Best Dispersed Camping near Ruston, WA

The Puget Sound region surrounding Ruston, Washington provides access to diverse camping experiences within a 1-2 hour drive. Campers can choose between coastal options like Joemma Beach State Park on the Key Peninsula, which operates seasonally from March through October, or venture east toward Mount Rainier for more rugged experiences. Dispersed camping opportunities dominate the landscape, with numerous Forest Service roads offering primitive sites. The unique Ranger Creek Airstrip Dispersed area near Enumclaw combines camping with an active small aircraft landing strip, while Olympic National Forest provides numerous pull-offs and established sites for those seeking a more remote experience. Both tent and RV camping are accommodated at many locations, though amenities vary significantly.

Road conditions frequently determine accessibility to the most scenic camping areas. As one camper noted about South Fork Snoqualmie River sites, "Access road is right off the highway and unpaved, has a TON of holes so I wouldn't recommend driving down it without good ground clearance." Many forest roads require high-clearance vehicles, particularly after rain or during spring runoff. Permits and passes vary by jurisdiction, with National Forest sites often requiring a Northwest Forest Pass or similar recreation permit. Cell service ranges from excellent to non-existent depending on terrain and proximity to highways. Fire restrictions are common during summer months, and weekend crowds can significantly impact the camping experience, especially at popular locations near water.

Wildlife encounters and scenic views rank among the most frequently mentioned highlights in camper reviews. Hilltop Camp on Forest Road 2419 receives consistent praise for its panoramic vistas, with one visitor describing it as a "fantastic secluded spot at the top of the mountain with amazing views." Weekday visits typically offer more solitude than weekends, particularly during summer holidays. Several campers recommend exploring beyond the first available sites, as quality often improves further along forest roads. Seasonal considerations significantly impact the camping experience, with fall offering cooler temperatures and fewer crowds at popular spots like Ranger Creek Airstrip, where one visitor advised, "Best in late fall when it's cooler. Less loud drunkards." Proper waste disposal remains a persistent concern at many dispersed sites.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Ruston, Washington (30)

    1. Joemma Beach State Park Campground

    10 Reviews
    Lakebay, WA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (253) 884-1944

    $12 / night

    "Simple, small, peaceful campground with pit toilets and potable water. Mid week after Labor Day, I had my choice of sites arriving in late afternoon."

    "We arrived little later around 6 p.m. And being such a nice day there were only few sites left."

    2. South Fork Snoqualmie River Dispersed Site

    18 Reviews
    Snoqualmie Pass, WA
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (425) 888-1421

    "Access road is right off the highway and unpaved, has a TON of holes so I wouldn’t recommend driving down it without good ground clearance."

    "PLEASE LEAVE NO TRACE! Other wise we really enjoyed a quick night away in our van."

    3. Large Pull Out (Dispersed) on FR 24

    2 Reviews
    Lilliwaup, WA
    30 miles
    Website

    "Not the most private spot if vehicles were to pass. the road looks like it’s used but no one around when we arrived. the road itself is a gorgeous drive and since it’s free it’s worth it!"

    5. NF-2419 Dispersed Site

    5 Reviews
    Lilliwaup, WA
    37 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 956-2402

    "Great avenue to get out into nature with various streams crossing the path of the service road. Truly magical place."

    "Not many other campers' sites are well dispersed . Got to feed 3 Bluejays by hand with my oldest one of our new favorite memories."

    6. Carbon River

    4 Reviews
    Carbonado, WA
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 270-7504

    "My fiance' and I are sleeping in a tent and it has rained a lot but if you go into the woods, you can still find dry branches for starting a fire."

    "I go every year, but unfortunately the only bridge to gain access to camping is closed until further notice"

    7. Ranger Creek Airstrip Dispersed

    14 Reviews
    Greenwater, WA
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (425) 783-6000

    "We had high hopes for this USFS campground, having read that it’s on an airstrip, it sounded neat. But we decided not to stay here after we checked it out."

    "We had high hopes for this USFS campground, having read that it’s on an airstrip, it sounded neat. But we decided not to stay here after we checked it out."

    8. Hilltop Camp on Forest Road 2419

    3 Reviews
    Lilliwaup, WA
    36 miles

    "Gorgeous little spot off a national forest road. Stunning views, no light pollution or car sounds at night."

    "No water. First come first served and this one goes quickly!"

