A Complete Guide to RV Camping in State Parks of the United States

If you were going to define your dream home, what would you include?
A nice sized yard, immediate access to nature and spectacular views? A quiet neighborhood along a babbling brook, maybe a place to have a fire and listen to the sounds of crickets go symphonic on a nightly basis? How about $600 / month? Did I mention that you could move every few days (or weeks if you get really comfortable) without any moving expenses other than gasoline?
This is more or less what living in state parks is like. The rent is low, usually $20 / night. Utilities are included (when available). They’re less than half of the price of privately owned RV parks, and typically three or four more times as spacious. That’s just for your site alone, aside from the patch of forest you get to call your home, there’s an entire piece of preserved nature just waiting for you to explore.
When we first started this whole full-time traveling around in an RV thing, we would just go wherever. Small towns were quite popular with us. We wanted to be in on the action, close to bars and restaurants. This landed us in plenty of privately owned RV parks. That style of travel is fun, particularly as you have less children. As our little entourage of rugrats grew in number, our desires changed a bit. We moved out of the city RV parks and into the “suburbs” you could say. Except these suburbs are the state parks, and they’re a helluva lot better than any housing development.
What follows is a succinct explanation of the average costs, typical hookups, and more or less what to expect from state parks around the United States. Listed by state, with a picture or two here and there, and our notes and the thoughts of other full-time travelers sprinkled throughout. Enjoy!
Alabama
It was six months into our relationship, the Lady and I–along with my then 9 year old son–were living in a Volkswagen Bus and making a pilgrimage from Texas to Florida. A small state park just outside of Mobile, Alabama set the scene for a romantic dinner of smoked salmon and torn bread, a little mustard, a few pickles, and some beers. The sun set down over the Gulf of Mexico, and it was all quite serene.
We were young and in love then, that mad kind of early love that makes everything–a butterfly flapping its wings or a semi spewing noxious black gas into the air–more beautiful.
I want to be positive about Alabama, and so there it is. On the other hand, the state is constantly in turmoil. It ranks 4th in terms of the percentage of people who live in poverty and has the 7th worst education record in the nation. From the mountainous north to the Gulf, it can be a very beautiful state, but economic concerns plague even the natural beauty: as of April 15, 2015, the state is looking at closing 15 of its 26 state parks, including 14 of those that offer RV camping.
That would only leave 7 parks open that could accommodate RVs for overnight stays, and it leaves the state of the entire parks system in question for the future.
What was it that Neil Young sang about her? Oh right, “Alabama, the devil fools with the best laid plans.” Decades later it looks like they’re still working out the kinks.
In / Out Rules
As many of the Cotton State’s parks allow weekly and even monthly stays, there appears to be no maximum stay.
Alcohol
There are reports of people being arrested for drinking in Alabama State Parks, though the official laws and rules posted on the state park’s website do not specifically state that having a beer or two at your campsite is illegal.

List of Alabama State Parks with RV Sites
Alabama State Parks with Full Hookups
- Buck’s Pocket (4 full hookups of 36 total)*
- DeSoto (94 full hookup sites)*
- Joe Wheeler (110 full hookup sites, 116 total)*
- Lake Guntersville (318 sites, some are full hookup)*
- Monte Sano (17 full hookup sites, 78 total)
- Cheaha Resort (72 full hookup sites)*
- Lake Lurleen (35 full hookup sites, 91 total)*
- Oak Mountain (85 full hookup sites, 60 primitive)
- Wind Creek (268 full hookup sites, 586 sites total)
- Blue Springs (7 full hookup sites, 50 sites total)*
- Chewacla (36 sites, including satellite TV)
- Florala (28 sites)*
- Frank Jackson (32 full hookup sites including cable and WiFi)*
- Deer Court (192 sites, but not all are full hookups)
- Paul M. Grist (11 sites)*
- Roland Cooper (47 full hookup sites and 13 primitive)*
- Bladon Springs (10 sites)*
- Gulf (496 sites)
- Meaher (61 sites)
Alabama State Parks with only Water & Electric
- Chickasaw (3 sites, water & electric only)*
- Rickwood Caverns (9 that can accommodate RVs “of any size”, 13 total)*
Alaska
Alaska has 3.3 million acres of state park and recreation lands. There is little information easily available about the parks, and we haven’t had the pleasure of visiting any of them. What information is available tends to indicate that most of the sites are primitive, occasionally with water available (but not at your site).
Alaska is for the tough people who don’t need sewage, just ask the Bush People…
We don’t have much to say from a firsthand experience sort of angle, given that none of us have been to AK in our adult lives. I can, however, remember a trip when I was young, riding in my uncle’s old blue pickup (which was probably new at the time) blasting through snowbanks and along a steep cliff up through somewhere-Mount-McKinley. If we ever do Alaska, it’ll be in a supervan and so off road I don’t know that we’ll even care about state parks given the amount of sheer open land one can find a corner to hide in.
In / Out Rules
Most of the state-run campgrounds in Alaska have a 15 night maximum stay.
List of Alaska State Parks
There are dozens of places to camp in Alaska. Much of Alaska is only reachable by dirt roads, or in many cases by plane or boat. Figuring out every state park that accommodates RV camping has been difficult, thus the list below is likely a partial one, and common sense will tell you to call ahead or do some research of your own before heading on up into the Last Frontier.
- Chugach State Park (171 potential RV sites, some with water, no other hookups)
- Big Delta State Historical Park (23 sites with water)
- Clearwater State Recreation Site (17 sites)
- Delta State Recreation Site (25 sites)
- Donnelly Creek State Recreation Site (12 sites)
- Quartz Lake State Recreation Area (103+ sites, many of which are parking lot spaces)
- Birch Lake State Recreation Site (17 parking lot spaces)
- Chena River State Recreation Site (60 sites, 11 with water & electric)
- Chena River State Recreation Area (RV sites available)
- Harding Lake State Recreation Area (78 sites)
- Lower Chatanika River State Recreational Area (40 sites, water available)
- Upper Chatanika River State Recreation Site (24 sites, water available)
- Salcha River State Recreation Site (6 sites)
- Eagle Trail State Recreation Site (5 sites that can accommodate RVs)
- Moon Lake State Recreation Site (15 sites)
- Tok River State Recreation Site (10 sites that can accommodate RVs)
- Crooked Creek State Recreation Site (80 sites)
- Johnson Lake State Recreation Area (48 sites)
- Ninilchik State Recreation Area (RV sites available)
- Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park (some parking lot spots available for RVs)
- Buskin River State Recreation Site (~15 RV sites available as well as parking lot overflow spots)
- Pasagshak River State Recreation Site (12 very primitive sites)
Arizona
Home to botanical wonders from the Saguaros to Organ Pipe cactus, red rocks to golden desert sands, bands of color in the earth to sparkling lakes, Arizona is one of the most beautiful, still wild states left in the nation.
