How to Camp at the Most Popular National Parks in the U.S.

Camping in America’s national parks can be a great way to reconnect with nature. At the same time, booking campsites in national parks at the most popular campgrounds can feel highly competitive. Luckily, Hipcamp’s free availability alert feature is perfect for snagging the national park campsite of your dreams.

On-site camping is one great option on a national park trip; however, nearby private campsites often provide less restrictive terms and more space—like those in Hipcamp’s national park collections. For RVers, Keep in mind that if you’re traveling with a large RV or long trailer, you’ll likely be restricted at national park campgrounds due to size limitations.

Whether you’re looking for RV camping reservations that come with full hookups, modern campsites with EV chargers, or primitive camping options on free public lands, we’ve gathered the best options as well as the peak times to book at some of the top parks. 

Note: An asterisk (*) denotes that a national park campground is reservable in advance.

Yosemite National Park

Home to iconic redwoods and sequoias, California’s Yosemite National Park offers a vast landscape of majestic waterfalls, subalpine meadows, and challenging mountain hikes. Yosemite National Park camping reservations open up to 5 months to 2 weeks in advance. Some of these campgrounds are first-come, first-served in winter. 

When to visit: While some campgrounds are open year-round, most open seasonally from April to October since several main roads close in winter. Keep in mind that you’ll need a timed-entry reservation for parts of the year.

Popular features: 

• El Capitan
• Half Dome
• Yosemite Falls

Hidden gems: 

• Cathedral Lakes
• Mariposa Grove
• Merced River

National park campgrounds: 

• Bridalveil Creek (RV and tent)*
• Crane Flat (RV and tent)*
• Hodgdon Meadow (RV and tent)*
• Lower Pines (RV and tent)*
• North Pines (RV and tent)*
• Porcupine Flat (RV and tent)*
• Tuolumne Meadows (RV and tent)*
• Upper Pines (RV and tent)*
• Wawona (RV and tent)*
• White Wolf (RV and tent)*
• Camp 4 (Tent only)*
• Tamarack Flat (Tent only)*
• Yosemite Creek (Tent only)*

Nearby camping for easy access:

• Southgate Summit Campground (15 miles from the South entrance)
• BaseCampByBo! (25 miles from the Hetch Hetchy entrance)
• Willow Springs Resort (30 miles from the Tioga Pass entrance)

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

On the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a well-earned reputation for amazing biodiversity and trout fishing. To stay on-site, required reservations can be made at most campgrounds up to 6 months in advance. Reservations and permits are also required for backcountry camping.

When to visit: Year-round camping is available at Cades Cove and Smokemont. Other campgrounds typically open from March to October. 

Popular features: 

• Cades Cove
• Clingmans Dome
• Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

Hidden gems: 

• Alum Cave Bluffs
• Midnight Hole
• Mouse Creek Falls

National park campgrounds: 

• Abrams Creek (RV and tent)*
• Balsam Mountain (RV and tent)*
• Cades Cove (RV and tent)*
• Cataloochee (RV and tent)*
• Cosby (RV and tent)*
• Deep Creek (RV and tent)*
• Elkmont (RV and tent)*
• Look Rock (RV and tent)*
• Smokemont (RV and tent)*
• Big Creek (Tent only)*

Nearby camping for easy access:

• Cherokee Waterfall Campground (10 miles from the Oconaluftee entrance)
• Twin Valley Horse Ranch (12 miles from the Townsend entrance)
• Critter Camp (15 miles from the Sugarlands entrance)

Death Valley National Park

The unrelenting desert landscapes of California’s Death Valley National Park near the Nevada border boast colorful badlands and stellar stargazing. Unstaffed open campgrounds are generally first-come, first-served; however, RV campgrounds here do take reservations up to 6 months in advance. There are also private and concession-run RV campgrounds that take reservations.

When to visit: Many campgrounds may close in summer when nightly temperatures can still exceed 100°F. Visit during more moderate temperatures from late fall to early spring. 

