Best Dispersed Camping near Maple Falls, WA

Dispersed camping near Maple Falls, Washington centers around several free sites in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest area. Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp and Baker Lake Road Dispersed Campsite provide primitive camping options with varying levels of amenities. National Forest dispersed camping is also available along forest service roads, particularly in the NF Dispersed Camping area. Most sites require permits but remain free of charge, with several locations offering lake access and mountain views.

Access roads to many dispersed sites feature unpaved surfaces with numerous potholes and rough terrain. Several campers note that high-clearance vehicles are recommended, particularly for reaching sites deeper in the forest. Lower Sandy Camp requires navigating a gravel road with large potholes, while NF Dispersed Camping areas need "clearance around the same amount as the Subaru line of vehicles or greater." Most sites lack drinking water, showers, and trash facilities. Fire restrictions vary seasonally, with complete bans during dry periods. One camper reported that "despite the statewide burn ban in effect," some visitors still had campfires.

These primitive camping areas provide varying experiences based on location and season. Sites near Baker Lake offer scenic views and water access, though they can become crowded during summer months. "If you think all the spots are taken, keep driving. So many spots along Baker Lake Road," noted one visitor. Lower Sandy Camp features both forested and open sites, some with direct lake and mountain views. "Very small, quiet, stunning campground," according to a camper who secured a lakeside spot. NF Dispersed Camping areas tend to be more secluded, with one visitor describing it as "beautiful area, small town nearby where you could likely pick up a few things" and another noting "didn't see too many people" at Bacon Point. Cell service is limited throughout the region, with only occasional Verizon coverage reported.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Maple Falls, Washington (13)

    1. NF 33 Dispersed Camping

    1 Review
    Maple Falls, WA
    16 miles

    2. Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp

    7 Reviews
    Concrete, WA
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 854-2553

    "Arrived around 4pm on a Friday and there were a few spots left. Pit toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables available. No water. Got a spot with lake and Mountain View’s."

    "Loved this free campground on Baker Lake near mt baker, WA! Take the first turn after horseshoe cove campground and follow the gravel road all the way to the lake."

    3. Baker Lake Road Dispersed Campsite

    6 Reviews
    Concrete, WA
    26 miles

    "Stayed at one that was overlooking the lake. Lots of spots with easy lake access.

    Pros: free, good views, easy to get to, plenty of spots (even on Labor Day), fire rings."

    "No facilities! The drive in is easy."

    5. Pine Lake Campground

    1 Review
    Bellingham, WA
    23 miles

    "Cute sites, but you will be interrupted 500 times a day with walkers who use the trail and want to go straight through your site."

    6. Baker Lake Tent camping

    1 Review
    Concrete, WA
    26 miles

    "The lower is right by a river that spills into the lake on the other side of the road."

    7. Baker Pull-Off

    1 Review
    Concrete, WA
    26 miles

    "There’s 2 little walkways down to your own little private section of the lake. Beautiful."

    8. NF Dispersed Camping

    10 Reviews
    Marblemount, WA
    39 miles

    "(CLEARANCE NEEDED - around the same amount as the Subaru line of vehicles or greater - 4wd not necessary)

    Beautiful area, small town nearby where you could likely pick up a few things. I didnt stop."

    "Beautiful spot near the water also has some more secluded spots if wanted. Didn’t see too many people. And had no issues picking a spot to car camp. Definitely recommend."

    10. Hope Island Marine State Park - Skagit County

    3 Reviews
    La Conner, WA
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 675-3767

    "Very different, primitive camping. Small island with only 2 sites that I could find. According to the website there were supposed to be more. 1 vault toilet available, picnic table and fire ring."

    "It's a short trip to the island, which is only accessible by boat. I was worried, with only four camping spots, that we wouldn't get one, but we ended up being the only people on the island."

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Maple Falls, WA

27 Reviews of 13 Maple Falls Campgrounds


  • Eric O.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Baker Lake Road Dispersed Campsite

    All things considered, good spot

    Many pull offs along the gravel road. Stayed at one that was overlooking the lake. Lots of spots with easy lake access.

    Pros: free, good views, easy to get to, plenty of spots (even on Labor Day), fire rings.

    Cons: some spots have lots of trash (please remember leave no trace), most spots are along the gravel road so there are cars passing by every once in a while and sometimes they go by quite quickly kicking up lots of dust.

    All things considered, pretty good spot and would stay again.

