If you're looking for a place to dispersed camp near Ocean Shores, look no further. Here you'll find a diverse selection of places to camp, including remote dispersed camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your Washington excursion.
Unless otherwise posted, you can stay 10 days in a 30-day period at any of DNR's campsites. During your stay, please practice leave no trace principles and pack out what you pack in. Dispersed camping, camping outside of our designated campgrounds, is allowed in some of our forests. Dispersed camping is not allowed at day-use sites. Toilets, picnic tables, trash cans, drinking water, and fire pits are not available in the backcountry. Please follow Leave No Trace principles and pack out everything you pack in. Dispersed fires are prohibited.
Camping vehicle seen through the trees
Dispersed camping is the term used for camping outside of a developed campground. If you enjoy selecting your own campsite, providing your own amenities, creating your own experience, and camping for FREE, then dispersed camping is for you!
Campsite
Choose a campsite screened from roads and trails, and at least 200 feet from water
Use a campsite that’s already been established, if possible.
If you choose a new site, return the site to its natural condition when you leavePets
Your animal friends are welcome to accompany you on your dispersed camping adventure!Fires
Only burn wood that is already dead and down
Always make sure your fire is DEAD OUT and cold to the touch before you leave it
Campfires are allowed below 3,500 feet when not otherwise prohibited by fire restrictionsTrash
Store your food & trash properly to keep bears and other wildlife out of your camp
Whatever you pack in, PACK IT OUT!Human Waste
Bury your poo & paper at least 6” deep and at least 200 feet away from any water source
Dispersed camping is the term used for camping outside of a developed campground. If you enjoy selecting your own campsite, providing your own amenities, creating your own experience, and camping for FREE, then dispersed camping is for you!
Campsite
Choose a campsite screened from roads and trails, and at least 200 feet from water Use a campsite that’s already been established, if possible. If you choose a new site, return the site to its natural condition when you leave Pets
Your animal friends are welcome to accompany you on your dispersed camping adventure! Fires
Only burn wood that is already dead and down Always make sure your fire is DEAD OUT and cold to the touch before you leave it Campfires are allowed below 3,500 feet when not otherwise prohibited by fire restrictions Trash
Store your food & trash properly to keep bears and other wildlife out of your camp Whatever you pack in, PACK IT OUT! Human Waste
Bury your poo & paper at least 6” deep and at least 200 feet away from any water source
Scout
Drove about 1 mile down the road and it was closed off. A couple of pull offs that were super muddy so didn’t bother. South Beach Campground just down the road is also closed.
GuideThe coordinates for this location takes you into a road that is within the National Park. There is “No free camping” in the national park.
Across the road you’ll find the South Beach Camping. This is a FCFS open campground provided by NPS. It’s $20/night or $10/night if you have a reciprocal pass.
There’s toilets and a great ocean view and beach access.
If you choose to park down the access road, you could potentially be ticketed.
I did choose to stay 1 night at the campground. Pretty crowded by RV’s but was okay for a single night.
Traveler
This spot was great for a night! Super quiet. There was some trash around the site and the road, so I picked up as much as I could. The view was misted over but beautiful anyway- however, in my little Nissan Versa, I struggled on the roads up and down. I eventually kept it around 5-10mph to avoid damaging my car, but I got there just fine and had no issues at the campsite. I've got T-Mobile and had full bars.
Guide
We camped near Vance Creek trailhead to do the Olympic Bridges bike ride the next morning. Since this is a national forest, dispersed camping is allowed. We picked the first spot we got to since it was getting kind of late. It wasn't the most ideal spot and I think further down the road has prettier and more remote options, but it made do. There were really huge flies but they did not bite. The only complaint was that there was more car traffic than I wanted very late at night into the early morning. One car even slowed down and yelled at our tent around 2am. We never felt unsafe but it was annoying. A lot of trash was left behind from previous camper. I would suggest finding alternative spots if you're looking for a more enjoyable night but if you are just there for an overnight, it is fine.
Guide
Very far off the beaten path, every time I camp here I don’t run into anyone. You’re camping on the Ridgeline so it can be a bit windy. East of the campsite there is a walking trail that takes you to an overlook, perfect for watching the sunrise.
