Hoh Rd Dispersed Camping

    3 Reviews
    Olympic National Park, WA
    26 miles
    Website

    "The bluff it very steep into the river so watch how close you get to the edge. As a note, it is NOT on the national forest. It’s on the nature conservancy land."

    "And right by the entrance to the Hoh Rainforest so we can be at the trailhead at 5am with no hassle. Only room for one vehicle though."

    9. Cardlin Run — Olympic National Park

    2 Reviews
    Olympic National Park, WA
    27 miles

    "The have 2 signs posted, Discover Pass required and no campfires. This location has 1 designed campsite, which is completely out of view from the road. Quiet location, rains often...ie rainforest."

    "It’s first come first serve and dispersed camping. Stayed here a few days and only met a couple people. Dogs must be on leash and don’t do dishes in river or potty in river... gross."

    10. Dispersed Camping NF 2918 — Olympic National Park

    15 Reviews
    Joyce, WA
    41 miles

    "We arrived very late at night and found a quiet spot up the mountain but moved in the morning in search of shade. We came upon a little dirt road off of 2918 near the river."

    "Couldn’t get a spot at Fairholme so I opted for this location. I only saw 2 small areas you could back in with fire pits. One closer to the 101, and one further back before you cross the bridge."

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Amanda Park, WA

87 Reviews of 37 Amanda Park Campgrounds


  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 10, 2024

    Dispersed South Shore Road

    Quilaut River-South Shore Road

    Several campsites along the gravel road, we found the perfect secluded spot next to the Quinault River. Drove right into the hidden alcove in our stealth camper van.

  • Mar Z.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 7, 2024

    Rock Candy Mountain Trailhead

    Perfect woodsy rest stop off highway

    Right off the highway. Pit toilet and wooded areas. Can still hear highway from this exact GPS location, so I went further on up the road for a quieter spot. A few trucks did speed by in the middle of the night, but it was a Saturday and July 4th weekend. 5 bars of cell service.

  • Sam S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 6, 2024

    Olympic National Forest Dispersed Camping

    Olympic National Forest - Dispersed Camping

    We camped near Vance Creek trailhead to do the Olympic Bridges bike ride the next morning. Since this is a national forest, dispersed camping is allowed. We picked the first spot we got to since it was getting kind of late. It wasn't the most ideal spot and I think further down the road has prettier and more remote options, but it made do. There were really huge flies but they did not bite. The only complaint was that there was more car traffic than I wanted very late at night into the early morning. One car even slowed down and yelled at our tent around 2am. We never felt unsafe but it was annoying. A lot of trash was left behind from previous camper. I would suggest finding alternative spots if you're looking for a more enjoyable night but if you are just there for an overnight, it is fine.

  • Andi F.
    Aug. 1, 2022

    Dispersed Camping NF 2918 — Olympic National Park

    Stunning rain forest with a river

    I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and spent a lot of my childhood out here in the Olympic National Park. Coming back to this scenic area was a real treat! We arrived very late at night and found a quiet spot up the mountain but moved in the morning in search of shade. We came upon a little dirt road off of 2918 near the river. We have a Jeep and I will say, it was needed for the area we found but if you have a high clearance whip, I recommend it highly. There are plenty of spots to stop on the paved areas too, but they are less ideal for my kind of camping. The spot we chose had three firepits: two up above and one down on the bank of the river. It's about 1/4 mile off the paved road and the river noise is enough to drown out the occasional passerby. We parked our Jeep along the road to let others know the area was occupied. I recommend doing so because you cannot see the dispersed area until you're right on top of it. We had a few people pull in looking to see if the area was taken. It can accommodate a group or a single party. Absolutely stunning, quiet area in the rainforest with trails and fresh water.

    PLEASE remove your trash when you leave. The previous occupants left a full large black trash bag. THIS IS A RAIN FOREST IN A NATIONAL PARK. Have some decency people.

    T-Mobile has 5G service in this area. Verizon is 1-2 bars of 4G.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 11, 2025

    FS-2918 Dispersed Site

    Lots of options

    We didn’t feel comfortable driving our class C into any of the nicer, more private spots off of this road due to large potholes, ruts, etc. Since we just needed a place for the night, we decided to just stay at one of the large pullouts, which was fine. We didn’t even need levels. 

    Obviously no amenities here, but we were pleasantly surprised that there wasn’t much trash to be found. 

    Cell service was good here. Be sure to find a spot in the National Forest, and not the National Park that’s adjacent, because you will definitely get a knock on the door if you try to stay overnight within park boundaries.

  • Ashley A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 19, 2025

    Forest Road 2918 Dispersed Site

    Great spot if you can get there!

