Best Cities For Camping
A port city on the Puget Sound, Tacoma is your gateway to Washington’s backyard. Where else do you have saltwater beaches, rugged mountains, and coastal forests at your fingertips? Plus, the third biggest city in the state has no shortage of RV parks and campgrounds. If you want to camp by the Puget Sound, discover the state parks wedged between Tacoma and Seattle. Dash Point State Park boasts over 3,300 feet of saltwater shoreline. Unwind while kayaking, canoeing, or hiking 11 miles of trails. At low tide, locals flock here to skim board on the sand flats. At high tide, you can cast a line from the fishing pier. Not far off, Saltwater State Park is a family favorite with its sandy beaches. Camp here to make sandcastles, hike through the lush forest, or even scuba dive around the artificial reef. The year-round campground is close to the action, but leave the marshmallows at homewood campfires aren’t allowed here. If epic mountain landscapes are more your speed, you’re in luck. Tacoma is just 58 miles from Mount Rainier National Park. Wilderness camping and hiking await at lower altitudes. Up top, the snow-capped summit is a paradise for skiing and snowboardingeven in the summer. With its mild climate, the Tacoma area offers great camping weather in every season. However, remember that this is Washington State. Don’t forget your rain gear, especially if you’re traveling in the winter.
Escape To The Alpine At Jones Pass
Whenever I need a quick alpine getaway , I head to Jones Pass. In fact, the annual pilgrimage to this place has become quite a ritual every year. As some of the best free camping in Colorado, its great to have this spot so close to home.
Make your way down Forest Road 202 past the Henderson mine. Free camping starts almost immediately and winds its way up until you reach the pass.
Keep in mind the higher you go, the scarcer wood is and the more susceptible you are to the unruly high-alpine weather.
Pro Tip: Camp low and head up to the top of the pass at sunset. Youll practically stumble onto the Continental Divide Trail and be greeted with stunning views of Indian Peaks, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the Eagles Nest Wilderness.
One of the best things about free camping in Colorado is you almost always have a scenic mountain drive nearby.
The road up the pass is rough, but doable with most SUVs and a little care. Weve taken our teardrop camper up there. Keep in mind its only one vehicle length and turnarounds can get tricky.
Find A Campground Near Me
Looking for a campsite near your house? Near Yosemite? Near your great-aunt Mildreds mountain cabin? Campendiums place-based search engine lets you search for nearby campsites by city/town, state, zip code, national park, national forest, or state park. Simply type in the location youre heading, and Campendium will return a list of options on the left and flag each spot on a map to the right.
You can narrow down your choices further using our filter and sort tools. Here are a few of the most popular filters to find that perfect campsite for your needs.
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How To Find Free Camping
Finding the best free camping near Denver takes a little bit of research and few nuggets of knowledge. In fact, you can learn the proven step-by-step method to learn how to find free camping virtually everywhere with my Find Free Camping Anywhere Mini-Course.
This course includes a video tutorial and worksheet designed to teach you how to find epically beautiful camp spots without paying a dime. Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to finding free camping near Denver like a total pro!
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Pleasure Cove Resort & Marina Lake Berryessa
Just over an hour drive west of Sacramento, Lake Berryessa is the largest lake in Napa County and a very scenic place to spend the night. Numerous campgrounds and resorts line the shores of this massive reservoir, including the aptly named Pleasure Cove Resort & Marina. Alongside over 90 tent camping sites and an additional 20 sites specifically for RVs, Pleasure Cove also features lakeside cabins and houseboats for rent.
Farther west along Lake Berryessa, the Steele Canyon Campground features 80 campsites that accommodate tents or RVs. Campsites at both Steele Canyon and Pleasure Cove feature picnic tables, fire rings, and access to potable water.
Heading north along the lake, Putah Canyon Campground features an additional 100 sites with similar accommodations.
Official site:
Los Padres National Forest
2hrs by car, dog friendly Los Padres National Forest is close enough for an overnight or weekend trip while still feeling like its thousands of miles from any city. Hike switchback trails weaving through hills and valleys, and stop for a swim at one of the Forests many swimming holes . If youre up for a short backpacking trip, trek the 18 miles to Willett Hot Springs for a relaxing soak. Reservations are first-come, first-served and youll need an Adventure Pass to enter Los Padres, so make sure to pick one up from a nearby gas station or sports shop. Consult Los Padres National Forest for information on camping availability.
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Meadow Group Campground Angeles National Forest
Miles from Downtown L.A.: 41 Number of Sites: 2 There are many camping places to choose from but at 5,300 feet above sea level, Meadow Group Campground is a great choice for a weekend getaway for you and your friends. Relax in the cool mountain air, grill up some smores, and bust out the guitar for a campfire sing-along. And if after all that revelry you need a little time with Mama Nature, the campground is located a half-mile from the Silver Moccasin Trail, a 53-miler that cuts through the center of Angeles National Forest.
