Best Dispersed Camping near White Pass, WA

The forested landscapes surrounding White Pass, Washington feature predominantly dispersed camping options along forest service roads and near waterways. Clear Lake Campgrounds and Rimrock-South Fork Bay provide tent and RV accommodations with basic amenities like toilets and picnic tables, while areas such as White River Dispersed Camping and Granite Lake offer more primitive experiences. Most sites sit within Gifford Pinchot National Forest or near the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park, providing strategic positioning for outdoor recreation in both protected areas.

Road conditions throughout the region demand careful vehicle selection, with many campers reporting high-clearance requirements for accessing the best sites. As one visitor noted, "Definitely need a high clearance vehicle. I made it with my Crosstrek but luckily found a site that was easy to approach." Forest Service roads leading to dispersed camping areas often feature rough, potholed surfaces with narrow clearings. Cell service remains minimal to non-existent across most camping areas, with reviewers consistently reporting "weak Verizon and non-existent ATT" coverage. Seasonal considerations include summer fire bans and winter road closures, with most areas requiring Northwest Forest Passes or other permits.

Riverside camping locations receive particularly high ratings from visitors seeking seclusion and natural settings. The White River Dispersed area stands out with multiple reviewers praising its accessibility to Mount Rainier National Park. According to one camper, "Plenty of sites along the river with multiple ingress/egress options from the road. Right outside the entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park and the access road to Crystal Mountain." Wildlife sightings commonly include deer and small mammals, while noise levels vary significantly between weekdays and weekends. Several reviewers mention the importance of proper waste management, as some areas have experienced issues with litter. The unique Ranger Creek Airstrip camping area offers the unusual experience of camping beside an active airstrip, with one visitor noting, "There are roughly 40 sites spread out along a long narrow loop, with some walk-in sites."

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Best Dispersed Sites Near White Pass, Washington (49)

    1. Clear Lake Campgrounds

    4 Reviews
    Goose Prairie, WA
    6 miles

    "If you come during the week, you're going to enjoy quiet, gorgeous dispersed camping. Big spaces, big trees, big lake."

    "Has toilets around area, didnt check them as my rig is self sufficient. No other service though but out here it doesnt matter. Pack in pack out. Has fire rings all over!"

    2. Granite Lake Dispersed Camping Area

    5 Reviews
    Goose Prairie, WA
    12 miles
    Website

    "I made it up to the lake in July.  There were too many ppl for the small campground on this weekend. "

    "Plenty of campsites around the small lake that are right up next to the water, but to get the good spots, It's first come first serve."

    3. FS Road 44 Dispersed

    3 Reviews
    Packwood, WA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 497-1100

    "They must have parked off the highway. Multiple spots to camp. We went a little further in for a more secluded area and barely had any traffic. Would stay here again."

    "Super spread out sides, can get close to the river towards some in the back. Multiple fire pits per site."

    4. White River Dispersed Camping

    23 Reviews
    Greenwater, WA
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 825-6585

    "Right outside the entrance to Mt."

    "If you come here you must leave no trace."

    5. Peninsula / Rimrock Boat Launch

    4 Reviews
    Goose Prairie, WA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 653-1401

    "The sites on the peninsula are pretty great, great distance between each other, fire pits, the basics.. the trash is rampant. Some shady looking individuals, too."

    6. South Fork Tieton Dispersed Camping

    3 Reviews
    White Pass, WA
    9 miles
    Website

    ". #1 rule is to leave no trace. Extremely grateful we get to explore and camp on land that is free. We should all do our part and take care of it. "

    7. Sluice Creek Dispersed Spot

    4 Reviews
    Packwood, WA
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 497-1103

    8. Rimrock - South Fork Bay Dispersed Camp

    4 Reviews
    Tieton, WA
    14 miles
    Website

    "Totally off grid. No amenities but worth the stay."

    "No toilets or water, but you can get s spot right next to the river! right in the forest so lots of shade, and great for dogs as well!"

    9. Goat Rock Wilderness

    1 Review
    Packwood, WA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (360) 497-1100

    "There are about 9 fire circles around the lake and there are planting of areas to camp without fire circles."

    10. Fish Creek Dispersed

    1 Review
    Tieton, WA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (509) 653-1401

    $8 / night

    "There is great fishing here, however you can’t fish in the river, you have to fish either in the lake/reservoir or further upstream because the camping area is a breading zone for an endangered fish."