While the Grand Canyon gets much of the attention in Arizona, the state park offerings are exemplary as well.
Catalina State Park stands out. From the campground, the Santa Catalina Mountains boast impressive granite cliffs to the south. Saguaros with dozens of arms, a rarity, can be found along the trails. The sun shines heavily across the entire campground, and velvet mesquite trees provide opportunities for shade. I watched the moon set over the mountains one early morning, and the stars–even just 9 miles from bustling Tucson–were impressive. The proximity to the city means that within a few minutes you can find everything from a locally owned guitar store to a Whole Foods. Modern conveniences but without the noise and hectic affairs of a city as soon as you slip back into the state park.
Catalina also puts you nearby the eastern unit (Rincon Mountain) of Saguaro National Park, which offers no RV camping at all. And though not a state park, just south of the western unit of Saguaro is a local park by the name of Tucson Mountain, which features one of the most spectacular campgrounds we’ve ever stayed in, Gilbert Ray, an electric-only facility completely entrenched in saguaros, palo verde trees and other desert flora.

For a completely different landscape, near the sleepy towns of Cottonwood and Jerome, Arizona there is Dead Horse Ranch State Park, a perfect basecamp for exploring the ancient Indian ruins of Tuzigoot National Monument or the natural beauty surrounding Sedona.

In / Out Rules
Typically 14 nights in a 30 day period, some “long-term stay” parks offer 29 nights for every 45 day period.
Junior Ranger Program
Arizona does have a State Junior Ranger program. It’s more or less the standard affair, complete some activities, get a button. Some parks have an individual additional activity you can do as well.
Our 2 and 4 year olds completed the state-wide Jr. Ranger program in about 30 minutes.
List of Arizona State Parks with RV Camping
AZ Parks with Full Hookups
- Alamo Lake (202 sites)
- Fool Hollow Lake (123 sites)
- Lyman Lake (61 sites)
- Patagonia Lake (100 sites)
- Picacho Peak (89 sites, closed from May to September)
AZ Parks with Water and Electric Only
- Cattail Cove (61 sites)
- Lake Havasu (47 sites)
- River Island (37 sites)
- Dead Horse Ranch (131 sites)
- Homolovi (52 sites)
- Catalina State Park (120 sites)
- Lost Dutchman (134 sites)
- Kartchner Caverns (62 sites)
- Roper Lake (58 sites)
Arkansas
The Natural State, as Arkansas claims, offers a more luxurious RVing experience than most states, simply because all of its parks have at least water and electric, and often full hookups.
In / Out Rules
We couldn’t find any maximum stays for Arkansas State Parks, nor have we ever personally visited any.
Junior Ranger Program
Jr. Ranger Programs in Arkansas are on a park by park basis, and not all parks have a program.
List of Arkansas’ State Parks
- Bull Shoals-White River (34 full hookup campsites, 48 water & electric)
- Cane Creek (29 water & electric sites)
- Crater of Diamonds (47 full hookup sites)
- Lake Catherine (44 full hookup campsites, 25 water & electric)
- Lake Charles (9 full hookups sites, 59 water & electric)
- Lake Chicot (55 full hookup, 67 water & electric sites)
- Lake Dardanelle (30 full hookup sites, 47 water & electric)
- Lake Fort Smith (20 full hookup sites, 10 water & electric)
- Lake Frierson (4 water & electric, 3 primitive)
- Lake Ouachita (40 full hookup sites, 25 water & electric, 24 primitive)
- Lake Poinsett (26 water & electric sites)
- Millwood (2 full hookup sites, 112 water & electric sites)
- Mississippi River (14 full hookup sites + 17 primitive sites)
- Moro Bay (20 water & electric sites)
- Mount Magazine (18 full hookup sites)
- Mount Nebo (24 water & electric sites)
- Petit Jean (35 full hookup sites, 90 water & electric sites)
- Queen Wilhelmina (35 water & electric sites)
- Village Creek (96 water & electric sites)
- White Oak Lake (41 water & electric sites)
California
The Golden State is well known for it’s scenery, almost as it is–among RVers anyway–for having one of the most expensive state parks systems of any state, even for little or no hookups. Still, from the Sierras to the Redwoods, the deserts to the oak forests of the central valley, you certainly get what you pay for.
On the other hand, supply and demand is in effect, and CA’s state parks can fill up months in advance.
The state more or less defines its parks as either being a “State Beach”, “State Park” or “State Recreation Area”. Generally, the recreation areas tend to have the full hookups, whereas the beaches and parks are more primitive in nature, though this isn’t a hard rule. There are also the “Redwood State Parks”, which simply denote those parks where you can still see some of those colossal ancient beauties.
While a state as massive and diverse as California makes it hard to say, “this is the best spot”, there is certainly something so impressive about the redwoods, particularly Jedediah Redwood State Park, that simply can’t be explained. Like living in the shadow of a history older than Jesus Christ, and knowing that these massive trees will still be hear long after I and my offspring are gone.
In / Out Rules
Every park has a maximum number of nights you can stay. Once you hit the max, you have to leave the park for 48 hours, at which point you can come back (or just go to another park after you hit one park’s max). Additionally, each park is supposed to enforce a 30 day max stay per calendar year. We have heard this rule is rarely enforced.
Junior Ranger Program
California’s Junior Ranger Program is a bit more extensive than our typical Jr. Ranger setup. You get a logbook and a badge when you begin, and can then start racking up stamps in a single park or spread it over multiple parks, with various rewards / awards along the way.



