Best Dispersed Camping near Underwood, WA
Dispersed camping near Underwood, Washington concentrates in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, with several primitive sites located along forest service roads and creek areas. The region includes free camping options above Panther Creek Falls, along Little Soda Springs Road, and near Dog Creek Falls, all requiring Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass. These off-grid campsites typically feature established fire rings but no developed facilities, following standard Forest Service regulations for primitive camping.
Access to many dispersed sites requires careful navigation on forest roads that vary significantly in condition. The road to Panther Creek Falls dispersed area branches off NF-65 just before the falls parking area, leading to three distinct camping zones on the ridge above. Little Soda Springs Road dispersed camping provides creek access but demands high-clearance vehicles in some sections. Several sites have no cell service, making offline maps essential for navigation. Forest Service personnel regularly patrol these areas to check permits and enforce the typical 14-day camping limit.
These primitive camping areas provide solitude with varying levels of accessibility. The Panther Creek Falls dispersed area offers stargazing opportunities from a large open ridge where "the stars were amazing" and campers can "hear the noise of the waterfall from up on the ridge." Little Soda Springs Road camping features multiple established sites with creek access, where visitors note "very little traffic" and that "the river drowns out most noise." According to one visitor, "Forest service does drive through there frequently to check" permits, while another mentioned that "there are about three sites" with some requiring a "short hike down to the creek."