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near White Pass, WA

131 Reviews of 49 White Pass Campgrounds


  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 7, 2021

    White River Dispersed Camping

    Riverside perfection

    Plenty of sites along the river with multiple ingress/egress options from the road. Right outside the entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park and the access road to Crystal Mountain. 

    4x4 / high clearance vehicles recommended - saw some subarus trying to navigate into a cleared area and it was pretty scrape-y. 

    Great place to stay if you can't get a spot at White River / Ohanapecosh.

    Leave no trace.

  • 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.

  • Shay F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 30, 2020

    L.T. Murray Wildlife Area

    Beautiful Solitude for Boondocking

    **Ranger Review: Camp Fare Premium Meals at LT Murray Wildlife Area **

    Camping Review: The LT Murray Wildlife Area is located in Thorp, between Cle Elum and Ellensburg. It is often referred to as Elk Heights or Joe Watt Canyon. This is primarily an ORV and horseback riding area in the summer. Hunting and elk feeding/wintering grounds area in the winter. This is also a great area to find elk sheds once wintering season is over. There are plenty of dispersed camping sites along the Forest Service roads. All you need is a Discover Pass and a high clearance, capable vehicle. 

    We were looking for a close by, no reservation, free place to camp for a weekend. I remember riding horses up here as a kid but have not been up to this area for many years. Once you arrive to the Wildlife Area, you must let yourself in the gate and close it after you pass through. From the gate we drove down a rough, rocky road and passed a wide-open meadow where there we a couple other trailers camping, maybe living, along the road. We passed through some very narrow, brush lined roads. It was also steep and rutted with water wash out spots. The rocks that made the road are sharp, large, and loose. We did not go too far as we were not sure what shape the road would be in and did not want to get in a situation with our trailer that we could not get out of. Plug for our Airstream Basecamp. It's advertised as being "built for adventure and tough enough to go anywhere." I think I really believe it now. 

    The spot we chose turned out to be beautiful. We had a view of the Thorp valley and the forested gully and ridge across from us. The stars were out and the comet NEOWISE was visible. We saw large elk, deer, many birds, and were visited by some wild turkeys in the night. It can get very windy in this area. Fires are not allowed due to red flag conditions. There is nothing out here. You must bring everything you need. Food, water, TP, lights. The best part was we saw two other cars, a couple ORV's, and a couple horseback riders total for the 2 days we were there. You can't get any quieter and more unplugged than that! 

    Product Review: Camp Fare Beef Burgundy with Field Vegetables and Chicken Tikka Masala with French Green Lentils

     I ordered these meals a bit short of our last trip and was unable to make them. I was happy I had them saved for our trip up to LT Murray given we traveled quick and light. Camp Fare https://campfare.com/ advertises their food as high quality, delicious, chef-crafted, and ready to eat- no refrigeration required. All you have to do is submerge in hot water for 2-3 minutes, tear open the pouch, and enjoy. Selection is limited but covers all the bases. Beef Burgundy, Chicken Tikka Masala, Wild Alaskan Salmon, and Brown Rice and Red Quinoa with Pink Beans. They all sound great! We had our camp stove and a pot of water but you could probably stuff the pouch into a larger Jet Boil for backpacking too. I chose the Beef and had my partner eat the Chicken. 

    Preparation was as quick and easy as promised. The meals may not look amazing, especially on a plate instead of the pouch or in a bowl, but they really are delicious. The Beef Burgundy was flavorful and tender. The Chicken Tikka Masala was Indian restaurant good, seriously. I would way rather eat these meals than something dehydrated ever again. Looking forward to trying the Salmon and maybe getting the Chicken again for future trips.

  • Pamela R.
    Jun. 19, 2021

    L.T. Murray Wildlife Area

    Gorgeous!

    After figuring out which gate to go through (make sure and shut the gate behind you), I took a road to the right with my truck and 19 ft. epro. We drove up a rocky dirt road, single lane with pull outs, for about 20 mins. Passing only a few other campers along the way. Sites are very spread out and private. Wildflowers were amazing!

  • 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.

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 24, 2023

    White River Dispersed Camping

    Secluded Spot

    This road was pretty hard to find but we’ll worth it. Spot was secluded even though there seemed to be two other groups camping at the site. There was an obnoxious amount of used toilet paper in the area but it was avoidable. If you come here you must leave no trace.