List of California’s State Parks with RV Facilities
The state parks in these lists are generally listed from Northwest to Southeast
California State Parks with Full Hookups
- Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area (132 sites)
- Folsom Lake State Recreation Area (69 sites)
- Brannan Island State Recreation Area (102)
- Lake Del Valle State Recreation Area (150)
- San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area (54)
- Millerton Lake State Recreation Area (148)
- Dockweiler State Beach (118)
- Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area (95)
- Lake Perris State Recreation Area (432)
- Mount San Jacinto (33)
- Salton Sea State Recreation Area (48)
- Providence Mountains State Recreation Area (6)
- San Clemente State Beach (144)
- San Elijo State Beach (171)
- Carpinteria (261)
- Morro Bay (110)
- Half Moon Bay (62)
California State Parks with Water & Electric Hookups
- Bolsa Chica State Beach (57)
- Crystal Cove (57)
- San Onofre State Beach (157)
- Silver Strand State Beach (133)
- New Brighton State Beach (120)
California State Parks with Water & Sewage Only (no electric)
- South Carlsbad State Beach (222)
California State Parks with Primitive Camping Suitable for RVs
- Jedediah Smith Redwoods (106 campsites)
- Del Norte Coast Redwoods (107 sites)
- Prairie Creek Redwoods (67)
- Castle Crags (76)
- McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial (85)
- Grizzly Creek Redwoods (18)
- Humboldt Redwoods (58)
- Benbow Lake State Recreation Area (46)
- Richardson Grove (99)
- Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area (73)
- Westport-Union Landing State Beach (86)
- MacKerricher (142)
- Russian Gulch (30)
- Van Damme (63)
- Navarro River Redwoods (26 sites, possibly some electric spots)
- Hendy Woods (92)
- Manchester (40)
- Salt Point (109)
- Fort Ross State Historic Park
- Sonoma Coast (90 sites)
- Sugarloaf Ridge
- Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area (15 sites)
- Bidwell-Sacramento River
- Plumas-Eureka (72)
- Malakoff Diggins (21)
- Donner Memorial (154)
- Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point
- Mount Diablo (36)
- Caswell Memorial
- Turlock Lake State Recreation Area (63)
- McConnell State Recreation Area (15)
- George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area (20)
- Henry W. Coe (9)
- Malibu Creek (63)
- Chino Hills (24)
- Doheny State Beach (120)
- Cuyamaca Rancho (80)
- Picacho State Recreation Area
- Emma Wood State Beach (90)
- El Capitán State Beach (130)
- Refugio State Beach (67)
- Gaviota (39)
- Saddleback Butte (50)
- Castaic Lake State Recreation Area
- Red Rock Canyon (50)
- Pismo State Beach (103)
- Hearst San Simeon (115)
- Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park (115)
- Pfeiffer Big Sur (218)
- Sunset State Beach (90)
- Henry Cowell Redwoods (113)
- Big Basin Redwoods (35)
- Butano (18)
- Portola Redwoods (6)
- Leo Carrillo (135)
- Point Mugu (68)
As of August 10, 2014, McGrath State Beach is closed due to flooding. Some of the other parks listed above are seasonal only.
Colorado
One of the most rugged, beautifully mountainous states in the nation, Colorado is home to 42 state parks, 31 of which have some type of camping available.
While everyone thinks of the Rockies, Colorado offers landscapes from desert to prairie. In general, the parks are pretty minimal: sewer hookups are rare, and most parks don’t even have water at your site. Typically, there’s a place to fill up a jug of water near your site to replenish your RV’s tanks, and a sewer dump that requires hooking up and taking a drive. Note that many of the state’s parks are primitive camping only, meaning there are no hookups whatsoever, and those that do have water often turn it off in the colder months (October through May).
If you’re looking for a little input on where to start, Golden Gate Canyon is National Park-class, and nearby the coolest town ever, Nederland, Colorado.
On the other hand, we often joke that–as a family–we never even bothered to visit nearby Rocky Mountain National Park, because so very much of Colorado is like a national park or forest. It’s a stunning state that has done an excellent job at keeping much of its mountains wild, and so the state parks are more there for a beautiful place to stay, often with some hookups, instead of a destination unto themselves.

In / Out Rules
You can stay in any given Colorado State Park for 14 consecutive days, and up to a max of 14 days in any 45 day period. So if you stay at Lake Pueblo State Park on April 1st for two weeks (14 days), you can’t go back to that particular park for another 31 days (ie, 45 days from your first night’s stay). You can always go to another park, though.
Colorado State Park Junior Ranger Program
Most of the state parks we’ve visited had some type of activities for kids, even if they weren’t specifically called a “Junior Ranger Program”. These are typically coloring books or craft ideas that are related to either the park or Colorado’s outdoors in general.
List of Every Colorado State Park with RV Camping
Colorado State Parks with Full Hookups
- Chatfield (120 full hookup sites, 77 electric-only)
- Cherry Creek
- Cheyenne Mountain
- James M. Robb Colorado River State Park (17 full hookup sites, 22 electric-only, 12 primitive)
- Navajo (39 full hookup sites, 41 electric only, additional primitive sites)
- Ridgway (95 full hookup sites, 187 electric-only)
- Rifle Gap (around 45 full hookup sites, out of 89 total)
- Trinidad Lake (6 full hookup sites, 57 electric-only)
Colorado State Parks with Electric & Water Hookups
- Crawford State Park (45 water and electric sites, 21 primitive)
- Vega (33 water and electric, 27 primitive)
Colorado State Parks with only Electric Hookups
- Boyd Lake
- Eleven Mile
- Golden Gate Canyon (59 electric sites, 38 primitive)
- Jackson Lake
- John Martin Reservoir
- Lake Pueblo
- Lathrop (82 electric sites, 21 primitive)
- Mueller
- North Sterling
- Rifle Falls
- San Luis
- Stagecoach
- State Forest State Park
- Steamboat Lake
- Yampa River
Primitive Colorado State Park Camping
- Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
- Elkhead Reservoir
- Highline Lake
- Mancos
- Pearl Lake
- Sylvan Lake
Connecticut
Many of the Connecticut State Parks that offer camping are not available year round, and most are actually only open from Spring through early Autumn.
Alcohol
Housatonic Meadows, Macedonia Brook Campground, Black Rock State Park and Kettletown State Park both do not allow alcohol in the park at all, even at your campsite.
In / Out Rules
In most Connecticut State Parks, you can stay 14 days, and then you have to leave for 5 days. Two parks, Hammonasset Beach and Rocky Neck, allow a 21 day maximum consecutive stay. Again, you then have to leave for the 5 days before you can camp at those parks again. You can move to another state park during those five days, except they consider Pachaug State Forest, Hopeville Pond, Kettletown and Black Rock State Parks to be one park.
Junior Ranger Program
The Connecticut State Parks website doesn’t list anything on their website and we’ve never personally explored the option.
List of Connecticut’s State Parks
The parks in this list are generally ordered from Northwest to Southeast.
* Indicates the park doesn’t allow alcohol at all (and therefore hates freedom?)
