Dash Point State Park is a 461-acre state park located on Puget Sound in western Washington. It features more than 3,000 feet of saltwater shoreline and accommodates plenty of activities to enjoy year-round, including camping! 

Even in the “off-season,” there are times when Shane and I get the itch to spend the night outdoors, so we were really excited to find this great location for camping near Seattle. Thanks to our generally mild climate, you could enjoy a trip here any time of year, assuming you’re prepared and willing to deal with the conditions that come your way! 

We camped at Dash Point State Park in a regular tent at the end of January and were perfectly comfortable and thankful for some time unplugged in the woods. Read on for our tips to plan your own visit.

Where is Dash Point State Park?

Dash Point State Park is located right on Puget Sound in Federal Way and is split between King and Pierce counties. What’s so cool about this park is that it offers an opportunity for excellent camping near Seattle, located just 30 minutes south of the city! It’s also just 20 minutes north of Tacoma. This close proximity to the city makes it easy to feel like you’re getting away to nature without the commitment of a long drive, rough roads, etc. that often come with an excursion out to the mountains.

Things to Do at Dash Point State Park

So what can you do at Dash Point State Park? 

Camping (tents and cabins): As I’ve mentioned, Dash Point State Park is a great place for camping near Seattle with 114 standard campsites, 27 utility campsites, one dump station, four restrooms, and six showers. The campground is open year-round and the price ranges from roughly $20-$30 per night before fees depending on the date of your visit. You can make reservations online or by calling 888-226-7688. Check out the camping rates page here for more detailed pricing info.

Dash Point State Park also has furnished and heated cabins available for rent that can accommodate up to five guests each. You can find more information on the cabins here. If you’re interested in camping near Seattle but not quite ready to rough it in a tent, this could be a great option for you! 

Hiking: There are 11 dedicated miles of hiking trails within Dash Point State Park. We didn’t find any of the trails to be too difficult, but you can easily cover some solid ground if you put in the time. The trails connect and cross over a lot, so we found it helpful to have the AllTrails map of the park downloaded for reference to ensure we were going the way we intended. You won’t find any breathtaking views on these hiking trails, but we enjoyed plenty of moss, ferns, towering trees, and a stream.

Biking: There are eight miles of biking trails located within Dash Point State Park. It was unclear to us whether or not any of the trail segments were meant to be hike or bike only, but we only saw two bikes during our visit so it really wasn’t an issue. It is good to stay alert though, knowing that mountain bikers share these trails and could pop over a hill or around a bend. If you’re just getting started with mountain biking, this could be a good place to get some practice runs in before heading out on more intense mountain trails. 

Other Activities: There is a very large beach at Dash Point State Park, making it a great place for beach exploration, a picnic, flying a kite, or playing in the water on a hot day. We saw some people clamming when we were there, although the state park website states that clamming is not recommended and a recreational license is required. For more info on this, they recommend that you visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website. You’ll also find two covered picnic shelters in the park that are reservable, as well as 20 first-come, first-served picnic tables.

Pros of Winter and Spring Camping Near Seattle

You may be wondering why anyone would ever want to go camping outside of summer? Hear me out! If you’re someone who really loves the outdoors and camping in general, it’s worth considering whether you might enjoy an occasional overnight outing during the winter or spring. And, because you’ll be camping near Seattle, it’s super easy to bail if you decide you don’t want to stick it out until morning! 

Camping in the winter and spring has its advantages. Here are a few:

• There are a lot less people at the campground, which means it’s a more quiet and peaceful experience vs a crowded summer weekend.
• There’s less demand for this time of year, which makes it easier to get last minute reservations and allows you to make plans on the fly based on the moody Seattle weather. 
• There are essentially no bugs! I am very prone to mosquito bites, so find this to be a welcomed change from the summer.
• You don’t have to worry about fire bans like you do in the summer. And let’s be honest, having a campfire is at least half the fun of camping, right?
• It’s a good opportunity to air out your gear and get more use out of these expensive items rather than leaving it tightly stuffed away nine months out of the year.

