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NF-52 Dispersed Camping welcomes pets in a rustic setting along Forest Service Road 52 near Longmire, Washington. Multiple camping spots offer river access with some sites providing views of Mount Rainier. The area features free camping with no designated pet restrictions, though all pets should remain leashed. Temporary toilets have been installed by Forest Service to assist with waste management issues. Mounthaven Resort offers additional pet-friendly options including tent sites, RV spots with hookups, and cabins that accept dogs. The resort maintains clean cedar bathroom facilities and provides private, wooded campsites separated by thick trees for privacy when camping with pets. Several spots in the NF-52 area have experienced issues with litter and ants, with some campers reporting trash problems that affected their pet camping experience.
Dogs enjoy multiple hiking paths and river access points throughout the camping areas near Longmire. The Nisqually River runs alongside many of the dispersed camping spots, providing water access for pets that enjoy swimming. Some NF-52 sites require short walks from parking areas to reach secluded camp spots with Rainier views, making these good options for dogs that need exercise. Big Creek Campground offers another pet-friendly option with a small creek that provides entertainment for children and pets alike. Pet owners should be prepared for variable weather conditions, as temperatures can drop significantly at night even during summer months. No designated dog parks exist at these campgrounds, but the surrounding national forest land offers ample space for leashed pets to explore. The mosquito presence varies by location and season, with some camping areas reporting significant bug activity that can affect both humans and pets.
"Lots of trails to hike, pet friendly, and the river is a sight to see. Beautiful."
"You are away from a lot of the crowds that you find at the other two campgrounds within the park, and Ohanapecosh takes reservations. "
from $20 / night
Check Availability"I've been coming here since I was a little kid and it's still one of my favorite campgrounds (with leashed pets allowed)."
"The scenery is gorgeous and is conviently located by Packwood. Massive trees and campground is pet friendly. Also reservations are welcome."
from $23 - $115 / night
Check Availability"This is a great place to stay, clean, creek access, tons of space for dogs to play in the field, nice little trail access from the field next to the campground."
"We stayed at site #10 it is a fantastic pull through site super close to the creek(if you want to be real close check out site #3). Super dog friendly and nice big sites."
from $25 - $40 / night
Check Availability"I chose to stayed here because of its location. It’s close to the entrance into Rainier NP and there’s plenty of Amazing hikes nearby. I camped alone (I’m a female) and I felt safe."
"Located a short distance from Mt Rainier NP, this is the perfect springboard for any NP adventure or chillax getaway."
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability"We found an awesome walk in spot a little bit earlier on on the forest road before these actual coordinates."
"Got here around sunset. Looks like some good camping spots to walk into. Beautiful view of Rainier. There was a little bit of traffic but nothing crazy. Would stay here again."
"It was an absolutely beautiful location, about 10-15 minutes away from the Sunrise Entrance. The first night, I got there after 9pm and there were still plenty of spots available."
"The campsites are absolutely beautiful—tucked among the trees with stunning views and the soothing, constant sound of the roaring White River nearby."
"And Mounthaven is so close to the Rainier gate that visitors could stroll over to show their passes or pay those entry fees. Note that the gates are still a distance from Longmire or Paradise."
"Close to park entrance"
"They were also very dog friendly, they had a pet post outside the bathrooms and poop bags available."
"When we visited Mount Rainier in the early season, we quickly discovered that not too many trails and activities throughout the park would be accessible. That included the developed campgrounds."
from $35 - $265 / night
Check Availability"An ADA trail is level for walking the dog.
Shooting range is close by, doesn’t bother me but it’s pretty noisy.""Washington Pass required. Plenty of room for RVs at many of the sites - it was mostly empty when we came."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"secluded lakeside camping underneath high rock. 3 mile hike to the lake, 6 round trip. Tons and tons of frogs and tadpoles which meant no bugs! beautiful area"
"Campground Review: There are a ton of amazing places to camp around Mt. Rainier and Cora Lake did not disappoint."
LegendReally cute camp spot and play area!! Pet friendly and dog park! Went here on our trip to Tacoma north of the city. Very nice beach and area!! There's also a light house to check out while you are here!
GuideViews of Adams, Helens, Hood, Jefferson. Highest camp in Washington. Nice solar toilets. The hike up is quite difficult.