Popular features: 

• Badwater Basin
• Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
• Zabriskie Point

Hidden gems: 

• Darwin Falls
• Eureka Dunes
• Ubehebe Crater

National park campgrounds: 

• Eureka Dunes (RV and tent)
• Furnace Creek (RV and tent)*
• Mesquite Spring (RV and tent)
• Mahogany Flat (RV and tent)
• Panamint Springs Resort (RV, tent, cabins)*
• Stovepipe Wells (RV and tent)*
• Sunset (RV and tent)
• Texas Springs (RV and tent)
• Wildrose (RV and tent)
• Thorndike (Tent only)
• Emigrant (Tent only)
• Homestake (Tent only)
• Saline Valley (Tent only)

Nearby camping for easy access:

• Death Valley Stargazing Camp (20 miles from the Trona entrance)
• Lake Olancha RV Park and Campground (30 miles from the Olancha entrance)
• Death Valley Camp (45 miles from the Beatty entrance)

Olympic National Park

Marked by the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, Olympic National Park sits on Washington state’s Olympic peninsula outside Seattle. While here, campers can ascend rugged alpine peaks and stay at on-site campgrounds that are mainly first-come, first-served (some require reservations during peak seasons).

When to visit: Higher-elevation campgrounds may close from late fall to early spring due to snow and treacherous conditions. National park campgrounds at lower elevations are open year-round. 

Popular features: 

• Hoh Rain Forest
• Hurricane Ridge
• Rialto Beach

Hidden gems: 

• Lake Crescent
• Sol Duc Hot Springs
• Shi-Shi Beach

National park campgrounds: 

• Fairholme (RV and tent)*
• Graves Creek (RV and tent)
• Heart O’ the Hills (RV and tent)
• Hoh Rain Forest (RV and tent)*
• Kalaloch (RV and tent)*
• Log Cabin Resort (RV and tent)*
• Mora (RV and tent)*
• Ozette (RV and tent)
• Sol Duc Hot Springs (RV and tent)*
• South Beach (RV and tent)
• Staircase (RV and tent)*
• North Fork (Tent only)
• Queets (Tent only)
• Deer Park (Tent only)
• Dosewallips (Tent only)

Nearby camping for easy access:

• Sol Duc Rainforest Retreat (Port Angeles near Lake Crescent)
• Shangri La Push (Forks near Rialto Beach)
• Frog Creek Meadow (Port Angeles near Heart O’ the Hills)

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park offers campers a temporary home next to layered rock formations that are billions of years old. On-site campgrounds take reservations up to 6 months in advance—it’s especially important to reserve a campsite during peak seasons. 

When to visit: South Rim campgrounds are typically open year-round, while the North Rim campground closes from October to May due to snow. Spring and fall camping offer milder weather and fewer crowds than the peak tourist season in summer. 

Popular features: 

• Bright Angel Trail
• Desert View Watchtower
• Grand Canyon Village

Hidden gems: 

• Havasu Falls
• Point Sublime
• Tonto Trail

National park campgrounds: 

• Desert View (RV and tent)*
• Mather (RV and tent)*
• North Rim (RV and tent)*
• Trailer Village (RV and tent)*
• Tusayan Montane (RV and tent)*

Nearby camping for easy access:

• Grand Canyon Farms (22 miles from the South Rim entrance)
• Switchback Tre’s (30 miles from the South Rim entrance)
• Gateway to the Grand Canyon (32 miles from the South Rim entrance)

Zion National Park

Featuring narrow slot canyons framed by 2,000-foot-tall red sandstone cliffs, Utah’s Zion National Park is the stuff bucket lists are made of. Camping reservations at this national park are open to campers up to 6 months in advance.

When to visit: Watchman Campground is open year-round, while Lava Point opens seasonally from May to September. Summer highs can break 100°F—spring and fall camping may be more comfortable for outdoor activities. 

Popular features: 

• Angels Landing
• The Narrows
• The Subway

Hidden gems: 

• Checkerboard Mesa
• Hidden Canyon
• Kolob Canyons

National park campgrounds: 

• Watchman (RV and tent)*
• Lava Point (Trailers less than 19 feet and tent only)*
• South Campground (Closed for the 2024 season)

Nearby camping for easy access:

• The Orchards at Kolob RV Resort (3 miles from Kolob Canyons Visitor Center)
• Zion On The 9 (15 miles from Zion Canyon Visitor Center)
• Zion Wright Ranch Eco-Camp (23 miles from Zion Canyon Visitor Center)

Shenandoah National Park

Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park is home to the Blue Ridge Mountains where campers can spot over 200 wild bird species while hiking and biking over 500 miles of trails. Campgrounds are a mix of first-come, first-served and reservable sites (up to 6 months in advance).

When to visit: Campgrounds open seasonally from late spring to early fall. Wildlife is most active early and late in the camping season.

