Camping near Mt. Rainier National Park or Watercolor Painting & Cow Dog
Free Camping at Riffe Lake outside Mt. Rainier National Park
Sunburned and sleeping on an inch of foam in my wooden jeep bed, showering in a 50° lake, and painting on the sand with lake water and a gaggle of dirty kids swapping my paintbrushes; Dragon earned the nickname "Cow Dog" and a dozen BBQ plates to lick clean around campfires here.
Maybe the most crowded campground I've stayed at, I debated staying here 3 times before actually parking to give it a shot. This gorgeous spot was on Riffe Lake in Washington outside of Mount Rainier and was so worth any inconvenience it offered. I had an hour’s drive in the morning to the park and a work call at the crack of dawn, but… the people I met, teaching Dragon to paddleboard in a safe shallow spot, swimming in the beautiful clean water here, and waking up to a breathtaking sunrise between the mountains.
This was also the day I met Suzi Long, an artist much my senior, living in her RV exploring the world with her cat, teaching kids (and me) how to watercolor paint. I'd never been comfortable using watercolors before a quick run-through with her, and starting this day I’ve practiced it almost daily since. There were so many experiences I'd never known to wish for myself until I got out of my comfort zone and started exploring the unknown.
Where I Camped: Riffe Lake Dispersed Camping
There’s plenty of other dispersed camping around here that you could find with a map or other apps, like iOverlander and Sekr, but this was a truly wonderful weekend experience and a great break from solo exploration. Three different families invited me to share dinner, several kids took Dragon for a walk and let me swim with them and their cool water toys, and no one minded me squeezing my Jeep in to the only open space left next to the lake for miles.
Amenities:
bathrooms: there were porta-potties a decent walk from the water if you don’t have your own in your rig.
service: I got about 1 bar on land, 2 in the water/down the beach, enough to post an instagram story and to update my location for my Mom.
flat ground: close to the water, there’s no way you’re getting flat ground easy, unless you come in on like a Tuesday
access to Mt. Rainier NP: I recall a decent drive to get into the park, a little less than an hour. There may be closer campgrounds to the park, but this one was just so fun and was on the most beautiful clear lake, with so many nice people to share the time.
Exploring Mt. Rainier from the free campground
Once we got in to the park, we stopped at the visitor center and talked to a park ranger. Because I had Dragon in the Jeep, we were limited on hikes we could do, but the drive and a mountainside nap in the sun were both exhilarating.
My favorite part, beyond measure, was this little tiny hike down a load of stairs with Dragon, that led to an incredible view of a waterfall so high, that it felt like half the water dissipated into a rainbow all around you.
Gear I used:
Columbia Hiking Boots - these boots are pretty cheap for as durable as they are. They’re so comfy and waterproof and I’ve never gotten a blister no matter what adventures I’ve been on.
Teva Sandals for playing in the water
Cheapy Tent - I always keep a cheapy tent in my rig, I don’t frequently cold weather camp, so tents like this do a fine job & I have a tendency to move around a lot and lose things, so I’m never too worried about lending this guy out to someone or accidentally destroying it (or losing it out of the roof rack of my Jeep).
Sleeping pad - this makes sleeping in my Jeep or in the tent on little excursions like this a lot more enjoyable. The blow up one shrinks down so tiny to take up next to no space
Mexican Blanket - I bring a little blanket like this everywhere we go, for little picnics or setting up a spot to paint and chill with the dogs.
This is the watercolor set I use when I travel. It’s really compact and mess-free and has all the supplies I need in one tiny spot. Plus the colors are so vibrant.
& here’s my favorite sketchbook to bring on hikes - It has thick, watercolor pages and dries quickly enough that I can throw it back in my backpack quickly when I’m done. Love this. The colors never bleed through the pages.
You know I bring these dog bowls everywhere - I use them for both dogs while hiking & for my paint water sometimes.
