The United States has so many beautiful natural parks and campgrounds to explore. No matter where you are in America, it’s likely that there is a fantastic campground with stunning views nearby. We’ve collected the top five camping destinations for you, so you can start planning your next road trip today.
Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite National Park is on everyone’s camping destination bucket list. This beautiful park is known for its luscious trees, crashing waterfalls, and massive cliffs. Different species of trees are spaced around Yosemite’s famous granite cliffs. The mighty Merced River also flows throughout the park.
You can do a lot more than just visit the park; you can camp in one of the many campgrounds. Spend your days biking, bird watching, fishing, hiking, rock climbing, take part in water activities, and even horseback riding.
It’s highly recommended you make a reservation as millions of people visit Yosemite from April to October, so space in the campgrounds can be limited.
We recommend staying at the Upper Pines Campground, which offers flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, and food storage lockers. Campers can also easily hop on the free Yosemite shuttle bus, which makes a stop near the campsite entrance.
Joshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree National Park is another national treasure that everyone wants to visit. The massive park spans 3,200 km² and is a combination of two different desert ecosystems: the Mojave and the Colorado.
If you were to visit Joshua Tree for just a day, you could drive through the whole park, making stops to explore the beautiful plants and animals. Or, you could camp at one of the eight campgrounds throughout the park. The campsites range from $15 -$20 per night and have varying types of facilities. Spend the day on one of the many trials in the park and head back to your campsite for a relaxing evening under the stars after.
Fun Fact: The Joshua tree got its name from a group of Mormon settlers. When they saw this uniquely shaped tree, they were reminded of a story in which Joshua reaches his hands up in prayer.
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park gets its name from the 2,000+ natural sandstone arches that are spread throughout the park. The landscape of red rocks makes every sunset look absolutely breathtaking.
The only campground in the park is Devils Garden Campground. Located 18 miles from the park entrance, this campground is remote and peaceful. Most campers spend their days hiking around the park to take in the beautiful scenery.
The facilities include picnic tables, grills, flush toilets, and drinking water. The campsite is usually full every day during the busy season, so make sure you plan ahead and get a reservation.
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
The sprawling Denali National Park has North America’s tallest peak in the center: Mount McKinley (also known as Mount Denali). It’s home to some of the most extraordinary animals, such as grizzly bears, caribou, moose, wolves, and Dall sheep.
There are six campsites throughout the park, which are all open in the summer (mid-May to mid-September). Only Riley Creek is open during non-summer hours. Visitors can also only stay a maximum of 14 days in the summer on the campgrounds.
After selecting the right campsite, settle in, and start planning your activities. Campers usually spend their days hiking, backpacking through the backcountry, cycling, and fishing. Denali National Park really shows off all the beauty Alaska has to offer!
Glacier National Park, Montana
While beautiful, this camping destination might be for the more experienced camper. Glacier National Park is susceptible to volatile weather changes, so campers should pack accordingly. The park is in a unique position of receiving the clash of the warm, wet Pacific air and cold, dry Arctic air from the northeast. If the weather changes don’t scare you off, we promise the views are so worth the extra layers. It often makes the list for top things to do in Montana for a reason.
The park is full of beautiful, melting glaciers, 700 miles of hiking trails, and the stunning Hidden Lake. Visitors can expect a wide variety of wildlife, including moose, deer, mountain goats, mountain lions, coyotes, and black bears.
There’s a total of 13 campgrounds spread all throughout the park. It’s best to make a reservation ahead of time, so you understand what facilities your campsite will come with. Campers can go out on their own for hiking or cycling or book Ranger-led activities and guided tours.
Nothing can beat feeling connected with nature and sleeping under the stars. Any of the camping destinations on this list will leave you with memories (and photos) to last a lifetime.
This post was sponsored by Maupintour.
