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Several free dispersed camping options exist within an hour's drive from Kent, Washington in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. South Fork Snoqualmie River sites along Tinkham Road offer the closest access, with numerous pull-offs into wooded areas. The unpaved access road has significant potholes requiring vehicles with decent ground clearance. Most sites feature established fire rings, though many campers report finding trash and broken glass. One camper noted, "If you get here early enough you can get a good secluded site on an offshoot, but most sites are just right off the road."
Other backcountry camping areas include White River, Carbon River, and forest road pull-offs near Enumclaw. These primitive sites provide no amenities—no toilets, drinking water or trash service. Cell reception varies by location, with South Fork Snoqualmie providing surprisingly good coverage. Most areas allow fires when no bans are in effect, and nearly all require Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful pass displayed in vehicles. During summer weekends, early arrival is essential as one visitor mentioned, "We went up at the end of 4th of July weekend...found a great spot but it was apparent that the group before us used everywhere to go to the bathroom."
"Access road is right off the highway and unpaved, has a TON of holes so I wouldn’t recommend driving down it without good ground clearance."
"PLEASE LEAVE NO TRACE! Other wise we really enjoyed a quick night away in our van."
"Right outside the entrance to Mt."
"If you come here you must leave no trace."
"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."
"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."
"My fiance' and I are sleeping in a tent and it has rained a lot but if you go into the woods, you can still find dry branches for starting a fire."
"I go every year, but unfortunately the only bridge to gain access to camping is closed until further notice"
"Hike was definitely challenging for middle aged man but I made it and my 10 year old did too (albeit after handing his backpack to dad to carry)."
"We hiked in to Annette Lake to test out some new backpacking gear as we’re just getting into backpacking - it was great!"
from $5 / night
Check Availability"There were many spots right next to the stream. There was a fire ban during our stay but there are many fire pits at each site."
"Lots of pull offs spots on FS Rd 73 but this spot is very open and it’s the one the GPS guided me to from The Dyrt site."
"Great spot to land after long day of driving."
"Super easy to drive up to the lake and camp, have a fire, hang out and explore!"
"Located at the trailhead are two bathrooms, a covered picnic area and a handful of parking stalls with additional parking located along the road. "
"I didn’t know what to expect but when I arrived I was pleasantly pleased with the location! I had the whole area to myself. Ample room to space to get situated."
"This place is the best free camping in Washington. Coming from the Skykomish direction I believe it’s the turnoff to the right, right before the bridge."
"Just a couple miles East of Skykomish, up a paved road, the campsite is just before you go over the bridge on your right and had enough room for high clearance vehicles to pull into it and smaller cars"
TravelerPlenty of sites along the river with multiple ingress/egress options from the road. Right outside the entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park and the access road to Crystal Mountain.
4x4 / high clearance vehicles recommended - saw some subarus trying to navigate into a cleared area and it was pretty scrape-y.
Great place to stay if you can't get a spot at White River / Ohanapecosh.
Leave no trace.
RangerSingle campsite off the forest service road. No porta potty, no water, no electricity. Could accommodate a group. No picnic table. Not an actual metal fire pit but someone made a rock ring. The downside is the shooting pit right below the site. When we were there a family came to shoot but they stopped by our site to let us know beforehand.
LegendLarge gravel parking area just outside the border of Mt Ranier NP that’s right off the highway, easy to access in our RV, just have to go slow over the potholes. Zero cell reception for ATT and the Verizon phone was very weak/ practically unusable.
There was an abandoned (ticketed) falling apart trailer, and another trailer camping there. The stay limit here is 14 days, though to me this is more a place if you need a place for the night, rather than a destination.
It’s on the way to Crystal Springs Resort area, which we did not check out.
ScoutEvery 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
LegendWe 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.
LegendWe 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.
GuideAccess road is right off the highway and unpaved, has a TON of holes so I wouldn’t recommend driving down it without good ground clearance. There are a number of established sites where you can pull off the road and drive back into the woods a bit. And I had cell service everywhere!
GuideThis place is the best free camping in Washington. Coming from the Skykomish direction I believe it’s the turnoff to the right, right before the bridge. The old Cascades Highway road is barely travelled at all and there is rushing river right along the campsite. There is service and other pull offs along the highway if this spot is taken. There’s some large rocks that you have to maneuver around but my Subaru Forester got around it just fine.
ScoutNice large campsite near the water. There were many campsites along the road. I had to clean up a lot of trash when it got here. Please pack out your own trash and follow other leave no trace rules. The campfire was awesome
Dispersed camping near Kent, Washington offers access to Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest with elevations ranging from 1,800 to 5,500 feet throughout the region. Most primitive campsites sit along rivers or creeks at lower elevations, providing natural white noise that masks highway sounds. Summer temperatures typically reach 70-85°F during day and drop to 45-55°F at night, requiring appropriate sleeping gear even in summer months.
