RV Camping Near Seattle: From Full Hookup Parks to Free Boondocking

Quick Answer

RV camping near Seattle falls into three tiers. For full hookups close to the city, look at Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell, Issaquah Village RV Park, the Seattle Tacoma KOA in Kent, and Trailer Inns RV Park in Bellevue. For a more scenic stay, Washington state parks like Dash Point and Fay Bainbridge offer utility sites within roughly an hour. For free camping, the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest has dispersed sites along forest roads off Interstate 90, where a self powered rig earns its keep under the region's wet, low sun skies.

Key Terms, Defined

• Full hookups: A site with water, sewer, and electric (often 30 amp and 50 amp) connections at the pad. The most convenient option for longer stays.
• Dry camping: Camping with no hookups at all. You run on your own water, battery, and waste tanks.
• Boondocking: Dry camping off grid on public land or other free spots, away from developed services.
• Dispersed camping: Camping outside a developed campground on public land such as a national forest, typically free, with no marked sites, water, or restrooms.
• FCFS vs reservation: First come first served (FCFS) sites cannot be booked ahead and go to whoever arrives first. Reservation sites are held in advance, usually online.

Tier 1: Closest Full Hookup RV Parks and Resorts

If you want to plug in, dump easily, and stay within a short drive of downtown, these private parks are the simplest choice. All sit close to the city and cater to larger rigs.

Lake Pleasant RV Park (Bothell)

About 22 miles north of downtown Seattle, Lake Pleasant RV Park offers full hookup sites with 50 amp service and is big rig friendly. It is a year round park with on site propane. Address: 24025 Bothell Everett Hwy, Bothell. Phone: 425 487 1785.

Issaquah Village RV Park

Just off Interstate 90 near Lake Sammamish, Issaquah Village RV Park has drive in and pull through full hookup sites with 30 amp and 50 amp service, room for larger rigs, restrooms and showers, coin laundry, and free WiFi. The park is roughly 15 minutes from Seattle and minutes from Bellevue. Phone: 425 392 9233.

Seattle Tacoma KOA (Kent)

On the south side of the metro, the Seattle Tacoma KOA in Kent offers full hookup, pull through sites with 50 amp service and accommodates big rigs. Expect classic KOA extras like a pool, snack bar, and hot showers. Phone: 253 872 8652.

Trailer Inns RV Park (Bellevue)

Close to the freeway in Bellevue, Trailer Inns RV Park provides full hookups with power, water, and sewer, plus pull through sites and an indoor heated pool, sauna, and hot tub. It is a handy base for exploring the Eastside and Seattle.

Tier 2: State Parks Within Roughly One to Two Hours

For scenery over convenience, Washington's state parks trade some hookups for shoreline and forest. Verify length limits and hookup type before you book, since many sites are standard (no hookups) even where a few utility sites exist.

Dash Point State Park (Federal Way)

On Puget Sound between Federal Way and Tacoma, Dash Point State Park accommodates RVs and combinations of 32 feet or less. It has a mix of standard and utility sites plus a trailer dump, and reservations are available online. Address: 5700 SW Dash Point Road, Federal Way.

Saltwater State Park (Des Moines)

A seasonal beach park in Des Moines, Saltwater State Park has campsites, an RV waste site, and drinking water. Hookup availability is limited, so treat most sites as dry camping and confirm before arriving.

Fay Bainbridge Park (Bainbridge Island)

A short ferry ride from Seattle, Fay Bainbridge Park on Bainbridge Island offers RV sites with water and electric on Puget Sound. Factor ferry timing and reservations into your plans, and confirm current length limits with the park.

Tolt MacDonald Park (Carnation)

In the Snoqualmie Valley, Tolt MacDonald Park in Carnation has riverside drive through RV sites reached by a footbridge. It is a quiet, level option close to wine country and trails.

Wallace Falls State Park (Gold Bar)

Wallace Falls State Park near Gold Bar is best known for its waterfall hikes. Camping is limited and rustic, so confirm site type and any RV restrictions before planning to bring a trailer.

The Big Draws: Mount Rainier and Olympic

Within reach for a longer outing, Mount Rainier National Park and Olympic National Park both have campgrounds that take RVs, though most are dry camping with strict length limits and seasonal access. These are bucket list stops rather than quick overnights, so plan reservations and routes carefully.

Tier 3: Free Dispersed Camping and Boondocking

When you want solitude and no nightly fee, the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest is the nearest serious boondocking option. There is real dispersed camping along forest roads in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie area and off other roads near Interstate 90. These are undeveloped sites with no water, power, or restrooms, so you arrive fully self contained.

The Rules That Actually Matter

Standard national forest dispersed camping rules apply, and they are simple but enforced:

• 14 day limit: You may camp no more than 14 days in a row at the same spot outside developed campgrounds, and up to 28 days total per year on forest land. See the forest's camping restrictions.
• Setback distances: Camp well away from water, trails, and developed areas, generally at least 100 feet from water sources.
• Northwest Forest Pass: Many trailheads in the forest require a Northwest Forest Pass to park. Buy a day pass or annual pass and display it where required. Confirm current pass requirements and pricing on the Mount Baker Snoqualmie site before you go.
• Closures and seasonal access: Some corridors restrict dispersed camping to protect rivers and day use areas, and forest roads can close seasonally or wash out. Check the forest's alerts page for current conditions.

Why a Self Powered Rig Helps Here

This is exactly the environment where boondocking gets tricky. The Puget Sound region runs wet and overcast for much of the year, and winter sun sits low and short, so solar alone can fall short for days at a time under heavy tree cover and cloud. A rig that pairs a large battery bank with an onboard generator lets you keep power flowing when panels cannot keep up. The Evotrex-PG5, a power generating travel trailer with a lithium battery bank, solar, and an onboard gasoline generator, is built around this exact use case and is now available to preorder, making it worth a look if dispersed forest camping is your goal. (See also .)

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