Are you planning a trip to Vashon with your horse? We've got you covered. It's easy to find Vashon equestrian campgrounds with the Dyrt. These scenic and easy-to-reach Washington campsites are perfect for your horse camping excursion.
Millersylvania State Park offers fun for everyone. Spend a summer day splashing in Deep Lake. Gather with friends in an historic kitchen shelter.
Conveniently located between Olympia and Centralia, this large, well-visited park beckons to adults and children alike.
Many of the park structures, including the kitchen shelters, were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s, making the park a great place to see and admire the hallmark artisanship of that era.
With two swimming beaches, miles of forested hiking and biking trails, watercraft launches, non-motorized watercraft rentals (kayaks, paddleboards, pedal boats) and abundant fishing, Millersylvania will keep you busy for a satisfying weekend or an extended outdoor vacation.
$12 - $45 / night
Collins is a quiet campground located along the shore of the Duckabush River. Several of the campsites are near the river. There are 16 campsites, 10 that will accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs. Six of the campsites are tent sites with spurs for parking.Warning: River contains swift water, rapids, and waterfalls. River is not floatable. Use extreme caution in or near the water.
Dispersed camping is the term used for camping in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Typically, it refers to roadside car camping, but also refers to backpacking in undeveloped sites. Dispersed camping means there are no services like trash removal, and amenities such as toilets, tables and fire pits, are not usually available.
It is your responsibility to plan ahead and learn the extra skills necessary for dispersed camping. Camping rules and regulations apply to make your experience safe, and to keep the natural resources scenic and unspoiled for other campers.
Dispersed camping along Forest Service roads is allowed where there is adequate space to safely park completely off the roadway and not on any vegetation. Whether car camping or backpacking, choose an existing campsite on bare or compacted soil. Unless signed as an area where a fee is required, dispersed camping is free. Dispersed camping is prohibited in developed campgrounds and areas posted closed or no camping. Some designated Wilderness areas have additional restrictions. For the best information on dispersed camping opportunities and local restrictions, please contact the nearest ranger district office.
Rules for Dispersed Camping These rules apply to car camping and backpacking
You may camp in a dispersed area in an individual Ranger District for up to 14 days within a 30-day period. After 14 days, you must move to another Ranger District or off the National Forest until the 30 days has elapsed.
Do not blaze new roads to campsites, create new campsites, clear ground, cut or harm vegetation or construct a trail.
Do not drive beyond constructed physical barriers, such as berms or gates.
Do not drive through streams or wetlands to access a camp.
If campfires are legal in your location and you choose to have a campfire, pick a site with an existing fire pit. Do not create new fire pits. Make sure your campfire is always attended and is dead out and cold to the touch before you leave your site. Fires may be restricted or banned based on the fire danger rating.
Follow Leave No Trace principles and come prepared to “Pack it in. Pack it out.” Pack all trash home. Dispose of human waste in a sanitary manner. In high use locations, areas above tree line and snow-covered areas it is not possible to bury human waste in a sanitary manner. It will need to be packed out and disposed of at home using a wag bag, blue bag, portable toilet or another Leave No Trace approved method.
Do not block roads or gates.
Keep food and scented items secure from wildlife by keeping a clean camp and store items in your vehicle or use a wildlife resistant storage canister.
Failure to follow regulations can lead to legal consequences. Additional Forest rules and links to report crimes can be found on our Law Enforcement page.
This primarily motorized and rustic campground is located near the Tahuya River and the Tahuya River Trail. Campsites can accommodate up to a 30-foot RV, though size may vary by site.
Dispersed camping, or camping outside of a designated campground, is not allowed. The camping stay limit is 5 consecutive days, 15 total days per calendar year. Tahuya River Horse Camp is only open for weekend camping from Memorial Day to Labor Day Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Dogs are allowed in Green Mountain and Tahuya but must be kept on a leash. Horseback riders may bring unleashed dogs if they are controlled by voice command. Day use fishing sites are open for fishing from April 15 to October 30. Be alert for other road users, ranging from heavy vehicles to bicycles, and check your speed accordingly. Stay on designated trails. Trails are marked with colored diamonds. White: Single-track trail Yellow: Two-track trail Purple: 4x4 trail
$35 / night
This ORV-oriented campground offers access to Capitol State Forest's 89 miles of motorized trail. Campground has 24 campsites, and four toilets.
Guide
After months of trying to get reservations for this popular campground, we finally got one for Thanksgiving weekend! The park is on their winter schedule so only sites 1-7 and 226-248 were open. It made for a nice, quiet weekend even though the open sites were 80% full. We had a pull-through site right across from the dumpster, bathrooms, and camp host. We had decent service for Verizon. There are ample trails throughout the park including a lovely trail along the lake, which is not far from the campground. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is because our site had a huge mud puddle from the road going to the power and water hook-up. The thin layer of mud on the pavement made things quite slick as I was trying to get leveling blocks down.
