Searching for the best camping near Bellingham, WA? Bellingham is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Find the best campgrounds near Bellingham, WA. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
"Steep but short hike, but hey, it's close to town! A 15 minute drive from downtown Bellingham and you get yourself a secluded, quiet lake."
"Close to Bellingham, no bay views but nice scenery, little lake, and dense forest nonetheless. Good steep trails nearby and charming boardwalks."
"The way the campsites are tiered allows for a sense of seclusion even with neighbors on all sides. "
"We were in site 22, right on the water (but also right next to the access road.) There is a lovely 3 mile hike around the lake with a fun bridge to jump off of to swim."
"One north and one south of the lake. A few good level sites and some built in benches. No fires permitted and a few fishing spots if you are daring."
"Small spaces but they are level and the price is right!"
"Spent one night at Lizard Lake. Only 4 campsites there and all really close to each other. All the sites had a fire ring, bench and a flat area to set up your tent."
"A good one or two night backpacking experience. There is no overnight parking at the top lot that is half way up the trail, so you have to park on Chuckanut drive."
"This is yet another Washington Sate Park in their Marine Island system. Clark Island offers a nice, large rocky beach that makes it easy to beach your boats to set up camp."
"I recently did a solo kayak trip around Orcas Island, WA and Clark was my first stop. I've camped on this island before so was looking forward to visiting again."
"It's nicely wooded and has awesome areas (with picnic tables) to call home. The scenery is breathtaking and if you're lucky you might even see some orcas swimming by."
"There are also ponds and wetlands scattered around the island and chances to view wildlife in quiet."
"My twelve year old wanted to try backpacking, but not hike too far. My wife didn't want us to get eaten by bears. The solution? Obstruction Pass!"
"I kayaked in to this campground and though it's an awesome location it was a bit disappointing."
"Madrona trees around every corner. And your choice between perfect privacy or a few neighbors. This island is amazing!"
"The Caves are fun to climb around in and have a fun history of hiding smugglers."
$20 - $80 / night
"Cedar Groves has some great tent sites surrounded by tall dense trees, with tons of wildlife all around you! Check them out and share some pics from your stay on the Dyrt!"
ScoutArrived around 4pm on a Friday and there were a few spots left. Pit toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables available. No water. Got a spot with lake and Mountain View’s. Very small, quiet, stunning campground. Felt safe. We have a rooftop tent, not many sites with large enough spots to park trailers or vans. Mostly tent sites that are walk in. Mostly open, some sites in the forest. Had one bar of Verizon service. Would stay again!
ScoutGreat place to bring your LQ (any size rig) and camp with your horses. There are a few non-equestrians, but we need to keep this a place for equestrians because we are losing more and more campsites. Trails are well maintained and extensive.
No water or electric at the camp, but you can drive down to a creek and pump or collect water for your horses. You will be boondocking.
High-line poles are available to high-tie your horses. We set up a portable corral and were fine. Picnic tables and fire rings are also available.
No manure pile or wheel barrow. There is a vault toilet and I got cell service on my phone.
ScoutThese campgrounds are about a 4 mile hike in from the trailhead. Plenty of wild berries, flowers, and ferns along the way. We had fun just relaxing under the Big Leaf Maple trees. Each campground has a flat tent site. Some also have fire pits with grills and picnic tables, but not all. There is a pit toilet and urine diverter on site. There are also a couple bear boxes to share, as bear (and deer!) roam this area. The lake is lovely, though it was a bit too cold in June to swim. There is a small floating dock on the lake. Spectacular views of Mt Baker and Mt Shuksan - be sure to watch the sunset. Boaters frequent this lake so there is a bit of motor noise, but this doesn't bother me. Dog-friendly campsite. This made for a very relaxing overnight backpacking trip!
LegendThis spot is perfectly situated for exploring the surrounding area, including Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan. Operated by the USFS, this facility offers typical amenities like vault toilets and potable water during the summer months. The nice thing about this popular spot is that you CAN actually reserve a site through https://www.recreation.gov
Just be sure to make your reservation sooner than later, because this place fills up quickly. Sites can accommodate RVs (no hookups) and tents and offer picnic tables, fire rings with grills and plenty of shade thanks to the massive Hemlocks and Red Cedar trees. The North Fork of the Nooksack River is also a short walk from the campground and can be perfect on a hot summer's day!
