Need a last-minute campsite? With warm days and long summer evenings, many a Seattle parent’s thoughts turn to getting out of town, and spending a weekend somewhere quieter and wilder. Trouble is, all the most popular campgrounds were reserved months ago. Luckily, there are several fine campgrounds where it is possible to make a reservation with those glorious July and August weekends.
But there’s hope for the last-minute planner! WTA has a new reservation system for the more casual planner and has added 26 more campsites for same-day reservations. For flexible dates, visit the reservations system and follow these steps: 1) Choose a flexible date, 2) pick a park and a timeframe up to four months in advance, and 3) add group size and equipment. The flexible dates option makes it easier to pick a spot without sifting through many dates. You can also go back and add filters to accommodate your specific needs.
Same-day reservations allow visitors to secure campsites before heading to a park instead of loading up and heading out, not knowing if an empty site will be available when they arrive. This offering also allows parks to better fill empty sites during cancellations. Visitors can make same-day camping reservations until 4 p.m. Book your stay online, or by calling (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.
Same-day camping reservations are available at the following parks: Alta Lake, Belfair, Birch Bay, Bridgeport, Cape Disappointment, Conconully, Curlew Lake, Deception Pass, Fort Casey, Fort Worden, Lake Chelan, Lake Easton, Lake Sylvia, Lewis and Clark Trail, Lincoln Rock, Millersylvania, Moran, Ocean City, Pacific Beach, Pearrygin Lake, Riverside Bowl and Pitcher, Sequim Bay, Schafer, Twanoh, Twenty-Five Mile Creek, and Wenatchee Confluence.
Need even more options? Here are five scenic spots close enough to Seattle for you to leave after work and arrive with enough time for a round of s’mores. Once there, you have the option of exploring some spectacular wilderness areas. Or, if you prefer, you can collapse in a camp chair while your children find things to do in the woods and the dirt. There’s always plenty to do in the woods and the dirt.
Try these options for a last-minute campsite:
Middle Fork Campground
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Distance from Seattle: 46 miles
Nearest town: North Bend
Located along the middle fork of the Snoqualmie River, this shady, barrier-free campground has glimpses of tantalizing peaks beyond the trees and is convenient for some fine hiking. Reserve through recreation.gov.
Silver Springs Campground
Distance from Seattle: 71 miles
Nearest town: Greenwater
Large, old-growth trees shade this campground along the White River. Nearby, you have Mount Rainier National Park, and the many trails of the Crystal Mountain basin. Reserve through recreation.gov.
Squire Creek County Park
Snohomish County
Distance from Seattle: 72 miles
Nearest town: Darrington
This forested, creekside park is in a spot that gives access to a host of wonderful trails along the Mountain Loop Highway, a backroad where you can find great alpine treks, pristine rivers and an actual ghost town. Reserve through Snohomish County Parks and Recreation.
Lewis and Clark State Park
The wading pool is closed until further notice.
Washington State Parks
Distance from Seattle: 102 miles
Nearest town: Toledo (Yes, there is a Toledo in Washington.)
This park boasts a magnificent stand of old-growth forest, and makes a good base for families exploring nearby Mount St. Helens. Reserve through Washington State Parks.
Silver Lake Park
Whatcom County
Distance from Seattle: 111 miles
Nearest town: Maple Falls
Continue east on Highway 542 and enter hiker heaven, a road strewn with trailheads leading to gorgeous mountain hikes. The road ends above the tree line, at a spectacular lookout called Artist Point. Or you could stay at the campground, swim in the beautiful lake, or rent boats from the day lodge. Reserve through Whatcom County Parks.
Other gems are out there. You can search for available sites on a particular weekend using the reservation websites reservation.gov and Washington State Parks. (Washington State Parks is the easier of the two.) Your camping adventure awaits.
Read more
| A full-time RV mom shares 6 of her favorite tent or RV spots
Family hiking 101: How to prepare, what to bring
Getting outdoors with a baby? Of course!
How a camper van changed this family’s life, for the better
Guide to backpacking with kids
