Best Tent Camping near Bellevue, WA

Tent camping options near Bellevue, Washington range from accessible state parks to secluded forest sites within an hour's drive. Blake Island Marine State Park Campground offers tent sites with boat-in access, while Hollyhock Farm provides secluded tent camping in a forested setting. Most sites in the area are walk-in only, with Woodlands at Lake Stickney and Paine Field Community Park offering additional options within a short drive of the city.

Most tent sites in the Bellevue area feature basic amenities, with fire pits at select locations like Blake Island and Hollyhock Farm, though seasonal fire bans may apply during summer months. Toilet facilities vary significantly between campgrounds, with Blake Island offering showers while others provide only vault toilets or no facilities. Potable water is available at some sites but not all, making it essential for campers to bring their own supply. Several campgrounds require advance reservations, particularly during peak summer months when availability becomes limited.

Tent camping near Bellevue provides varying levels of seclusion and natural settings. The forested sites at Hollyhock Farm offer privacy between campsites, creating a more isolated wilderness experience compared to more developed options. Areas like Blake Island provide unique waterfront tent camping with views of Seattle across the water. In early summer, sites fill quickly as the weather improves, particularly at locations accessible by road. According to one visitor at Hollyhock Farm, "The sites were secluded from one another within a beautiful forest, the toilet was clean and fairly close to the sites." Walk-in tent sites often provide more separation from neighboring campers than drive-in options, making them preferable for those seeking a more authentic outdoor experience.

Best Tent Sites Near Bellevue, Washington (62)

    1. Blake Island Marine State Park Campground

    4 Reviews
    Manchester, WA
    16 miles
    Website

    $12 - $45 / night

    "Really fantastic location. Very strict rangers which can be good or bad depending on your preference. Quiet hours are at 10pm which is early for some people so be aware."

    "Hike the perimeter trail for views all around the island. It's a great place to stay in the summer months and relax."

    2. Hollyhock Farm

    1 Review
    Duvall, WA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 453-5535

    $35 - $65 / night

    "The sites were secluded from one another within a beautiful forest, the toilet was clean and fairly close to the sites, parking was easy and the host was a total gem! Highly highly reccomended :-)"

    3. Woodlands at Lake Stickney

    3 Reviews
    Mill Creek, WA
    20 miles
    +1 (425) 280-0317

    $60 - $68 / night

    "The tent sites at Hearth Street Properties offer secluded spots near the water, with conveniences like restaurants nearby.  Check them out and share some pics from your trip on the Dyrt!"

    "However, I've been to the public Access area and have to say that it's very peaceful and has a restroom which is nice. I'm a local."

    4. Paine Field Community Park

    3 Reviews
    Mukilteo, WA
    21 miles
    Website

    "A great clean safe place in the city and surrounded by trees and nature"

    5. ELKS Beach

    Be the first to review!
    Sammamish, WA
    4 miles
    +1 (206) 790-3740

    $90 - $125 / night

    6. Duvalla

    Be the first to review!
    Duvall, WA
    15 miles
    +1 (425) 236-4163

    $90 - $100 / night

    7. Big Country

    1 Review
    Clinton, WA
    27 miles
    Website

    $50 / night

    "We're so happy to have this beautiful property on our platform. This site is secluded yet close to the Possession Sound Preserve. Book your stay today and leave them a review!"

    8. Wallace Falls State Park Campground

    3 Reviews
    Gold Bar, WA
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 793-0420

    "I picked enough berries to share with my crew. There is nothing better than perfectly ripe blackberries on a camping ⛺️ trip."

    "We arrived and only had hammocks to camp in and the two walk up sites did not provides trees to manage our hammocks."

    9. Tulalip Casino

    4 Reviews
    Marysville, WA
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (866) 716-7162

    "No hook ups and no water available. Clean area and pet exercise area. Security drives by regular."

    "Great place to walk your dog. Many great places to eat and of course the casino."

    10. Green Mountain

    2 Reviews
    Seabeck, WA
    30 miles
    Website

    "Nice clean camping area with easy access to multiple trails and logging roads. Trails are open to hiking horseback riding and motorcycles. Camp ground has multiple horse stalls in a common area."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Bellevue, WA

1050 Reviews of 62 Bellevue Campgrounds


  • Douglas S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 1, 2019

    Red Bridge Campground

    Awesome campground in the beautiful Mount Baker National Forest

    The Red Bridge campground is on the very scenic Mountain loop Rd in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. It's a very beautiful drive. Nestled in some great trees, there are 13 sites with shade, right along the river. The camp host was very nice and sold firewood on site. There are no hook ups, and no water spigots so be sure to plan accordingly. There are bear proof trash cans and vault toilets available. Each site has a tent pad, picnic table and fire ring. This campground provides ample hiking, fishing and I saw people kayaking plus its not far to a hike to some glacier caves! Also check out the old red trestle bridge just outside of the campground. At $15 a night you have to see this place. 
    I highly recommend Red Bridge campground.