This is one of the nicer USFS run campgrounds I've stayed at! Maybe that's because this concessionaire runs the place http://hoodoorecreation.com
Check it out!
ScoutWe had sites 28 and 30 for Labor Day weekend. Site 30 had a nice flat tent pad but was overall smaller. Site 28 took a little more effort to set up our family’s tent on level ground, but was overall more spacious and so our group also used that site as our kitchen/campfire area. Both sites have a view of the lake down the campground loop and are relatively close to the vault toilets, which was fine except for the morning we left when wind off of the lake carried unpleasant smells our way. Overall the lake is beautiful, and there’s great access at this campground. Would absolutely recommend and/or go back, just be careful with site selection!
TravelerThere were SO MANY available campsites when we got there. About mid afternoon. The ranger was super friendly and welcoming! The bathrooms were nice and had showers that require tokens that you can buy with your site at check in. The sites vary in size and shape but most of them are decently private/ spaced apart. The site next to us never got booked, probably because it was small, but it was nice for us because it was only a few bushes away. Sites include a picnic table and fire ring with grill grate . There was a trail to the beach not far from us and it was super nice. Although there are plenty of signs that require dogs to be on leashes most people did not adhere to those rules, so keep an eye out if you're bringing the doggos. Very family friendly, very cozy, very nice stay!
RangerCampground Review
My three-year-old and I backpacked in and it was amazing. Crazy crowded and crazy loud with the military jets overhead (Naval Air Base nearby) – but beautiful none the less. It’s good to note that the jets do shut off around 5 pm and there is plenty of quite time from that point on. But be prepared during the day for some ear splitting noise - I would actually advise ear plugs!
We hiked in for the adventure, but also because all the drive-in sites were reserved. They have several secluded campsites set aside for hikers and bikers, and they were totally worth the work. We ended up in site #233 and it was perfect. Totally tucked away in the trees with soft ground and simple surroundings. If you plan to hike or bike in and use these spots, get there as early as you can. All the sites got used and several folks who showed up toward evening didn’t get spots. We walked around to see all the drive-in spots and there are some pretty nice ones, but none as secluded as the hike/bike spots. The hike in from the northern park boundary is amazingly beautiful and it sure makes you appreciate the spot once you get there.
There are trails everywhere from the campsites, but most importantly down to the beach and Cranberry Lake. I must say it’s quite amazing to sleep amongst the tall trees of the forest and then meander down to the beach to play! Cranberry Lake has a designated swimming area where the water is super shallow and just perfect for the kiddos.
Amazing beauty and well worth the experience!
Product Review
Green Goo – Multiple Products
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time – on this trip I tested the amazing variety of salve and such from Green Goo. I made sure to take the salve for Dry Skin, Foot Care, and Pain Relief – all great stuff for backpacking! One feature I really like about the salves is the tin, they are perfect for stuffing in a little side pocket of your pack and don’t add much weight at all. It was heavenly to rub the balm into sore muscles and feet after we set up camp and recovered from the hike. The foot care stuff is especially helpful for me since my heels crack so bad. This stuff has really made a difference for my heels like nothing I’ve tried before. My daughter is a pretty rough and tumble little adventure seeker and has never been without some sort of scrape, scratch, or bump from climbing everything and running everywhere – the Skin Repair tin gets multiple uses daily – and it really does help heal her up quick. Overall – this stuff rocks, I’m totally sold on it and can’t wait to try other products from the company!
GuideNice 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.
GuideSeems like these sites are quite popular. However, I went during the middle of the week, on a slightly rainy day, at the end of August and was the only person there.
If you're like me and not from Washington, remember to get a discovery pass (~$10 per day) if you're parking at the Baker Lake Trailhead. The hike in to Maple Grove is approx. three and a half miles. Don't be surprised if you run into some folks on horseback.
The trail is relatively flat and goes through some beautiful old growth forest. We got a spot right by the lake that was flat and soft. All of the sites had fire pits and seemed pretty dispersed. There were also bear boxes. The vault toilets were some of the cleanest I'd seen.
As you can see from some of the photos, there's a dock that you could boat up to that doubles as a great place see Mt. baker.
Bellingham, Washington, offers a variety of tent camping options that allow outdoor enthusiasts to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying stunning landscapes and recreational activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bellingham, WA is Pine and Cedar Lakes Primitive Camping with a 4.7-star rating from 3 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 49 tent camping locations near Bellingham, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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