Riverside exploration: At Carbon River Dispersed camping area, visitors can enjoy activities along the river's edge. "It is currently the beginning of June '24, cold at nights and the mornings. My fiance' and I are sleeping in a tent and it has rained a lot but if you go into the woods, you can still find dry branches for starting a fire," notes one camper.
Backcountry hiking access: The dispersed sites provide starting points for wilderness adventures. At Annette Lake, campers access alpine destinations with moderate effort. "We hiked in to Annette Lake to test out some new backpacking gear as we're just getting into backpacking - it was great! The 4 mile hike in was just enough of a challenge for our first time with weight in our packs."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Many sites offer chances to observe local wildlife. "The campground had a decent amount of wildlife running around. We had a number of chipmunks running around our camp cleaning up any scraps left daily... and deer came through the camp just about anytime it was quiet," reports a visitor to Ipsut Creek Camp.
Cell reception: Unlike many remote camping areas, some dispersed sites near Kent maintain connectivity. One camper at South Fork Snoqualmie River Dispersed Site noted, "I travel and work remotely so I'm always looking for free places that have cell reception and this place hits the jackpot. I've come in twice on a Saturday afternoon and have been able to find an open spot with my 18 ft travel trailer, I have Verizon and have 2-3 bars of service."
River soundscapes: Many campers appreciate the natural sound barrier water provides. At White River Dispersed Camping, a reviewer shared, "The campsites are absolutely beautiful—tucked among the trees with stunning views and the soothing, constant sound of the roaring White River nearby. The river noise also does a great job of masking any sounds from the nearby road."
Seclusion options: Those willing to drive further down access roads find more isolated spots. "There are a ton of really great sites along this road, although most of the drive-in sites will be taken if it's a busy weekend, so get there early!" advises one camper at South Fork Snoqualmie River.
Vehicle requirements: Many dispersed camping areas have challenging access roads. For Ranger Creek Airstrip Dispersed, "For larger rigs - take the second left at a Y-intersection, and then keep to the left and you won't have any trouble getting in. Going to the right at the Y takes you to an area that big rigs might have trouble finding spots or turning around, but still doable."
Seasonal closures: Water levels impact accessibility at some sites. "Says when water gets below 2840 ft to protect the fish they close the road and no camping is permitted," notes a visitor regarding Keechelus Lake in July.
Safety considerations: Solo campers should research locations carefully. One reviewer warned about South Fork Snoqualmie River: "Nice area by a creek, very peaceful and quiet during the day, a ton of people around and lots of passerby's. As soon as it got dark, someone decided to sneak around my campsite with a flashlight and stand outside my tent for some time. Packed up quick and zoomed out of there, very uncomfortable and would not recommend for solo campers."
Plant hazards: Parents should watch children closely at certain sites. At South Fork Snoqualmie River, a camper cautioned, "Lovely area such beautiful surroundings. But be very cautious as near one of the camp sites are very dangerous plants that are fatal and they are lined all around the campground so not recommended if you have children."
Secluded swimming spots: Some locations offer kid-friendly water access. At Forest Road 7300 Pull-Off, visitors enjoy "Lots of great creekside campsites along Huckleberry Creek with small swimming spots and fire pits to enjoy."
Campsite selection: The timing of your arrival determines the quality of sites available for families. "Get there early to get the better sites. Plenty down the road though if all of the initial sites are full. Pretty wooded sites, some you can pull down into," advises a camper about South Fork Snoqualmie River.
Rig size considerations: Several dispersed camping areas accommodate larger vehicles with planning. Regarding Ranger Creek Airstrip, one RVer noted, "This is my favorite dispersed site so far. Plenty of room for larger rigs, very close to a river and lots of woods to explore nearby. Close enough to Mt. Rainier NP and nearby towns for supplies."
Off-season advantages: Timing your visit during shoulder seasons provides better experiences. "Best in late fall when it's cooler. Less loud drunkards. Don't get me wrong, I love my cocktails but can get a little obnoxious. Can fit large RV's down a half mile rough road. I have been a few times in October/November in a 40 ft 5er," shares an RVer at Ranger Creek.
Self-sufficiency requirements: No hookups or services exist at these primitive sites. "No services here - no water, no wifi, no trash pick up, no campground host (there is a moderately clean vault toilet). But it's also free, or a $5 donation at the iron ranger," mentions a reviewer about dispersed camping options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Kent, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Kent, WA is South Fork Snoqualmie River Dispersed Site with a 3.9-star rating from 19 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Kent, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 45 dispersed camping locations near Kent, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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