  • H
    Oct. 13, 2024

    Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp

    Quiet camp with great views

    Arrived around 4pm on a Friday and there were a few spots left. Pit toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables available. No water. Got a spot with lake and Mountain View’s. Very small, quiet, stunning campground. Felt safe. We have a rooftop tent, not many sites with large enough spots to park trailers or vans. Mostly tent sites that are walk in. Mostly open, some sites in the forest. Had one bar of Verizon service. Would stay again!

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 25, 2023

    Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp

    Great free spot on Baker Lake

    Loved this free campground on Baker Lake near mt baker, WA! Take the first turn after horseshoe cove campground and follow the gravel road all the way to the lake.

    Lots of spots with tables and fire rings, some spots have nice tent pads. Some sites are marked and some are not. There’s a single pit toilet and no running water. Seems like a pretty popular spot but we were able to get a site mid week at the end of August.

    Parking for some of the spots is not the best but we were still able to car camp comfortably. Will definitely be staying here again!

  • Russel M.
    Mar. 31, 2023

    NF Dispersed Camping

    Beautiful

    No rain while I was there but I dont imagine it would get too muddy/sloppy. The road does have minimal gravel lining it. (CLEARANCE NEEDED - around the same amount as the Subaru line of vehicles or greater - 4wd not necessary)

    Beautiful area, small town nearby where you could likely pick up a few things. I didnt stop. Gas station nearby.

    There is a fast flowing stream with crystal clear water. Quiet mountain/forest area. No sounds of civilization. Multiple turnouts/improvised camping spaces. Keep driving till you find one you like. Easy to access the creak bank at any point along the road by walking through a little brush.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 22, 2024

    NF Dispersed Camping

    Bacon Point

    Beautiful spot near the water also has some more secluded spots if wanted. Didn’t see too many people. And had no issues picking a spot to car camp. Definitely recommend.

  • Jill R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 25, 2019

    Point Doughty

    DNR site badly in need of care

    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.

  • Lauren M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 23, 2022

    NF Dispersed Camping

    Great location

    The location is amazing!!!! Sadly though the campsites are not well cared for. I stayed at two different sites, one toward the end of the road and one closer to hwy 20. The end of the road spot did require 4wheel drive and higher clearance (suv height), the one closer to hwy 20 could have easily been driven to in a std. car. The river was gorgeous! The further down the road the likelihood you won’t have access to the river (creek). Both sites were straight up trashed! Trash everywhere!!! The site closer to hwy 20 had both trash and food debris (pineapple and coconut shell) everywhere. The tent pad was completely unusable because of trash. This site has a gorgeous water access but again found plastic bags floating on the creek edge. The site further down was littered with toilet paper and a huge polystyrene cooler full of “waste” so gross. I just used these spots as jumping off point for my hikes in the cascades and I slept in my car so it was a fine stay both times.

  • Pat M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 18, 2019

    Point Doughty

    Point

    3 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.


Guide to Maple Falls

Dispersed camping near Maple Falls, Washington provides access to varied forest terrain in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Most sites sit at elevations between 500-2,500 feet with weather patterns influenced by Pacific systems that create wet winters and moderately dry summers. Summer temperatures typically range from 45-80°F while winter temperatures often drop below freezing with significant snowfall closing many access roads.

What to do

Hike Cougar Divide: Access this trail from NF 33 Dispersed Camping, approximately 5 miles from the main road. "The road does get much rougher the further you go, so not big-rig friendly nor for low-clearance vehicles or vehicles with bald/old tires. No amenities nor cell service," notes camper Meghan B.

Kayak at Baker Lake: Multiple shoreline access points offer water recreation opportunities at Baker Lake Road Dispersed Campsite. "Lots of spots with easy lake access," shares Eric O. "Spots are close together and there are a lot of people. But we couldn't tell we had people around us," adds Ashley A.

Visit hot springs: Free natural hot springs are accessible near Baker Hot Springs, requiring a short hike from the road. These primitive soaking pools maintain temperatures between 90-105°F year-round, with minimal facilities available. Campers often use these springs as day-use areas while staying at nearby dispersed sites.

What campers like

Riverside spots: NF Dispersed Camping areas provide access to several water features. "There is a fast flowing stream with crystal clear water. Quiet mountain/forest area. No sounds of civilization," says Russel M. "Right next to the river! This app is great. Never would have found this," adds Zac S., who camped here during a busy holiday weekend.

Lake views: Many campers seek waterfront sites at Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp. Geoffrey P. describes, "Our spot (site #3) was tucked away in low area by the water. Semi-private and peaceful. Perfect space for 2-4 people to camp. The fire pit setup was perfectly sized and shielded from wind."

