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Washington State Discover Pass required https://discoverpass.wa.gov/
Scout
Only reason for 4 stars is because people have left trash here. Otherwise, it’s a great spot. Very private and spread out. There’s a handful of sites, each with make shift fire pits and none super close to each other. No fee other than discover pass. There’s an outhouse but we didn’t use it. We have Verizon and AT&T and had decent service.
TravelerBeautiful lakes. I was one of only 3 campers in and around long lake. Lots of privacy.
Traveler
Great campsite with an awesome view. Sandy dirt camping site near the USGS sensor station. No fires today due to high fire danger, but there was a pit in the camp. Tent right on the ridge. Dirt road was 12 miles up the mountain. Lots of switchbacks, but passible in a sedan. Takes 45 mins to get up. Take shady pass road to the top.
Traveler
Easy to get to. Different pull outs felt secluded enough. Lots of bugs. Felt safe
TravelerGreat place for camping right next to the lake. A little broken glass here and there but mostly pretty natural. Water did not look that great for swimming but plenty of big fish in the lake, pelicans and weasels. No fires may through Oct. A few other people fishing but everyone was a ways away.
ScoutLots of spots between Entiat River Rd 19 and this location. Ground is mostly a fine dirt.
GuideGreat spot to disperse camp, no toilets , great for swimming fishing kayaking paddle boarding and disperse camping, sunken boat at edge of water cool feature. Lots of bugs and spiders. Also close the cow gate.
Traveler
A place to sleep. You can set up tent on the elevated ridge you see as you drive in off the pull-off from the hwy. But be mindful of the cactuses, these are small but quite sharp.
Legend
We camped here because my grandparents used to fish here long ago. The camping is free and dispersed. There is a large gravel parking lot suitable for large RVs plus those towing a trailer or boat. We chose to find a more secluded site away from the strong winds. The views of the lake were beautiful especially in the fall.
Below the gravel area was a large paved area for boat trailers. A discover pass is needed ($30/year) but we always get one and use it extensively.
You access this area via long wide well graded gravel road. There are no site numbers; you just find a spot and stay.
ScoutI love heading here to tent camp out of my car, I own a sedan and it's easy to get to on gravel roads, they have outhouses nearby that are regularly stocked and you can camp feet from long lake and enjoy the open air. during some months their is cattle in the area and they come down to the lake in the morning and greet you, I've been here 3 times as of this post, love it
Legend
Camped here in February and November and in generally recommend it for fall and spring. Avoid summer when it gets too hot and ticks and rattlesnakes are around. It gets cold at night so come prepared.
There are several established sites near Ancient Lakes and Dusty Lakes that can be accessed from the lower trailhead hiking or biking in.
Ancient Lakes sites are only 2 miles from the trailhead on flat terrain which makes it for an ideal first backpacking experience.
Only catch is that the lakes are polluted with agricultural runoff so that water should not be used for drinking not even if filtered. Pack all the water you will need.
No facilities at the lakes. Port-a-potty at the trailhead.
Need Discover Pass to park here.
TravelerReally easy straight on hike. It is definitely dusty but a really nice change of pace from the trees and mountains. Several waterfalls that you can get super close to. We have not camped there yet but it looked super fun.
RangerWe arrived here on a Sunday night in May and the place was empty...... only one other camper and it was really far away. It is very remote, no services around and a little odd to get to, in that you have to wind past a lakeside"resort" with a little store and campsites that didn't look really very nice, yet there were people everywhere, it looked totally booked. Then you cross over the line into the campground where a$30 annual pass is required, yet the per night cost is$0 as of 2017, and there was nobody around! The campground is like a big open parking area with a boat launch and toilets and then there is also a little more dispersed sites where random fire pits have been built. We had our choice of sites so we picked one that sat away from others and was right above the water making the launch of the kayaks pretty easy.
ScoutAmazing time and the hosts of the resort are great. I can’t wait to come back next year!
GuideSkip this dirt field and stay at Jack’s Resort. My grandparents invited me out and, be it not my dispersed style (hence the two stars), I enjoyed the beautiful lake. Jack’s Resort is extremely well maintained. It has a little cafe. Immaculate bathrooms and even a few cabins for those who would rather. Lots of fishing if that’s your thing. Take a little boat and an ice chest of cold beverages and enjoy a day on the lake.
TravelerRV and tent camping. Can be windy during season change. Boat accessible. Gravel and dirt. Very beautiful night, great for star gazing. Great fishing spot, has split season and is only open during fishing season. There is a private camping location close by with restaurant and store for supplies. Lots of trout, caught limit every time. Witnessed someone pull a 18" trout last visit.
TravelerLots of campgrounds to choose from. Some are dustier than others. Plenty of space between campsites. Fire pits available for use but check for burn bans.
LegendThis place is where I go when I want to disconnect and get away from the stress of school in Ellensburg. I've been here a handful of times and there's never been more than a dozen people spread out over the entire coulee valley. The previous directions are good and the one on WTA will take you right to the parking lot where it's an easy 1.5 mile hike down into the coulee. I've heard other people say they walked in from ancient lakes road and it took three times as long to make it to the camping spots.
The lakes are safe for swimming in my opinion (there's even a rock to jump off on the closest lake!) But do carry your own water in, it is irrigation runoff and has plenty of yummy pesticides that you cannot filter out. Other than that enjoy the lakes, waterfalls and killer sunsets that happen on a nightly basis out here!
TravelerThis is a good early season hike while its still rainy in Seattle it can easily be sunny and warm on the other side of the mountains. There are at least 5 good campsites at the lakes that will each hold multiple tents no problem. Some people do light fires but I’d like to discourage it, fire danger is pretty real in these scrublands. This is a very pretty hike full of sage brush and interesting geological features, also several waterfalls. Past the lakes you can go out to the Columbia River Gorge. Check out the WTA description for more details. Note that there is no potable water, you have to haul it it. The lakes are contaminated by irrigation run off.
Traveler2 mile backpack into box canyon and 2 night campout. Surrounded on three sides by tall basalt column cliff walls. Small water fall at northeastern corner. Incredible hiking up to top of rim and around to secondary canyon with a larger lake. You can also hike down towards the Columbia river where there is some additional camping available. Go in early spring for the green and cooler temps. You will want to bring a sleeping pad and tarp since ground is rough. Make sure you bring your own water! Even though there are lakes in the canyon, none of the water is safe for drinking due to the agricultural run off. Filtering will not work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Coulee City, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Coulee City, WA is Jameson Lake with a 3.8-star rating from 5 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 14 dispersed camping locations near Coulee City, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
