Tent campsites near Baring, Washington feature diverse terrain with elevations ranging from 800 to 5,500 feet within the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The area receives approximately 100 inches of rainfall annually, creating lush forests and clear alpine lakes. Summer temperatures typically range from 55-85°F with nighttime lows dropping to 40-50°F even in July and August.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Cooper Lake at Owhi Campground offers excellent fishing for rainbow trout in a motor-free environment. A camper noted, "Fishing is excellent. Road has some pot holes, but otherwise easy for small vehicles."
Hiking to waterfalls: The trail system near Wallace Falls State Park Campground provides access to multiple waterfalls with moderate difficulty. One visitor mentioned, "The hike to Wallace Falls (lower & upper) is moderate & enjoyable. The 'wooded hike' meanders along the Wallace River, which is said to have salmon & steelhead in August."
Alpine swimming: Several backcountry camping areas feature swimming in alpine lakes during warmer months. At Pratt Lake, a camper reported, "The lake is full of fish so make sure you bring your Pole, beautiful trout were jumping. There is potable water here but campfires are not allowed close to the lake. The water was cold, but in the afternoon sun it was great for swimming."
What campers like
Stargazing: Many tent sites in higher elevations provide exceptional night sky viewing with minimal light pollution. A camper at Gothic Basin shared, "Very crowded hike up, well marked until you get to the summit. From there it was hard to figure out which lake was which. By talking to other hikers we figured out how to get to Foggy Lake, where we camped. Absolutely gorgeous views."
Privacy options: Several dispersed camping areas offer secluded sites with natural screening. At Mountain Loop Hway Dispersed Camp, one visitor found, "Meandering sites along the river with good logs for benches and fire rings made from forest rocks. Heavily forested and beautiful."
Wildlife viewing: Camping areas throughout the region provide opportunities to observe local wildlife in natural habitats. At Owhi Campground, a camper reported, "We canoed on the lake and saw a few Elk bugling. Really amazing views."
What you should know
Primitive facilities: Most tent areas have minimal or no facilities. A camper at Monte Cristo Campground explained, "This isn't exactly a campsite, more so a spot people end up camping at, before a long hike. The hike up to the site was very simple and easy and the actual hike itself was beautiful. It was annoying that we had to hike up to the site itself, but it isn't too long about an hour and a half."
Fire restrictions: Seasonal fire bans are strictly enforced in many camping areas, particularly at higher elevations. At Pratt Lake, campfires are not permitted near the lake at any time of year.
Weather preparedness: Mountain weather can change rapidly at any time of year. A Gothic Basin camper advised, "It is fairly hilly and it can be hard to find a flat place. It also gets very cold at night. Little protection from wind (though we had no issues)."
Tips for camping with families
Accessible lake camping: San Juan Campground provides tent sites with nearby water access. A visitor mentioned, "Quiet and scenic along the North Fork of the Skykomish river. First come first served."
Foraging opportunities: Some camping areas have seasonal wild berries for picking. At Wallace Falls, a camper shared, "If camping in July-August, blackberries abound! I picked enough berries to share with my crew. There is nothing better than perfectly ripe blackberries on a camping ⛺️ trip."
Early arrival importance: Popular tent camping areas fill quickly, especially during summer weekends. Regarding Owhi Campground, a camper advised, "Try to get there early in the day as it fills up pretty quickly. Parking and bathrooms up top, carry your stuff down to a site."
Tips from RVers
Walk-in overflow options: When RV sites are full, some campgrounds offer walk-in tent options. At Wallace Falls State Park, one camper improvised: "We arrived and only had hammocks to camp in and the two walk up sites did not provide trees to manage our hammocks. Therefore we parked in the parking lot near a tree and strung our hammocks from the tree to the car. It worked great!"
Coordinate with tent sites: Some locations near Baring allow mixed camping with both tent sites and RV access points. A visitor to South Fork Sauk River observed, "Half way along the mountain loop highway you encounter numerous spacious tent sites with fire rings and gorgeous river & Mountain View camp grounds."
Road condition awareness: Many forest roads leading to tent camping areas have challenging sections. At Mountain Loop Highway Dispersed Camp, a camper warned, "The directions had me believing that the dispersed camping was just various pull offs on the highway loop and that's where I stayed. Once the highway turned into a gravel road is when I started seeing nice dispersed campsites."
