Dispersed camping in the Conway, Washington area is permitted primarily on National Forest lands with several free sites available along Mountain Loop Highway, Baker Lake Road, and near the Suiattle River. Most camping areas are primitive with minimal or no facilities, requiring self-sufficiency for overnight stays. The region features a mix of riverside pull-offs, lakeside clearings, and forested sites that accommodate both tent and limited RV camping without reservations.
Baker Lake Road provides numerous primitive camping spots with several pull-offs overlooking the lake. The gravel road has multiple clearings suitable for camping, though sites tend to fill quickly during summer weekends. Most dispersed sites lack amenities beyond basic fire rings. One camper noted, "If you think all the spots are taken, keep driving. So many spots along Baker Lake Road." High clearance vehicles are recommended for some sections, particularly after rainstorms when potholes and ruts can develop.
Mountain Loop Highway offers additional dispersed camping options, particularly once the road transitions to gravel. Camping areas typically include established fire rings and occasional picnic tables, though amenities vary widely by location. Most sites have no drinking water or waste facilities, requiring campers to pack in water and pack out trash. As one visitor described, "Meandering sites along the river with good logs for benches and fire rings made from forest rocks. Heavily forested and beautiful." Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp near Baker Lake provides more established sites with pit toilets and picnic tables, though several reviewers note the limited number of spots and high summer occupancy. The Suiattle Riverside Camp offers a more secluded experience with riverside sites that provide access to flowing water, though primitive conditions still apply.
"Very different, primitive camping. Small island with only 2 sites that I could find. According to the website there were supposed to be more. 1 vault toilet available, picnic table and fire ring."
"It's a short trip to the island, which is only accessible by boat. I was worried, with only four camping spots, that we wouldn't get one, but we ended up being the only people on the island."
"Very nice dispersed location. We stayed for one night on the way to another place. Good locations, many large pull in spots. Shade is excellent and you can walk in to water spots."
"Very secluded with lots of privacy in a beautiful forest with a private trail leading from our campsite to the river. Drive carefully coming in as the road has many potholes and bring bug spray."
"Cute sites, but you will be interrupted 500 times a day with walkers who use the trail and want to go straight through your site."
"This was a bit tenuous getting in with our 21’ RV, but at the end of the road there was a turnaround and a couple sites left with a late arrival. Nice listening to the river as we went to sleep."
"I didn’t have to go far in to find a place to car camp for the night. So I can’t speak to what’s further up the road (including Forest Road 1062, which is the marker for this Dyrt listing)."
"Arrived 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."
"Loved this free campground on Baker Lake near mt baker, WA! Take the first turn after horseshoe cove campground and follow the gravel road all the way to the lake."
"The dispersed sites are on the narrow, gravel section. There are a few on the paved area but most have been blocked off. Even on the gravel section most are pull-offs or quite close to the road."
"the better spots were once the road turned to gravel, found a spot by the stream, parked the car to protect us. if staying longer i’d say it’s best to keep going to south fork sauk. but it was nice for"
"We stayed here 2 nights on our road trip, tent camping. The road is a bit of a far drive from the highway, but there seems to be many spots to camp along the way."
"Stayed at one that was overlooking the lake. Lots of spots with easy lake access. Pros: free, good views, easy to get to, plenty of spots (even on Labor Day), fire rings."
"Some are right on the road, others are tucked away. For the ones that are more tucked away you definitely need a high clearance 4WD vehicle but it’s case by case."
"The site was right next to a rushing creek running down to the Saul River. It was beautiful and we had a restful time even on a holiday weekend!"
LegendThe dispersed sites are on the narrow, gravel section. There are a few on the paved area but most have been blocked off. Even on the gravel section most are pull-offs or quite close to the road. They are dispersed sites so no amenities. Most are close or have access to the Sauk River. The road and TH’s were very busy but cleared out as evening settled in.
LegendWe spent two nights at this small campground. It is free in off season. There is a vault toilet but no other amenities. Sites were clean and in good condition.
Baker Lake TH is a few miles up the road for more exploring.
LegendPotential for being a non stop dust bath. I lucked out and came to this soot after it rained so the dirt road was wet. My van is right on the side of the road. If the ground is dusty, that could be rough time with the dust. LOTS of cars driving past. Even a few throughout the night. If you are in a tent, I dont think it would be too bad as the tent areas are down closer to the water. It looks like room for 1 larger tent and maybe a smaller tent on even ground.
Not too bad on the bug situation.
Ground is very rocky so no place to dig a bathroom. Remember NOT to leave your poopoo and TP. Thats disgusting and the next camper doesnt want to deal with that. You are ruining it for everyone else. (I hate that this needs to be addressed in reviews now) 2 miles up the road at the trail head has pit toilets
Nice access to the lake. If it wasnt so cold and rainy I definitely would have gotten the paddle board out.
I would say theres around 15-20 spots along this road. We made it to the end, its a trail head and it had a few large rigs down there set up for the night.
TravelerWent to camp here in my truck. Very convenient spot and easy to find off the main road. However this forest road is closed and actively under construction.
TravelerA big open gravel pull out about the size of a football field maybe. It’s used as a Sno-Park in the winter and has a couple trailheads in the back. A couple cars pulled down the FS road labeled “ski” in the back so there may be more private sites down that road, but I don’t know firsthand.
TravelerVery convenient spot. I didn’t have to go far in to find a place to car camp for the night. So I can’t speak to what’s further up the road (including Forest Road 1062, which is the marker for this Dyrt listing). I was still on Forest Road 1060, which is labeled Bacon Creek Road from Highway 20. Initially I drove past it trying to find where my map told me to turn based on the GPS. So just keep an eye out for Bacon Creek Road. Google Maps labels at Forest Road 1060.
