Planning a dispersed camping trip near Friday Harbor? Dispersed camping gets you off the grid so you can disconnect from the hecticness of everyday life. Each dispersed site offers quick access to one or more of Friday Harbor's most popular destinations.
A quick paddle or boat ride will get you to Hope Island State Park between La Conner and Whidbey Island on Skagit Bay. Once on the island, quiet hikes through forest and wildland meadows will charm you and relieve your stress.
Boaters know this park as a great place to tie up and take in the sunset or sunrise, but many come ashore and pitch a tent at one of Hope Island's primitive campsites.
Whether you arrive on a luxury boat, by the power of your arms and shoulders, or anything in between, you'll feel far from your daily routine and deserving of this island time.
PARK FEATURES Hope Island Marine State Park is a 181-acre marine park with six campsites, two mooring buoys, lovely beaches and a trail across the island. Most of the island is a nature preserve, and visitors are asked to stay on established trails and in designated campsites.
The park offers six primitive campsites on the north shore bay. The pay station is near the eastern campsite. A vault toilet is in the woods 100-feet south of the campsites. The rest of the island is a Natural Area Preserve, off limits to recreational use. Standard primitive campsite rules apply.The overnight parking fee is in effect at Cornet Bay boat launch.
Check-in time is 2:30 p.m. Check-out time is 1 p.m.
Dispersed camping is the term used for camping outside of a developed campground. If you enjoy selecting your own campsite, providing your own amenities, creating your own experience, and camping for FREE, then dispersed camping is for you!
Campsite
Choose a campsite screened from roads and trails, and at least 200 feet from water Use a campsite that’s already been established, if possible. If you choose a new site, return the site to its natural condition when you leave Pets
Your animal friends are welcome to accompany you on your dispersed camping adventure! Fires
Only burn wood that is already dead and down Always make sure your fire is DEAD OUT and cold to the touch before you leave it Campfires are allowed below 3,500 feet when not otherwise prohibited by fire restrictions Trash
Store your food & trash properly to keep bears and other wildlife out of your camp Whatever you pack in, PACK IT OUT! Human Waste
Bury your poo & paper at least 6” deep and at least 200 feet away from any water source
Your dispersed campsite must be at least ¼ mile away from any developed recreation site Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days within any 30-day period Fireworks are always prohibited on National Forest System lands
Guide
Super cool, isolated campground right next to Lake Ángeles. Only way to access is by hiking to it. Lots of bugs so make sure to bring bug repellant. Primitive campground, so bring your own water, trowel, tp, everything!! Hike is about 4 miles from the trailhead with ~ 2,500ft of elevation gain. Trailhead is right by the toll booths for the park. Parking is limited so try to get there at a reasonable time.
Ranger
For such a fabulous location, this campground is woefully behind the times. Compared to other Cascade Water Trails locations under the WA State Parks jurisdiction that are clean and now sport awesome composting toilets, Point Doughty under the Department of Natural Resources has a particularly horrible pit toilet that you have to scramble up a bluff to get to. I understand a storm took out the stairs a while back and it's obvious there's been some activity to get stairs rebuilt. However, it's impossible as of this writing to get any gear from the beach to the campsites on the bluff. I wound up camping on the beach as I was in my kayak and there were no other options nearby. Actually the beach was quite pleasant as 2 orca whales cavorted just 100' off and a stellar sea lion, harbor seals and many sea bird varieties provided fantastic entertainment.
TravelerCute sites, but you will be interrupted 500 times a day with walkers who use the trail and want to go straight through your site.
TravelerOnly 3 non-reservable sites with tables and fire pits on DNR land. The path up to the sites from the beach is very steep and slippery on the dirt but there is a rope to help. Looks like they’re trying to create a stairway in the future. Not recommended if you need to haul myriad items up to the campground. One vault toilet had no toilet paper and was quite unsavory. We grabbed some rolls from Sucia to restock it for people. There is an epic view with short trails to walk around though.
Traveler3 non-reservable sites are available on Washington area preserve land. The path up to the sites is steep and slippery with loose dirt but there’s a rope to help out. Looks like they started to build steps, who knows if it will get finished. Not recommended for hauling myriad items up from kayaks. The restroom is a vault toilet that lacked toilet paper and was quite unsavory. We brought a couple rolls from Sucia to help out. During low side it is very rocky and tough on fiberglass kayaks, but there’s a small path that can launch one or two kayaks at a time. There’s a couple short paths to explore the area, and an epic view at the tip of the point. Best used for small groups and simple camping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Friday Harbor, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Friday Harbor, WA is Point Doughty with a 2.7-star rating from 3 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Friday Harbor, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 dispersed camping locations near Friday Harbor, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
