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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.

    CamperWatch
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    CamperWatch›WA›Ballard
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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
    N/A
    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

    Own a campground nearby?

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