Every National Park Campsite Suitable for
Vandwelling
or RVing

National Parks of Alabama with Camping

For the Natchez Trace, see Mississippi.

Aside from housing a few miles of the Natchez Trace, Alabama comes up short as far as national park camping suitable for vans and RVs go. As you can see right off the bat, not every state in the US has official national park camping, but we list those that don’t near the end of this article.

That doesn’t mean Alabama doesn’t offer anything in the way of camping, though. Check out Alabama’s State Parks.

National Parks of Alaska with Camping

Let’s be honest, nearly every ounce of Alaska is a national park. The state rivals nirvana when it comes to nature seekers after complete solitude, the trials of the nature world and wide, wide open spaces. While few of the 24 national park units in the state offer camping, should you seek the raw and gorgeous, there’s no need to go registering at a ranger station. Alaska has it all in abundance.

National Parks of Arizona with Camping

Your grandma came here to get away from her arthritis. You might be more interested in the plethora of canyons, mountains and absurdly unique landscapes the state has to offer. Few places offer the ability to toss a snowball in the morning and still lounge around comfortably in your skivvies later that evening like Arizona. Skip Phoenix and head for the state’s assortment of cacti forests and million year old geological formations.

National Parks of Arkansas with Camping

A wild and scenic river is calling, and whether you want to raft like a champion bullrider or laze riverside with your campfire and a six pack, Arkansas isn’t looking to come up short on amenities. Particularly for you vandwelling types, a slice of peace and quiet is available in a manner often reserved only for the backpacking types.

National Parks of California with Camping

C’mon, it’s California. From the dryest, lowest point in North America to the tallest trees in the world, the Golden State has it all. Seriously. The oldest living organisms on earth exist here. The tallest, and biggest, too. (They’re trees, FYI.)

From the Mojave Desert to Lassen Volcanic National Park, the Redwoods to Devils Postpile, you don’t need to be a long-haired surfer or some free climbing wildman to enjoy everything this massive, diverse state has to offer…though if you are, damn, more power to you!

National Parks of Colorado with Camping

Why was Colorado the first state to legalize weed? Because it’s full of hippies sitting on their asses all day? Doubtful. This state is the perfect blend of America, from rural sensibility to liberal persuasion, small town gusto to deep forest silence. Whether you’re looking for mountains wearing a snowy hat or sand dunes for miles, to toss your line into a slow spot in the river or carve out a fresh puree of powder, Colorado is every good thing you may have heard and two or three state’s worth of more.

National Parks of District of Columbia with Camping

For Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, see Maryland.

If you came to D.C. looking for the natural world, well, we’re sorry to say you’re about two baker’s dozens worth of presidents away from that. Sorry. :(

National Parks of Florida with Camping

We’ve found Florida to be a mixed bag of blenders. The state parks are crazy beautiful, and usually impossible to get into during anything resembling the desirable seasion. We tackle our favorite places to stay in the Sunshine State elsewhere, but should luck be on your side, or you’re willing to make a reservation, the state has some gorgeous national parks.

National Parks of Hawaii with Camping

So, you managed to get your van or RV out here, eh? How’d you do that? Nevermind, it’s not pertinent. The good news? A good deal of camping–in the national parks of Hawai’i and otherwise–is free!

National Parks of Idaho with Camping

Idaho is like Alaska–wild, less visited, and full of natural wonders–but you don’t have to take a dirt road for hundreds of miles to get there. Just look at the creative names of its national parks. Even if you can’t score a spot in one of the following, the entire state is practically a free for all when it comes to getting lost in the good stuff.

National Parks of Kentucky with Camping

Home to the biggest known cave in the world, and the original passage to what was considered by Colonial America as “Out West”, Kentucky has more to offer than the stereotypes we build up in our minds. Bluegrass is the best color anyway, right?

National Parks of Maine with Camping

For those of you obsessed with the west but trapped east of the Mississip’, Maine is like that great sunset roadtrip, but without the endless freeway miles spent wondering when the Great Plains will end. While Acadia is the state’s only national park unit with official NPS camping, we doubt you’ll be disappointed once you start exploring the islands.

National Parks of Maryland with Camping

From feral horses roaming an island seashore to a little campground just outside of our nation’s capitol, Maryland has more to offer than just some initial equal to a popular green soda drink. While you’re in the vicinity, be sure to look up the sixteen or so national historic sites, shrines and parks dating back to the beginnings of these United States of America.

National Parks of Michigan with Camping

We have only one thing to say about Michigan: it rocks. From national seashores to the birthplace of the vehicles that started this whole full-time RVing and vanlife movement, the state is more than maybe anyone thinks when the idea of “Michigan” comes to mind. Not to mention, it’s a helluva way to escape the doldrum that is Interstate 80/90 through the Midwest.

National Parks of Mississippi with Camping

The Natchez Trace originates here, scooting you from one of the country’s most unique cultures all the way to the home of country music. Have a go.

National Parks of Missouri with Camping

The Ozark Scenic Riverways’ campgrounds are easily one of the most overlooked natural areas back east, and very well may prove to be a vandweller’s dream.