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 21, 2023

    Tatoosh Wilderness WA FS52 - Dispersed Camping

    Littered roadside pull-off

    This was a large pull-off right off of NF-52, so there was no privacy from the hwy but at least the area was big enough to be a little distanced from traffic. The spots on the river were already occupied when I was looking late on a Sat afternoon, this is a popular dispersed area. The entire area was littered with toilet paper and discarded furniture. There was also a memorial hidden in some trees just out of sight of 52. Wouldn't have been a bad spot if people had picked up after themselves, but the trash situation was over the top. Thankful to have in a pinch but def wouldn't camp there again. (The pull off is right off the highway from what the coordinates show).

  • Jess G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 4, 2019

    South Fork Tieton Dispersed Camping

    Dispersed camping

    We stayed here 2 nights and will definitely be coming back. Tons of open sites to choose from right along the river. Designated fire rings but currently there's a burn ban. No vault toilets or picnic tables. Pack it in, pack it out! When we first arrived we spent about 20 minutes cleaning the site we chose after the people whom were here before us. Not such a big deal just a little saddening. #1 rule is to leave no trace. Extremely grateful we get to explore and camp on land that is free. We should all do our part and take care of it. 

    A little surprising that we had cell phone reception with sprint! 

    Near this area there are a lot or activities. Biking, hiking, swimming, fishing, kayaking.. to name a few!


Guide to White Pass

Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near White Pass, Washington, where nature meets adventure. With stunning views and a variety of outdoor activities, this area is perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle.

Scenic Views and Relaxation while Free Camping near White Pass

  • Experience breathtaking vistas of Mt. Rainier from NF-52 Dispersed Camping, where you can set up camp and soak in the natural beauty.
  • Enjoy a peaceful stay at Cora Lake Back Country, which offers secluded lakeside camping surrounded by lush forests.
  • Find tranquility at Granite Lake Dispersed Camping Area, where crystal-clear waters and serene landscapes create the perfect backdrop for relaxation.

Fishing and Water Activities for Dispersed Campers

  • Cast your line at Fish Creek Dispersed, known for its excellent fishing opportunities in the nearby lake and river.
  • Kayak or swim in the refreshing waters at Clear Lake Campgrounds, where you can enjoy a variety of water activities right at your campsite.
  • Explore the riverbanks and enjoy a day of fishing at South Fork Tieton Dispersed Camping, which offers ample space for setting up along the water.

Hiking Trails and Outdoor Adventures for Dispersed Campers

  • Embark on scenic hikes from Goat Rock Wilderness, where trails lead you through stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife.
  • Discover the rugged beauty of the area while hiking near Rimrock - South Fork Bay Dispersed Camp, which provides access to various trails and breathtaking views.
  • Experience the thrill of hiking and exploring the natural wonders surrounding Sluice Creek Dispersed Spot, where you can find hidden gems and picturesque scenery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dispersed camping allowed near Granite Lake in White Pass?

Yes, dispersed camping is allowed near Granite Lake in White Pass. Granite Lake Dispersed Camping Area offers both drive-in and walk-in access options. The area follows standard Forest Service dispersed camping regulations. Ranger Creek Airstrip Dispersed is another nearby option with over 100 sites available for $5/night. When camping near Granite Lake, be prepared for dry camping with no facilities, and always practice Leave No Trace principles. Verify current conditions before your trip as seasonal closures may apply in winter months.

Where are the dispersed camping areas near White Pass?

Several dispersed camping areas exist near White Pass. White River Dispersed Camping offers plenty of sites along the river with multiple access points, located just outside Mt. Rainier National Park entrance. Tatoosh Wilderness WA FS52 provides dispersed camping options with spots along the river, though it can be popular on weekends. Other options include Ranger Creek Airstrip, Silver Springs Sno Park, and Forest Service Road 025, which contains 3-4 well-spaced sites. Most areas require high clearance vehicles, with some roads having potholes that require careful navigation even for RVs.

What are the regulations for dispersed camping in White Pass?

Dispersed camping in White Pass follows standard Forest Service regulations. At Silver Springs Sno Park, camping is permitted with proper vehicle parking. Dispersed Camping FS-025 demonstrates typical rules: camp only in established sites, respect fire restrictions (which vary seasonally), and practice Leave No Trace. Some areas have a nominal fee (Ranger Creek charges $5/night), while others are free. Camping is generally limited to 14 days within a 30-day period. Always pack out all trash, properly dispose of human waste at least 200 feet from water sources, and fully extinguish campfires when permitted. Cell reception is often limited or non-existent.