Dispersed Camping on the Colville National Forest

What is Dispersed Camping?

Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no services; such as trash removal, and little or no facilities; such as tables and fire pits, are provided. Some popular dispersed camping areas may have toilets.

There are extra responsibilities and skills that are necessary for dispersed camping. It is your responsibility to know these before you try this new experience. Camping rules and regulations apply to make your experience safe, and to keep the natural resources scenic and unspoiled for other campers.

Rules for Dispersed Camping

• Groups of over 75 people who wish to use the forest, need to obtain a special use permit. There is no fee and permits can be obtained at the nearest District Office.
• You need to be self-contained. No amenities are provided; such as water, restrooms or trash cans.
• You may camp in a dispersed area for up to 14 days. After 14 days, you must move at least 5 road miles for camping in another dispersed area. 
• Please place your campsite at least 100 feet from any stream or other water source.
• Keep a Pack-In Pack-Out camp. Follow Leave No Trace guidelines.
• Contact the local Forest Service office to see if any restrictions, especially fire restrictions, are in place.
• Store food and garbage properly.
• Be Bear Aware. There are bears on the Colville National Forest, so camp accordingly.

Where Can I Disperse Camp?

The best way to find out what areas are open to dispersed camping is to contact the nearest Forest Service office to the area you wish to visit. Typically, dispersed camping is NOT allowed in the vicinity of developed recreation areas such as campgrounds, picnic areas, or trailheads. Many people drive out on Forest Service roads into the woods and find a clearing or a spot near a stream or with a view of the mountains. Do not drive on meadows to access your camping site. Drive on existing roads to prevent resource damage. Dispersed camping is allowed in a one-mile perimeter away from campgrounds and 100 feet from any stream. To prevent resource damage please keep your campsite within 150 feet from a roadway.

How to Pick a Campsite

If you are going to an area where others have camped before, pick a site that has been used before. Plants, soil and wildlife are impacted by new campsites so using existing ones will minimize your impact in the forest. If there is no existing campsite, then follow these Leave No Trace guidelines.

• Camp on bare soil if possible, to avoid damage or killing plants and grass.
• Do NOT camp within 100 feet of any water source, plants near water are especially fragile.
• Do not camp in the middle of a clearing or meadow; try to make your campsite less visible so that other visitors will see a "wild" setting
• Do not try to level or dig trenches in the ground at your campsite. Pick a tent site that is already level with good drainage.

Can I have a campfire?

Please use existing sites and fire rings when availabe. Firewood cutting permits are not needed for gathering campfire wood on the Colville National Forest. You may collect up to a half cord of firewood for use at your campsite. You will need a firewood cutting permit if you wish to take wood home. 

The National Forest has wildfires each year. Many of these are caused by human activity, typically escaped campfires from dispersed campers. Campfires are allowed when you are dispersed camping unless there are fire restrictions in effect due to high fire danger conditions. Never leave a campfire unattended. Campfires must be extinguished when not in use and cold to the touch.  It is your responsibility to know if fire restrictions are in effect before you go camping. You can learn about any fire restrictions by contacting the nearest Forest Service office.

Tips for Safe, Low Impact Campfires

• Use camp stoves to help conserve ground cover resources. The animals, insects and micro-organisms in the soil need downed, rotting wood to survive.
• Select a site that is not in a meadow or clearing, that is not next to a tree with low, overhanging branches, that is AT LEAST 200 feet from any water source to protect fragile vegetation.
• Use existing fire rings if they exist. Minimize the scarring of new rocks, soil and plants by using existing fire rings.
• Build your fire on a fire pan. An old trash can placed on three rocks allows for a fire at camp without scarring the ground or rocks. When the ashes are COLD and DEAD OUT, the ashes can simply be scattered outside of the campsite.
• Clear an area of combustible material six feet away from a campfire to reduce the chance of it spreading into a wildfire.
• If you don't bring your own firewood, collect only dead and downed wood that is on the ground. You should not cut branches off of live trees. If a popular camping area does not have dead and downed wood, bring your own firewood or use a camp stove.
• NEVER LEAVE A FIRE UNATTENDED.
• You should have a bucket, shovel, and axe available to control or extinguish escaped fire.
• BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR CAMPFIRE, MAKE SURE IT IS DEAD OUT. You should be able to put your whole hand into the ashes without being burned and it should be cool to the touch.

Protect Water Quality

Water gets contaminated by visitors who do not take care of their human waste or their garbage and food properly.

• Human Waste - Dispersed camping means no bathrooms and no outhouses. That means extra care has to be taken in disposing of human waste.
  • To dispose of feces, dig a hole 6 inches deep and AT LEAST 200 FEET AWAY FROM ANY WATER SOURCE (creeks, wetlands, springs, or lakes).
  • When you're done, fill the hole with the dirt you dug up and take your toilet paper with you to dispose of in a proper waste container.
  • Never defecate or leave toilet paper on top of the ground, it could easily get into the local water source and contaminate it.
  • Empty built-in or portable toilets at sanitary dump stations.
• Waste Water and Washing
  • Wash your body, dishes, etc., and dispose of waste water AT LEAST 200 FEET AWAY FROM ANY WATER SOURCE.
  • Do not use ANY soap directly in a water source.
  • Use biodegradable soap.

Treating Your Water

We used to be able to take a cup and drink directly out of the sparkling creek, a rushing waterfall, or a clear, deep lake. There is NO safe water source anymore. With an increasing population and visitation to our National Forest, water sources have been contaminated with invisible micro-organisms that can make people very ill and even kill them in some cases. Giardia is a common contamination that has been spread through improper toileting and wild animals to many water sources. It will cause diarrhea, cramping, and other physical problems.

The only way to ensure that water from any undeveloped source is safe is to treat it. That means heating it until it comes to a rolling boil, using water purification tablets or a water purification filter. Water from faucets in developed recreation areas has been tested and treated and is safe to use without treating.

Camp Waste

If you “PACK IT IN”, always "PACK IT OUT"! Please leave your campsite cleaner than you found it. Pack out ALL your garbage, including aluminum foil, cans, toilet paper, cigarette butts and plastic products.

Have Fun!

If you follow these tips you can save a safe, low impact, primitive camping experience. Thank you for helping care for YOUR National Forest.