Popular features: 

• Dark Hollow Falls
• Skyline Drive 
• Stony Man Mountain 

Hidden gems: 

• Bearfence Rock Scramble
• Limberlost Accessible Trail
• Old Rag Mountain

National park campgrounds: 

• Big Meadows (RV and tent)*
• Mathews Arm (RV and tent)* some first-come, first-served sites available
• Lewis Mountain (RV and tent)
• Loft Mountain (RV and tent)* some first-come, first-served sites available

Nearby camping for easy access:

• Beaver Cove (12 miles from the Thornton Gap entrance)
• Fat Owl Farm (14 miles from the Swift Run Gap entrance)
• Pastimes on Passage Creek Ranch (25 miles from the North entrance)

Glacier National Park

View moose, bears, and over 200 bird species at Glacier National Park in Northern Montana. Camp on-site at one of 13 front country campgrounds or in backcountry wilderness camping areas—both offer reservations on a rolling basis, often up to 6 months in advance. 

When to visit: July and August are peak camping months with warm weather and clear skies. Most campgrounds close from early fall to late spring. Be mindful of changing conditions along remote roads at higher elevations—check the park website for the latest reports. 

Popular features: 

• Going-to-the-Sun Road
• Hidden Lake Overlook
• Many Glacier

Hidden gems: 

• Bowman Lake
• Grinnell Glacier
• Two Medicine Lake

National park campgrounds: 

• Apgar (RV and tent)*
• Avalanche (RV and tent)*
• Fish Creek (RV and tent)*
• Many Glacier (RV and tent)*
• Rising Sun (RV and tent)
• St. Mary (RV and tent)*
• Sprague Creek (RV and tent)*
• Two Medicine (RV and tent)*
• Bowman Lake (Tent only)
• Cut Bank (Tent only)
• Kintla Lake (Tent only)
• Quartz Creek (Tent only)
• Logging Creek (Closed for the 2024 season)

Nearby camping for easy access:

• The Mooseshroom (7 miles from the West Glacier entrance)
• Duck Lake Lodge (10 miles from the St. Mary’s entrance)
• Home Gun Primitive Camping (20 miles from the Two Medicine entrance)

Rocky Mountain National Park

The rugged peaks and dense alpine forests of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado offer some of the most stunning mountain scenery in the U.S. Plan for a camping trip from late spring to early fall, as harsh winters close many campgrounds, trails, and amenities. 

Reserve a campsite in the park up to 6 months in advance—note that some are only available on a short-term release.

When to visit: Most campgrounds operate from May to October. The peak of summer delivers the warmest weather and the longest daylight hours for nature exploration (but you’ll also need a timed-entry reservation).

Popular features: 

• Bear Lake
• Longs Peak
• Trail Ridge Road

Hidden gems: 

• Chasm Lake
• Copeland Falls
• Lulu City

National park campgrounds: 

• Aspenglen (RV and tent)*
• Glacier Basin (RV and tent)*
• Timber Creek (RV and tent)*
• Longs Peak (Tent only)
• Moraine Park (Planned reopening in 2025)

Nearby camping for easy access:

• Rocky Mountain Glamping (12 miles from the Wild Basin entrance)
• Tiny Woodsy Cabin (22 miles from the Beaver Meadows entrance)
• Arapaho Valley Ranch (25 miles from the Grand Lake entrance)

Acadia National Park

Soak in the refreshing Atlantic Ocean air from the rocky shorelines of Acadia National Park on and around Maine’s Mount Desert Island. From tidal pool microcosms to dense spruce forests, there’s plenty to explore in this 47,000-acre park. The National Park Service accepts camping reservations here from May to October—most are open up to 2 months in advance. 

When to visit: Plan a visit to see the stunning fall foliage, which is an annual delight. There’s no winter or backcountry camping in the park. 

Popular features: 

• Cadillac Mountain
• Great Head
• Jordan Pond

Hidden gems: 

• Bass Harbor Head Light Station
• Beech Mountain Trail
• Schoodic Peninsula

National park campgrounds: 

• Blackwoods (RV and tent)*
• Schoodic Woods (RV and tent)*
• Seawall (RV and tent)*
• Duck Harbor (Lean-to shelters)*
• Wildwood Stables (Equestrian camping)*

Nearby camping for easy access:

• Gateway to Acadia National Park (2 miles from Park Loop Road entrance)
• Hummingbird on Schoodic (9 miles from the SERC entrance)
• The Howling Woods (12 miles from Park Loop Road entrance)

Leave it better: National park camping

Camping at (or near) national parks, state parks, and national forests is an American tradition. That’s why it’s crucial to preserve these natural landscapes for future generations to explore. While visiting, follow the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace, taking nothing but photographs and leaving nothing but footprints. 

Stick to marked trails, minimize waste, and connect with the National Park Service at nps.gov for more information.