  • Marie L.
    Aug. 3, 2022

    Owhi Campground

    Beautiful spot - not worth the trek

    Cooper Lake is absolutely stunning and admittedly the campsites are situated pretty well for views and privacy but there are definitely Pros and Cons to this campground.

    Pros:

    Right on the lake and if not you get a very private site walking distance to water
    Great hiking trail

    Lake access 24/7

    Lot's of big shade trees

    No internal combustion motors 

    Vault toilets in good shape

    Dumpsters

    Cons: 

    Extremely busy (and LOUD) day use area

    Steep hill and trails to all the sites - pack light and even then it is A LOT of work getting into your site

    $18 for a walk in site...? eh a little steep for me

    Did I mention the loud day use area with lots of screaming kids?

    No bear boxes by the lake so you also have to trek your cooler/dry goods up the hill every night to not attract wildlife.

    All in All this was a solid 3.5 stars.  There were pros to out weight the cons but in the end if I am going to walk that far to haul my stuff into a site I want it to be pretty remote/serene OR be a little cheaper.

  • Jason H.
    Mar. 24, 2021

    Lena Lake Campground

    Great spot

    A nice 3.5 miles ish hike from the parking area to campground. The campsites offers fire rings and has plenty of amazing views of the lake. Don’t forget to pack everything out and leave no trace.

  • Tj J.
    Sep. 21, 2017

    Malaney Creek Farm

    Great Private Camping Getaway

    arrived at the farm and were greeted by the owners. they got on their quads and led us down a private road through a super nice cedar gated entry and showed us our spot. they gave us a quick run down of the place and let us be. our spot was the Trillium site which has a few hundred foot hike from where you park your car and the portable toilet. the site was pretty cool and very secluded. it had a fire ring with some sawn cedar benches, a pile of firewood and a giant old spool for a table. we threw our marmot up and took a closer look. there is a camp box with info, instant coffee, guides to area sight seeing and food along with a log book to write about your stay. there were also some cool led lighting which was great at night. fire ban was on but they put a big candle on the grate of the fire pit so we had something. we kicked around on the trails which look like they are used by horses and motorcycles but not heavily. some interesting plants in the area. they were working on a new trail that is supposed to eventually lead out to the lake but it wasnt complete yet. however it was covered with wood chips and had a hand cut cedar bridge built on it. you gotta see it. sounds like they are constantly evolving the farm looked like a lot of things in the works. definitely will come back for more time here. night time got spooky with coyotes howling in the distance but the morning there were so many birds chirping and singing you couldnt hear yourself think! oh we found a corn hole game in an open area that they have several picnic tables staged at.

  • Art S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 12, 2016

    Lena Lake Campground

    Lena Lake campground

    This is a hike-in campground down a 3.5 mile trail. It sees heavy use from locals on the weekend. There was plenty of room during the week when I was there. Lena Lake is quiet and serene and the perfect place to sit on a log and journal. Other people walked around the edge of the lake but care must be taken as it's a bit rugged. Follow the leave no trace principles and this place will be one to return to again for yourself and others.

  • Sara J.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 21, 2024

    Dispersed Camping Beckler Creek

    Beckler creek riverside

    Nice large campsite near the water. There were many campsites along the road. I had to clean up a lot of trash when it got here. Please pack out your own trash and follow other leave no trace rules. The campfire was awesome

  • Amy & Stu B.
    Oct. 3, 2022

    Dosewallips State Park Campground

    Gorgeous location

    This campground is right next to a state park. It’s also very close to a river and lots of woods. We stayed here to see Olympic national park, (I wouldn’t recommend this location to travel to Olympic every day, it was very far.)

    The amenities were nice, bathrooms with warm water (one shower per bathroom.)

    No laundry, no Wi-Fi and both Verizon and AT&T worked with about one bar.

    The sites were level spacious and had a fire ring and picnic table at each. We chose the full hookup option. Firewood could be purchased through the camp host.

    The best part about this day was the surrounding area. Every night, my husband and I would walk to the wildlife viewing platform to see lots of birds, or walk down by the river and see lots of elk and bald eagles.

