Complete addresses, directions, fees, and insider tips for the greatest camping destinations across America — from iconic National Parks to hidden wilderness gems.
View Full Top 50 List →The most iconic, breathtaking, and beloved camping destinations in the United States
The most iconic campground in the United States, Yosemite Valley Campground sits beneath towering gr...
Wake up steps from one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Mather Campground on the South Rim...
America's first national park offers 12 campgrounds surrounded by geysers, hot springs, and some of ...
Called the Crown of the Continent, Glacier National Park hosts some of the most dramatic mountain sc...
Watchman Campground sits at the mouth of Zion Canyon beneath the towering Watchman peak. It's the ga...
One of the few national park campgrounds where you can fall asleep to the sound of Pacific Ocean wav...
Every campground ranked, with state, park, type, and fee information
| # | Campground | State | Park | Type | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🏔️ Yosemite Valley Campground | California | Yosemite National Park | National Park | $36/night |
| 2 | 🏜️ Grand Canyon South Rim Campground | Arizona | Grand Canyon National Park | National Park | $18–$50/night |
| 3 | 🌋 Yellowstone National Park Campgrounds | Wyoming | Yellowstone National Park | National Park | $20–$35/night |
| 4 | 🏔️ Glacier National Park Campgrounds | Montana | Glacier National Park | National Park | $23–$35/night |
| 5 | 🏜️ Watchman Campground — Zion National Park | Utah | Zion National Park | National Park | $20–$30/night |
| 6 | 🌲 Kalaloch Campground — Olympic National Park | Washington | Olympic National Park | National Park | $22–$44/night |
| 7 | 🌊 Blackwoods Campground — Acadia National Park | Maine | Acadia National Park | National Park | $30/night |
| 8 | 🌿 Cades Cove Campground — Great Smoky Mountains | Tennessee | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | National Park | $25/night |
| 9 | ⛰️ Moraine Park Campground — Rocky Mountain NP | Colorado | Rocky Mountain National Park | National Park | $30/night |
| 10 | 🌵 Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree NP | California | Joshua Tree National Park | National Park | $25/night |
| 11 | 🌄 Devils Garden Campground — Arches NP | Utah | Arches National Park | National Park | $25/night |
| 12 | 🌳 Big Meadows Campground — Shenandoah NP | Virginia | Shenandoah National Park | National Park | $30/night |
| 13 | 🦅 Teklanika River Campground — Denali NP | Alaska | Denali National Park | National Park | $22/night |
| 14 | 🐊 Long Pine Key Campground — Everglades NP | Florida | Everglades National Park | National Park | $20/night |
| 15 | 🏜️ North Campground — Bryce Canyon National Park | Utah | Bryce Canyon National Park | National Park | $20–$30/night |
| 16 | 🌲 Lodgepole Campground — Sequoia National Park | California | Sequoia National Park | National Park | $35/night |
| 17 | 🌋 Cougar Rock Campground — Mount Rainier NP | Washington | Mount Rainier National Park | National Park | $30/night |
| 18 | 🏜️ Squaw Flat Campground — Canyonlands NP | Utah | Canyonlands National Park | National Park | $25/night |
| 19 | ☀️ Furnace Creek Campground — Death Valley NP | California | Death Valley National Park | National Park | $36/night |
| 20 | 🏔️ Colter Bay Campground — Grand Teton NP | Wyoming | Grand Teton National Park | National Park | $35/night |
| 21 | 🌵 Chisos Basin Campground — Big Bend NP | Texas | Big Bend National Park | National Park | $16/night |
| 22 | 🌊 Mazama Campground — Crater Lake NP | Oregon | Crater Lake National Park | National Park | $31/night |
| 23 | 🌄 Cedar Pass Campground — Badlands NP | South Dakota | Badlands National Park | National Park | $22–$28/night |
| 24 | 🌸 Fruita Campground — Capitol Reef NP | Utah | Capitol Reef National Park | National Park | $25/night |
| 25 | 🏛️ Morefield Campground — Mesa Verde NP | Colorado | Mesa Verde National Park | UNESCO/Heritage | $30–$50/night |
| 26 | 🌲 Elk Prairie Campground — Redwood National Park | California | Redwood National & State Parks | National Park | $35/night |
| 27 | 🏔️ Newhalem Creek Campground — North Cascades NP | Washington | North Cascades National Park | National Park | $20/night |
| 28 | 🏝️ Rock Harbor Campground — Isle Royale NP | Michigan | Isle Royale National Park | National Park | $7/night + ferry |
| 29 | 🦇 Maple Springs Campground — Mammoth Cave NP | Kentucky | Mammoth Cave National Park | National Park | $25/night |
| 30 | 🏜️ Pinyon Campground — Great Sand Dunes NP | Colorado | Great Sand Dunes National Park | National Park | $20/night |
| 31 | 🌊 Twelvemile Beach Campground — Pictured Rocks NS | Michigan | Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore | National Lakeshore | $23/night |
| 32 | 🏖️ Oregon Inlet Campground — Cape Hatteras NS | North Carolina | Cape Hatteras National Seashore | National Seashore | $28/night |