- Housatonic Meadows Campground* (61 sites)
- Macedonia Brook Campground* (51 sites)
- Lake Waramaug Campground (76 sites)
- Austin Hawes Campground (30 sites)
- Black Rock Campground* (78 sites)
- Kettletown Campground* (61 sites)
- Hammonasset Beach Campground (558 sites, some with electric and water)
- Devil’s Hopyard Campground (21 sites)
- Mashamoquet Brook Campgrounds (73 sites, no pets)
- Salt Rock Campground (71 sites, some with water and electric, weekly rates available)
- Hopeville Pond Campground (80 sites)
- Pachaug State Forest (40 sites)
- Rocky Neck Campground (160 sites)
Delaware
Quaint coastal towns and easy to find empty beaches separate Delaware from many of the other ocean states in the Northeastern US.
Delaware only has five state parks where you can camp or RV. They range from dramatically gorgeous to more or less parking lots beneath a big, lit up bridge. Most have water and electric hookups, and like everywhere in Delaware, all are generally pretty close to civilization.
In / Out Rules
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, there is a 14 consecutive day limit per park. You can camp up to 14 days per 21 day period in any given park, but can move back and forth between parks to avoid this limitation.
List of Delaware State Parks with Camping
- Cape Henlopen State Park (Electric & water, water-only and no hookup sites available)
- Delaware Seashore State Park (Full hookup & no hookup sites available)
- Killens Pond State Park (Water and Electric)
- Lums Pond State Park (Full hookups available)
- Trap Pond State Park (Water and Electric)
Florida
In stark contrast to the strip malls and suicide five lane highways that mark most of Florida’s coastal areas, the state parks are jungle wonderlands where pristine springs, tropical wilderness and underwater reefs welcome a much slower, more affordable pace. Where the average cost of a private RV park in Florida is above $50, sometimes significantly above in more sought out areas during the snowbirding months, the state parks are a cheap way to see “the real Florida” as the parks currently boast with their slogan.
Because of this, it can be nearly impossible to get into a state park in the southernmost part of the state, particularly the Keys. Planning ahead is your best bet, but know that retirees and vacationers alike often book these places up entirely almost a year in advance. The northern part of the state, including the panhandle–and during the much hotter months statewide–are easier times to visit the Sunshine State’s parks.
When you do manage to find yourself a spot, though, the rewards are plentiful. From the northwestern and Panhandle parks ripe with crystal clear springs and their adjoining rivers to the island parks in the Keys where you can watch the sun rise over the Atlantic and set into the Gulf, to the jungle habitat of the interior parks, Florida is a place like no other in the Continental US. It can be hot, humid and critters of all sizes and unrecognized shapes abound, but open your mind a little and enjoy an escape from the typical woods and mountains experiences of most state parks.




In / Out Rules
Generally, the rule is a maximum of 14 days at any given Florida State Park. At the discretion of any given park, the rangers can extend that period up to 28 days if there is availability. We have never stayed for 14 consecutive days in any given park, but have stayed longer than two weeks as we hopped around from park to park. This was in the “springs” parks of Florida’s northwestern coast and the panhandle parks, so your results may vary.
Junior Ranger Program
Florida has a fabulous Junior Ranger program, the most involved we’ve ever come across. First, you get a starter kit with 6 core activities. You complete these and get sworn in, as most Jr. Ranger programs.
You are then given a passport and a member card, complete with a specific “member number”. The passport has four different categories, each of which you need to get three stamps in. The categories are Recreational, Cultural, Service and and Natural Resources. Get three stamps in each category and you’re done…well, except that you have to mail in the passport to Tallahassee or email a scan/picture of it. Then you’re done!
Getting the stamps in your passport is fun and the program offers a little more in-depth learning than the usual rehash of “don’t litter, prevent forest fires, don’t feed the wildlife” stuff nearly every other park dabbles in (though that stuff is in there, too).
List of Every FL State Park that Offers Camping
List of Florida State Parks with Full Hookups
- Blackwater River (30 full hookup sites)
- Grayton Beach (59 sites total, 21 with sewage)
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef (47 full hookup sites, very hard to get into all winter)
- Myakka River (36 full hookup sites, 77 RV sites total)
- Rainbow Springs (47 sites)
- Suwannee River (30 campsites)
- Topsail Hill Preserve & Gregory E. Moore Resort (156 sites, many full hookups, some even with cable connections)
- Wekiwa Springs (60 sites, not all have full hookups)
List of Florida State Parks with Water & Electric
- Alafia River (30 sites)
- Anastasia (139 sites)
- Bahia Honday (48 RV sites + a few additional ones that “could” accommodate RVs. Very hard to get in here.)
- Big Lagoon (75 sites)
- Blue Spring (51 sites)
- Collier Seminole (120 sites)
- Curry Hammock (28 sites)
- St George Island (60 sites)
- Falling Waters (24 sites)
- Faver Dykes (30 campsites)
- Florida Caverns (32 RV sites)
- Fort Clinch (64 sites)
- Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou (42 sites)
- Gamble Rogers (34 sites)
- Henderson Beach (60 sites)
- Highlands Hammock (119 sites)
- Hillsborough River (112 sites, most have electric but not all)
- Jonathan Dickinson (90 sites)
- Kissimmee Prairie (35 campsites)
- Koreshan (60 sites)
- Lake Griffin (40 sites)
- Lake Kissimmee (60 sites)
- Lake Louisa (60 camping sites)
- Lake Manatee (60 sites)
- Little Manatee River (30 sites)
- Little Talbot Island (40 sites)
- Long Key (60)
- Manatee Springs (78 campsites)
- Mike Roess (39 sites)
- O’Leno (61 campsites)
- Ochlockonee River (30 sites)
- Paynes Prairie (32 RV sites)
- Sebastian Inlet (51 sites)
- Silver Springs (59 sites)
- Stephen Foster (45 sites)
- St. Joseph (119 sites)
- Three Rivers (30 sites)
- Tomoka (100 sites)
- Torreya (30 sites)
Georgia
Two of the most beautiful forested sites in the east we’ve ever had were in Georgia State Parks. We backed into a spot in Unicoi State Park, near Helen, Georgia, and even with a lackluster shine on our Airstream, the autumn foliage painted itself in the reflection of yellows, reds and ambers as tall, tall pines swayed in the wind above us. A few weeks and a few dozen miles south at Fort Yargo, we arrived at a pristine moment in time: when there was only one campsite left and since we had a reservation (and no one else could show up that night), we scored the ADA accessible site right next to the lake itself.
Further south in Georgia one enters the part of the country where the transformation from the Appalachians into the palm flats more commonly associated with Florida, and along the coast a completely different experience opens up as the Atlantic’s waves dominate the scenery and hiking trails gives way to lackadaisical afternoon baking in the sun.
Easily our favorite southeastern state, Georgia looks good for months at a time on any travelers East Coast Agenda.


