Forget about pitching the tent. The hardest part of camping in Washington can be getting a campsite — which can require reservations months in advance.

The big picture: Now, there's an app to make last-minute camping feel possible again.

Driving the news: West Coast software engineer Daniel Maynard built Camp Sage — a free campsite finder — that skips the booked sites and shows only campgrounds with reservations actually available.

• A quick search yesterday morning found dozens of bookable campsites across Western Washington in August, many within two hours of Seattle.

How it works: The web-based tool searches public reservation data from state parks, Recreation.gov and other public campground systems, then displays available sites on an interactive map.

• It lists only sites with at least two consecutive available nights and lets users filter for weekend trips, group campsites and Wi-Fi availability.

Thought bubble: After nearly giving up on finding a campsite this year, I took the app for a spin and snagged a riverside site at Dosewallips State Park — one of my favorites!

Zoom in: The idea came after Maynard and his wife struggled to book a family camping trip to Big Sur.

• He realized campsites open up all the time when people cancel — they're just difficult to find because reservation websites require users to search campground by campground and date.
• "If you've got a free weekend, you can just look at the map and decide where to go," Maynard told Axios.

What they're saying: "Damn that's awesome. I get a headache using the WA site," a user known as Bitter Basket wrote after Maynard posted about the app in a Washington state forum on Reddit.

• "Agreed — just used the WA site to book a campsite and it was exhausting," responded Nikkifat.

The bottom line: Camping isn't supposed to require military-level planning.

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Tuesday's primary election will decide which candidates advance in hundreds of races across Washington state, including several contests in Seattle.

The big picture: In Washington's top-two primary, the two candidates who get the most votes in each race face off in November — even if they're from the same party.

• Here's a look at some key contests.

9th Congressional District: Longtime U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Bellevue) faces multiple challengers from the left.

• Independent Kshama Sawant, a socialist who served 10 years on the Seattle City Council, and Democrat Melissa Chaudhry both hope to unseat the 30-year incumbent, who has frequently criticized his party's left flank.

Seattle legislative races: Two longtime Democratic legislators face similar challenges from other Democrats who argue the incumbents are too moderate.

• In North Seattle, state Rep. Gerry Pollet is up against Ron Davis, a tech entrepreneur focused on housing and transit who narrowly lost a 2023 Seattle City Council race.
• A third Democrat in the race, Will Dreher, is a former federal prosecutor who has emphasized the need for AI oversight.
• In central Seattle, state Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen faces fellow Democrat Hannah Sabio-Howell, a workers rights advocate, and Heather-Marie Wilson, who states no party preference.

City and county races

🦝 Hot Jimothy summer continues with the Mariners celebrating "Jimothy Night" on Aug. 5, with a special ticket package that benefits Ballard Food Bank and includes an exclusive T-shirt. (Mariners)

🏢 The Ballard Goodwill site could be redeveloped into a roughly 300-unit apartment building. (KING 5)

🧑‍⚖️ The Washington State Bar Association canceled the July bar exam after a technology issue, disrupting plans for would-be attorneys statewide. (KING 5)

📚 Seattle's International District/Chinatown library branch reopens today after being closed for more than 10 weeks to fix a lingering odor problem. (International Examiner)

🏗️ The Seattle City Council approved changes meant to limit certain environmental appeals, a move intended to speed up development and affordable housing. (Capitol Hill Seattle Blog)

🦇 A bat found near the playground at Renton's Gene Coulon Park on Tuesday tested positive for rabies, and health officials are urging anyone who had contact with it to seek immediate medical attention. (Public Health – Seattle & King County)

The familiar roar of Navy jets has returned to Seattle as the Blue Angels gear up for Seafair Weekend.

• The Navy's precision flying team is practicing today ahead of performances over Lake Washington tomorrow through Sunday.

Zoom in: Beyond the air show with the Blue Angels, Seafair Weekend includes hydroplane races, a festival with live music and a classic car show.

• Admission at Genesee Park is free tomorrow. Adult tickets cost $55 on Saturday or Sunday, though kids 12 and under get in free those days,
• Public transit is recommended because parking is limited.

If you go: Not planning to brave the Genesee Park crowds? The Blue Angels can be seen from parks and beaches around Lake Washington, including Seward Park, Mount Baker Beach and Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park.