Ballard

Federal campground in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

Location: Winthrop, WA, WA

Price: From $10 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (6 reviews)

Season: May through October

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/ballard to be notified when sites open up.

Ballard offers affordable camping at $10/night in a remote forest setting west of Winthrop. The campground provides basic amenities including fire rings and picnic tables for tent camping.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear and Mountain Goat present in area. Northern Pacific Rattlesnake also documented within 8km.

Insider tips for Ballard: First-come, first-served only — arrive early to secure a site Download Recreation.gov mobile app before arriving; some areas have limited cell service for QR code payment Access via 7.5 miles of pavement then 1.5 miles of gravel Forest Road 5400 from Lost River Road

Skip Ballard if: Seeking hookups — no hookups available. Needing reservations — first-come, first-served basis only. Planning outside May-October — seasonal closure.

Best time to visit Ballard: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during this window only.

Nearby campgrounds: River Bend (Mazama, WA), Klipchuck (Mazama, WA), Early Winters (Mazama, WA), Lone Fir (Winthrop, WA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Ballard

Cell signal at Ballard (Winthrop, WA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Federal campground in Okanogan-Wenatchee National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Ballard

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Winthrop, WA, WA★ 4.2 (6 reviews)From $10/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ Seeking hookups — no hookups available✕ Needing reservations — first-come, first-served basis only✕ Planning outside May-October — seasonal closure

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

First-come, first-served only

arrive early to secure a site

Download Recreation.gov mobile app before arriving; some areas have limited cell service for QR code payment

Access via 7.5 miles of pavement then 1.5 miles of gravel Forest Road 5400 from Lost River Road

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during this window only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear and Mountain Goat present in area. Northern Pacific Rattlesnake also documented within 8km.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Getting there →

From Winthrop, drive 15 miles west on Highway 20. Turn right onto Lost River Road, drive 7.5 miles on pavement. Continue another 1.5 miles on gravel Forest Road 5400 to Ballard Campground on left side of road.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Ballard cost per night?+
Ballard costs $10 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Ballard open?+
Ballard is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Ballard have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Ballard?+
Ballard is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Ballard?+
Ballard is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Ballard?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Ballard is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Ballard open, and what are check-in times?+
Ballard is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$10 /night★ 4.2 (6)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Ballard cost per night?+
What season is Ballard open?+
Does Ballard have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

River Bend

Mazama, WA

From $10/night

Klipchuck

Mazama, WA

From $20/night

Early Winters

Mazama, WA

From $15/night

Lone Fir

Winthrop, WA

From $20/night

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