In / Out Rules
There do not appear to be any maximum length of stays with Georgia’s State Parks.
Discounts
Georgia has more discounts than any other state park system we’ve stayed at. For example, this winter they ran a “Snowbirds Special”, where anyone who stayed 30 days or more got 50% off of camping. Considering many state parks won’t even allow a stay of 30 days, this is a pretty fabulous deal.
We were also given a card whereby if you stayed 10 nights, the 11th night was free.
It should also be noted that when you visit a state park, even if you’re camping, you must pay a $5 fee. It’s not “per day”, it’s per visit, so if you stay 1 day or 7 days, you pay the $5. For $50 you can get the annual pass which waives this fee. Seniors get 50% off of the $50 fee, and active military and veterans get 25% off the fee.
Junior Ranger Program
Like many State Park Junior Ranger Programs, Georgia’s spans across most of the parks. So you can start in one park and finish in another. Additionally, there are three badge levels–Deer, Owl and Fox. Earn your first badge and keep at it to get the other three. Additional badges are occasionally available, such as their current “Civil War Badge” and “Get Outdoors Georgia” badges.
List of Georgia State Parks with Full Hookup Camping
- Florence Marina (43 full hookup sites)
- Gordonia-Alatamaha (29 full hookup sites)
- Little Ocmulgee (64 full hookup sites)
- Reed Bingham (full hookup and water/electric only sites)
- Unicoi State Park (40+ full hookup sites and additional water / electric sites)
List of Georgia State Parks with Water and Electric
- A.H. Stephens (42 sites)
- Amicalola Falls (24 sites)
- Black Rock Mountain (66 sites)
- Bobby Brown State Outdoor Recreation Area (61 self-registration campsites, electric only available in season, not all may accommodate RVs)
- Chattahoochee Bend (51 sites)
- Cloudland Canyon (98 sites)
- Crooked River (72 sites)
- Don Carter (56 sites)
- Elijah Clark (165 sites)
- F.D. Roosevelt (162 sites)
- Fort McAllister (65 sites)
- Fort Mountain (70 sites)
- Fort Yargo (61 sites)
- General Coffee (58 sites)
- George L. Smith (30 sites)
- Georgia Veterans Memorial (77 sites)
- Hamburg State Outdoor Recreation Area (30 sites, not all may accommodate RVs, electric is seasonal)
- Hard Labor Creek (79 sites)
- Hart State Outdoor Recreation Area (61 though not all may accommodate RVs, electric is only seasonal)
- High Falls (106 sites)
- Indian Springs (70 sites)
- James H. (Sloppy) Floyd (25 sites)
- Kolomoki Mounds (26 sites)
- Laura S. Walker (44 sites)
- Magnolia Springs (34 sites)
- Mistletoe (102 sites)
- Moccasin Creek (54 sites)
- Red Top Mountain (111 sites)
- Richard B. Russell (27 sites)
- Seminole (46 sites)
- Skidaway Island (87 sites)
- Stephen C. Foster (48 sites)
- Tallulah Gorge (50 sites)
- Tugaloo (100 sites)
- Victoria Bryant (24 sites)
- Vogel (56 sites)
- Watson Mill Bridge (32 sites)
Hawaii
While Hawai’i is not doubt a gorgeous f*ing place to camp, the State Parks on the various islands, as their website puts it, “are not setup for sleeping in a car, van or camper”. So sleeping in a car, let alone any type of RV, is not permitted. While I’ve never personally been, I hear it’s a wonderland over there for VW Buses and vandwelling, so maybe you’re not in a state park, but it’s a frigging paradise.
The Only State Park in Hawaii with Official RV Camping
That said, Wai’anapanapa State Park on Maui has some RV spots. Specifically, they’re $18 / night ($12 if you’re a Hawaiian resident) and this park is on the famed “Road to Hana”.
Idaho
It’s a tragedy that Idaho is best known for its potatoes. From the raging rivers like the Salmon and Snake to some of the most untouched, rugged terrain left in the United States, Idaho is a paradise for fisherman seeking solitude to naturalists desperate for one of those few remaining places in the world where the sound of civilization truly cannot be heard.
Junior Ranger Program
There doesn’t seem to be one unified Jr. Ranger program for Idaho, but rather individual “programs” for kids in some parks. The programs aren’t the traditional “do a workbook, get a badge” but rather activities like painting pinecones or identifying trees with rangers.
List of Idaho’s State Parks
Note that “companion” sites listed below basically mean one campsite that has two sets of hookups. You and your buddy each bring your own camper, and get to spend that good ol’ quality time you’ve been waiting for without so much as a short walk.
- Henry’s Lake (8 full hookups, 58 water & electric, 17 electric only)
- Lake Walcott (22 water & electric, 18 primitive)
- Massacre Rocks (41 water & electric sites)
- City of Rock National Reserve (64 sites, no hookups)
- Castle Rocks (37 water & electric sites)
- Three Island Crossing (1 full hookups, 63 water & electric, 18 water & electric “companion” sites where two RVs share a spot)
- Bruneau Dunes (81 water & electric, 31 primitive sites)
- Lake Cascade (36 full hookups, 16 water & electric, 5 water & electric “companion” sites, 4 water only, 11 primitive “companion” sites, 41 additional primitive sites)
- Ponderosa (40 full hookups, 10 “companion” full hookup sites, 89 water & electric, 23 “companion” water & electric)
- Winchester Lake (2 full hookups, 42 water & electric, 2 companion water & electric, 22 primitive sites)
- Hells Gate (11 full hookups, 50 water & electric, 29 primitive sites)
- Heyburn (15 full hookups, 41 water & electric, 71 primitive)
- Farragut (5 full hookups, 140 water & electric, 16 water & electric companion sites, 6 primitive companion sites, 55 regular primitive sites)
- Round Lake (16 water & electric, 35 primitive sites)
- Priest Lake (11 full hookups, 62 water & electric, 78 primitive sites)
Illinois
Alcohol Ban
Many Illinois state parks do not allow alcohol, even at your campsite.
In / Out Rules
Max stay of 14 days out of 30 at any particularly campground, and reservations often need to be made 5 days in advance.
