Best Dispersed Camping near Mount Vernon, WA
Dispersed camping opportunities around Mount Vernon, Washington exist primarily along forest service roads leading into the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to the east. Several primitive sites are located near Baker Lake Road with direct lake access, while other dispersed areas can be found along the Mountain Loop Highway corridor. Hope Island Marine State Park and Point Doughty offer boat-in primitive camping for those arriving by kayak or small watercraft. Lower Sandy Dispersed Camp provides lakeside sites with basic amenities, while NF 33 Dispersed Camping features more remote forest road pull-offs.
Access to most dispersed sites requires navigation of unpaved forest roads that deteriorate the further you travel from main highways. Baker Lake Road sites feature multiple pull-offs with lake views, though the gravel road generates dust from passing vehicles. Lower Sandy Camp requires driving a potholed gravel road to reach lakeside spots. A Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful pass is required at most sites. No drinking water is available except at Baker Lake Road sites. Camping is typically limited to 14 days within a 30-day period on National Forest land. Fire restrictions are common during summer months.
These primitive camping areas provide scenic waterfront access and mountain views. Baker Lake Road dispersed sites offer direct lake views and swimming opportunities, though they can become crowded on summer weekends. Lower Sandy Camp features designated sites with picnic tables and fire rings when permitted. One reviewer noted: "Spots are close together and there are a lot of people. But we couldn't tell we had people around us." Mountain Loop Highway sites become more plentiful once the pavement turns to gravel, with riverside spots featuring log benches and improvised rock fire rings. A visitor described them as "heavily forested and beautiful" with good sites "meandering along the river."
