Our 50 Favorite Places to Camp in America Right Now

Hosts Adam and Sara bought this oceanfront bluff in 2018 to protect it from development. From a mossy bank under spruce trees, gather around the fire and watch sunset over the water, near LaPush and Olympic National Park.

With just two spacious sites on the Dungeness River, this is the kind of place campers come to unplug without giving up comfort. It’s rare to get pristine privacy and river access along with hookups, wifi, and a private porta-potty.

Experience life on a working cattle and wheat ranch in the heart of eastern Oregon. Camp beneath dark skies, spot wildlife, and explore the rivers, trails, and landscapes that make the Columbia Plateau so special. White River Falls State Park and the rafting town of Maupin are close.

A peaceful riverside escape at the foot of the Blue Mountains, where a single campsite sits among Ponderosa pines with direct access to the Tucannon River and public land beyond.

Camp right alongside the crystal-clear Washougal River, where kayakers and cliff divers have gathered for decades and salmon run in season. Spend your days swimming, kayaking, fishing, or simply cooling off in the current.

Wake up on the banks of the McKenzie River at this private, gated site with its own stretch of waterfront. Cast a line, try the plunge pool, and wave to the rafters floating past. Level sites fit big rigs.

The closest sites to the shores of Lake Tahoe, these coveted spots—newly reopened in 2026—put you steps from the water. Launch a kayak from Lester Beach, paddle into Calwee Cove, and spend the day swimming in the famously clear blue water.

Camp among the rugged badlands, where dirt roads wind through landscapes that feel worlds away from the rest of California. With dark skies, total solitude, and Chumash cave paintings nearby, this is a place for campers seeking adventure, not amenities.

Built by the host from locally milled wood, this cozy cabin sits at the edge of a redwood forest filled with ferns and rhododendrons. Listen for the sound of the ocean and wake up surrounded by the quiet beauty of the Mendocino Coast.

Set on 400 acres in the mountains of NorCal, this sprawling property offers creekside camping, iconic natural hot springs, and room to roam. Pick a dry or overland site, then kayak, fish, bike, or simply soak.

Tucked into a bamboo grove, this thoughtfully equipped bungalow combines the comforts of glamping with easy access to adventure. Explore Volcanoes National Park by day, then return to a hot shower, a comfy bed, and the sounds of the forest.

Four generations have gathered around the same fire ring here, and only one group books at a time today, so you’ll have privacy on this working farm. Olive trees give the place its purpose.

A single mountaintop campsite surrounded by 160 private acres makes this one of SoCal’s most secluded camping experiences. The 4WD road keeps it wild—lock the gate behind you and enjoy sweeping views, giant boulders, and complete privacy.

Wake up surrounded by Monument Valley’s red rock buttes at this Navajo-owned spot with views in every direction. Overlanders and vanlifers especially love to settle in for sunsets and star-filled skies over a fire.

Reaching this remote campground is part of the adventure. Hike down into the Rio Grande gorge through volcanic basalt cliffs to a riverside camp where cold springs emerge from the canyon wall and the Rio Grande rushes past below.

A one-of-a-kind, off-grid stay where hand-built earthen structures rise from the high desert landscape. Camp among the sagebrush, explore mountain canyons, and experience a vision of sustainable living under famously dark skies.

Caves and clay spires carved by erosion give this Nevada state park its cathedral name. Trees shade the sites and a covered picnic area sits nearby, with trails to canyon views from Miller Point, a lesser-visited spot.

On family-owned ranchland near Dallas, this farm stay offers wide-open skies, grassy campsites, and some very friendly four-legged hosts. The llamas wander over to greet you, and the open fields make for easy, relaxed tent and RV camping.

Now reopened following the Dragon Bravo Fire, the North Rim once again offers access to the more remote side of the Grand Canyon. Camp beneath the pines, walk to canyon overlooks, and catch sunset with a fraction of the South Rim crowds.

This nine-acre, off-grid desert retreat sits in the heart of red rock country, surrounded by spectacular public lands. Spend your days exploring Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Kodachrome Basin.

Part campground, part wildlife sanctuary, this adults-only retreat protects a rare stretch of creek and riparian habitat. Camp among towering cliffs while keeping an eye out for river otters, beavers, deer, and the many other species that call this oasis home.

In Texas’s newest state park, this spot offers access to a long-awaited Hill Country addition to the state’s public lands. Bird-rich wildlife, solitude, and big Texas skies take center stage among the oak woodlands.

Camp in the heart of one of North America’s most ambitious conservation projects, where bison roam most freely across vast Montana grasslands. Prairie dog towns chirp, coyotes call at dusk, and Telegraph Creek pulls in wildlife—all 2.5 hours from the nearest paved road.

Park your rig on 900 feet of private frontage along Flathead Lake, the biggest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. A five-minute boat ride lands you on Wildhorse Island, where deer, eagles, and wild horses roam.

A small but popular campground in an open stretch along the Popo Agie River, at the edge of the Popo Agie Wilderness and Sinks Canyon State Park. Watch the river vanish into the mountain and reappear downstream.

Sites climb a hillside above Stanley Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains, delivering some of the most photographed views in the state. Wake up to reflections of McGown Peak and spend the day on the water among fishers and boaters.