List of Illinois State Parks
- Pere Marquette State Park (80 electric only site)
- Lincoln Trail State Park (240 water & electric sites)
- Horseshoe Lake Recreation Area (38 water & electric sites, 50 electric only and 10 primitive sites)
- Kickapoo State Recreational Area (~90 electric sites, ~90 primitive)
- Jubilee College State Park (108 electric only sites)
- Sam Parr State Park (10 electric sites)
- Stephen A. Forbes State Park (115 water & electric sites)
- Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area (328 water & electric sites)
- Walnut Point State Park (34 electric only sites)
- Fox Ridge State Park (42 electric only sites)
- Moraine View State Recreational Area (132 electric only sites)
- Beaver Dam State Park (59 electric only sites)
- Jim Edgar Panther Creek Wildlife Area (82 full hookup sites)
- Hidden Springs State Forest (primitive only)
- Ramsey Lake State Park (90 electric only sites)
- Clinton Lake State Rec Area (231, including full hookup sites)
- Wolf Creek State Park (80, including full hookup sites)
- Eagle Creek State Park (380 electric only sites)
- Weldon Springs State Park (77 electric only sites)
- Sangchris Lake State Park (197 electric only sites)
- Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park (243 electric only sites)
- Sam Dale Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area (68 electric only sites)
- Red Hills State Park (100 water & electric sites)
- Lake Murphysboro State Park (61 electric sites)
- Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area (60 electric sites)
- Giant City State Park State Park (85 water & electric sites)
- Fort Massac State Park (50 electric sites)
- Ferne Clyffe State Park (36 electric sites)
- Apple River Canyon State Park (50 primitive sites)
- Argyle Lake State Park (86 electric sites, + additional more primitive sites)
- Illini State Park (99 electric sites)
- Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area State Park (70 electric sites)
- Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreation Area State Park (108 electric sites)
- Lowden State Park (80 electric sites)
- Mississippi Palisades State Park (110 electric sites, 131 primitive)
- Morrison-Rockwood State Park (92 electric sites)
- Prophetstown State Park (159 sites, some with full hookups)
- Rock Cut State Park (210 electric sites)
- Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area (150 electric sites)
- Starved Rock State Park (129 electric sites)
- White Pines State Park (3 first come, first served electric sites)
- Illinois Beach State Park (241 electric sites)
- Chain O’Lakes State Park (151 electric sites + more primitive sites)
- Kankakee River State Park (160 electric sites)
- Nauvoo State Park (150 electric sites)
- Randolph County State Recreation Area State Park (59 electric sites)
- Siloam Springs State Park (98 electric sites)
- Washington County State Recreation Area (37+ electric sites)
- Weinberg State Fish & Wildlife Area (19 electric “equestrian” sites)
- Dixon Springs State Park (50 water & electric sites)
Indiana
In / Out Rules
You can stay a maximum of 14 consecutive days at any given Indiana State Park. Inversely, a minimum two night stay is required Thursday through Sunday (so Thurs & Fri, Fri & Sat, or Sat & Sun).
List of Indiana State Parks
- Brookville Lake State Park (62 full hookup sites, 388 electric only)
- Brown County State Park (401 electric sites, 28 primitive + additional equestrian sites)
- Cagles Mill Lake / Lieber State Recreation Area (120 electric sites, 96 additional sites)
- Cecil M. Harden Lake / Raccoon State Recreational Area (240 electric sites)
- Chain O’Lakes State Park (331 electric sites, 82 more primitive sites)
- Charlestown Lake (60 full hookup sites, 132 electric sites)
- Clifty Falls (106 electric sites, 63 primitive)
- Hardy Lake (149 electric sites, 18 primitive)
- Harmonie (200 electric sites)
- Indiana Dunes (140 electric sites)
- J. Edward Roush Fish & Wildlife Area (25 electric, 67 primitive)
- Lincoln State Park (150 electric sites, 111 more primitive sites)
- McCormick’s Creek (189 electric sites, 32 primitive)
- Mississinewa Lake (39 full hookup sites, 335 electric + additional primitive sites
- Monroe Lake (226 electric sites, 94 primitive)
- Mounds (75 electric sites)
- O’Bannon Woods (281 electric, 25 primitive + additional equestrian camping)
- Ouabache (124 electric sites)
- Patoka Lake (455 electric sites, 45 primitive)
- Pokagon State Park / Trine State Recreation Area (220 electric sites, 73 primitive)
- Potato Creek (287 electric sites + additional equestrian sites)
- Prophetstown (55 full hookups, 55 electric sites)
- Lost Bridge West State Recreational Area (245 electric sites, 38 primitive)
- Salamonie River State Forest (36 primitive sites)
- Shades State Park (105 primitive sites)
- Shakamak (122 electric sites, 42 primitive sites)
- Spring Mill (187 electric sites, 36 primitive)
- Summit Lake (73 electric sites)
- Tippecanoe River (112 electric sites)
- Pokagon State Park/Trine State Recreation Area (200 electric sites, 73 non-electric)
- Turkey Run (213 electric sites)
- Versailles (226 electric sites)
- Whitewater Memorial (236 electric sites, 35 primitive, + additional equestrian sites)
Iowa
In / Out Rules
Two week max per campground, with a 3 day out rule. Not too shabby.
List of Iowa State Parks
All of the parks listed below have electric hookups. If they have some full hookup sites as well, it’s noted. Many of these campgrounds have additional non-electric sites suitable for RVs.
- Backbone (108 sites)
- Beeds Lake (135 sites)
- Black Hawk (126 sites)
- Brushy Creek (37 sites, 8 are full hookups)
- Clear Lake (177 sites, 7 of which are full hookups)
- Dolliver Memorial (20 sites)
- Elk Rock (30 sites)
- Emerson Bay State Recreation (82 sites, 24 of which are full hookups)
- Geode (87 sites)
- George Wyth (47 sites)
- Green Valley (63 sites, 15 of which are full hookups)
- Gull Point (60 sites)
- Honey Creek (103 sites, 28 of which are full hookups)
- Lacey-Keosauqua (54 sites)
- Lake Ahquabi (75 sites)
- Lake Anita (92 sites, 40 of which are full hookups)
- Lake Darling (37 sites)
- Lake Keomah (37 sites)
- Lake Macbride (43 sites, 11 of which are full hookups)
- Lake of Three Fires (24 sites)
- Lake Wapello (40 sites)
- Ledges (40 sites)
- Lewis and Clark (106 sites, 13 of which are full hookups)
- Maquoketa Caves (17 sites)
- Marble Beach State Recreation Area (102 sites)
- McIntosh Woods (45 sites)
- Nine Eagles (27 sites)
- Palisades-Kepler (18 sites)
- Pikes Peak (52 sites)
- Pilot Knob (48 sites)
- Pine Lake (97 sites)
- Pleasant Creek (55 sites)
- Prairie Rose (77 sites, 8 of which are full hookups)
- Red Haw (58 sites)
- Rock Creek (98 sites)
- Shimek Forest Campground (37 equestrian sites)
- Springbrook (73 sites)
- Stephens Forest Campground (25 sites, but none have electric)
- Stone (8 sites)
- Union Grove (7 sites, all are full hookups)
- Viking Lake (20 sites)
- Volga River State Recreation Area (72 sites, 32 of which are full hookups and 35 of them are designated “equestrian”)
- Walnut Woods (22 sites, 9 of which are full hookups)
- Wapsipinicon (13 sites)
- Waubonsie (61 sites, 36 designated “equestrian”)
- Wildcat Den (28 non-electric sites)
- Wilson Island (78 sites)
Kansas
The Sunflower State is perhaps best known for being that huge, flat tract of land that adds an extra day to any good westward roadtrip. And though that is largely what it is, for those who are interested in looking beyond the typical 75mph non-stop via I-75 to Colorado, there are some sites worth seeing.
