The best forest campgrounds near Tacoma, Washington

Looking to escape to the forest near Tacoma, Washington? Hipcamp has over 2000 camping options to choose from, with prices as low as $10 per night. Whether you're into boating, horseback riding, or paddling, you'll find the perfect campsite to suit your activity preferences. Some of our top campsites in the area include The Landing at Index WA (597 reviews), Nature Camp, Cabin and Farm (340 reviews), and Four Directions Retreat (300 reviews). Popular amenities like showers, pets, and trash are available at many of our campsites. So pack your tent or RV, and get ready for an unforgettable camping experience in the beautiful forests of Tacoma, Washington!

97% (10.8K)

Top-rated campgrounds

Waterfront resort with great amenities, surrounded by forest and trails.

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Secluded Olympic Cabin ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)

96%

(95)

38mi from Tacoma · 1 site · Lodging · Brinnon, WA

Incredible location! This sweet cabin is nestled at the base of Mt. Jupiter, directly between Dosewallips beach and the Olympic national Park. There's lots of gorgeous, mossy maples, shaggy cedars, and elk herds roaming free. The Cabin is easily accessible from the road, and has parking available. There's a secluded fire pit behind the cabin with a seasonal stream running by. Its a relaxing place to hang out for a few days, and/or excellent basecamp to explore the amazing forests, mountains, and beaches nearby. Also, there's lots of great foraging to be done (nettles, mushrooms, and oysters; oh my!) GPS LOCATION: When driving to the cabin, your GPS will tell you that 'your destination is on the left'. This is a lie. The cabin will be on the right. There is a metal gate that is closed with a chain but not locked. CABIN LAYOUT AND SLEEPING AMENITIES: The Cabin is just a little guy; only 16'x20'. There is a kitchen, living room, and dining room area, and the bathroom is a separate room - we call it our 'studio cabin'. We have a fold out couch for which we provide linens, pillows, and a comforter. There is also an inflatable mattress that is a tight squeeze, but can allow for four people to sleep (with a little furniture rearranging). There is a deck that is large enough for a two person tent that would also make a four person camp-out comfortable. All linens and towels are stored in the trunk and the bathroom cabinet. There is a 4' round dining room table with four chairs and a small table on the porch with two more chairs. All the cushions for the chairs are in a cabinet under the table inside. ACCESSIBILITY: Unfortunately, the cabin is not wheelchair accessible. There are 5 stairs up to the deck and the bathroom door is only 27" wide. SURROUNDING AREA: There are small trails leading away from the cabin; do not walk down them! They lead to neighboring properties and I cannot guarantee that there won't be neighbors who would be very surprised by a stranger showing up on their land! There are lots of public trails only a few minutes drive in either direction from the property :) STOLEN LAND: This property is on stolen, indigenous land. If you are Coast Salish or Makah, please get in touch with me for a discounted stay.

Olympic Wanderer~Creekside~HotTub

94%

(26)

36mi from Tacoma · 1 site · Lodging · Brinnon, WA

Welcome to Olympic Wanderer! This fairy-tale nature retreat creekside cabin will wow you with its stellar location, lush grounds, hot-tub, and stylish interior. The cabin is nestled in a forested community next the hood canal, famous for its rich waters and shellfish harvesting. This is the perfect base for your adventures on the Olympic Peninsula, and is a great central location close to endless amazing hiking trails, including Olympic NP and multiple state parks less than 10 minutes away. The highlight of the cabin is the log bridge across the creek! You will feel like you are on an amazing hiking trail or in a fairytale on the rainforest-like grounds with a babbling brook or rushing creek running through it depending on how much rain we have had. Our property is directly across the street from access to the national forest service roads with miles of roads and trails. PLEASE NOTE BEFORE BOOKING: The cabin is older and rustic, and we are renovating it over time. There is a very steep/narrow staircase that excesses the second floor, and the twin bed artea is part of the lofty and is not an enclosed bedroom. The living space and kitchen are open concept, and there is seating for 4 at the dining room table and 2 countertop barstools as well. The adorable farmhouse style kitchen has everything you need to cook meals during your stay, including all cooking essentials and basic spices. We also have pancake mix and quick oats for our guests in case you forgot to bring your own breakfast. If you are lucky enough to stay in late summer, you can walk across the street to pick wild blackberries. The living room has a large TV and a nice selection of DVDs to choose from. We also have Starlink for both internet and streaming services. Cell service can be hit or miss depending on provider. The bathroom is on the lower level, as well as the first bedroom which has a queen bed. The 2nd bedroom opens up with a barn door and also has a queen bed as well as beautiful views of the creek and trees. For this reason it is my favorite bedroom! At the bottom of the stairs is the mud room which is a an enclosed patio and is a great place to store recreational equipment or wet/muddy items. It also allows excess to one of the decks which features outdoor seating and a bbq.

