Handy Springs Campground

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No water access Tent Only Drive-in First-come, first-served Remote

Handy Springs Campground is a remote, single-site free campground tucked into the forest at 6,338 feet on the side of Crescent Hill, accessed via 13 miles of rough dirt forest service road — a drive that rules out RVs and trailers entirely. The road is typically snow-blocked until early June, so this is primarily a summer and early fall destination. There is one designated campsite with a picnic table and fire pit, plus a pit toilet and a couple of nearby flat spots suitable for extra tents or parking. Despite being named for Handy Springs, there is no reliable water source at the campground — bring everything you need. The campground sits less than a mile from Crescent Hill Trailhead, which connects to Devil's Backbone, North Fork 25 Mile Creek, and other trails in the area. Best for self-sufficient campers who want a genuinely remote forest base with access to great trails and don't mind the long drive in.

campsites & setup

Handy Springs is a tent-only campground with a single designated campsite — the long drive on rough forest service roads rules out RVs and trailers entirely. The main site sits in a forested setting on the side of Crescent Hill at 6,338 ft, with dirt ground and reasonable shade from the surrounding trees. Privacy is essentially guaranteed given there is only one official site, and the overall feel is remote and primitive. In addition to the main campsite, there are two flat spots nearby — one just north of the site and one at the entrance — that are suitable for pitching additional tents or parking a second vehicle, though they lack fire rings or tables. The main campsite has a picnic table and a fire pit ringed with stumps. There is no food storage infrastructure, so bear-aware practices are the camper's responsibility.

things to know

Snow

The road leading to Handy Springs often has snow until early June.

Rough Road

Requires 13 miles on rough forest service road, high clearance vehicle strongly recommended.

Cell Service

There is limited to no cell service depending on your carrier.

Single Campsite

Handy Springs doesn't see a lot of visitors, but have a backup plan in mind in case it's already in use.

activities

Hiking

Handy Springs Campground is located within the Twenty Five Mile Creek area, which has a number of interconnected hiking trails. The campground is less than a mile away from Crescent Hill Trailhead (there looked to be an informal trail directly to the trailhead, otherwise follow the road), which provides access to Devil's Backbone Trail, North Fork 25 Mile Creek and Lake Creek Trail and is located four miles from the Pyramid Hill Trail.

Lake Chelan Hikes

Mountain Biking

All the trails in the Twenty Five Mile Creek area are open to mountain bikes, with a mixture of intermediate and expert options, including the Devil's Backbone Trail and North Fork 25 Mile Creek trail. Of note, the Pyramid Mountain Peak Trail (#1441) is the highest mountain biking trail in the state of Washington.

Motorbikes

All the trails in the Twenty Five Mile Creek area are open to motorbikes, with Devil's Backbone and Pot Peak Trail offering challenging terrain and amazing views of Lake Chelan. For less exposed terrain, the forest service road network provides enjoyable riding.

Horseback Riding

While the long drive on the bumpy forest service road to the Campground will likely prevent bringing a horse trailer up to the campground, the campground could be accessed from a roughly 9 mile journey up the North Fork 25 Mile Creek and Devil's Backbone trail and a couple of miles on a forest service road.

Lake Chelan
Handy Springs Campground