Best Dispersed Camping near Cle Elum, WA

As described, little to no water sources. Private property marked in some areas. Camp sites are just off the road so there is some road dust. In May there was plenty of wood for burning. Do be mindful of burn restrictions later in the season. This area is very popular with mountain bikers and some dirt bikes. Service roads did have some heavily washed out areas and rocks that higher ground clearance and AWD/4WD would be beneficial, but a 2WD car could make it to some sites. Great spot though to camp near Leavenworth Wenatchee area. Verizon phone service was ok, T-Mobile was spotty at best occasionally a message would get through.

**Ranger Review: Camp Fare Premium Meals at LT Murray Wildlife Area **

Camping Review: The LT Murray Wildlife Area is located in Thorp, between Cle Elum and Ellensburg. It is often referred to as Elk Heights or Joe Watt Canyon. This is primarily an ORV and horseback riding area in the summer. Hunting and elk feeding/wintering grounds area in the winter. This is also a great area to find elk sheds once wintering season is over. There are plenty of dispersed camping sites along the Forest Service roads. All you need is a Discover Pass and a high clearance, capable vehicle. 

We were looking for a close by, no reservation, free place to camp for a weekend. I remember riding horses up here as a kid but have not been up to this area for many years. Once you arrive to the Wildlife Area, you must let yourself in the gate and close it after you pass through. From the gate we drove down a rough, rocky road and passed a wide-open meadow where there we a couple other trailers camping, maybe living, along the road. We passed through some very narrow, brush lined roads. It was also steep and rutted with water wash out spots. The rocks that made the road are sharp, large, and loose. We did not go too far as we were not sure what shape the road would be in and did not want to get in a situation with our trailer that we could not get out of. Plug for our Airstream Basecamp. It's advertised as being "built for adventure and tough enough to go anywhere." I think I really believe it now. 

The spot we chose turned out to be beautiful. We had a view of the Thorp valley and the forested gully and ridge across from us. The stars were out and the comet NEOWISE was visible. We saw large elk, deer, many birds, and were visited by some wild turkeys in the night. It can get very windy in this area. Fires are not allowed due to red flag conditions. There is nothing out here. You must bring everything you need. Food, water, TP, lights. The best part was we saw two other cars, a couple ORV's, and a couple horseback riders total for the 2 days we were there. You can't get any quieter and more unplugged than that! 

Product Review: Camp Fare Beef Burgundy with Field Vegetables and Chicken Tikka Masala with French Green Lentils

 I ordered these meals a bit short of our last trip and was unable to make them. I was happy I had them saved for our trip up to LT Murray given we traveled quick and light. Camp Fare https://campfare.com/ advertises their food as high quality, delicious, chef-crafted, and ready to eat- no refrigeration required. All you have to do is submerge in hot water for 2-3 minutes, tear open the pouch, and enjoy. Selection is limited but covers all the bases. Beef Burgundy, Chicken Tikka Masala, Wild Alaskan Salmon, and Brown Rice and Red Quinoa with Pink Beans. They all sound great! We had our camp stove and a pot of water but you could probably stuff the pouch into a larger Jet Boil for backpacking too. I chose the Beef and had my partner eat the Chicken. 

Preparation was as quick and easy as promised. The meals may not look amazing, especially on a plate instead of the pouch or in a bowl, but they really are delicious. The Beef Burgundy was flavorful and tender. The Chicken Tikka Masala was Indian restaurant good, seriously. I would way rather eat these meals than something dehydrated ever again. Looking forward to trying the Salmon and maybe getting the Chicken again for future trips.

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

Ranger Review: GCI Waterside Pod Rocker with Sunshade at French Cabin Creek Dispersed Camping

Camping Review: 5 stars

We have nothing but love for French Cabin Creek (F.C.C.) dispersed camping zone!

From our home (Seattle area) to the camp zone typically takes less than 2 hours to arrive, horrific I-90 weekend traffic not included.

The F.C.C. dispersed camping zone can be found by crossing the first bridge off the Salmon la Sac Road, located between the Cle Elum River and Red Mountain Campgrounds. 

Once you arrive in the zone most of the camps are located along either Howson Creek, Little Salmon la Sac River or the backside of Lake Cle Elum.  They are available for camping from May to mid-November. Each camp we’ve stayed in offers waterfront camping, at least 2 parking spots, 2+ cleared spots for tents, trees for hammocks, usually 1 fire ring or more, and a honey-bucket somewhere nearby. 

We really enjoy camping here because it’s off the main road so it’s much quieter than the campgrounds right off Salmon la Sac Road, plus the river drowns out most of the noise from any loud camp neighbors.

The F.C.C. dispersed camping zone is located nearby the local Salmon la Sac swimming hole and Lake Cle Elum, so you have plenty of water activity options close at hand. We typically see folks’ kayak, raft, even SUP-board by our camp on their way down to the lake. Kayak and SUP rentals are available in the towns of Cle Elum and Roslyn for $50 daily.