LegendThere is no mistaking why the village perched on the slopes of Mt Rainier is called Paradise. Rainier is spectacular! And Mounthaven is so close to the Rainier gate that visitors could stroll over to show their passes or pay those entry fees. Note that the gates are still a distance from Longmire or Paradise. The resort is so close in fact, that upon arriving around 4pm on a Sunday, we waited in a long line of traffic backed up 2 miles past the gate and 1 1/2 past the resort. We were told this only happens on busier weekends, and it certainly held true for our weekdays camping here. Just be aware if time is an issue so plans can be made accordingly.
We are traveling the Northwest this summer with camp packed in the back of our car, and as such we occupied their only primitive, tent site. The site itself was the most out of the way, quiet, and secluded that we have camped in all summer. It has a water pump onsite, which is quite handy. There is a dumpster close enough to not be a chore. The bathrooms/shower/laundry and pretty close too.
The resort has several hook up sites for RV’s or tents—I don’t believe any were pull-through, but call to confirm. The amenity sites weren’t as private, but they seemed reasonable. The resort prides itself in cabins, and from all accounts they appear to be stocked with all necessities like linens, very nice, well maintained and downright cute.
Firewood is sold onsite, but no other provisions are available at the resort. There is a super extra pricey Grocery-Mart closer to Rainier, and two fairly pricey, better stocked options 5 miles in the other direction. They sell gas there too. Visitors would be wise to come to the area with groceries in their trunk regardless.
The resort has one toilet and one shower. They are quite nice, actually—the cleanest we’ve come upon so far. We were concerned about the number, but overall we didn’t spend a lot of time waiting, if we waited at all.
There is also one coin operated washer and dryer. WiFi is usually good, but no so much at peak times.
The owners James and Zandy were really friendly, and seemed to deeply care about their property as well as their clients.
GuideThis is my new favorite spot to camp in Washington. The spaces are well distributed, the location right next to the river is beautiful and the site staff were extremely gracious. I’d strongly recommend picking a number between 2 and 10 as those are the closest sights to the river if you’re looking to enjoy the sounds of the water. There is also a full bathroom at around the mid 20s if you’d prefer a functional toilet system.
GuideThe Mayfield Lake is the main attraction. Be sure to visit the day use area across the road for lake access with swimming, picnic, and a dog park on the water.
Very good privacy for the standard campsite loop. Standard campsites are either pull through or back in.
There's a trail around the edge of the lake in campsite loop. Find the point, you wont be disappointed.
ScoutExcellent location for those with military access to the base - active duty, retired or family. 30/50 amp hookups. Beautiful views of American Lake. Pet friendly.
GuideThis campground has super friendly staff, decent bathrooms and showers, laundry facility, access to a lake, fishing is welcome, swimming allowed, great playground for kids, allows pets, has a small store in the office with some essentials if you forget something. It is about a 1 Hour drive to the entrance of Mount Rainier National Park.
RangerMy father and I snowshoed to this yurt for my birthday in right before the corona virus outbreak. With several feet of deep snow, this 12.5 mile snow hike was no joke. Took us 8 hours to get to the yurt. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of daylight to get up there.
Pets are not allowed inside the yurt for consideration of other guests and their possible allergies. We just set up a tarp over the porch outside for our dog. Twenty feet away from the front door is the vault toilet. It’s in great condition and very clean. Warm fire place and plenty of furniture or ground space for sleeping arrangements. You can reserve the yurt to have it all to yourself at skimta.org once the virus restrictions are over.
TravelerWe took our youth group on their first camping trip a few weeks ago. I rained a tad, but the kids loved it! I was very impressed with the upkeep of the camp ground. Very clean. The trash got picked up by the Rangers at least once a day, even more on the Saturday. The bath rooms were clean and had warm shower s. They were also very dog friendly, they had a pet post outside the bathrooms and poop bags available. Even though the water level of the lake is extremely low, it did not stop us from boating swimming and kayaking!
Dispersed camping options near Longmire, Washington provide access to Mount Rainier National Park while often offering more privacy than established campgrounds. The area sits at elevations between 1,800 and 2,700 feet, with temperatures that can drop to the 30s even in summer. Most dispersed sites require self-sufficient camping with no potable water sources or waste facilities.