    9. NF-2419 Dispersed Pullout

    2 Reviews
    Lilliwaup, WA
    37 miles

    "Great spot on the NF-2419, about a mile before the Mt Elinor lower trailhead. Plenty of space for a large vehicle"

    10. Ipsut Creek Camp — Mount Rainier National Park

    2 Reviews
    Mount Rainier National Park, WA
    37 miles
    Website

    "Located at the trailhead are two bathrooms, a covered picnic area and a handful of parking stalls with additional parking located along the road. "

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Ruston, WA

82 Reviews of 30 Ruston Campgrounds


  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 18, 2025

    Ranger Creek Airstrip Dispersed

    Not for Us, But We'd Try Again

    We had high hopes for this USFS campground, having read that it’s on an airstrip, it sounded neat. But we decided not to stay here after we checked it out. There were lots and lots of other campers there, lots of camo, lots of large pickup trucks that don’t slow down on gravel roads, lots of “don’t tread on me” flags. 

    We drove to the end where the bathroom is and decided to turn around, though it seems that the camp spots do continue after that point. This was on a Saturday, in all fairness, so the vibe might be different during the week. 

    It’s a 14 day stay limit, and other than the toilets there are no other amenities, so please pack out your trash. At the entrance it says that the following passes are honored: Annual Northwest Forest Pass, Golden Eagle Passport, and Washington and Oregon Recreation Pass. However, at the bathrooms, there’s another sign that says a $5 day use fee required. Doesn’t make sense that camping is free with certain passes but for day use it’s a $5 fee, but since we weren’t staying we didn’t look much into it. No ATV or off road riding here. 

    Cell signal was very weak for Verizon and non-existent for ATT. Giving it 4 stars instead of 3 because it wasn't so bad that I wouldn't be willing to check it out again the next time we're in the area.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 18, 2025

    Ranger Creek Airstrip Dispersed

    Not for us, but we would try again.

    We had high hopes for this USFS campground, having read that it’s on an airstrip, it sounded neat. But we decided not to stay here after we checked it out. There were lots and lots of other campers there, lots of camo, lots of large pickup trucks that don’t slow down on gravel roads, lots of “don’t tread on me” flags. We drove to the end where the bathroom is and decided to turn around, though it seems that the camp spots do continue after that point. This was on a Saturday, in all fairness, so the vibe might be different during the week. 

    It’s a 14 day stay limit, and other than the toilets there are no other amenities, so please pack out your trash. At the entrance it says that the following passes are honored: Annual Northwest Forest Pass, Golden Eagle Passport, and Washington and Oregon Recreation Pass. However, at the bathrooms, there’s another sign that says a $5 day use fee required. Doesn’t make sense that camping is free with certain passes but for day use it’s a $5 fee, but since we weren’t staying we didn’t look much into it. No ATV or off road riding here. 

    Cell signal was very weak for Verizon and non-existent for ATT. Giving it 4 stars instead of 3 because it wasn't so bad that I wouldn't be willing to check it out again the next time we're in the area.

  • Parker C.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 24, 2025

    South Fork Snoqualmie River Dispersed Site

    Pretty neat spot

    Access road is right off the highway and unpaved, has a TON of holes so I wouldn’t recommend driving down it without good ground clearance. There are a number of established sites where you can pull off the road and drive back into the woods a bit. And I had cell service everywhere!

  • Mar Z.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 7, 2024

    Rock Candy Mountain Trailhead

    Perfect woodsy rest stop off highway

    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.

  • Megan C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 14, 2017

    Ipsut Creek Camp — Mount Rainier National Park

    Crowded yet Cozy

    Ipsut Creek Campground is a relatively easy 5 mile trek or bike ride with a 700’ elevation gain, down a closed road (due to the road wash out about 3 miles in) to a wooded campground nestled along the Carbon River.

    Located at the trailhead are two bathrooms, a covered picnic area and a handful of parking stalls with additional parking located along the road. 

    The trail begins behind the closed gates into the shade of the old growth forest. The trail then alternates between the shade of the forest and sunny skys with river views and wildflowers along the way.

    There are a few side trips off the main Carbon River Trail even before reaching the Ipsut Creek Camp;

    1. Mini Rainforest Loop, 0.25 miles

    2. Old Mine Trail, 0.6 miles round trip

    3. Green Lake & Ranger Falls trail, 3.6 miles round trip

    Note: Sadly, the trail to Chenuis Falls has washed out, so now there is just a log bridge into the water to nowhere.