Clinton State Park is a great place to call home while exploring the trendy college town of Lawrence, Kansas, where everything from fancy shopping to kayaking to great local beers can easily soak up a week or so. Eisenhower and El Dorado could be strung together with a smidgeon of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve thrown in the middle.
Don’t expect monumental, but the state certainly has more to offer than corn fields and a very, very long horizon.
In / Out Rules
Typically there’s a 14 day max, though this can be extended by an additional 14 days with written permission from the park manager. 5 days out and you can go back again.
List of Kansas State Parks with Campgrounds
The information below reflects the number of reservable campsites. Actual campsites are about double these numbers.
- Cedar Bluff (16 full hookup sites, 102 water & electric sites, 20 electric-only sites)
- Cheney (222 water & electric sites)
- Clinton (205 water & electric sites)
- Crawford (38 water & electric sites, 28 electric-only)
- Cross Timbers (19 full hookup sites, 50 water & electric, 8 electric-only)
- Eisenhower (37 full hookup sites, 81 water & electric, 68 electric-only)
- El Dorado (165 full hookup sites, 307 water & electric)
- Elk City (14 full hookup sites, 85 water & electric)
- Fall River (44 water & electric sites)
- Glen Elder (107 water & electric sites)
- Hillsdale (180 water & electric sites)
- Kanopolis (15 full hookup sites, 53 water & electric, 63 electric-only)
- Meade (42 water & electric sites)
- Lovewell (28 full hookup sites, 78 water & electric, 49 electric-only)
- Milford (51 full hookup sites, 90 water & electric)
- Perry (110 water & electric sites)
- Pomona (41 full hookup sites, 93 water & electric)
- Prairie Dog (13 full hookup sites, 60 water & electric)
- Sand Hills (44 full hookup sites, 20 water & electric)
- Scott (7 full hookup sites, 50 water & electric)
- Tuttle Creek (8 full hookup sites, 159 water & electric, 44 electric-only)
- Webster (82 water & electric sites, 10 electric-only)
- Wilson (99 water & electric sites, 37 electric-only)
Kentucky
Kentucky has both “normal” state parks and “resort” state parks. The resort parks typically offer WiFi and have a lodge you can rent rooms from, and additional extras like golf courses or restaurants.
In / Out Rules
14 days, though this can be extended with permission from a park manager.
Junior Ranger Program
While there is no official “Junior Ranger” program for KY State Parks, many parks offer a variety of programs and field trip opportunities for school-aged children.
List of Kentucky State Parks
The number of sites and list of hookups below is not necessarily even. That is, a campground with “100 full hookup sites” may have some portion of those sites that do not have full hookups, but just water & electric.
Kentucky State Parks Open Year Round
All of Kentucky’s year round state parks with camping options offer full hookup sites, except for the the Kentucky Horse Park Campground.
- Carter Caves (89 full hookup sites)
- Columbus-Belmont (37 full hookup sites)
- Fort Boonesborough (167 full hookup sites)
- General Butler (111 full hookup sites)
- Kentucky Horse Park (260 water & electric sites)
- Levi Jackson (135 full hookup sites)
- Paintsville Lake (32 full hookup sites)
Kentucky State Parks Open Year Seasonally
Most of these parks open on April 1st and close sometime in October or November.
- Barren River Lake (98 sites available, some with full hookups)
- Big Bone Lick (60 water & electric sites)
- Blue Licks Battlefield (49 water & electric sites)
- Carr Creek (38 water & electric sites)
- Cumberland Falls (89 water & electric sites)
- Dale Hollow Lake (145 full hookup sites)
- General Burnside Island (100 water & electric sites)
- Grayson Lake (69 water & electric sites)
- Green River Lake (157 water & electric sites)
- Greenbo Lake (92 full hookup sites)
- Jenny Wiley (117 water & electric sites)
- John James Audubon (75 water & electric sites)
- Kenlake (60 water & electric sites)
- Kentucky Dam Village (221 water & electric sites)
- Kincaid Lake (84 water & electric sites)
- Lake Barkley (79 water & electric sites)
- Lake Cumberland (50 full hookup sites)
- Lake Malone (26 water & electric sites)
- My Old Kentucky Home (39 full hookup sites)
- Natural Bridge (109 full hookup sites)
- Nolin Lake (32 water & electric sites)
- Pennyrile Forest (100 water & electric sites)
- Taylorsville Lake (70 water & electric sites)
- Yatesville Lake (47 full hookup sites)
Louisiana
There’s a beauty to Louisiana, like a burned out prostitute no one bothers to look at anymore, she is still beautiful in a way that may not be worth as much money anymore, but is priceless to those with the right eyes.
“It’s the people,” you’ll hear, when others speak of the population of New Orleans who stuck around after Katrina. And that’s true, friendliness abounds, a politeness exudes, but there is also a very real attitude that many of the state’s locals possess. So much of the Bayou State is below sea level, or protected by levees from the Mississippi’s runoff, that the state is seemingly continuously pummeled by misfortune. One can’t help but ponder the reality that humans building homes in places that were meant to be underwater by nature–and then trying to create manmade obstacles to combat mother nature–is just a bad idea. On one hand, it belches of stupidity, on the other, it breathes a testament to what humanity is willing to do for a piece of land.
All of that said, the people are not the most beautiful thing about Louisiana, it’s the swamps. Nature will always one up humanity in my book, and it’s a shame that the first things that comes to mind when this state is mentioned are New Orleans, Mardi Gras, and tragedy, because there is so much more down there.
It’s also a shame that lack of funding is leaving many of the state parks looking a little more like run down private RV parks. Ranger programs have been cut. Prisoners clean the bathrooms. Many amenities are closed indefinitely.