Privacy level: Dispersed sites near Maple Falls vary in seclusion. "Bacon Point: Beautiful spot near the water also has some more secluded spots if wanted. Didn't see too many people," states Bella M. about an area within NF Dispersed Camping. She later added, "This area was perfect! Took a nice stroll along the road after dinner. Didn't really run into any other campers."

What you should know

Vehicle requirements: Most dispersed camping roads require suitable clearance. Russel M. specifies, "CLEARANCE NEEDED - around the same amount as the Subaru line of vehicles or greater - 4wd not necessary." Another camper reports, "Potholes 4 dayz. Probably some good camping out this way, but we didn't get more than a mile in our promaster before turning around."

Site availability patterns: Weekends tend to fill faster than weekdays at popular areas. "We were able to get a site mid week at the end of August," shares Jessica M. about Lower Sandy Camp. Douglas H. advises about Baker Lake Road: "If you think all the spots are taken, keep driving. So many spots along Baker Lake Road."

Site conditions: Campsite cleanliness varies significantly. "The sites were not very clean. Saw 2 busted up cars. Windshields busted out, one was burnt, both had graffiti in them," reports Summer F. about one NF Dispersed area. Lauren M. found similar issues: "Both sites were straight up trashed! Trash everywhere!"

Tips for camping with families

Accessibility considerations: Some sites require strenuous walking to reach water features. At Point Doughty, "The path up to the sites is steep and slippery with loose dirt but there's a rope to help out... Not recommended for hauling myriad items up from kayaks," warns Pat M.

Site selection timing: Arrive early for best site options, especially at free locations. "Arrived around 4pm on a Friday and there were a few spots left," reports Haley F. about Lower Sandy Camp, noting it has "Pit toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables available. No water."

Wildlife encounters: Plan for appropriate food storage. Multiple campers report raccoon activity, particularly at island sites. At Hope Island, Jess G. observed, "there were raccoons on the island with us but other than that we had the place to ourselves."

Tips from RVers

Road condition alerts: Baker Lake Road has challenging sections for larger vehicles. "Many pull offs along the gravel road. Stayed at one that was overlooking the lake," reports Eric O., adding, "most spots are along the gravel road so there are cars passing by every once in a while and sometimes they go by quite quickly kicking up lots of dust."

Site size limitations: Few dispersed sites accommodate large rigs. Haley F. notes about Lower Sandy Camp: "We have a rooftop tent, not many sites with large enough spots to park trailers or vans. Mostly tent sites that are walk in."

Seasonal access: Winter conditions often close access roads to dispersed camping areas from November through April. Even in summer, road quality deteriorates after rain. "Probably a 4.5. Not the best site ever, but definitely good enough for a one nighter," Reagan S. shares about NF Dispersed Camping. "Road was easy enough in a Subaru. Not paved and some small pot holes, but not a problem at all for us."

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find dispersed camping sites in Maple Falls?

Several excellent dispersed camping options exist near Maple Falls. Baker Lake Road Dispersed Campsite offers numerous pull-offs along a gravel road with lake views and easy water access. Many spots feature established fire rings and accommodate various camping setups. For a more secluded experience, NF Dispersed Camping provides beautiful spots near water with both open and more private locations. Some sites require higher clearance vehicles (similar to Subaru models), though 4WD isn't always necessary. The proximity to North Cascades National Park makes these dispersed sites particularly attractive for exploring the region.

Do I need a permit for dispersed camping in Maple Falls?

Most dispersed camping areas around Maple Falls don't require specific camping permits, but you should check current regulations before your trip. At Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp, camping is free with no advance permits required. For water-access sites like Hope Island Marine State Park, you'll need a Discover Pass for parking. While permits aren't typically needed for camping itself, many dispersed areas require a Northwest Forest Pass for parking at trailheads. Always check with the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest website before your trip, as regulations can change seasonally.

What amenities are available at Maple Falls dispersed camping sites?

Dispersed camping in the Maple Falls area typically offers minimal amenities. Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp provides basic facilities including pit toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables at some sites, plus tent pads at select locations. There's no potable water available, so you'll need to bring your own. For truly primitive camping, Point Doughty offers a more rugged experience with limited facilities. Remember that most dispersed sites operate on Leave No Trace principles—you must pack out all trash and waste. Cell service is generally limited throughout the area, so plan accordingly for emergencies and navigation.