If you want to go camping this summer, you should be thinking ahead already. Many popular campgrounds fill up months in advance. Here is a roundup of what you need to know.
Car camping
State parks: Spots in popular areas fill up well in advance, especially from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Reservations are available at more than 60 state parks for campsites, yurts and cabins. To make reservations for most Washington state parks, go here or call 888-226-7688. Cama Beach and Camano Island state park reservations must be made by calling 360-387-1550.
Mount Rainier National Park: Mount Rainier has three car-camping campgrounds, Cougar Rock, Ohanapechosh and White River. Cougar Rock and Ohanapechosh allow reservations. White River is first-come, first-serve. To see open seasons and make reservations, go here. Another campground at Mowich Lake allows walk-in, tent camping, but you can drive right to the edge of the campground. It also allows reservations, which are filled using the wilderness permit system. (See below.)
Olympic National Park: Kalaloch Campground allows reservations. The other front-country campgrounds are all first-come, first-serve. To make reservations, go here. Reservations are accepted from June 10 to Sept. 20 and can be made no more than 6 months in advance.
North Cascades National Park: Campgrounds are first-come, first-serve.
Forest Service: Many Forest Service campgrounds accept reservations, and you can find them all over the state. For a list of campgrounds in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, go to here. Click on each campground for information on when it’s open and how to make reservations. To look for and reserve Forest Service campgrounds around the state and country, go to www.recreation.gov.
Backpacking permits
Enchantments: The Enchantments, outside of Leavenworth, are an extremely popular area for hiking. They are also extremely delicate. To protect the area, access is limited. Day hikers don’t need permits, but you do to stay overnight anytime between June 15 and Oct. 15. Permits are hard to get.
The application period is Feb. 15 to March 3. Permits are issued through a lottery system. Permits not issued during the initial period are available first-come, first-serve through the website. A limited number of permits are also available first-come, first-serve on a daily walk-in basis.
There is a $6, non-refundable application fee. After March 6, return to the website to determine if you received a permit. If you do get a permit, the permit fee is $5 per person, per day.
Mount Rainier National Park: A wilderness permit is required for all overnight camping in the wilderness areas of the park. The Wonderland Trail is especially popular, and permit reservations fill up quickly. About 70 percent of permits are allotted in advance, and the rest are first-come, first-served. You also need a permit for climbing above 10,000 feet or on any glaciers.
Reservations are accepted beginning March 15 and rangers begin processing the permits on April 1. All requests received between March 15 and March 31 are processed in random order. After that, requests are processed in the order they are received.
Requests can be made by fax or letter. After late May, they can also be made in person. Reservations are $20. If you don’t get a reservation, you will not be charged. You will receive a letter stating whether or not you received a reservation. If you did, you must pick up your permit by 10 a.m. the day your trip starts. If you cannot pick it up by that time, you’ll need to contact the park in advance.
For more information and a reservation form, go here.
Olympic National Park: You need a permit for all backcountry camping in the park. Some areas have quotas and reservations are recommended for May 1 to Sept. 30. Reservations are accepted beginning March 15. Do not submit a request before then, it will be ignored. Reservations can be mailed or faxed. They cost $5, plus $2 per person, per night. Kids under 16 are free.
For more information and reservation forms, go here.
North Cascades National Park: Backcountry camping and boating requires permits, which are all first-come, first serve. Get more info here.
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