GuideWe stayed here 2 nights on our road trip, tent camping. The road is a bit of a far drive from the highway, but there seems to be many spots to camp along the way. There are also a few paid for campgrounds in the area. But the free dispersed spots are the furthest down the road. The view of the lake and mountains in the distance are beautiful. The water is so clear and blue, fishing, and boating is common. No amenities near the free camping, but there are toilets and dumpsters along Baker Lake road. Not too many mosquitoes when we were there, but be aware of the mice. It rained the first night, but on the second, we had a wonderful view of the moonrise. We also spotted some toads by the lake at night. Signs say there are bears in the area, but we didn't have a problem with that. My only complaints are we could not park our car right next to camp, but it wasn't far, campfires were not allowed, and people cannot seem to clean up after themselves. There were areas that were clearly used as bathrooms; toilet paper scattered around, and piles of poop. Please have the decency to bury your feces. But overall, I would definitely recommend this campsite!
TravelerMade it in a 5.5-in clearance sedan. Some beautiful spots right along the river and I would argue I was graced with one of the best ones! We stayed for a Thursday and Friday night, some cars coming and going. Never got to the actual waypoint marked for this but people were turning around on Friday night.
GuideNo water or amenities - close to road but quiet minimal traffic
Dispersed camping near Conway, Washington offers primitive sites primarily in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Elevation ranges from 500 to 2,500 feet across camping areas, with summer temperatures averaging 70-85°F during the day and 45-55°F at night. Most sites require high-clearance vehicles due to unpaved roads that deteriorate after rainfall.
Kayaking to islands: Access Hope Island Marine State Park from Boston Harbor in Olympia for a unique camping experience. A reviewer noted, "It's a short trip to the island, which is only accessible by boat. I was worried, with only four camping spots, that we wouldn't get one, but we ended up being the only people on the island."
Hiking nearby trails: Many dispersed camping spots near Conway provide access to trails within Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. At NF Dispersed Camping, one camper mentioned, "Beautiful area, small town nearby where you could likely pick up a few things. There is a fast flowing stream with crystal clear water. Quiet mountain/forest area."
Wildlife viewing: The Baker Lake area offers opportunities to observe local wildlife. Visitors at Baker Lake Tent camping report, "Didn't stay here but hiked in it and it's very spacious. There are 2 fire rings set up with an upper and lower camping option. The lower is right by a river that spills into the lake."
Secluded water access: Many sites along forest roads provide private river and lake access. According to a camper at Baker Lake Road Dispersed Campsite, "Spots are close together and there are a lot of people. But we couldn't tell we had people around us. You will need a tent if you want to sleep by the water."
Remote feeling despite proximity: Several camping areas maintain a wilderness atmosphere while remaining accessible. At Mountain Loop Hway Dispersed Camp, one visitor shared, "Easy enough to access right off the mountain loop highway. Meandering sites along the river with good logs for benches and fire rings made from forest rocks."
Free options: Most dispersed camping areas near Conway don't require fees. As noted by a camper at Baker Lake Road Dispersed Campsite, "It's free! Beautiful view. Very serene. No facilities! The drive in is easy."
Site availability fluctuates: During summer weekends, finding open dispersed sites requires persistence. According to a reviewer at Baker Lake Road Dispersed Campsite, "If you think all the spots are taken, keep driving. So many spots along Baker Lake Road. Late July, there's a lot of partying on the lake."
Road conditions vary: Access roads to dispersed camping areas often require appropriate vehicles. A visitor at NF Dispersed Camping reported, "Probably some good camping out this way, but we didn't get more than a mile in our promaster before turning around. Camped on a wider part of the road."
Limited facilities: Most dispersed sites lack basic amenities. At Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp, a camper mentioned, "Pit toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables available. No water. Got a spot with lake and Mountain views. Very small, quiet, stunning campground."
Choose established sites: For camping with children, select areas with some infrastructure. At Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp, a reviewer shared, "We found an amazing site right on the lake, with great views and it was fairly quiet. Despite that, great campground with toilets, picnic table, fire ring, and lots of trees for hammocking."
Consider accessibility: Some sites require significant walking from parking areas. One camper at Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp noted, "The only downside were the bugs. And there somewhat steep walk downhill from parking to the site."
Watch for hazards: Be aware of natural risks when camping with children. At Mountain Loop Hway Dispersed Camp, a visitor mentioned, "the better spots were once the road turned to gravel, found a spot by the stream, parked the car to protect us. if staying longer i'd say it's best to keep going to south fork sauk."
Size limitations: Most dispersed sites near Conway accommodate smaller recreational vehicles only. A visitor to NF Dispersed Camping advised, "Lovely spot right by the National park. We camped in our truck. The road was rough. We have a 27 foot rv I would not bring any trailers down here. Vans were there."
Pull-off camping: Some areas offer roadside options for larger vehicles. At Baker Lake Road Dispersed Campsite, one RVer explained, "Many pull offs along the gravel road. Stayed at one that was overlooking the lake. Lots of spots with easy lake access. All things considered, pretty good spot and would stay again."
Level site scarcity: Finding flat parking for RVs presents challenges. According to a camper at NF Dispersed Camping, "Not super level, but worked with limited options available. Proximity to North Cascades is nice. River nearby. There were some people pulled off on the side of the road camping that we saw before getting all the way to the coordinates."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Conway, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Conway, WA is Hope Island Marine State Park - Skagit County with a 4.7-star rating from 3 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Conway, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 25 dispersed camping locations near Conway, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