National Parks of Montana with Camping

When you see a fellow in a cowboy hat in Montana, you can believe he’s not some country star or hipster trying to look the part. This is Big Sky Country and home to a slice of Yellowstone, a place where people don’t hope wolves will return to their natural habitat, they shoot them. Despite that (depending on your viewpoint), it’s home to what we think is the absolutely quintessential national park, Glacier itself. Go to the sun, and judge for yourself.

National Parks of Nevada with Camping

This is an endlessly empty state. No wonder they keep dead aliens here. From US-50, the “Loneliest Road”, to a national park that tends to be so shrouded in mystery even the clouds don’t know how to leave, Nevada is our pick for closest thing to Mars you’ll ever drive to on Earth.

National Parks of New Mexico with Camping

Some folks look at New Mexico as a drive-thru, another obstacle in the way to the warm weather of Arizona’s winters. We know better. With one of the best deals on state parks around, tons of national forestland and some of the hippy dippiest towns in the nation, NM is just waiting for those with a lean nearly knocked over toward the mystic.

National Parks of North Carolina with Camping

A state so nice, they had to divide it, North Carolina is home to everything from Moonshine to craft beers, the first flight of mankind along the shores of the Atlantic and the most visited national park in these United States. For our money, we say start in Asheville, NC and take the Blue Ridge Parkway all the slow way to the Smokies. Don’t be surprised if the mileage and the hours don’t add up though, besides the winding road, the number of pull outs with layered purple mountains majesty are innumerable.

National Parks of North Dakota with Camping

To far north for most folks to venture, and just far enough south of Canada to keep the summers tolerable, this is another one of those gems that–should you dedicate a summer’s month or two towards–will never leave you disappointed.

National Parks of Oregon with Camping

Without giving away the entire plot line, when it comes to “which is the best state in the USA?” the answer is, hands down, Oregon. Go and find out for yourself why exactly that is.

National Parks of South Dakota with Camping

A national forest of national park proportions, history ranging from gunslinging sheriffs to tragic native displacement, this state has enough to offer to fill a lifetime. Aside from the simple pleasures of grandiose mountain lakes and scenic drives to break the glasses right off your nose, we’d highly recommend you find yourself a slice of the native population–the true natives–and have a long, slow talk about what had to happen for South Dakota to become a state.

Start with the question, “What’s ‘Dakota’ mean anyway?”

National Parks of Tennessee with Camping

The Great Smoky Mountains end here, and country music cracked open its egg here as well. Float.

Note: For Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, see Kentucky.
For the Natchez Trace, see Mississippi.

National Parks of Texas with Camping

There ain’t nothing freer than a Texan belt buckle stuck to the spur of a wild mustang as it runs into the sunset, leaving its poorly trained rider behind to die in the desert. And by that, we mean that Texans believe they’re okay to do as they please. Certainly no longer a part of Mexico, but not quite a full fledged member of the USA, this state is home to some of the wildest bunch of free thinkers–and not always the liberal type, thankfully–you’ll ever meet.

From the canyons of the border to big mountains and Gulf coast waves a-lapping, Texas swears its the biggest, the best, and sometimes it damn well lives up to that self-proclaimed reputation.

National Parks of Utah with Camping

If we had a year to kill, a 4×4 vehicle with a decent heater and could only choose one state, Utah’s Mighty Five–and the plethora of monuments and BLM land between–would be our playground. While the state may have a reputation for some dodgy religion (aren’t they all?) and weak alcohol, you can believe it more than makes up for it when it comes to grandiose wide open spaces with some of the most surreal rock formations you’ll ever lay witness to, dear brother.

Note: For Dinosaur National Monument and Hovenweep National Monument, see Colorado.Hovenweep National Monument

National Parks of Virginia with Camping

Something about Virginia’s national parks feel a bit like a consolation prize. Way to snag that participation trophy, oh…sorry…your dad’s the capitol of the nation? Still, who doesn’t want to careen along Skyline Drive at some point in their life, right?

Note: for the Blue Ridge Parkway, see North Carolina.
Note: For Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, see Kentucky.

National Parks of Washington with Camping

Let’s not beat around the bush here, the State of Washington is fabulous. Rainy, sure, but that’s a fool’s perspective. Washington has wildfire prone deserts, paradise cliff-laden beaches and glacial till spilling mountains all within a few hours’ drive of one another. Do this state, you won’t be disappointed. Maybe skip North Cascades, though, unless you’re ready to ditch your van/RV and get your hike on.

National Parks of West Virginia with Camping

For Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, see Maryland.

Hands down, WV is our favorite state this side of the Mississippi. If you don’t believe us, or don’t know why, we won’t blame you…but, you can’t say we didn’t clue you in.

National Parks of Wyoming with Camping

Say you prefer mountains to people. Maybe your idea of a weekend getaway is driving through buttes (they pronounce it like your backend here) and endless rocky empty landscapes. Yeah? Dig the idea of going to Yellowstone? Wyoming’s got that. We’d recommend heading south to the Tetons though.

Yeah, the Tetons. Pretty sure that ranks #1 in our book of “Best National Parks.”