Traveler
Nice area by a creek, very peaceful and quiet during the day, a ton of people around and lots of passerby’s. As soon as it got dark, someone decided to sneak around my campsite with a flashlight and stand outside my tent for some time. Packed up quick and zoomed out of there, very uncomfortable and would not recommend for solo campers.
Guide
You are supposed to have a Washington State Discovery pass to stay here, also they want you to fill out self registration once you arrive, fyi there are no pens onsite to do so.
This was a nice spot to stay the night, clean, nice picnic tables and fire pits, one pit toilet.
Traveler
Discover pass required. Host on site. Paved pads. Some pull thru.
GuideVery cool spot with new generation trees growing out of old generation stumps, close to river for water, very popular spot so found a lot of trash but loved the sites and hiking trails nearby
Guide
Langley is a great little town. I don’t know why they haven’t done more to develop the campground- all sites are first-come-first served. They did repair the electrical system this year and just reopened. It’s at the fairgrounds on the edge of town, there’s a largely unlandscaped grass field with electrical boxes & (some) water connections. There is a dump out on site and potable water. There are accessible bathrooms and showers nearby. The campground is on a hill above the horse barn and arena, very convenient to the town of Langley, which is delightful. No camp host available, nobody you can call for assistance. Because the campground just reopened, we were the only ones camped most of the 6 days we were here. I love Langley but they are not as tourist-driven as many towns which have campgrounds like this.
GuideA lit if 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. The place is beautiful. Super dark at night, and besides the sound from the interstate and cars driving up and down, it's quite. Even with the noise, it's peaceful and perfect for a little getaway. We have Verizon and have decent service, even with crappy weather.
ScoutSo dark I couldnt even see my own hand in front of my face! I loved it. Quiet enough, could hear gentle highway hum but cant see anything but trees n nature. Earplugs ftw. Some bugs but nothing major. Plenty of spots along the road. U dont need to go all the way to coords. Just pick a spot along road n park. Some wild raspberries at our spot :) firepit nice, a little trash but not much. Thats the cost of free. Spot is free, the cost is picking up a few pieces of trash. Seems fair to me!
GuideWent 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.
TravelerYou can hear the road from most camping spots. When we arrived at our site there was garbage all over the place in a fire pit so we cleaned it up.
There was a nice long trail that took us to the river. That was nice. Cleaning up sucked because the floor got muddy.
Lots of mosquitoes.
Lots of camping spots. We left Friday evening and most spots were taken.
GuideThis spot was truly beautiful. Green as far as the eye can see, with a creek by that provides the perfect white noise to fall asleep to. The road is fairly accessible, though there are some fairly large potholes that could damage smaller vehicles, and the road could become muddy after raining. On weekends you might have to drive pretty far down the road to find an unclaimed spot, but I didn't have a hard time on a Tuesday night. There was some trash, including broken glass in firepits and a few beer cans spotted in the woods, but for the most part it was clean! The sites further down the road are definitely cleaner. No bathrooms, so plan on dropping the kids off at the pool before visiting. Seeing as there is water nearby, there are plenty of mosquitoes. Bring some bug spray! There are towns within 15 minutes of the road.
LegendJust 20 minutes south of Olympia, WA you can pull off I-5 and pitch a tent beneath towering old growth Douglas Fir and Hemlock trees. This stunning state park reminds us both of the kinds of campgrounds we frequented as kids.
Most of the campsites in the forest loops are small with limited parking and the narrow roads would not serve larger camper rigs. Our little 15 foot travel trailer made it in without any problem. The feeling of camping under the old-growth canopy is so classic Washington, but the solar gain is pretty minimal. Ironically, the electrical hookup sites, which more easily accommodate the big rigs, are out in a more cleared area where there would be solar gain for days.
We camped on the closest loop to the full-hook up RV area and were able to get our solar suitcase out into the sunshine on its extension cord for a few hours. The bathrooms in the forest loops are pretty simple ranging from pit toilets to flush varieties with showers. There is a more modern bathroom facility with nicely clean and refreshing showers near the larger RV field. Things to do in this park are abundant. The water is super chill, shallow and warm.
Only “cartop boats” are allowed in the lake, making it ideal for stand up paddle boards, small kayaking boats, inflatables, canoes, fishing dinghies and just swimming around. Lightening storms in this part of the world are pretty rare, so very fun to see one over the lake while we were here. The lake shore has some classic picnic shelters, built by the CCC, that are reservable, offer wood burning stoves, and lots of places to cook for a family get together.
