Looking for parking around Sno. County, WA

[Headache]

Welp, I was told today I'll be getting a termination letter sometime after the first of the year so I'm looking for other places to park until I can afford to escape the PNW.  Your assistance in this is greatly appreciated.  My area of interest(close to my storage and other assistance) is in the Snohomish/Monroe/Sultan area.

As you may have read in other threads finding parking at national and state parks is not even an option.

The local Walmart is 24 hour so I can park there on occasion although at one time they had no RV parking signs briefly.  I have no idea why they disappeared.

Thanks bunches

 

[TrainChaser]

I just looked in my book (851 pages) of The Wright Guide to Free & Low-cost Campgrounds (2015) in that area, and don't see a single place.  This book only lists places that cost $12 or less.

Walmart will sometimes close off their parking lot to camping if they are storing stuff in the parking lot (like the spring garden stuff), or have some kind of repairs to do (like septic work).

At https//FreeCampsites.net  it shows Tulalip Resort Casino 18 miles W of Monroe.  There are a few others, but they tend to be over an hour of drive time from the towns you listed, out in the boonies.

Would you consider housesitting?  Here's a website with a directory of all the major housesitting websites:  http://ultimatehousesittingguide.co...-overview-of-all-major-housesitting-websites/     There seems to be a charge of $25 to $100 to join, but I've heard the minimum fee the housesitters seem to charge is $10 a day.  Some people who charge $10/day will include a pet for that, and they multiple it by the number of extra pets (i.e., 3 dogs = $30/day).  OTOH, just starting out, $10/ for 2 wks would be $140 that you didn't have before, and you'll be living in a more secure situation.  I don't know how it all works, but it might be something to look into.  The living arrangement could vary considerably -- they  might let you live in their yard in your rig, or they might prefer you stayed in the house so it looks more lived-in (lights going on and off, etc), with access to shower, kitchen, and laundry.

If you take a quick look at this site, it show how much it costs for the family to BOARD a pet at a facility, and everything costs more than $10/day:
[*]Dog walkers...$10-$25 per day, for 1 dog
[*]Dog and kitty day care...$15-$35 per day per pet
[*]Kennel Boarding (small animal)...$20-$25 per day per pet
[*]Pet hotels...$35-$90 per pet, varies with services provided

http://www.care.com/pet-care-pet-care-cost-p1145-q7401.html

Good luck!

 

[ArtW]

That's actually a pretty sweet gig, you get paid to stay in a house, and you might even have pets to play with

 

[Fivealive]

Why not just park on a city street?

 

[Headache]

Thanks for the info Train. Housesitting isn't an option with my 2 pets. Tulalip is about 45 mins from where I am.

Five I don't live near a "city" where I could get away with parking on a street. The closest is Everett(35 miles away) and they are very active in chasing away van dwellers.

The Walmart here doesn't allow parking. I made a point to look the last time I was there and they put up much smaller signs.

 

[Fivealive]

Snohomish/Monroe/Sultan

Those are all cities. I don't understand why you couldn't park on a street in those towns. Looking on google maps there appears to be a lot of good options. Have you tried street parking or are you just assuming its not going to work? Also what do you mean by Everett driving Van dwellers out of town? I believe you but I am curious as to what exactly they are doing? I have stayed many nights on Everett streets in my non-stealth truck camper and never had an issue, but to be honest though its been about 1.5 years since I was there last.

 

[TrainChaser]

Check out the industrial areas for parking spots.

 

[Headache]

I don't understand why you couldn't park on a street in those towns. Looking on google maps there appears to be a lot of good options.  Have you tried street parking or are you just assuming its not going to work?  Also what do you mean by Everett driving Van dwellers out of town?   I believe you but I am curious as to what exactly they are doing?

I'm not assuming anything.  I live in one of the towns/almost in another and have friends in the area.  We all know how the law works around here and while they appear to be "cities" they are surrounded by rural.

Everett is too far and I believe I mentioned that already.  The areas I was in were either questionable or unsafe but that doesn't matter because it's too far and my dog would give us away.

Train that was my first thought but I've recently found out some of the cops hang out in the two around here.  I'll have to find the other homeless peeps to see where they are if they will tell me.  There is a reason why they aren't parking in what I'd assume to be the same kind of areas you're bringing up.

 

[IGBT]

We lived in Sultan for 15 years on a house on the Skykomish river, but sadly sold it last year (otherwise you could have parked for a bit in our backyard with a river view)

Let me think....

It isn't free, but you can stay fairly cheap at the Monroe fairgrounds and it seems pretty safe.

If you want to boondock, you can drive up Sultan Basin road toward Spada Lake.   After the first bridge across Olney creek (which does have some tiny bits of gold in it if you like panning) there are pulloff areas by the creek where you can camp (I think it is BLM land).  It is a fair drive up Sultan Basin...about 10 miles, but very pretty area.   Spada Lake itself is owned by the nazi city of Everett and can't be used for boondocking.

A crap ton of homeless people camp on the shore across the river from Sultan (down near the  main bridge across that river) but I can't think that would be a great solution.

I think the best free spot would be the one up by Olney creek if that is not too far to drive.  And you can pan for gold!

Edit:  Here is the location of the first bridge.   There are a lot of pull off areas on the creek side from this bridge all the way to the end of the paved road (it then turns to gravel for the remaining road to Spada Lake).   I think the creek side is nearly 100% BLM land with the usual 14 day limit thing.   It is a very pretty area.

 

[Headache]

Thanks for the info IGBT!

After talking with a few homeless agencies and the local police sergeant who is now the homeless people liaison I've found a safe place to park in a church parking lot that also has a porta potty onsite. It's much farther than what I was looking for but hey, beggars can't be choosers! I'm just grateful I can stay there as long as I need. to! Sunday will be my first night.

 

[TrainChaser]

Glad you finally found a decent spot!

A long time ago, a church near where I lived got broken into a couple of times. After that -- rather informally, I think -- the cops patrolling the area would pull into the church parking lot to do their paperwork. They would slowly circle the church, and then they would park near the street so they could be seen. No more break-ins. So, don't panic if you see cops there -- I would bet this happens more than we might think.

 

[ArtW]

good you found a spot! good luck with night 1, they get easier as you go