Coffee Creek Community & Gardens

96%

(49)

42mi from Tacoma · 4 sites · Lodging · Centralia, WA

Coffee Creek is an intentional community and working farm on the north side of Centralia, Washington. While our 11 acres feels very secluded, we are just 3 miles from historic downtown and 10 minutes from the freeway and shopping. An accessible oasis! There is a park with swimming, fishing and hiking along the Skookumchuck river within a mile of the farm, in addition to the natural beauty found right here at home. We enjoy bird watching, exploring our forest, and relaxing around a fire when we aren't working on the farm. Seasonal Strawberries and pastured poultry are our specialties, and we offer a wide variety of veggies and fruits. Farm fresh eggs are almost always available and we have organic meats to purchase and grill.

Two Frog Bog

99%

(119)

23mi from Tacoma · 6 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Roy, WA

Welcome to Two Frog Bog, a 20-acre forested haven featuring 5 acres of wetland. Our accommodations include a 24-foot yurt (currently under repair, see below) with a private, semi-attached bathhouse, and a 10 x 20-foot tent cabin with outdoor kitchen and private outhouse with composting toilet. You’ll enjoy the outdoor shower that is available for all guests. The communal fire pit is a great place to roast s’mores and maybe meet new friends. But wait, there’s more: a two-tent campground where we provide the tents, a shared, covered and fully equipped outdoor kitchen, a shared composting outhouse (cleaned at least once a day). Campground has access to shower and fire pit as well. Explore our forest trails leading to the serene wetland, and don't miss our unique 26-foot-wide, 10-foot-tall Woodhenge – a magical spot to relax in a hammock, read a book, or stargaze. Two Frog Bog invites you to immerse yourself in nature and enjoy the variety of accommodations and shared spaces we offer. NEWS Our property was hit hard in the Bomb Cyclone of Nov '24. Sadly, we lost the Funk House. The Paisley Paradise yurt was severely damaged and is under repair. The Dragonfly Den remained unharmed and has been upgraded with the queen bed from the Funk House. Other areas need rebuilding. If you've loved this place or wish to visit and would like to help with rebuilding costs, we would be truly grateful. Read our story at GoFundMe. https://gofund.me/d44abefc

Alder Grove Retreat

98%

(77)

34mi from Tacoma · 2 sites · Lodging · Eatonville, WA

We are a peaceful, private, forested 6 acers that is 6 minutes to a secluded neighborhood beach with big mountain views and only 8 minutes to Alder Lake State Park. Our OFF-GRID location offers treetop views, a hillside cabin, wood fired sauna, and soon to include select areas for tent camping. We are just 15 minutes to Elbe's Whiskey Train. 30 minutes to Mt. Rainier National Park. 20 minutes to the grocery store in town that has cool restaurants and a great crystal shop. Local hikes are close, include gravel, paths, and waterfalls. Our property IS off-grid and collects rain for water and solar for electricity. We do not have WiFi but do have cell service. Potable water is provided in small quantities at each site. Fires are subject to local burn bans and property provided materials. All areas are walk-in and include wagons to transport any gear.

Wilderness Path

96%

(480)

43mi from Tacoma · 5 sites · Tents, RVs · Ashford, WA

Our rental property was once a mini Rail Road with full size locomotive's, train cars, pumper cars and more. My dad & grandpa layed all the tracks & put together the buildings in the 1970's. Once done my grandma sold tickets to the tourist and my grandpa ran the engine around the 7 acre oval track pulling a train car full of happy tourist through the woods over the train bridge and past the big water tower back to their vehicles so they could finish their journies with a drive to Mt. Rainier. There is a lot of history on this property for our family and we hope by sharing it with others they will be able to experience some fun here as well.

Secluded Tent Site in Trees

99%

(39)

45mi from Tacoma · 5 sites · Tents, RVs · Chehalis, WA

Learn more about this land: This campsite is under the trees mowed grass where the tents would be set up. You must bring all the water you need for your camping needs and you may use the electricity from a pole. There is an on-site toilet for use.

Camping in forest, next to a creek.

