Camping in Washington

Washington is a state located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The state is named after George Washington, the first president of the United States. The capital of Washington is Olympia and the largest city is Seattle. Washington is the 18th largest state by area and 13th most populous state with over 7 million residents.

Washington is known for its beautiful scenery and diverse landscape. The state is home to Mount Rainier, an active volcano, and Olympic National Park, which features rain forests, glaciers, and mountains. Washington also has a large number of lakes, rivers, and streams.

Camping is a popular activity in Washington due to the state's scenic beauty and abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities. There are many different types of camping available in Washington, from car camping and RV camping to backpacking and primitive camping.

Car camping is a type of camping where you camp at a developed campsite that has roads leading to it. RV camping is similar to car camping but you camp in an RV instead of a tent. Backpacking is a type of camping where you hike into the backcountry carrying all your gear on your back. Primitive camping is a type of camping where you camp in a more remote location without any developed amenities such as restrooms or picnic tables.

There are many developed campgrounds located throughout Washington State Parks. These campgrounds typically have paved roads leading to them and offer amenities such as restrooms, picnic tables, fire pits, and drinking water. Some developed campgrounds also offer hookups for RVs.

Backcountry Camping

Backcountry camping requires a permit from the agency that manages the land where you will be camping. In Washington, this includes lands managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Washington State Parks.

A backcountry permit allows you to camp overnight in undeveloped areas away from trails and roads. Permits are typically obtained through an online reservation system or by calling the ranger station for the area where you will be visiting.

When planning a backcountry trip, keep these things in mind:

• You will need to carry all your gear with you since there are no developed campsites or amenities available.
• Be sure to pack enough food and water for your entire trip since you will not have access to potable water sources.
• You will need to follow Leave No Trace principles when backpacking so as not to impact delicate ecosystems.
• Be sure to check weather conditions before heading out so that you can be prepared for extreme conditions.
• Make sure you have appropriate maps for navigation since cell phone service may be limited or unavailable in remote areas.