Olympic Peninsula Loop (WA)

[PNWVAN]

My wife, 3 dogs and I are planning to do the Olympic Peninsula Loop next week. Anyone have suggestions of some off grid/out the way spots to setup camp for the night?

Thanks

[cardifftodd]

I quickly replied and then realized that what I had suggested isn't what you are seeking. There is a really nice campsite in the National Park by Lake Cushman...Staircase. BEAUTIFUL area, great hiking. But a campground, not off-grid. And I don't think they allow pets in National Park campgrounds.

[PNWVAN]

We aren’t against campgrounds just figured they would all be booked.
Thanks for the reply.

[cardifftodd]

Even if you don't camp there, its worth the drive out to do a short hike.

[RandallDee]

Make sure you have your NW Forest Pass. With it you can camp for free at the Minnie Peterson campground on the upper Hoh, Cottonwood Campground on the lower Hoh, South Fork Hoh Campground on the SF Hoh and the campground on the upper Queets. As a matter of fact, you may need it to park most places there. All of those are pretty small but may still be empty when the more popular ones fill up. The Upper Queets one is a good bet and it's worth it to drive up there and see it anyway if you never have. Across from the Minnie Peterson Campground on the Hoh is a road that goes down to the river where boaters launch. It's a big gravel bar and I've camped on it many times. There's a pit toilet there as well. Another similar option, assuming you have 4x4, is to drive down to the Cottonwood CG on the lower Hoh and drive through the campground and you will see a primitive road going out to the river for boat launching/take out. That gravel bar is huge and there are lots of spots out on it to boondock as well.

[AndrewInSeattle]

There are several DNR campsites in the Western area that are out of the way and lightly used, free with Discover Pass. Not the greatest in terms of scenery, especially the logged out zones on the drive in, but pretty nice once you get there and probably not hard to find a spot. The ones I've checked out on the north coast are either always full (Lyre River) or horribly un-scenic (Sadie Creek).

You probably already know the Makah Reservation has closed their borders, so don't try to go to the northwest tip.

I'm a huge fan of the views and tide pools at Salt Creek Rec Area, but you absolutely have to time the low tide correctly or it's a waste. There's great campsites there, but it looks like the good ones are all reserved for quite a while.

Please report back with anything you find, positive or negative!

[PNWVAN]

Awesome, thanks for all the info.
We do have 4wd so that helps.
I haven’t spent much time out that way, usually camping north or East for the mountain biking. But looking forward to exploring out there.
Will Report back what I find. Also going to try the IOverlander app someone suggested.

[BrianW]

We stayed a few nights at this private CG near Forks, on the road to La Push. forksriverviewrv.com

Don’t let the “RV parking lot” that you see at first turn you off. There’s actually some very nice, no-hookup basic private sites down by the river. We had a partial hookup one that was fairly private. Bathrooms and showers were clean and the family that runs it were nice.

[ctb]

South Beach is a MUST!!! Three rows of ocean view camping...first come first serve...there's also a "south beach shuffle" which is folks on the second and third row (farthest from direct ocean front) waling the first row seeing if anybody is leaving so they can run up and claim a front row...We were on the third row first night, and landed a first row spot the next three...we would never have left if possible, lolol kinda...ALso the Native American tribe in the very NW corner is renting RV sites too (I am pretty sure)...but there is camping in La Push and several other places...Olympic is awesome too!

[ctb]

These are a few pics from the NW tip when we tent camped...I am pretty sure the Tribe that owns the land (now, when we went they had just been awarded land and let us spend one night there) and has developed it...

Ps The Green SMB photo is from the La Push campground...first time my wife KTG got to look inside, talk to the wife, and was pretty much sold on an SMB...GREAT TRIP!