99%

(260)

42mi from Tacoma · 1 site · Tent · Duvall, WA

Learn more about this land: Secluded camp site, next to a salmon spawning creek in the forest. Picnic table seats 4 adult people comfortably. Short walk on a trail from parking. Portable toilet is now on a trailer and at the camp site. Nearby trail head for hiking and mountain biking in the greater forest. Check the calendar: If the site is vacant the night before your stay, you can check in early on that day. If the site is vacant the next night of your check out day, stay as long as you like. Let me know when you would like to check in, so that I can be there to meet you. Any combination of adults and children that can sit comfortably at a 6-foot picnic table is not a problem. Host does not receive text messages, only a land line with an answering machine, (old school). If you need to communicate, use the 425 # and please leave a message. Host goes to Safeway in town, daily, in the morning to check e-mail and Hipcamp messages and reply to Guests. Several guests have gotten lost relying on GPS only to find the property. Most do not have an issue. I suggest that you check with Google Map or another map service to know approximately where you are going. Plan on packing out your garbage and recycle trash, we have had a problem with bears raiding the trash cans. June 2022 just installed a park style grill. Bring your charcoal briquettes, grilling tools and steaks. Firewood is available at Safeway for about $8.00 a bundle. Host provides firewood for $10.00 a large tub, firewood is located at the camp site, pay cash at the camp site. Bring a small axe or a chopping tool to make kindling.

Public campgrounds near Tacoma

83%

(3)

Saltwater Campground

11mi from Tacoma · 45 sites · Tents, RVs · in Saltwater State Park

88%

(8)

Penrose Point Campground

14mi from Tacoma · 83 sites · Tents, RVs · in Penrose Point State Park

Joemma Beach Campground

16mi from Tacoma · 19 sites · Tents, RVs · in Joemma Beach State Park

Jarrell Cove Campground

20mi from Tacoma · 25 sites · Tents, RVs · in Jarrell Cove State Park

83%

(3)

Blake Island Campground

20mi from Tacoma · 46 sites · Tents, RVs · in Blake Island Marine State Park

90%

(5)

Hope Island Campground

23mi from Tacoma · 4 sites · in Hope Island State Park

100%

(2)

Belfair Beach Loop Campground

23mi from Tacoma · 45 sites · Tents, RVs · in Belfair State Park

The pads have the sizes listed, but we didn't take note and brought a tent that was a bit overkill. We made it work though!

100%

(2)

Belfair Tree Loop Campground

23mi from Tacoma · 57 sites · Tents, RVs · in Belfair State Park

Belfair Main Loop Campground

23mi from Tacoma · 56 sites · Tents, RVs · in Belfair State Park

100%

(4)

Illahee Campground

25mi from Tacoma · 25 sites · Tents, RVs · in Illahee State Park

100%

(2)

Twanoh Campground

25mi from Tacoma · 48 sites · Tents, RVs · in Twanoh State Park

83%

(3)

Kanaskat-Palmer Campground

26mi from Tacoma · 52 sites · Tents, RVs · in Kanaskat-Palmer State Park

Stories from the community

B

Bryan

4 days ago

16 ft travel trailer

With pets

3 nights at Private Beach, 15 Acres, Vashon

A beautiful spot for a primitive camp experience. We had a wonderful time.

S

Stephanie

6 days ago

25 ft campervan

With pets

2 nights at Secluded Tent Site in Trees

I travel for a living and this has to be my number one spot. It’s a safe location and the views are breathtaking. Nelda is absolutely amazing host and I would recommend this to anyone. I had a grill to cook on, power for the cold nights and plenty of room to roam and hike. 10/10!!

V

Victoria

1 week ago

19 ft campervan

2 nights at Private Beach, 15 Acres, Vashon

What a lovely view and open space to enjoy! It was a treat to see Lisa with her horse and pony riding in the light of the setting sun. A bit of magic. The directions were clear to get there. Loved being close to the beach and lighthouse to stroll to. The Bird King was close by as well. A lovely stay.

Lindsey

1 week ago

Weekend Trip to Elfendahl Forest

This is the best hipcamp I've ever been to. It was so quiet, the camper was extremely cozy and well stocked, and the spot was very private. The off grid hot tub was unique and well worth the extra fee! The whole campground is a very fun and creative space and you can really tell how much love and care Gary and crew have put into this place. I'll be back for summer camping!

A

Auriana

2 weeks ago

2 nights at Elfendahl Forest

Gary was so attentive and welcoming! Even though I came during a rainy time, the land was beautiful and whimsical. The staff there were all so accommodating and helped with anything I needed (firewood, the hot tub, heaters). The community kitchen was sooo much fun to use and the shower was amazing! It was fun to walk around and see the bunnies and chickens as well as see how hard the staff work to create more fun amenities for the future. Gary mills the wood himself and you can see how all of the structures are such a labor of love!