| 33 | 🐴 Bayside Campground — Assateague Island NS | Maryland | Assateague Island National Seashore | National Seashore | $30/night |
| 34 | 🏖️ Sea Camp Campground — Cumberland Island NS | Georgia | Cumberland Island National Seashore | National Seashore | $22/night + ferry fee |
| 35 | 🌊 Boulder Beach Campground — Lake Mead NRA | Nevada | Lake Mead National Recreation Area | National Recreation Area | $20/night |
| 36 | 🏝️ Little Sand Bay Campground — Apostle Islands NS | Wisconsin | Apostle Islands National Lakeshore | National Lakeshore | $15/night |
| 37 | 🧊 Exit Glacier Campground — Kenai Fjords NP | Alaska | Kenai Fjords National Park | National Park | $20/night |
| 38 | 🌺 Hosmer Grove Campground — Haleakala NP | Hawaii | Haleakala National Park | National Park | Free |
| 39 | 🦬 Elk Mountain Campground — Wind Cave NP | South Dakota | Wind Cave National Park | National Park | $20/night |
| 40 | 🏔️ East Portal Campground — Black Canyon Gunnison NP | Colorado | Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP | National Park | $16/night |
| 41 | 🏔️ Pine Springs Campground — Guadalupe Mountains NP | Texas | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | National Park | $15/night |
| 42 | 🦈 Water Canyon Campground — Channel Islands NP | California | Channel Islands National Park | National Park | $15/night + boat fee |
| 43 | 🌿 Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park | South Carolina | Congaree National Park | National Park | $10/night |
| 44 | 🏄 Platte River Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes NS | Michigan | Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore | National Lakeshore | $25/night |
| 45 | 🚣 Woodenfrog Campground — Voyageurs NP | Minnesota | Voyageurs National Park | National Park | $20/night |
| 46 | ⬜ Backcountry Campsite — White Sands NP | New Mexico | White Sands National Park | National Park | $3/night + entry fee |
| 47 | 🌲 Upper Pines Campground — Yosemite NP (Alternate) | California | Yosemite National Park | National Park | $36/night |
| 48 | 🦬 Backbone Campground — Theodore Roosevelt NP | North Dakota | Theodore Roosevelt National Park | National Park | $14/night |
| 49 | 🌵 Cholla Campground — Saguaro National Park | Arizona | Saguaro National Park | National Park | $0 (permit required) |
| 50 | 🪵 Petrified Forest Wilderness Camping | Arizona | Petrified Forest National Park | National Park | Free (permit required) |
Popular national park campgrounds open reservations 5-6 months in advance and sell out within minutes. Set an alarm for midnight on opening day.
Never store food in your tent. Use bear boxes or hang food 200 feet from camp. Keep all scented items — toiletries, trash, food — secured at all times.
Many backcountry and remote campgrounds have no water. Always carry more than you think you need and bring a filter for refilling from natural sources.
Mountain weather changes rapidly. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. Research typical conditions for your destination season before packing.
Pack out everything you pack in. Stay on designated trails. Don't collect rocks, plants, or artifacts. Leave your site cleaner than you found it.
Check road conditions before heading to remote campgrounds. Some roads require high clearance or 4WD. Download offline maps before losing cell service.
America's national parks, national forests, and public lands contain some of the world's most spectacular camping destinations. From the granite valleys of Yosemite to the volcanic landscapes of Yellowstone, from the red rock canyons of Zion to the rainforest coast of Olympic — WildRigged.com is your complete guide to the top 50 campgrounds in the US.
Most National Park campgrounds are reserved through Recreation.gov, which opens reservations exactly 6 months before the desired date at midnight Eastern Time. Competition for sites at popular parks like Yosemite, Zion, and Arches is extremely fierce. Set a calendar reminder, have your payment information ready, and have 2-3 backup dates in mind.
Some campgrounds — particularly in less-visited parks like Big Bend, Badlands, and Capitol Reef — still offer first-come, first-served sites. Arriving the evening before or early in the morning gives you the best chance of securing a spot.
Spring is excellent for desert parks like Joshua Tree, Arches, and Bryce Canyon. Wildflowers bloom, temperatures are moderate, and crowds are lighter than summer. Great Smoky Mountains wildflowers peak in late April.
Summer is peak season for mountain parks. Glacier, Rocky Mountain, Mount Rainier, and Denali in Alaska are at their most accessible and beautiful. Avoid low-elevation desert parks in summer.
Fall foliage and cooling temperatures make this many campers' favorite season. Shenandoah turns brilliant red in October. Rocky Mountain's elk rut in September is one of nature's great spectacles.
Desert parks shine in winter. Death Valley, Everglades, and Guadalupe Mountains are at their most comfortable when the rest of the country is frozen.