Best Places To Camp In The Mountains

Olympic National Park has 14 different campgrounds, some next to the ocean and others in the rain forest, so you can enjoy a variety of landscapes. The park is beginning a phased reopening, and campgrounds and visitor centers are closed. Finding the perfect place to camp is the foundation for an enjoyable vacation or weekend camping trip.

For the Cadillac of the five horse camps at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, head to Big Creek, the only horse camp in the park with drinking water available and flush toilets. With five sites available, this campground, while still a bit primitive, is open April through end of October, depending on weather conditions each year. Tucked away in the far eastern area of the park, Cataloochee is home to only 27 camping sites at $20 per night.

The trails through out the park are all great hikes, even the less prominent paths are nice to explore. The hike down to Cedar Falls is absolutely fantastic and more than worth the trek. My favorite part of the park hands down has to be the multiple lookout points you can find around the mountain.” —The Dyrt camper Cait K.

Most Popular

Numerous other Forest Service campgrounds line Highway 83 south of Holland Lake. Just over 10 miles from Holland Lake, Lake Alva Campground features 39 sites on a first-come, first-served basis. Seeley Lake is also a popular place to stay in the Swan Valley with an expansive day-use area and a campground with 29 sites available. Both Placid Lake and Salmon Lake State Parks are found on the southern end of the Swan Valley and offer over 60 campsites total.

An hour west of Bozeman and conveniently located off Interstate 90, Lewis and Clark Caverns is a common stop on a Montana road trip. It’s one of the largest known limestone caverns in the Northwest, and it’s also Montana’s first state park. The only way to see the stalactites and speleothems of Lewis and Clark Caverns is through a guided tour offered by the park . Glacier National Park, in Northwest Montana, is also known as the Crown of the Continent. It displays several dazzling glaciated landscapes, and the best campgrounds in Glacier National Park offer a preview of it all. All Hosts should analyze and adhere to these standards around providing a positive Hipcamp experience, being a thoughtful neighbor, and serving as a responsible citizen.

Montana campgrounds go well beyond the boundaries of Glacier National Park, especially in the western and more mountainous half of the state. From Bighorn Canyon to the many campgrounds surrounding Flathead Lake, this part of the state is synonymous with camping and adventure. Other special landscapes to discover from Montana campgrounds include elaborate caverns, well-preserved ghost towns, and historic headwaters.

Letchworth State Park, Finger Lakes, New York

If you’re lucky enough to get tickets, GO.” —The Dyrt camper Morgan F. The Dyrt PRO lets you download maps and campgrounds without cell service. “My alternative to using pro would be to drive back out to cell service”. We’ve been coming here with friends for years in tents, cabin, pop up camper, and now travel trailer.” —The Dyrt camper Roy T. These 50 campgrounds are the very best campgrounds in every state, according to campground analysis on The Dyrt. Ever since I was little I have been a traveler at heart.

Brian has been an avid hiker and backpacker since he was a small kid, often being taken out into the wilderness on trips with his father. His dad knew everything about nature and the wilderness (or at least that’s how it seemed to a ten year old Brian). At night, stargazing is highly recommended, as there’s virtually zero light pollution here to spoil your view. Bear Lake State Parkis located close to Garden City on the shores of Bear Lake. The park is actually on Utah’s border with Idaho and snuggles high up within the magnificent Rocky Mountains.

Maryland: Assateague State Park

You can literally sleep in the clouds at the cloudline of the Haleakala volcano. Located at 7,000 feet of elevation, expect wind and chilly temperatures at Hosmer Grove campground. The landscape is stark and dramatically sculpted by the elements.

If you haven’t experienced the splendor of the Buffalo National River, it’s high time. This natural playground is practically in 417-land’s backyard and is replete with crystal clear water ideal for floating, hiking trails, plus incredible views of bluffs and the stars above. Take it all in at Tyler Bend Campground in the river’s middle district south of St. Joe, Arkansas. Easily accessible, this is a great spot for casual car or RV camping. There are 28 regular, 10 walk-in and five group sites, which are the only spots you can reserve.

Camping at Bannack State Park is spread between two different campgrounds with 24 total sites available. In the scenic Swan Valley of northwestern Montana, Holland Lake Campground provides spacious campsites with easy access to its namesake feature. With 40 campsites for tents and RVs spread throughout two different loops, the campground features flushing restrooms and potable water. The Flat Mountain Pond Shelter sits on the southeast end of the pond, near hiking trails.

“Magical” is the term often used to describe this West Texas refuge. In fact, it is one of the top 10 places in the world for stargazing, Big Bend has the darkest skies in the lower 48 states and has been designated an International Dark Sky Park. There are no restaurants in the park, but snacks and limited groceries are available at concession areas at Cade Cove and Elkmont campgrounds. Anthony Creek Horse Camp is situated in a beautiful grove with blooming trees and paths made just for you and your equine pal.

Travel Accessories

This year, we’re rounding up the most-loved campgrounds in every state. Perhaps it’s one you already frequent or one you’ll want to visit in the future. Either way, this list will definitely make you want to go camping.

Some sites are close to the creek and others are right off the road. Great place to camp if you need to hit the shuttle early to start your hike! Can a state’s most popular campground also be a hidden gem? Palo Duro Canyon State Park might just be both, isolated in the state’s panhandle but widely visited by campers from the five states in the region. Camping is available in the state park atop cliffs overlooking rifts of the canyon, spread over a number of camping loops. Heard distant coyotes at night, and woke up to bison strolling through in the morning.

There’s space for 60 tents with seven additional camping pods. It has basic but ample facilities for all as well as a track at the back of the site, forever tempting you to The Edge and its awesome views. If you’re after a car to get you up the mountains, GoGet has a range of vehicles across Sydney that can get you there.

The mountainsides are formed of sheer cliffs and slopes, and over 50,000 acres of rolling meadowland and forest sit atop the peak. Lots of lakes up here offer excellent fishing, and there are almost unlimited primitive camping opportunities. One of the most popular campgrounds in the entire park, Elkmont is the closest in-park campground to the Gatlinburg area entrance and the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Off a spur road from the Blue Ridge Parkway toward the southern end of the park in North Carolina, the Balsam Mountain campground offers reservations-only accommodations.

Teaberry Hill Rv Campground

Waterfalls and wildflowers make for a scenic camping experience and activities range from hiking to swimming in the park’s seasonal pool. There are 94 full hook-up sites, as well as cabins, cottages, challets, and even 2 backpacking sites for those who want to get away from the more developed side of things. Some of the United States’ most beautiful scenery can be found there. Denali National Park offers six million acres of land to see wildlife, beautiful trails, and plenty of plants, creeks, and mountains, including Mount McKinley, North America’s tallest peak.

Surrounded by mountains on the shores of Loch Leven, it would be hard to find a campsite with better views than Caolasnacon. If you like hiking or climbing, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the Mamores Mountains to the north and Glen Coe to the south. And if your legs get tired, give the arms a work out instead by heading out on the loch in a kayak.