Hiking to waterfalls: Ohanapecosh Campground provides easy access to scenic waterfall trails. "Ohanapecosh, has lots of great trails for most all ages. We took our kids up to Grove of the Patriarchs which crosses a suspended bridge. It does get a bit busy on this trail though. If you keep hiking further it become a bit more secluded," notes Rich M.
River swimming spots: La Wis Wis Campground features natural swimming areas during late summer. "We go here once a year… we've been early summer and late summer. Recommend late summer if you want to swim as the river is still moving strong and quickly June/July," advises Stevie L.
Wildlife viewing: Mount Rainier's forests host diverse wildlife including black bears. "Excellent basecamp for long hikes in the area. Make sure you follow all the regulations regarding bears...we saw paw prints out on hikes," reports Justin S. from Ohanapecosh Campground.
Privacy between sites: La Wis Wis Campground offers secluded camping spots. "Sites are green and shaded. Most are pretty close to one another, but several have river access. Toilets are nonflushing, pit-style, but are kept pretty clean," explains Stacie H.
Creek access for cooling off: Big Creek Campground provides stream access during hot weather. "Great place to camp for our summer trips to Mt. Rainer! We have 2 little ones, so the close proximity to a small creek was great for the kids," shares Marcus M.
Forest shade coverage: Elkamp Eastcreek features tall trees providing natural shade. "The majority of the campsites were amid tall trees. Site G was more in the open with less shade; however it was situated next to a gentle creek," reports Shannon H. from Elkamp Eastcreek.
Campground capacity limitations: Reserve early during summer months. "If you do not reserve ahead of time, be sure to come on a Thursday before the weekend crowd comes. We went early Thursday afternoon and had several to choose from. By Friday afternoon, the campground was full," cautions Stacie H. about La Wis Wis Campground.
Vault toilet conditions: Most dispersed camping areas have basic or no facilities. "Bathrooms were pit toilets—no sinks, no showers—but clean enough. I think my biggest gripe is that Big Creek Campground just didn't deliver on the 'exceptional scenery' part of the website's description," reports L. from Big Creek Campground.
Weather preparedness: Temperature fluctuations require layered clothing and extra blankets. "This is pretty far away from any stores, so make sure you have everything you need before entering the park," advises Justin S. about camping at Ohanapecosh.
Junior Ranger programs: National Park Service offers educational activities for children. "Very family friendly with large and small camp sites. Great for multiple family outings. Very full in the summer time. Visitor center in the campground, fun ranger programs," explains JE K. from Cougar Rock Group Campground.
Kid-friendly swim areas: Several campgrounds feature gentle water access points. "We took a hike around the trail. Saw the waterfalls. We ended with a picnic and swimming in the river," shares Curtis H. about family activities at Ohanapecosh.
Group camping options: Multiple families can share larger sites. "In C Loop had plenty of room for 2 tents, but there were some sites that were much smaller. Firewood is sold in small bundles for $6. Be sure to check out Blue Hole, a beautiful swimming hole with a very rocky beach," suggests Stacie H.
Space constraints: Most dispersed sites accommodate smaller RVs only. "This is an older campground with smaller roads and bigger campsites. This makes it great for tent campers and those with smaller RV's or tent trailers. The larger loud RV's would not fit in the spots or on the roads," warns Patience H. about Mounthaven Resort.
Hookup availability: Few campgrounds offer full hookups. "There is no dump station. Sewer hookups would be even better. But that's a small inconvenience in exchange for staying at a gorgeous campground just a short drive from the Seattle metro area," notes William B. about Elkamp Eastcreek.
Pet-friendly considerations: Ensure your chosen site welcomes pets. "Peaceful, pretty, private, with beautifully clean cedar bathroom/showers and thoughtful touches, like a box of tissues in the laundry and nice-smelling lavender hand soaps provided," mentions Phoebe B. about pet-friendly camping at Mounthaven Resort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Longmire, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Longmire, WA is Ohanapecosh Campground — Mount Rainier National Park with a 4.6-star rating from 42 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Longmire, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 188 dog-friendly camping locations near Longmire, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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