R

Ryan

2 weeks ago

22 ft Class A

2 nights at Wilderness Path

We stayed here while visiting Rainier. Location was perfect, instructions easy to follow. Power and water easy to use with our RV. Would definitely stay here again if visiting Rainier

S

Stormee

2 weeks ago

With pets

4 nights at Secluded Olympic Cabin ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)

We had the COZIEST little getaway here. 😍 My husband and I really enjoyed being able to unplug from the world while on our honeymoon.

B

Brooklyn

2 weeks ago

Tent

Weekend Trip to Green Acres for Friends and Fam

This campsite is so perfect. It’s really beautiful and the hosts were so kind and helpful. They provided endless wood and water for us. Such a cute area, would definitely recommend!

E

Emily

2 weeks ago

Weekend Trip to Elfendahl Forest

The bus was so cozy and the host and staff were extremely friendly and responsive. Perfect for winter camping!

Chris

2 weeks ago

25 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to Hairy Eagle Lookout 🦅

This was a lovely place to camp with an incredible view! Level parking for our 25 foot trailer. There is some slight highway 101 noise, but nothing that would keep us from returning. It was a misty weekend, so we hunkered in most of the time. The clouds amongst the trees made for a beautiful view. We enjoyed going into the very small town to the Tipsy Whale for nice cider and beers. Mostly, we toured around and enjoyed the sea lions, seals, and many birds.

D

Danil

2 weeks ago

Tent

Weekend Trip to Camping in forest, next to a creek.

Great place. Private and cozy. Definitely will be back again

C

Caesar

2 weeks ago

Tent

1 night at Green Acres for Friends and Fam

It’s very private since we were the only campers that time we stayed there. I definitely would like to stay there in summertime . The caretakers did way beyond what. We expected . He gave us wood to burn and we did enjoyed our overnight there even it rained . The brook an added tranquil touch of my experience. Thank you and I hope to go back again soon.

Scott

3 weeks ago

19 ft campervan

1 night at AYH Ranch Campground & Lodging

Judy’s land was the perfect spot for an overnight stay on Vashon Island. We had our VW camper van and found a convenient place to park and spend the night. The facilities were great. There is a kitchen, showers, a large event room, but this time of year all was pretty quiet.

K

Kahiwahiwa

3 weeks ago

Tent

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Hood Canal Oyster Farm | Lilliwaup

This was our second time at this campsite in Lilliwaup! The location is great, it was quiet, the campsite & porta-potty were clean, and Jim was a great host. Since it was a wet weekend, he brought dry kindling to our site and made sure we were all set for the evening. We'll be back again!

D

Dawn

November 2025

With pets

1 night at Wildfern Grove

We had a wonderful stay, sad we didn't get a longer visit. There is tons of places to explore and we would definitely love to come back. The folks were helpful, kind and welcoming. Definitely has a family friendly welcome. The yurt was warm even though it was pouring all night long. First night we left heat on low, second night we left it off. They have probably one of the most well appointed kitchens we have ever seen, big and roomy. There are games and books and seating. Big family style table for games and dining. Like home away from home with loads of hiking trails near by. We brought our dogs and they had a blast. Next time we come to visit I wont be in class all day. We cannot say enough about how beautiful it is in camp and the surrounding area. 100% recommend!

P

Philip

November 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Riverside Camping Near Mt Rainier

Great campsite with a wonderful view of the bridge over river

J

James

November 2025

Weekend Trip to Cedar River Retreat

Great site, super comfortable cabin. Great weekend spot being so close to the city!

Robert

November 2025

With pets

Weekend Trip to Alder Grove Retreat

This place is glamping at its absolute best. It has everything you need and more, yet you feel at one with nature. My wife and I stayed for one night with the idea of shutting away from technology for the weekend and boy did it deliver. We ended up enjoying the view and just talking all night while listening to the rain. If you need a break from the real world, this is 100% the place to go. A huge thank you to the owner.

E

Emma

November 2025

With pets

Weekend Trip to Alder Grove Retreat

This place is awesome! Dawson has done an amazing job with creating the space. It has everything you could need! You can really tell a lot of thought has gone into the place and a lot of work has been involved. We had the best time and were so cozy together. We were lucky to have rain over night and it was so peaceful listening to the rain on the roof as we fell asleep. The directions provided made it very easy to find and a couple of wagons and a lantern are available to help you get your things out to the cabin. As we came in November, we didn’t get the opportunity to use the outdoor space. But we still braved using the shower and it’s worth it, so toasty and incredible views! Inside is cozy and comfortable. The kitchenette has everything you could need. That bed though! So comfy, as someone who deals with chronic pain, I really appreciate how comfortable the bed is! It was really nice to get off grid a little and put our phones away for the night. We had such a good time we are definitely looking to come back again next year in the summer hopefully! If you get the chance to stay here, do it!