    Once you reach the campground, it has about 20 campsites with about half the sites located on the river. We were lucky enough to swoop up site number 15 though, strangely, another family decided to share it with us for our easy river front access.  Thankfully the river is pretty loud and drowned out the noise of our close campers. We did choose to camp on the high-profile weekend of the 4th of July, so all the cool campsites along the river were obviously full, which is why we think we had “friends” join us. There was a large fallen tree sort of splitting the camp site in half, so we took the left half, with the smaller 1 picnic table option, while the strangers took the right half with 2 picnic tables. 

    The trees in camp are great for setting up hammocks. We set up a hammock triangle upon arrival in camp near the river for lazy afternoon naps. My siblings both slept in their hammocks fulltime, while my husband and I set up a tent in a small clearing on the opposite side of the picnic table, closer to the bear lockers (bear lockers are a huge plus, meaning a bear canister isn’t necessary if you’re not heading deeper into the backcountry). 

    The campground had a decent amount of wildlife running around.  We had a number of chipmunks running around our camp cleaning up any scraps left daily; we found a live mouse chilling in a water bottle one morning upon setting up for breakfast, and deer came through the camp just about anytime it was quiet.  

    The campground does have two restrooms but they smell like the bog of eternal stench, so bring strong essential oils, a scented hanky, or a shovel to dig cat tracks in the woods far from camp and water sources. 

    The campground is a good base camp to explore the surrounding Carbon Glacier/ Mowich Lake area. We visited Ipsut Falls, which was less than a half mile round trip out of camp, making for a sweet little trip to break up the day in camp. 

    We also chose to make the adventure up to the Suspension Bridge and to the Carbon Glacier view point. Our morning started off cool in heavy fog, which burned off throughout the day, giving way to magnificent views of the mountain and glacier. The trail was covered in wildflowers, cairns, creeks and mini waterfalls. It made for a beautiful day trip out of camp with plenty of opportunities to go further into the backcountry closer to Winthrop Glacier, out to Tolmie peak area or back out along the Wonderland Trail. Backcountry options seemed endless. 

    Though the trail and camp (and site) were crowded, the hike to the glacier made the entire trip worth our cozy campsite. The Carbon Glacier is a bit dirty looking but to be standing in front of something so ancient and magnificent is truly amazing.  My husband, sister and I have now added a new item to our bucket lists and that is to see as many glaciers as we can before they melt, here’s to our first. =) 

    Note: The campground is located within Mount Rainier National Park (no pets are allowed) so you’ll need to stop by the Carbonado Ranger Station for a Wilderness Permit and National Park Day Pass or Annual Permit to display for parking. No campfires within the campground.

  • Sam S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 6, 2024

    Olympic National Forest Dispersed Camping

    Olympic National Forest - Dispersed Camping

    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.

  • Ginger M.
    Jul. 8, 2024

    South Fork Snoqualmie River Dispersed Site

    Quick easy getaway

    Went up at the end of 4th of July weekend. Found a great spot but it was apparent that the group before us used everywhere to go to the bathroom and covered it with paper towels. PRO TIP: make the hole first for when you need it and you want have any excuse not to use it! PLEASE LEAVE NO TRACE! Other wise we really enjoyed a quick night away in our van.

  • Greg B.
    Aug. 31, 2021

    Ranger Creek Airstrip Dispersed

    Rough it

    100+ sites. $5/night. Can always find a spot. Dry camp only. 3 pit toilets spread out across the area. Can get a little loud depending on your neighbors. I avoid the big holidays.

  • Mike K.
    Nov. 29, 2020

    Ranger Creek Airstrip Dispersed

    Go offseason

    Best in late fall when it's cooler. Less loud drunkards. Dont get me wrong, I love my cocktails but can get a little obnoxious. Can fit large RV's down a half mile rough road. I have been a few times in october/November in a 40 ft 5er. No hookups or onsite water. We went into Mt Ranier nat park and filled a 40 gallon tank from a waterfall along the road then pumped it into the rv. VERY large sites for RVS. Many smaller tent sites. We were there during military skydiving practice. Very cool!


Guide to Ruston

Dispersed camping near Ruston, Washington offers varied terrain from forest roads to mountain sites, with elevations ranging from 200 to 4,000 feet across the region. Free camping options expand significantly outside the May-September peak season when competition for sites decreases. Most dispersed sites require visitors to manage waste completely, as facilities are minimal or non-existent in undeveloped areas.