Did I mention there are several hiking trails located close to the F.C.C. camp zone as well; Pete Lake trail, Salmon la Sac trail, Domerie Peak trail, French Cabin Creek trail and Thorp Creek/Little Joe Lake trail, just to name a few.

No forest passes are needed to stay in the F.C.C. dispersed camping zone so camping is truly free (unless you find yourself at a trailhead, then you will need a Northwest Forest Pass for the Wenatchee-Okanogan National Forest, be warned)!

Now just a few last-minute gentle reminders (since this is a dispersed camping zone) that there will be NO: running water, RV hookups or dump stations, no trash bins (pack it in/pack it out), picnic tables, fire pit grills, and on occasion a few more campfire restrictions than in the local campgrounds.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/okawen/recarea/?recid=57515

Gear Review: 4.5 stars

As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I occasionally get to test out products to review – I recently tested the GCI Pod Rocker with Sunshade and boy am I in love with this chair!

The chair is as described, a beachside rocking chair with a positional SPF sun blocking shade but GCI did a really great job designing this chair! 

The chair has a large comfortable seat holding up to a 250 lb. adult. The rocking mechanism is fantastic, rocking smoothly and quietly all weekend long on my first trip out. I was even able to set the chair up on uneven ground and continue rocking away while watching the river and kayakers float past our camp. 

I am super fair skinned and tend to burn through clothing and sunscreen, so having an extra layer of protection from the sun in the form of the SPF UV blocking sunshade is a real-life saver for me! My husband laughed all weekend at me, as I happily readjusted my sunshade time and again to stay safe and sunburn-free. 

Another little plus I love about the GCI Pod Rocker with Sunshade is the cool side pouch made to hold your phone and a beverage, which is super convenient for all-day lounging.  

When you are done using your Pod Rocker for the day, the chair easily folds up and fits into a travel bag with shoulder strap for opportune travel capability. 

Now the only complaint I have with the chair is the color.  After a weekend camping, leaving it out overnight, I awoke to the seat covered in sticky pine needles that left slight stains on the light aqua colored fabric.  Then there was the wild incident when our ketchup bottle lid flew off and sprayed me and the chair in ketchup, that also left its mark on the light-colored chair fabric.

My husband’s complaint with the chair is that he feels too hunched over when sitting in it for long periods of time. He said he feels like the chair won’t allow him to sit up straight. Now I don’t know if that is because he is so tall, at 6’4” or just how he fit in the chair but I am 5’6” and didn’t experience this problem. So, I’m guessing it’s more him and his height or long skinny frame?

We had high hopes for this USFS campground, having read that it’s on an airstrip, it sounded neat. But we decided not to stay here after we checked it out. There were lots and lots of other campers there, lots of camo, lots of large pickup trucks that don’t slow down on gravel roads, lots of “don’t tread on me” flags. 

We drove to the end where the bathroom is and decided to turn around, though it seems that the camp spots do continue after that point. This was on a Saturday, in all fairness, so the vibe might be different during the week. 

It’s a 14 day stay limit, and other than the toilets there are no other amenities, so please pack out your trash. At the entrance it says that the following passes are honored: Annual Northwest Forest Pass, Golden Eagle Passport, and Washington and Oregon Recreation Pass. However, at the bathrooms, there’s another sign that says a $5 day use fee required. Doesn’t make sense that camping is free with certain passes but for day use it’s a $5 fee, but since we weren’t staying we didn’t look much into it. No ATV or off road riding here. 

Cell signal was very weak for Verizon and non-existent for ATT. Giving it 4 stars instead of 3 because it wasn't so bad that I wouldn't be willing to check it out again the next time we're in the area.

We had high hopes for this USFS campground, having read that it’s on an airstrip, it sounded neat. But we decided not to stay here after we checked it out. There were lots and lots of other campers there, lots of camo, lots of large pickup trucks that don’t slow down on gravel roads, lots of “don’t tread on me” flags. We drove to the end where the bathroom is and decided to turn around, though it seems that the camp spots do continue after that point. This was on a Saturday, in all fairness, so the vibe might be different during the week. 

It’s a 14 day stay limit, and other than the toilets there are no other amenities, so please pack out your trash. At the entrance it says that the following passes are honored: Annual Northwest Forest Pass, Golden Eagle Passport, and Washington and Oregon Recreation Pass. However, at the bathrooms, there’s another sign that says a $5 day use fee required. Doesn’t make sense that camping is free with certain passes but for day use it’s a $5 fee, but since we weren’t staying we didn’t look much into it. No ATV or off road riding here. 

Cell signal was very weak for Verizon and non-existent for ATT. Giving it 4 stars instead of 3 because it wasn't so bad that I wouldn't be willing to check it out again the next time we're in the area.