Each site has picnic tables, fire pits, and a water spigot. Reservations for both sites must be made more than four days in advance. Site one costs $36/night and site two costs $120/night.
Local Scoop: Just two miles down the road is Newcombs Ranch, a restaurant, bar, general store, and gas station. Grab a burger and some of their killer fries, and check out the parade of motorcycles outside. On busy weekends its not uncommon for hundreds of bikers to cruise through Angeles National Forest, often stopping at Newcombs Ranch.
Er Frenzy In The Sawatch
The Sawatch Range is home to 15 14,000 foot peaks, including the tallest in Colorado, Mount Elbert. The Sawatch Range contains plenty of National Forest Land, which means there are a wide variety of areas with incredible dispersed, free camping in Colorado.
A quick 2 and a half-hour drive leads you to one of my personal favorite spots, Forest Road 399.
Drive two miles past the La Plata Peak Trailhead . After you make it through the private property, plenty of quiet, secluded dispersed campsites await you.
What I love about this area is its access to some of the best Colorados 14ers. Keep in mind this road is rough and gets rougher the further you go. High clearance recommended.
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Fort Wilderness In Case You Cant Get Enough Disney
20 Minutes to the Magic Kingdom
No matter how you cut it, youre going to be at least 20 minutes away from the Magic Kingdom, even when youre camping at Disney Worlds Fort Wilderness Campground. Its only three miles as the crow flies, but youre not a crow. Youll most likely be taking a bus or the ferry from the campground, as we did.
My overnight stay at Fort Wilderness was an afterthought, to be truthful. I couldnt imagine I would find my kind of natural landscape, or my kind of prices. A friend suggested this roundup of campgrounds near Disney World would be incomplete without it, and she was right.
The campground was fabulous! Quite pricey, but if I had kids with me, the experience would have been totally worth it. Even without kids, I had fun.
The campground is a natural Florida habitat, a pine and cypress forest spread out over 740 scenic acres. My site was tucked into one of two campground loops for tents and pop-up campers. Another 700 sites are designated for motor homes and travel trailers, and there are 400 cabins in their own little world at the far end of the campground.
Traffic and parking are restricted to your campsite. Bring bicycles or ride the free shuttle with ferry connections to the Magic Kingdom. When you return in the evening, join other campers on the beach for the Electric Boat Parade and fireworks.
Cabins sleep 6 and range from $380 per night and up, depending on the dates, topping out at $700 around the Christmas/New Years holidays.
Misty Mountain Camp Resortgreenwood
There is plenty of activities to fill your days when staying at the Misty Mountain Camp Resort. Guests go for a dip in the outdoor pool, fish in the camps pond, play a game of pool in the recreation room, or get a team together for a basketball or volleyball tournament. The 50-acre park has a mixture of camp sites, with primitive tent locations, sites with water and electric, RV spots, and even cabins, allowing you to choose your comfort level during your visit.At the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Charlottesville, the Misty Mountain Camp resort gives you access to over 30 wineries and vineyards on the Monticello Wine Trail, like Barboursville Vineyards, Veritas Vineyard & Winery, Jefferson Vineyards, and Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards. Plus, there are plenty of fun guided tours and adventures nearby to round out your Virginia mountain vacation.
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Florys Cottages & Camping
Location: 99 N. Ronks Road, Ronks
Pack up the RV and head to Florys Cottages and Camping for a peaceful camping trip surrounded by gorgeous farmland. This clean, spacious campground is accommodating to large RVs with level sites and full hook-ups. Kick back and relax as you enjoy the Lancaster County beauty.
If You Want To Be Near The Beach
Go to: Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, Delaware
Located close by the Cape May ferry drop-off, Cape Henlopen is just a short walk from the beach, so you can indulge in fishing, swimming, or kayaking. You may want to reserve a much larger and sandier tent-only site well ahead of time for more privacy, because Henlopen tends to get crowded with people escaping the city in summer. The park also offers themed hikes such as a search for reptiles or ghost crabs. Bird and dolphin watching and disc golf are a couple other activities to add to your agenda. Starting at $20 per night.
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Lake Louisa State Park: Hiking Fishing Really Nice Cabins
30 minutes to Disney via secondary roads
The campground at Lake Louisa State Park was sparse and seemed lonely when I visited, so you might opt for one of the well-appointed cabins on a hill overlooking a scenic lake.
This is one of Floridas newer state parks, situated in a sea of rolling hills covered with citrus trees. The park itself is a former citrus grove that was acquired by the state, and parts of it are still maintained as a working grove by local farmers.
