Best Tent Camping near Custer, WA
The San Juan Islands near Custer, Washington offer exceptional tent-only camping opportunities with several marine state parks providing walk-in tent sites accessible by boat, kayak, or short hikes. Patos Island State Park Campground and Sucia Island Marine State Park feature tent campsites with spectacular water views and basic amenities. Pine and Cedar Lakes Primitive Camping, located just 15 minutes from Bellingham, provides a more secluded backcountry tent camping experience with sites that require a short but steep hike to reach.
Most primitive tent campgrounds in this region feature flat tent pads on natural surfaces ranging from forest duff to sandy beaches. Vault toilets are available at most marine state park locations, though drinking water is limited or unavailable, requiring campers to bring their own or use filtration systems. Sites at Obstruction Pass State Park are positioned just above the beach, keeping tents safely out of high tide zones. Seasonal considerations include summer crowds at popular locations and potential fire bans during dry periods. Many tent-only sites operate on a first-come, first-served basis, though some marine parks allow reservations.
According to one visitor at Pine and Cedar Lakes, "Cedar Lake campsites are bigger and flatter, with log benches marking the sites." Campers at Obstruction Pass noted the short, relatively flat hike in makes it "perfect for a first time backpacking adventure" with good campsites and pit toilets. The marine state parks provide unique tent camping experiences, with one reviewer describing Patos Island as "remote, with clearings for pitching your shelter, picnic tables and relatively clean vault toilets." September visits often yield better availability and fewer crowds than peak summer months. Wildlife sightings are common, with raccoons being particularly active around food storage at several island campsites, requiring proper food containment.
