Looking to get closer to nature and spend more time in the U.S. National Parks in 2023? RV camping is the perfect way to experience the majesty and vastness of the U.S. National Parks.
RV camping in a national park provides a comfortable base from which to soak up the park’s beauty from sunrise to sunset (and for some great stargazing). National park campgrounds also create a fun sense of community among fellow RV campers, sharing everything from car advice and travel tips to barbecue recipes and s’mores around the campfire.
The national parks listed below are popular destinations not only for the quantity and quality of RV campgrounds within the park, but also for the ease of access that allows RVs to tour the park via wide paved roads, and where major park attractions are located. It is within visible distance from the roadside.
1. Acadia National Park, Maine
Number of RV campsites: 3 campsites, 160 total RV spots
Reserve your RV spot here: Acadia’s Recreation.gov website
The most scenic RV route in the park: The 44-mile Park Loop Road offers stunning views of mountains, oceans, lakes, and forests, and there are many nearby trailheads for hiking through Maine. Acadia National Park gets very crowded in the summer, so consider visiting in the fall to avoid the heaviest traffic and combine it with Maine’s premier fall foliage viewing experience.
A campervan passes through the red arches of Bryce Canyon National Park and heads towards Arches National Park © LifeJourneys / Getty
2. Arches National Park, Utah
Number of RV campsites: 1 campground 51 sites
Reserve your RV spot here: Arches’ Recreation.gov website
The most scenic RV route in the park: Arches National Park’s Main Park Road follows 29 miles of well-paved roadway from the entrance to Devil’s Garden Campground, offering views of the park’s spectacular rock arches. There are multiple stops. After visiting here, you can head out on his RV road trip through the spectacular Utah National Parks, stopping in Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion in southern Utah.
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A bull elk crosses the road in Denali National Park, Alaska © SJ Krasemann / Getty Images
3. Denali National Park, Alaska
Number of RV campsites: 3 campsites, 207 total spots
Reserve your RV spot here: Reserve Denali (not Recreation.gov)
The most scenic RV route in the park: Denali National Park’s only RV route is the first 15 miles of Denali Park Road, but RV campers at Teklanika River Campground continue the gravel road an additional 14 miles to the campground. can do. Both sections of the road offer spectacular views of Denali’s mountain range.
Two people canoeing through Everglades National Park © Douglas Rissing / Getty Images
4. Everglades National Park, Florida
Number of RV campsites: 2 campsites 173 locations
Reserve your RV spot here: Flamingo Adventures (not Recreation.gov)
The most scenic RV route in the park: Take time to enjoy the many pull-offs to appreciate the rich biodiversity within Everglades National Park. The 40 miles of well-maintained roads from the Eastern Homestead Entrance to the Flamingo Visitor Center are filled with vibrant birdlife (and lurking alligators) in the lush wetlands of the Everglades.
Overnight with a view in Glacier National Park, Montana © Brent Doscher / Aurora Photos / Getty
5. Glacier National Park, Montana
Number of RV campsites: 5 campsites, 631 RV spots
Reserve your RV spot here: Glacier’s Recreation.gov page
The most scenic RV route in the park: Glacier National Park’s famous Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed to vehicles over 20 feet long, but RVers can take a great scenic route along Highway 2 at the park’s edge. You can enjoy it. If you head along the Many Glacier Road to the east side of the park, you’ll see (you guessed it) a lot of glaciers.
Spectacular views of the Grand Canyon with an RV parked high in the mountains at sunset © Torresigner / Getty
6. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Number of RV campsites: 4 campsites, 519 RVs available
Reserve your RV spot here: Grand Canyon’s Recreation.gov page and Trailer Village concession company website
The most scenic RV route in the park: Desert View Drive, 37 miles east of Grand Canyon Village, offers stunning views of the canyon, multiple pull-out points for photos, and short trails through Grand Canyon National Park . RV parking is also available at the Desert View Service Area at the park’s east entrance.
Traveling through the Lynn Cove Viaduct at Grandfather Mountain along the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina © Pgiam / Getty
7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina, Tennessee
Number of RV campsites: 9 campsites, 924 RV spots
Reserve your RV spot here: Great Smoky Mountains National Park Recreation.gov page
The most scenic RV route in the park: Newfound Gap Road traverses 50 miles of rolling country between Tennessee and North Carolina in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The dense forest changes dramatically along the road, from hardwood forests in the south to pine forests in the north, so much so that the Park Service describes it as “like driving from Georgia to Maine.”
8. Joshua Tree National Park, California
Number of RV campsites: 8 campsites, 495 spots available for RVs.
Reserve your RV spot here: Joshua Tree’s Recreation.gov web page
The most scenic RV route through the park: From the West Entrance Station of Joshua Tree National Park, drive north to south through the park along Park Boulevard to see many of the park’s namesake trees, as well as Skull Rock. Famous landmarks such as and Skull Rock can be seen from the roadside. Jumbo rock formation. As you travel south on Pinto Basin Road, watch the landscape and flora change from the Mojave Desert ecosystem to the Colorado Desert ecosystem.
Two American bison walk in front of a camper in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. ©Phototrip/Getty
9. Yellowstone National Park, Montana, Wyoming
Number of RV campsites: 12 campsites, 2,147 spaces (yes, all campsites are always fully booked)
Reserve your RV spot here: Yellowstone’s Recreation.gov page and Yellowstone National Park Lodge website
The most scenic RV route in the park: The Grand Loop Road is a classic route in Yellowstone National Park that passes major attractions such as Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. The 140-mile route can easily take a full day by car, so it’s best tackled in bite-sized pieces, including the Lower Loop through Old Faithful and otherworldly hydrothermal highlights.
Beautiful scenery of Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park, California © RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images / iStockphoto
10. Yosemite National Park, California
Number of RV campsites: 9 campsites, 1231 spaces welcome RVs
Reserve your RV spot here: Yosemite’s Recreation.gov website
The most scenic RV route in the park: Avoid Yosemite Valley’s traffic and drive along Tioga Road, which bisects Yosemite National Park from west to east. It spans 75 miles of Yosemite’s greatest attractions, including mountains, rivers, forests, lakes, meadows, and views overlooking Half Dome, with plenty of photo-ops.
Important tips to consider when looking for RV camping in US national parks
Most national parks use Recreation.gov as their website for reserving campgrounds. Each park has unique reservation timings and procedures, so please check each park’s policies before making a reservation. Please make your reservation as far in advance as possible. His RV campgrounds in national parks can be booked out within minutes of opening, especially during the summer high season and holiday weekends. For RV campsites, check length restrictions and available connections for water, electricity, and sewage treatment plants. You don’t want to experience a nasty surprise after arriving late at night at a remote campsite. If you can’t secure an RV campground within a national park, be aware that many commercial RV campgrounds operate just outside the boundaries of most national parks. Commercial campgrounds are easy to reserve and often offer more services than campgrounds located on park grounds. Bringing a bike or tow vehicle with you in your RV greatly expands your options for exploring national parks, especially in areas that are restricted to RV access. Also, consider leaving your RV at the campground and using the park’s shuttle service if available.
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