Best Tent Camping near Lilliwaup, WA
Tent campgrounds near Lilliwaup, Washington include both established and dispersed options within Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park. NF-2419 Dispersed Site offers free tent camping with drive-in and hike-in access, while Lena Lake Campground provides a scenic 3.5-mile hike-in experience. Lilliwaup Creek Campground has been closed for approximately ten years, with the Forest Service now removing those who attempt to camp there.
Most dispersed tent sites in the Olympic National Forest require campers to be self-sufficient, with no drinking water, toilets, or trash services available. Established campgrounds like Lena Lake feature vault toilets but typically lack running water. Fire regulations vary seasonally, with many dispersed sites permitting fires when conditions allow. According to one visitor, "NF-2419 is a very busy road at all hours. 2 or 3 cars drive by all day and all through the night." For this reason, tent campers seeking more solitude may prefer sites located farther from the main forest roads or opt for walk-in backcountry locations.
Olympic National Forest dispersed camping areas provide multiple tent site options along forest roads with variable privacy levels. Sites near streams are particularly sought after, though they can fill quickly on summer weekends. A camper noted that NF-2419 has "various streams crossing the path of the service road. Truly magical place." For backpackers, Upper Lena Lake in Olympic National Park offers tent camping with picnic tables and reservable sites, though the trail becomes snow-covered well into June. Camp Pleasant, approximately 6.5 miles from Staircase Ranger Station, provides tent sites near the North Fork Skokomish River with several locations on a small island in the river itself. Most tent sites throughout the region require Northwest Forest Passes or appropriate recreation permits for parking at trailheads.