    Perfect cozy little spot far enough from the road with views of the river! I would not recommend attempting to get down here if your vehicle doesn’t have 4 wheel drive and high clearance. We did it in an f150 and struggled with rocks and slipping on roots and the grade to get to the bottom is well over 12%. It was definitely worth the effort though!!

  • Lauren M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 23, 2022

    Dispersed South Shore Road

    Rainforest heaven!

    There are about 5 sites hidden on the road. Please be careful the road is a mix of private land, national forest, national park. The sites can be easily found by their stone fire rings. The site that is directly on the river was very popular. I ended up staying 2 nights at one of the last sites before it turns to private land. It was tucked away, walk in site, had a nice fire ring, nice tent pad area. It has a large rope so you can access the river. The scenery is breath taking. Down the road there are at least 2 waterfalls on the right. In the town of quinault there is a laundry mat/shower facility!

  • Chris
    Jun. 12, 2021

    Cardlin Run — Olympic National Park

    A night in the rainforest

    Going East on Upper Hoh Rd, a site is on the Left side, before the pay booth for Olympic NP. The have 2 signs posted, Discover Pass required and no campfires. This location has 1 designed campsite, which is completely out of view from the road. Quiet location, rains often...ie rainforest.

  • B
    May. 1, 2023

    Upper Hoh Rd Dispersed Camping

    Great spot by the river

    This is a killer camp site, we parked a 25 foot travel trailer here with a lot of room to spare. The bluff it very steep into the river so watch how close you get to the edge. As a note, it is NOT on the national forest. It’s on the nature conservancy land. The best googling I can do says it’s legal to camp here. Just FYI.


Guide to Amanda Park

Dispersed camping near Amanda Park, Washington offers access to sections of Olympic National Forest at elevations ranging from 200 to 2,500 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 50-75°F, with frequent rain showers even during dry months. Forest service roads in this region often become impassable after heavy rainfall, particularly during winter and early spring months when runoff from nearby mountains is at its peak.

What to do

**Fishing opportunities: Morning hours at Hoh River Dispersed Camping provide excellent salmon and steelhead access when in season. "Private riverside right on the river! The road coming back is definitely rough but was fine in our F-150. The fishing is not great as the river runs too fast through there," notes Ashley A.

**Waterfall viewing: Drive 20 minutes from South Shore Road to find two roadside waterfalls. Lauren M. found that near Dispersed South Shore Road: "Down the road there are at least 2 waterfalls on the right. In the town of quinault there is a laundry mat/shower facility!"

**Ridgeline hiking: Several forest roads provide access to unmarked trails leading to viewpoints. According to Danielle S., "East of the campsite there is a walking trail that takes you to an overlook, perfect for watching the sunrise." Elevation gain on these informal trails typically ranges from 400-800 feet.

What campers like

River proximity: Many sites offer direct river access for cooling off during summer months. At NF-2419 Dispersed Site, Brandon W. noted, "I pitched a tent which was nice and found a spot right by the river." Most riverside spots have natural rock access rather than sandy beaches.

Seclusion from crowds: Forest road sites provide natural spacing between campers. Karson M. writes, "We stayed here and heard maybe 1 car the whole day/night. Granted, we found a pull off into the woods." Some forest roads may see less than 10 vehicles per day during weekdays.

Wildlife viewing: Early mornings provide opportunities to see native bird species. Trevor M. shared, "Got to feed 3 Bluejays by hand with my oldest one of our new favorite memories." Black bears are also common in the area, requiring proper food storage in all camping locations.

What you should know

Weather variability: Rain can occur even during summer dry periods. The FS-2292 Dispersed area experiences significant temperature shifts. Nicholas G. reported, "No signal and got a little snow on the roof in the morning but it was a good spot with a great view."

Road conditions: Many access roads require high-clearance vehicles, particularly after rain. As one camper at Cardlin Run noted, "Going East on Upper Hoh Rd, a site is on the Left side, before the pay booth for Olympic NP." Forest roads are typically maintained only once or twice per year.

Permit requirements: Some sites require Washington Discover Pass while others do not. Evan H. warns campers to "Pack out your trash. Saw numerous bags, tissues, etc. stretching down the road and one of the fire pits at the sites had toilet paper all over it."

Tips for camping with families

Laundry facilities: When camping with children, access to laundry services can be essential. Near Quinault Ridge Road, the town of Quinault offers laundry facilities that charge approximately $2.50 per load.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Amanda Park, WA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Amanda Park, WA is Dispersed South Shore Road with a 4-star rating from 3 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Amanda Park, WA?

TheDyrt.com has all 37 dispersed camping locations near Amanda Park, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.