we messed up

[reebs]

Hi there.  My spouse and I are new to the boondocking business and had a great trip to the Olympic National Forest this past weekend. Only as we were leaving, and stopped in a day-use area on Highway 119, did we realize that the place we camped the night before was not a legal place for overnight camping. Help me not make this mistake again.

Apparently, all of Highway 119 along Lake Cushman is day use only. How would I have known that?  There weren't signs on the highway. The National Forest Map that I have doesn't list that. Do you really check out EVERY camp site with the rangers before going there? We went in on the Sunday of a holiday weekend (MLK) so there weren't rangers around (which is probably why we didn't get kicked out in the night). I was under the impression that forest roads were "free game".  I guess not. How do I learn the rules? I'd like to follow them.

Help from those with experience in the Olympic or Mt Baker National forests are especially welcome, as those are our local places and were we are most likely to go for a weekend get away.

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the forums! Sometimes there isn't a lot you can do except try to follow the rules. Most likely if you do camp in a spot where it's not allowed you'll just be asked to leave.

 All national forest websites have Motor Vehicle Usage Maps (MVUM) that include a lot of information. Some will have little dots along the roads where it's okay to camp. I don't see any dots on the Olympic or Mt Baker National forests maps so it looks like you can camp along most of the roads except if they are signed otherwise.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5364113.pdf

https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/mbs/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=17520&actid=34

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd786477.pdf

 

[crofter]

Welcome to the forum!   -crofter

 

[travelaround]

Welcome. I like to check things out on the National Forest websites. There's a site for each forest, and they usually explain where's best to park, even for dispersed camping two-week stays (or whatever is allowed). They list each campsite, the costs, the facilities and what's available.

 

[user 423]

You can download or get hard copy MVUM maps from the NFS for each area.

They show dispersed camping areas.


And welcome to the forum!

 

[user 423]

^

PS: Motor Vehicle Use Maps

 

[crofter]

....Olympic or Mt Baker National forests maps so it looks like you can camp along most of the roads except if they are signed otherwise.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5364113.pdf

https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/mbs/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=17520&actid=34

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd786477.pdf

These are all downloads by the way, not links. In case you are not going to WA anytime soon.
-crofter

 

[reebs]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I guess I'm still confused. If I look at the map that rvwandering posted for the area where we camped, there isn't anything on it that would indicate to me that that road was not allowed for camping. Specifically, using this link: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5364113.pdf
On map 26, we camped at the top of the map on the road covered by the "continue on map 21" notation. It was highway 119. I don't see anything on this map or in the frontmatter of the maps that would say that area was closed to overnight camping.

The sign I saw that made me think it was was across the highway from the trailhead for the Rose Mountain trail (about a mile from where we camped). I thought it said that all of highway 119 was day use only.

The campground that you can see at the top of that map was closed for the season.

Can anyone help me parse this further?

 

[bullfrog]

It may be confusing because there are so many variables when it comes to public land. The best source is always going to be the agency in charge of the land and having them supply you with a map with notations where you can camp.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

 . . . On map 26, we camped at the top of the map on the road covered by the "continue on map 21" notation.  It was highway 119. I don't see anything on this map or in the frontmatter of the maps that would say that area was closed to overnight camping . . .

The map lists that road as (state? county?) 24.  Better view on the bottom of map 21.

From pg 3, Dispersed camping:
"Motor vehicle use off of designated roads for the purpose of dispersed camping is permitted for up to 150 feet from the centerline of the road either both side of the road on National Forest System Lands (NFSL) ownership or side opposite non NFSL ownership."

By my reading: you can dispersed camp off any road inside or on the edge of the NF but cannot camp on land owned by others.
So,  you can legally camp on the North side of the road (under the 24 marker), otherwise you are camping on non-NF land.  It looks like all areas south of the road are non-FS land (off limits for camping).

 

[user 423]

Here are a couple of links to check out. According to the NFS dispersed is allowed only in a couple of areas in Olympic NF:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/olympic/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=47687&actid=34

Here is an excellent guide for your travels:

http://www.rvhive.com/boondocking-on-us-forest-service-land/

This is a detailed online map of that area. You have to zoom in to the lake area and use the FSTopo Basemap option. Look for dispersed dots:

https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/E..._gallery=true&disable_scroll=true&theme=light

BTW: Last time I was there it was nothing but rain,rain,rain...

 

[reebs]

Thanks Spaceman Spiff and Slow2day, both of those resources/interpretation helps! And they will help for figuring out our next trip!

And yes, rain is typical here, we were lucky to get sunshine last week!

 

[maki2]

Head on over to a sporting goods store and get the WA state Landmark recreational map. That will show you all the campsites. Then you can do some further research by using those locations in a search on youtube to see what videos have been posted by people who have casmped there.

I have also found those Landmark maps in some grocery stores and drugstores in WA State.