Experience life on a working Colorado ranch where campsites sit beside the Bear River beneath towering cottonwoods. Days are spent exploring mountain country, while nights bring dark skies, solitude, and the occasional sheepdog making its rounds.

This working Minnesota farm invites campers to spend the night among grazing donkeys, cows, and alpacas. Book a glamping tent, then stick around for wood-fired pizza nights, goat yoga, and one of the Midwest’s most unique farm experiences.

On Madeline Island in Wisconsin’s Apostle Islands, this lakeside campground offers an easy gateway to the Great Lakes. Spend your days exploring beaches, sea caves, and island trails before settling in at an electric hookup site or a group site for 40.

Four generations have shaped this Kansas farm, where regenerative agriculture guides everything from the grazing livestock to the farm store’s grass-fed dairy. Camp among the pastures and experience a working farm rooted in a century of family history.

Wooded trails, ponds, canals, and an eclectic collection of farm animals make this Michigan farmstay a favorite for campers and families. Explore the property by day, visit nearby Lake Huron, and don’t forget to meet the resident fainting goats.

Carl and Vicki's working cattle and bison ranch spreads across canyons, prairie, and ponds, homesteaded by Carl's grandmother in 1914. Sign up for a bison tour, then go birding or canoeing near the Niobrara River.

Camp beside the Illinois River beneath towering sycamores on 60 private acres of forest, waterfalls, and gravel bars. Trails wind through a landscape rich with history, creating a peaceful riverside retreat in the Ozarks.

Pitch your tent beside the Raccoon River on a working Iowa ranch where Scottish Highland cattle roam the fields. Spend the day floating, paddling, or fishing, then return to camp for quiet evenings along the water.

In the heart of Missouri’s Ozarks, this campground offers hookups, walk-in sites, and easy access to the crystal-clear waters of Sinking Creek and the dramatic bluff that gives Echo Bluff State Park its name. Swimming, paddling, and scenic hikes are all close at hand.

Surrounded by the Shawnee National Forest, this one-of-a-kind property blends sustainable design, vineyards, and backwoods adventure. Explore nearby wineries, then return to a straw-bale villa and a grain-bin reborn as a hangout.

Set on the shores of Cranberry Lake, one of the largest lakes in the Adirondacks, this family-run campground offers a general store and a marina, plus 28 RV/tent sites and 40 slips. Enjoy good fishing and Bear Mountain trails.

Camp at the edge of a mountain meadow deep in Vermont’s Green Mountains, where some of the region’s best hiking trails begin right from camp. With minimal cell service and forest in every direction, it’s an easy place to disconnect.

Once again welcoming campers, Burlingame remains one of New England’s classic summer camping destinations for tents and RVs. Hundreds of rustic sites spread out along Watchaug Pond, some open to the shore and others shaded.

Four family-friendly safari tents with queen bunk beds line Bear Creek in the Poconos, under giant rhododendrons, hemlocks, and oaks. Kids can hike to a private waterfall with a swimming hole, all surrounded by 400 acres of forest.

This certified tree farm offers a blend of mountain views, wooded trails, and hands-on farm stewardship in New Hampshire. Pick from four sites, wander the blueberry maze, and enjoy the quiet of an 87-acre landscape.

At this waterfront full-service campground, old granite-quarry history meets the saltwater of Somes Sound, minutes from Acadia’s trails and Bar Harbor’s downtown. Pick a tent platform, a shaded RV site, or a rustic cabin, with a heated pool and boat dock.

Perched atop a regenerative cattle farm in Maryland’s countryside, this campsite offers mountain vistas and big sunsets. Gather around the fire, meet the resident Black Angus cattle, and experience life on a working farm.

Camp along the edge of South Carolina’s ACE Basin, one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast. Spend your days fishing, paddling tidal creeks, and watching Lowcountry wildlife, then look out for the Milky Way after dark.

This quiet, family-run Kentucky farm offers a simple camping experience centered around a peaceful lakeside setting. It’s quiet and unfussy: a shower and bathroom wait at the barn near the entrance, with a portajon down by the water.

Old Florida at its most genuine: Spanish moss hanging from grandfather oaks, rolling grassy hills, and cypress wetlands full of birds. Meet the ranch’s goats, miniature horses, and donkeys before exploring nearby springs, trails, and state parks.

Forty acres at the north end of Fort Valley, this spot is built around a five-acre lake with a beach. The sites sit along Passage Creek in a groomed cedar stand, roomy enough for several families or a trailer.

Pitch your tent on a family-owned conservation farm overlooking the Albemarle Sound, where hardwood forests, shoreline, and a historic fig orchard create a unique landscape in one of the East Coast’s great coastal ecosystems.

Expect soft sand for one tent or 10—plus a private waterfall with a swimming hole at its base. Spend the day cooling off beneath the falls, relaxing on the sandy shoreline, and enjoying a surprisingly secluded escape close to Charlotte.

Nestled along a scenic river in Tennessee, this waterfront retreat sits between two waterfalls with more than half a mile of creek frontage to explore. Float, fish, swim, and watch for otters, eagles, and herons in a wildlife-rich setting.