  • Theresa K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 18, 2023

    Dispersed Camping Beckler Creek

    Repulsive

    Every dispersed campground we checked along this road (maybe five or so) was littered with human feces and toilet paper everywhere. We found a literal bucket of human waste beside the river with a soiled pool noodle nearby I can only assume was being used as a toilet seat. Please, if you care about keeping nature wild, carry out your toilet paper and dig a cathole or use the outhouse in the campground. If you don’t know what a cathole is, you should probably should not being using dispersed camping and try the campground down the road. We ended up staying at the campground because we couldn’t find dispersed camping where there wasn’t poop and had a positive experience there. Leave no trace!! 

    https://www.nps.gov/articles/leave-no-trace-seven-principles.htm

  • Cary C.
    Apr. 24, 2022

    Tulalip Casino

    Quiet and clean

    Nice place to have a free spot for the night. Not sure the max number of nights. I forgot to ask. No hook ups and no water available. Clean area and pet exercise area. Security drives by regular.


Guide to Bellevue

Tent camping near Bellevue, Washington offers sites within a short 30-60 minute drive from the city center. The area experiences mild summers with average temperatures around 75°F during peak camping season, though rainfall remains possible even during drier months. Campgrounds in the region range from sea level to elevations up to 1,700 feet, with most tent sites situated in second-growth forest environments.

What to do

Waterfront hiking access: Blake Island Marine State Park features a 5-mile perimeter trail offering views around the entire island. "Really fantastic location. Very strict rangers which can be good or bad depending on your preference. Quiet hours are at 10pm which is early for some people so be aware," notes Julia S., who recommends the water views despite summer heat.

Visit nearby preserves: Big Country campground provides access to nature preserves within walking distance. "This site is secluded yet close to the Possession Sound Preserve," reports Ashley F., highlighting the balance between seclusion and accessibility to natural attractions.

Blackberry picking: Wallace Falls State Park Campground offers seasonal berry picking opportunities during summer months. "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," writes Josiah P., who also notes the moderate hike to the waterfalls.

What campers like

Boat-in experiences: Access to Blake Island requires watercraft, creating a distinctive camping experience. "Beautiful park, great hiking! Only accessible by boat," writes Sydney A. Another camper adds, "We camped here when I was a kid and it was such a fond memory that I had to relive it. You do need a boat or a ticket on the Argosy to get here, but it's so worth it!"

Forest seclusion: Hollyhock Farm provides heavily wooded tent sites with natural spacing between campsites. "What an absolutely wonderful time we had at Hollyhock Farm. The sites were secluded from one another within a beautiful forest," writes Rio B., who appreciated the privacy between sites.

Urban proximity with nature access: Woodlands at Lake Stickney offers tent sites that balance natural settings with urban convenience. "The tent sites at Hearth Street Properties offer secluded spots near the water, with conveniences like restaurants nearby," notes Jake C., highlighting the unusual combination of seclusion with nearby services.

What you should know

Seasonal fire restrictions: Summer fire bans often affect camping near Bellevue. "In summer there is generally a burn ban and if you don't have a shaded spot, the heat can be pretty punishing but the temps go way down at night," explains a Blake Island camper, noting the temperature variation between day and night.

Facility limitations: Green Mountain provides basic facilities with specific operating hours. "Nice clean camping area with easy access to multiple trails and logging roads. Trails are open to hiking horseback riding and motorcycles. Camp ground has multiple horse stalls in a common area. Only open on weekends," explains Ivy K., highlighting the weekend-only availability.

Bathroom variability: Expect significant differences in toilet facilities between locations. "The bathroom was clean and fairly close to the sites," notes a Hollyhock Farm visitor, while a Green Mountain camper reports, "Had a bathroom but no other amenities- drinking water, shower, firewood/ice for sale."

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly options: Paine Field Community Park receives positive feedback for family visits. "We visit this park frequently as it is great for the kids. It's clean and has bathrooms available!" shares Aimee M., emphasizing the convenience for children.

Dog-friendly areas: Several campgrounds welcome pets but have different rules. "A great clean safe place in the city and surrounded by trees and nature," writes Wayne B. about Paine Field Community Park, noting its suitability for both dogs and children.

Alternative shelter options: When traditional tent setups aren't possible, creative solutions may be needed. "We arrived and only had hammocks to camp in and the two walk up sites did not provides 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," explains Samantha J. about her Wallace Falls State Park experience.

Tips from RVers

Casino camping option: Tulalip Casino offers free overnight parking for RVs. "Great free camping for up to three nights. Just call security (number is on the sign) to register when you arrive. Very nice friendly security staff," explains Adam Y., noting the multi-night allowance without charge.

Limited amenities: RV campers should prepare for self-sufficient stays at most locations. "No hook ups and no water available. Clean area and pet exercise area. Security drives by regular," notes Cary C. about Tulalip Casino, while another visitor clarifies, "This is just a parking lot for you to park your RV while gaming. There is a spot for the animals to wee and that is about it."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Bellevue, WA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bellevue, WA is Blake Island Marine State Park Campground with a 5-star rating from 4 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Bellevue, WA?

TheDyrt.com has all 62 tent camping locations near Bellevue, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.