What to Expect Camping Near Seattle in the Winter and Spring

Alright, so maybe we’ve sold you enough to at least consider off-season camping near Seattle. I want to dive in a bit more on what you can expect!

Believe it or not, western Washington’s mild winters were a big part of what drew us to live here. Sure, we do get quite a lot of rain, but we rarely deal with freezing temperatures that force you to stay inside. While the mountainous areas get pelted with snow in the winter (we really have no interest in camping in the snow!), the lower elevations tend to stay snow-free so you can have the best of both worlds. With a good raincoat and positive attitude, you can find plenty of cool places to explore. There’s an upside to all of the rain, too: lush green forests with endless ferns and bright-colored moss! 

That said, I highly recommend keeping an eye on the forecast and planning your outing accordingly. If it’s pouring down rain the entire weekend, you’re probably not going to have a very enjoyable time staying out in the woods all night. If you’ve lived here for any length of time though, you know that our forecasts can certainly change from day to day, and oftentimes things aren’t as bad in reality as they might first appear. As mentioned above, it’s easier to make last minute reservations in the off-season, so wait it out and plan for one of those rare weekends when the forecast is looking mostly dry. 

Another tip: if you own any kind of pop-up canopy tent, pack it! If it does turn out to be rainy, at least you won’t be confined to your tent the entire weekend and can sit outside to eat, play games, etc. 

Also remember that the sun sets super early in the winter. Pack plenty of firewood, drinks to enjoy around the fire, a book to read by headlamp, games, or whatever will keep you entertained when the sun goes down and you’re still wide awake.

Tips for Staying Warm During Off-Season Camping

Despite all of the optimism in this post, we’re not going to lie: even camping near Seattle will be cold in the winter and spring. The nights are long, and there’s not much worse than repeatedly waking up shivering. We’ve discovered a few things over the years that have made it pretty comfortable for us:

• If you’re with a significant other (or really close friend!), zip your sleeping bags together. I repeat: ZIP YOUR SLEEPING BAGS TOGETHER. Even if you don’t have the same brand, chances are that you can do this. And I’m telling you, it makes all the difference in the world sharing your body heat with another human. We did this during our camping trip at Dash Point State Park in January and were toasty warm all night long.
• Bring hand warmers into your sleeping bag. You can throw them down by your feet, hold them in your hands, or tuck them between your thighs. I personally prefer to use a rechargeable hand warmer such as this one so it’s less wasteful, more powerful, and also serves as a power bank for your phone or other devices. 
• Bring a comfy hat to sleep in. It never fails that my ears are the coldest part once I’m snug in my sleeping bag, but a hat makes a big difference for retaining body heat.
• Purchase a sleeping bag liner. I have this one from REI that packs up small but adds an extra cozy layer to my bag. I honestly use this all year long. If it’s really hot in the summer, you can just sleep in this and ditch your bag all together. If you want something even warmer, you could consider this option. Added bonus: it is much easier to wash than your sleeping bag! 
• Take full advantage of the fact that you’re car camping (rather than backpacking) and bring a cozy blanket to use on top of your sleeping bag. I’ve been eyeing this Rumpl blanket after hearing awesome reviews. It’s like a puffy jacket for your entire body! I love having an extra blanket that I can pull up around or even over my face when it’s really cold. 
• Stick to looser fitting layers vs tight nighttime clothing. Tight clothing can restrict the body’s blood circulation and affect your ability to stay warm. I’ve noticed a huge difference in my comfort with baggier clothing – I feel warmer and overall less damp and clammy. I also like to keep my puffy jacket handy as a last ditch effort if I wake up really cold. 
• And finally, a much-loved trick that we’ve actually never tried ourselves! I’ve heard many people swear by putting boiling water in a Nalgene and sticking that in your sleeping bag. Of course, make sure the lid is on very tight and that you are using the right kind of bottle, like this. You can read more on this trick here. 

Please know that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

So there you have it, all of our tips to plan an outing at Dash Point State Park and enjoy some camping near Seattle. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, and we’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try an off-season night in the woods!