Stevens Pass / Hwy 2 Camping Advice

Fiancee and I are tying the knot next week, and after that we're taking 2 weeks off from work and cruising around Northwest WA for some camping and R&R. We've got most of our trip planned out, but I'm looking for some advice for the tail end of our trip. We live down in Renton and we've explored a lot of the I-90 corridor already, so we're looking at going up to Hwy 2 and exploring that part of the cascades for about 3 days (8/15-8/18).

I'm looking for camping recommendations anywhere between Index and Leavenworth. We'll have a full kit of gear in the truck and are fine with dispersed camping, but if any of the campgrounds in that area are nice, we don't find throwing down a few bucks to have actual restrooms and drinking water. I know most don't want to give out info on their favorite dispersed camping spots, but even if I could get recommendations on specific forest service roads to scout, that's enough for me. We're mostly going to be relaxing and hopefully enjoying nice scenery, but it would be nice to have some hiking nearby.

Thanks in advance for any beta.

 

I'm partial to glacierview campground on Lake Wenatchee. good hikes nearby for beginner-expert level. It is first come first serve so weekends fill up fast but there's fs roads all through there with plenty of clearings for camping.

 

If you want some out back camping. Go explore beckler river rd. It's in skykomish. You can find some fun stuff back in that area

 

Have had really good luck behind lake wenatchee/fish lake area and even on the river there (beware those lakes are freezing ass cold all year long). At the end of eagle creek rd off chumstick Hwy has always produced decent spots closer to leavenworth or you can follow Icicle creek rd out past 8 mile camp ground. The last one would be best for hiking but also the most crowded.

 

I don't have any one spot due to usually being there for work, but the Beckler and Foss River roads out of Skykomish have some good views. Sugarloaf Peak area out of Leavenworth is also a good area with lots to explore. Again, I'm usually there for work so I haven't paid much attention to areas for camping. To get to Sugarloaf, take the Chumstick Hwy out of Leavenworth. Follow it for 2 ish miles or so and take the Eagle Creek road for 5 ish miles. At the end of the pavement go left. That leads you up into the Sugarloaf and Chumstick Mt. areas. Off that same road, instead of going up to Sugarloaf, you can go left at the first major road (1 ish miles). That takes you up into some areas with good views and some decent areas to camp.

It's aways out from Hwy 2, but from the Sugarloaf area you can drop down to Ardenvoir along the Entiat River. From there you can run up the Entiat River road to a few campgrounds, but that's a jaunt from Hwy 2. If you do end up that way, take the 59 road (I think 59, going from memory) to Shady Pass. Nice little drive with some camping and at least one trail up there. Shady Pass drops you down to Lake Chelan, so it might be more then you're looking for on this trip, but keep it in mind for an area for you to explore in the future.

Also, there are some trails up the Icicle Creek Road from Leavenworth. I think there are some campgrounds up that way, but not totally sure.

 

I like the area out Icicle Creek in Leavenworth. Eight mile is a decent spot.