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Lookout Arts Quarry Campground

90%

· Bellingham, Skagit, Washington

61 acres hosted by Sulai L.

6 RV/tent sites

Sauna

A little haven of warmth and relaxation.

Clothing optional

Welcomes Hipcampers who prefer a clothing optional experience.

Near North Cascades National Park

Within a 30-minute drive from the North Cascades National Park Complex Headquarters and Visitor Information.

The Lookout Arts Quarry is a rural forested arts center community, event venue, WWOOF host and permaculture playground dedicated to wetland restoration. We host international artist residencies, festivals, and, important for campers: the best fresh swimming hole around. This is a campground for more self-sufficient and adventurous folks who want an alternative experience. The forests of the LAQ house myriad art installations and treasures; check out the "Saloon" stage, the pirate ship, and then jump into the 80-foot deep rainwater lake! Bring paddle boards and floating toys 🤿🐬 lay out in the sun on the floating wooden dock, or squirrel away reading a book in a hammock hidden in dense forest. We guarantee a lovely and unique camping experience. We are located in the Coast Salish Region on the traditional territory of the Nuwhaha and Nooksack Peoples.Lookout Arts Quarry is an arts cooperative on 61 acres of wetlands and forest, the site of a former rock quarry, just a mile off of I-5. We host festivals, small concerts and art shows, have an artist residency program, a WWOOFer program, and a campground. Some dozen full-time residents live in various abodes around the land. We're very close to Galbraith, a world class mountain-biking destination! While we want to keep the land open for community use during summer months, our energy is spread thin in providing full-time campground support so our campground is best suited for adventurous, respectful, kind, queer friendly, self sufficient campers able and willing to follow instructions provided on this site and leave no trace, packing out all garbage and recycling. The former rock quarry has filled with water creating a deep and clean glorious clothing optional swimming hole with no lifeguard on duty. We ask that you don't wear sunscreen or pee in the water. There is currently one outdoor flush toilet. IMPORTANT CULTURAL DETAILS: ☞ Quiet Hours 11:11pm-8:08am (unless otherwise noted, or for special events) ☞ The Quarry swimming hole is clothing optional. Our residents are respectful and grounded folk who value consent and body positivity. ☞ We value the wildlife as we do human life. PLEASE respect critters, birds, and insects. ☞ There are RESIDENT HOMES on the property. MARKED IN PURPLE on the Map. Respect their homes and explore with boundaries. EXTRA DEETS: ☞ Rough Terrain in areas. Avoid danger zones marked in red on the map. ☞ Located near I-5 freeway so there is an ocean-like acoustic wash of the modern world. ☞ Drive Slowly and Carefully. There are snakes and beavers, ducks and children. ☞ Bus / Van / Car camping ~ many accessible zones with partial to full shade ☞ Partial Privacy (lots of foliage and dynamic landscapes) Downtown Bellingham 15 mins North, Seattle 1+ hrs South, Mt. Baker Wilderness 45 min, NE Ferry to the Islands 30 min drive West LAQ Located on the Traditional Unceded Ancestral Territories of the Nuwhaha, Coast Salish Peoples. We emphasize deep relationship and care for the lands we steward and invite you to join us in respecting this temporary home on Planet Earth

Activities

Biking

Boating

Fishing

Hiking

Natural features

Forest

Lake

Swimming hole

Mountainous

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90%

42 ratings · 30 reviews

Magnolia K.recommends

May 21, 2024

LAQ Forest and Field

10/10 would go again. The grounds are beautiful, with fun art structures hidden among the trees. Our host was very responsive and accessible. Proactive, even. We felt welcomed before we even arrived. I didn’t have the chance to explore as much as I’d like, and can’t wait to come back.

Tim M.recommends

April 22, 2024

LAQ Forest and Field

Supa kewl

Rad spot! Gotta get back in the summer to swim! 10 minutes from Galbraith trailhead🤙🤙🤙

Chris D.doesn't recommend

August 25, 2023

LAQ Forest and Field

Disorganized and disappointing

When we arrived for our stay we were unclear where to camp. The information board was empty and there wasn’t signage other than “camping this way”. The camp sites are not marked at all except for maybe a cone here and there. Upon arrival we were greeted by an unfriendly human who said “Hipcamp is supposed to be closed and this is the third time this has happened.” Someone on their approved our reservation but no one knew we were coming so this was not a great first impression. We walked to the quarry and were given a little more info from someone else who said we could camp in a somewhat open area so we setup there. We realized there was a festival being setup when we arrived. The next day we were asked to move by the same person who greeted us as they were using that space for the festival. We moved to a spot that was tucked away in hopes that we would be out of the way. The person who greeted us tried to make amends by giving us some home grown peaches. A nice gesture but it was still not a great experience. The place is cool and swimming in the quarry was nice but they are obviously super disorganized and lack communication. We left a day early. We were both disappointed since we are both artists and wanted to enjoy the art and the nature but the overall feeling of this place was that we weren't welcome. Also no firewood for fires and we only saw two burn barrels on the whole property.

Aaron B.recommends

August 16, 2023

LAQ Forest and Field

Lovely camping experience! We stayed in the forest on a level gravel pad perfect for our camper van.

Yaya F.recommends

August 14, 2023

LAQ Forest and Field

Such a cool space! Was a bit of an awkward entrance as there was a party booked and nobody seemed to know that we were camping there at the same time. We made do tho and had a lovely time.

Amanda W.recommends

August 4, 2023

LAQ Forest and Field

The listing gives a great sense of the place: spacious, artsy, DIY, easy going and that amazing swimming hole!! That alone is pure magic. I chose a spot in the back that was private, beautiful, and tucked into the trees though it was closer to highway so I could hear the some traffic. People were friendly and I felt totally safe here. Would definitely stay again!

Location

Bellingham, Skagit, Washington, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla, Nuwhaha, and saʔqʷəbixʷ-suyaƛ̕bixʷ (Sauk Suiattle) First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking

Hosted by Sulai L.Joined in May 2022

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