Where to get a last-minute campsite

No reservation? No problem.

Where to get a last-minute campsite

State parks, national parks and national forests all hold places for latecomers

by JULIE HANSON

If you yearn to go camping, but every campground you usually haunt is all reserved, there’s hope.

Even if you don’t have a reservation, there are quite a few first-come, first-served campsites in Washington State Parks and other public lands.

Be prepared — and flexible: Pay attention to the amenities at the campground. (Do you need to pack water in?) Have a backup plan or two in case your perfect spot is taken. Before you go, research nearby campgrounds, motels and other places to stay so you don’t have to turn tail and go home.

The early camper gets the site: Be ready to go (packed, full tank) early in the morning to get a jump on the crowds.

Shoot for the middle: Show up in the middle of the week or on the tail end of the weekend to improve odds of getting a campsite. Bonus: fewer crowds.

Think outside the box: Try the lovely spots in our article “Want to take the kids camping? Here’s how to get a spot at the last minute,” online at 3Seattleschild.com.

State Parks with first-come, first-served sites

▸Joemma Beach State Park: 19 primitive tent sites.

▸Mount Spokane State Park: 8 standard sites and more than 12,000 acres to explore.

▸Obstruction Pass State Park: 10 primitive sites; take your car on the ferry or arrive by boat or kayak.

▸Sucia Island Marine State Park: 60 standard sites accessible only by watercraft.

▸Wallace Falls State Park: Set out early to score one of the two prime sites.

State Parks with a combination of reserved and first-come, first-served sites:

▸Blake Island Marine State Park: 44 sites.

▸Cape Disappointment State Park: 5 sites for spontaneous campers.

▸Curlew Lake State Park: 29 sites for last-minute campers.

▸Jarrell Cove State Park: 14 sites for campers without reservations.

▸Lewis and Clark State Park: 9 first-come, firstserved sites.

▸Schafer State Park: 19 no-reservation sites.

National parks and forests

All three national parks in Washington have some first-come, first-served sites. For details, go to 3nps.gov/. Get details about the few no-reservation sites in Washington’s national forests on the U.S. Forest Service website ▸fs.usda.gov/ visit/forests-and-grasslands