The campground was sparse when I visited, but it was giving rise to low-lying vegetation between sites, so its probably worth another visit. There is no swimming in this park, a downer in summer, but the cabins are equipped with central air.
The parks 20 cabins string out along a ridge overlooking the lake, and they are quite comfortable with two bedrooms, two baths, a dining/living room and a fully equipped kitchen with microwave, dishwasher, dishes, pots, pans and silverware. Linens and towels are also provided. Every cabin has a screened deck with a picnic table and rocking chairs. No TVs, but the view from the porch is beautiful.
Two of the parks six lakes are accessible for fishing, canoeing and kayaking, and there are more than 20 miles of off-road trails for hiking and cycling with another 7 miles of park roads.
Pets are allowed in the campground area, but not in the cabins.
Bush Camping Near Brisbane
Below weve listed some of the best bush camping near Brisbane. Some of these campsites are probably more like rainforest or countryside campsites, but Ive still listed them in this group.
Bigriggen Park
For campers after bush camping grounds near Brisbane, Bigriggen Park is a perfect choice. Located at the foot of Mt Barney, around 1.5 hours drive south of the Brisbane CBD is where youll find Bigriggen Park. This is a gorgeous campground, located on a 100 acre bushland property which has winding rivers.
The campground includes 30 powered sites and 60 non-powered sites. If youre looking for dog friendly camping near Brisbane, youll be pleased to know dogs are welcome here. Facilities on site include toilets, coin operated hot showers, a small kiosk where you can buy basic groceries and firewood for your campfire.
Activities on site include bike riding, swimming, fishing in the local river as well as the chance to spot the local wildlife which includes possums, kangaroos, parrots and kookaburras.
So if youre looking for camping close to Brisbane, yet somewhere youll feel a million miles away, definitely check out Bigriggen Park.
Location: 196 Bigriggen Rd
Distance from Brisbane CBD: 111 km / Around 1.5 hours drive
Price: From $14.50 per adult and $9 per child per night
Mount Barney Lodge Country Retreat
So if youre after one of the great camping sites near Brisbane, youll easily reach Mount Barney Lodge within 2 hours. A great choice for a peaceful getaway.
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Turn On Earth Mode To Get An Idea Of How Accessible The Area Is For Your Rig
Before you choose a location, it is important to determine what your rig is capable of handling. If your RV is on the larger side, you will probably need to stick to more accessible roads and flatter plains for your own safety and the safety of your vehicle.
If your RV is a lighter motorhome, van, travel trailer, or some other tricked out adventure mobile, then you can probably attempt some more adventurous locations. As long as your tow vehicle is capable, there are lots of steeper, bumpier roads less traveled that are open to you.
The important thing, no matter the size of your RV, is to remember: push your limits, but never threaten your safety.
Grayson Highlands State Park Campingmouth Of Wilson
Grayson Highlands State Park Campground offers basic campgrounds with beautiful views, but that is just the beginning. The park is the gateway to the states highest peak, Mount Rogers, and also an entry to the Appalachian Trail. You can hike, bike, and even ride a horse along the trails. And dont be surprised if you come across some interesting wildlife while venturing through the region wild ponies roam the park freely. There is power at the sites but no water from November-March, and also no bathrooms or showers, so be prepared to really rough it while camping.
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Mineral Bar Campground Auburn State Recreation Area
Encompassing incredible beauty surrounding the North and Middle Forks of the American River, Auburn State Recreation Area can be reached from Sacramento by car in an hour. Over 100 miles of hiking trails span this long, linear recreation area, as well as three campgrounds.
The most popular of Auburn’s campgrounds, Mineral Bar Campground, features 18 sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. The narrow road leading to Mineral Bar campground typically deters RVs and trailers from accessing the sites.
Auburn State Recreation Area also features a campground only accessible by boat on Lake Clementine, where visitors can also find a boat launch, marina, and day-use swimming area.
Auburn’s third campground, the Ruck-a-Chucky Campground, features five popular sites also available on a first-come, first-served basis. All campgrounds at Auburn State Recreation Area are considered primitive, with only vault toilets available, and all overnight guests need to pack in their own water.
+ Great Campgrounds In Lancaster Pa
Camping options for beginners, tents, and RVs.
Whether youre a life-long or first-timer camper, theres a campground in Lancaster, PA thats perfect for your next trip. Spring, summer, or fall set up camp, roast some marshmallows, and take in all that nature has to offer here. With plenty of spots to choose from, youll find the campground that perfectly fits your needs and preferred place to sleep, from tents to RVs to cabins. Weve rounded up 10+ campgrounds with a variety of site and cabin options along with a plethora of amenities for your next camping adventure.
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