TravelerExcellent dispersed site next to electronic towers.
Scout
Right off the highway. Pit toilet and wooded areas. Can still hear highway from this exact GPS location, so I went further on up the road for a quieter spot. A few trucks did speed by in the middle of the night, but it was a Saturday and July 4th weekend. 5 bars of cell service.
GuideThe view of the ocean is beautiful. It’s first come first serve with vault toilets. Love the view and short walk to the beach. People are very friendly.
Guide
Several campsites along the gravel road, we found the perfect secluded spot next to the Quinault River. Drove right into the hidden alcove in our stealth camper van.
TravelerGreat cell service! I was able to work remotely (teams calls) for 3 days with no issues. Also beautiful views! I went all the way to the top near the cell towers.
GuideWe drove in about ½ a mile and decided to turn around and go back to the first spot we saw. It’s close to Hwy 101 but we were not able to hear any road noise. We love dry camping. We have a 2023 class C 30 foot motorhome. We were able to easily turn it around by doing a three or four point turn on the road in a section where it widened.
ScoutOverall I had a nice quiet stay. This spot isn't anything too awful special. There are about four pull outs to set up for the night. The bathrooms are located in the trailhead parking lot. They could use cleaning, but they are open 24 hours. As for cell service Verizon was barely there. To sum it up if you need a spot to crash for the night this place will work. Y'all stay safe and be well out there.
Scout
I was camping out there while being on the way to the coast. It was quiet and easy accessible. Once you enter the road there are a few turn outs sprinkled on the side of the road that you can pull in. Please clean up after yourself! When I was there it was kind of sad how much trash there was laying around. But for a quick overnight trip it worked out
ScoutPerfect place to stay for a night. A lot of trash left behind by others though.
ScoutI have been coming here for 15 years had great times . Love the lakes snag and western. Stocked each spring with trout. So much fun for the kids to catch and eat them ..
RangerThere are about 5 sites hidden on the road. Please be careful the road is a mix of private land, national forest, national park. The sites can be easily found by their stone fire rings. The site that is directly on the river was very popular. I ended up staying 2 nights at one of the last sites before it turns to private land. It was tucked away, walk in site, had a nice fire ring, nice tent pad area. It has a large rope so you can access the river. The scenery is breath taking. Down the road there are at least 2 waterfalls on the right. In the town of quinault there is a laundry mat/shower facility!
LegendSnag Lake and Western Lake Campgrounds were both full, so we explored and went to the top of the mountain/hill near the cell towers. It had cement for parking and seemed to be a viewing point so we called it good. Not sure if this is a “legal” campsite but it sure was beautiful.
Travelerin a clearing for solar power, surrounded by brush had has decent cell signal. seems to be a quiet road.
GuideGreat spot because it's so secluded in the forest. There's basically zero traffic on the dirt road near the campsite. A lot of the trees around seem to be new growth. Great view of the stars at night!
There are at least 4 other campsite off this road at different points if you keep driving. Some of them are more or less level and more or less muddy. This one was the best, but there are lots of options. All of them are commonly used because there are ashes from fires. There's a moderate amount of trash at most of them.
Requires a Discovery Pass. I bought a day pass for $12 online since I don't need the annual pass. They tell you to write the date and order number in large print on a piece of paper and put it on your dash. No one came to check my pass though (in January, so it's the off season)
You have to take a dirt road to reach the campsite, but it is pretty well maintained. The only difficulty I encountered were two points where a few inches of road were a bit washed out. They were small enough that I could manage them alright in a 2WD van that had normal clearance. So most cars could probably manage them.
There's a small trail behind this spot that that leads to the creek, which is nice. Other than that, you can hike along the dirt roads, but there aren't any actual hiking trails that I found. I saw a porcupine for the first time while wandering one of the side roads! I didn't drive up to Snag Lake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Ocean Shores, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Ocean Shores, WA is Road to Snag Lake - Dispersed with a 4.3-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Ocean Shores, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 dispersed camping locations near Ocean Shores, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.