What to do

Riverside relaxation: Joemma Beach State Park provides beach access within walking distance of camp. "If you have a boat or a kayak, they have sites set aside in addition to the ones mentioned above that you can kayak to and stay," notes Dana R. The waterfront location supports fishing from the long dock.

Aviation watching: At Ranger Creek Airstrip Dispersed, campers can experience the unique combination of camping and small aircraft operations. "This is such a cool place to camp! You are literally right on an active airstrip," writes Annie C., adding "While no planes came in while I was there, I walked across the airstrip to the 'comfort station' for fliers and read the log book. Two planes had flown in earlier in the day and left nice messages."

Hiking: National Forest roads near Ruston provide access to numerous trail systems. Along NF-2419, campers can find "various streams crossing the path of the service road" as Jason C. describes, making it a "truly magical place" for day hikes and exploration.

What campers like

Cell service reliability: Connectivity varies dramatically throughout the region, with some surprising exceptions. At South Fork Snoqualmie River Dispersed Site, one camper notes, "I travel and work remotely so I'm always looking for free places that have cell reception and this place hits the jackpot. I've come in twice on a Saturday afternoon and have been able to find an open spot with my 18 ft travel trailer, I have Verizon and have 2-3 bars of service."

Mountain views: The panoramic vistas at Hilltop Camp on Forest Road 2419 draw consistent praise. Kim K. describes it as a "Fantastic secluded spot at the top of the mtn with amazing views!" Remote sites typically offer more solitude and better views than those closer to main roads.

Wildlife encounters: The natural environment supports diverse wildlife viewing opportunities. At Joemma Beach State Park, "We did spot a bald eagle early in the morning," reports Asuka S., while multiple campers mention deer sightings at camps throughout the region.

What you should know

Vehicle clearance requirements: Many forest service roads deteriorate seasonally, particularly after winter. At South Fork Snoqualmie River, Parker C. advises, "Access road is right off the highway and unpaved, has a TON of holes so I wouldn't recommend driving down it without good ground clearance."

Fee structure variations: Payment systems differ across sites. At Joemma Beach State Park, "It is now reservable online, but if you get there and there is an available spot it is $12 a night that you pay at site. The host is on site and checks the areas very regularly," according to diamond A.

Seasonal considerations: Winter camping requires additional preparation. At Hilltop Camp, Amber G. notes, "Gorgeous little spot off a national forest road. Stunning views, no light pollution or car sounds at night. It's December so of course it's a bit cold at night and I'd recommend at least AWD to get up here."

Tips for camping with families

Safety awareness: Some areas present natural hazards. At Rock Candy Mountain Trailhead, Margaret G. warns, "In my opinion this area is not suitable for winter camping. In my opinion if this road got congested it would become pretty dangerous thus why caution is needed driving on the main road and on other roads leading from main road."

Choose weekdays: Weekend crowds can significantly impact family camping experiences. At Joemma Beach State Park, Callie C. reports, "I arrived on a Monday and had no issue finding a spot in the first come/no rsvp side. Views from campground are great and enjoyed walking the few trails w/ my dogs."

Plan for limited facilities: Most free camping near Ruston lacks developed amenities. When camping at NF-2419 Dispersed Site, Jason C. observes, "It is frequented by others so low privacy unless you camp away from the vehicle path," suggesting families should prepare for both social interaction and limited services.

Tips from RVers

Site selection strategy: For RVs at Ranger Creek Airstrip, Garrett B. advises, "For larger rigs - take the second left (at a Y-intersection), and then keep to the left and you won't have any trouble getting in. Going to the right at the Y takes you to an area that big rigs might have trouble finding spots or turning around, but still doable."

Water supply planning: Without hookups, water management becomes critical. At South Fork Snoqualmie River, Austin R. notes that sites offer "very nice to feel like you have your own slice of the mossy old growth forest," but campers must bring all needed water supplies as there are no services.

Length limitations: Smaller pull-outs may not accommodate larger rigs. Tia A. shares about South Fork Snoqualmie River, "A lot of the spots are on the smaller side, so we had a bit of trouble finding one that could fit our motorhome, but it was worth it."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Ruston, WA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Ruston, WA is Joemma Beach State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 10 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Ruston, WA?

TheDyrt.com has all 30 dispersed camping locations near Ruston, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.