Hiking and trailing running in the park is wonderful, and with all the loops your efforts can range from 30 min strolls to half-day hikes. The trails are well mapped, and signed making it nearly impossible to get lost.
Tumwater is about 10 miles away on country roads to the north, and Grand Mound is 10 or so miles to the south. Either of these communities provide the usual suburban supplies for groceries and restaurants. There are also some nearby convenience and general stores where you could pick up some ice and such. During the summer months the park has a small cafe and ice cream shop.
GuideMy friend slept in her vehicle(end of the road) and I camped next to the river. There were no other tent campers on this day; many RVs and campers on the way to the river. I highly recommend for peace and solitude.
ScoutIf you are there even 5 min past the 10 day limit even though you are obviously packing up the manager will give you a specific time to be gone by or ahe will call the police in an attempt to have you tresspased then call the cops 40mins before that time and on the 9th day she called the police to do a welfare check even though everyone was up and moving around obviously ok. 😡 Never again and i may not even go to their crappy carnival they try to call a fair either.
Scout
There were several campsites near the river where you could smell human excrement,see large piles of used toilet paper (specifically 16 being the worst), along with garbage littered around almost every campsite and a ton of broken glass. I don’t believe there was a camp host. Several people came by to let us know there were raccoons raiding campsites. It’s such a bummer because the trail and creek are beautiful. (although plenty of litter). Also lots of random hikers/walkers coming through and walking through the campsites themselves to get to the creek and tossing more garbage onto the creek bed. I didn’t expect it to be so dirty, I would’ve brought more trash bags.
GuideThis is my second time. It is free good spaces to camp with a lot for trees. I always sleep on my car but people camp on tents on the forest. Dogs welcome
GuideI 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, it is very close to the interstate so you’ll hear a constant hum of cars but it’s very nice to feel like you have your own slice of the mossy old growth forest.
TravelerKids really enjoyed the creek nearby and it was great for our tent camping. We were able to hike around and had water, and restrooms that were clean.
Scout
It's more of a place to park then a full on campground. It has water and 30 amp power at all spots with access to a dump station. You are limited to 7 nights per month. It's right next to the fairgrounds so you have all the sounds that come with that. A great place if you are one of the vendors for an event at the fairgrounds. It was $35 a night. If you reserve your spot online there is an $8 fee to do that. The power pedestals is set up for 2 rv's per pole so it might be on the wrong side so you need to run an extra cord or hose. Not a problem if your set up for it.
Scout
This a a free camp ground if you have a Wa “Discover Pass” it is a shady campground not great for solar. It is a pleasant campground but can be noisy at times as there is a shooting range not to far away.
ScoutNice open sites with space for multiple vehicles or trailers. Easy access to ORV trails. Expect lots of noise from off-road vehicles and music.
GuideI stayed at one of these sites on Tinkham road while hiking a section of the PCT. Get there early to get the better sites. Plenty down the road though if all of the initial sites are full. Pretty wooded sites, some you can pull down into. Unfortunately, most sites are pretty trashed. Still a pretty area and a good location.
Scout
It's nice to find sites but most RV parts enforce the 10 yrsl anfld younger RVs only allowed. That's discrimination!
GuideLove this place, the view from the bridge makes for some amazing photographs and it’s so well hidden, one of my favorite places.
ScoutThe campsites aren’t bad. There in heavy wooded areas. If you get here early enough you can get a good secluded site on an offshoot, but most sites are just right off the road. Some sites are really close together with like 50 yards.
GuideNot sure why it says $30, this place is free WITH your Discover Pass, 7 day limit in a 30 day period.
Vault toilets are pretty clean.
There is NO trash here, pack it in, pack it out. Keep it clean. Lots of horses here which is enjoyable. An ADA trail is level for walking the dog.
Shooting range is close by, doesn’t bother me but it’s pretty noisy. Can hear some highway noise, but again, hasn’t bothered me
I depend 100% on solar. There is deep shade in all camp spots, I chose a fairly sunny spot, but it wasn’t enough to charge my batteries. Just a heads up.
Will return if visiting rainier again :)
GuideNice secluded camp site. Pros: privacy, river access, sunny. Cons: trash and glass scattered throughout the site. Freeway noise is very loud
Washington offers a variety of horse camping options, perfect for equestrian enthusiasts looking to explore the great outdoors with their horses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Vashon, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Vashon, WA is Tolt MacDonald Park, WA with a 4.3-star rating from 22 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Vashon, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 21 equestrian camping locations near Vashon, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