Still, the natural beauty of places like Fausse Pointe persist, and if you’re on a mission to traverse the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida, our money is on Louisiana State Parks every time.

In / Out Rules
Maximum 14 consecutive nights.
Junior Ranger Program
As of 2015, Louisiana’s State Parks are severely underfunded and don’t even have adult-focused ranger programs let alone Junior Ranger. Even amenities like pools aren’t open at this time.
List of Louisiana State Parks with Campgrounds
All sites are at least water & electric unless otherwise noted.
- Bayou Segnette State Park (99 sites)
- Beaver Dam Campground (27 sites)
- Bogue Chitto State Park (81 full hookup sites)
- Chemin-A-Haut State Park (26 sites)
- Chicot State Park (198 sites)
- Fairview-Riverside State Park (81 sites)
- Fontainebleau State Park (107 sites, 4 of which have full hookups)
- Grand Isle State Park (49 sites)
- Hodges Gardens State Park (9 primitive sites + 20 “equestrian” sites)
- Jimmie Davis State Park (73 sites)
- Lake Bistineau State Park (67 sites)
- Lake Bruin State Park (47 sites)
- Lake Claiborne State Park (85 sites)
- Lake D’Arbonne State Park, (65 sites)
- Lake Fausse Pointe State Park (50 sites)
- North Toledo Bend State Park (62 sites)
- Palmetto Island State Park (96 sites)
- Poverty Point Reservoir State Park (54 sites, many with full hookups)
- Sam Houston Jones State Park (75 sites, some with full hookups)
- South Toledo Bend State Park (55 sites)
- St. Bernard State Park (51 sites)
- Tickfaw State Park (30 sites)
Maine
By far the most rugged place left in the Eastern United States, at times Maine can almost mimic the larger, more mountainous West, particularly when it comes to steep cliffs towering over the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Moose abound, and small towns that understand the value of remaining quaint aren’t particularly difficult to find.
In / Out Rules
Between the last Saturday in June and the third Saturday in August, you can camp a maximum of 14 nights in any given park, period, the entire summer. Outside of those days there is no official limit on how long you can stay at any one park, but you can only make a reservation for 14 days at a time.
Junior Ranger Program
Sebago Lake State Park has an official Junior Ranger Program. Additionally, you can also get a Passport and then get it stamped as you visit various state parks in Maine. 8 stamps gets you a sticker, 16 gets you a patch, and 40 gets you two free nights of camping!
List of Maine State Parks with Campgrounds
- Aroostook State Park (30 primitive sites)
- Bradbury Mountain State Park (35 primitive sites)
- Camden Hills State Park (107 water & electric sites)
- Cobscook Bay State Park (106 primitive sites)
- Lake St. George State Park (22 electric-only sites)
- Lamoine State Park (62 primitive sites)
- Lily Bay State Park (100 primitive sites)
- Mount Blue State Park (136 primitive sites)
- Peaks-Kenny State Park (56 primitive sites)
- Rangeley Lakes State Park (50 primitive sites)
- Sebago Lake State Park (250 water & electric sites)
Maryland
Maryland is one of those sort of “eh” states. Growing up in Pennsylvania, we’d drive on out to Ocean City for our annual family vacation, but unless it’s the closest state with a beach that isn’t New Jersey to where you live, most people just don’t think, “Maryland? Yeah, let’s go!”
However, the state does have a few gems, the shiniest of which is its association with Assateaugue National Seashore, and its adjoining state park. Feral horses are free to roam or run, and grow slightly fat with saltwater laden plants on a sandy, dune-laden shore, all with a state park campground for you and yours to kick back and watch the wild grapes grow ripe.
Alcohol
Maryland does not allow the consumption of alcohol in state parks, even at your own camp site. The only exceptions are during certain special events, or if you rent a cabin or are inside of your own motorhome (but not necessarily tent).
In / Out Rules
14 night maximum.
Junior Ranger Program
List of Maryland State Parks
- Assateague State Park (350 sites, some with electric)
- Big Run (29 primitive sites)
- Cedarville State Forest (30 sites with electric)
- Cunningham Falls (184 electric sites)
- Deep Creek Lake (112 sites, 26 of which have electric)
- Elk Neck (200 sites, 50 with electric)
- Fort Frederick (29 primitive sites)
- Gambrill (34 sites, some with electric)
- Greenbrier (165 sites, 40 with electric)
- Janes Island (101 sites, many with electric)
- Martinak (63 sites, 30 with electric)
- New Germany (a48 primitive sites)
- Patapsco Valley (26 electric sites)
- Pocomoke River (175 sites, some with electric)
- Point Lookout (143 sites, 26 with full hookups + 33 with electric-only)
- Rocky Gap (278 sites, 30 with electric)
- Smallwood (15 sites with electric)
- Susquehanna (69 sites, six with electric)
- Swallow Falls (65 water & electric sites)
- Tuckahoe (54 sites, 33 with electric)
Massachusetts
Cape Cod, and particularly Provincetown, have always stuck out for us when we look back at our time traveling Massachusetts. From whale watching to some pretty flamboyant locals who chose to paint clothing on rather than bother actually wearing any, this corner of the state captured us for its beauty and small town charm alike, though the closest state park is still 40 minutes away.
Amherst and Northhampton, closer to the middle of the state, were some other wonderfully delightful small and college towns, but there are no state parks which offer RV camping near those towns either.
As big cities go, Boston is one of the best, stuffed full of the history of this nation and winding cobble streets to match…but again, you’ll have a 45 minute drive or so from the nearest state park with camping.
In / Out Rules
14 nights max stay at any given park. Some parks require a minimum 2 night stay as well.
Junior Ranger Program
Massachusetts has a passport program. Get the passport, get stamps in every park.
List of Massachusetts State Parks with RV Camping
- Erving State Forest (29 primitive sites)
- Lake Dennison Recreation Area (151 primitive sites)
- Otter River State Forest (78 primitive sites)
- Pearl Hill State Park (50 primitive sites)
- Wells State Park (60 sites)
- Harold Parker State Forest (91 primitive sites)
- Salisbury Beach State Reservation (484 water & electric sites)
- Willard Brook State Fores (21 primitive sites)
- Horseneck Beach State Reservation (100 primitive sites)
- Myles Standish State Forest (400 primitive sites)
- Nickerson State Park (403 primitive sites)
- Scusset Beach State Reservation (98 electric sites with shared water)
- Shawme-Crowell State Forest (285 primitive sites)
- Wompatuck State Park (450 sites total, 140 have electric hookups)
- Beartown State Forest (12 primitive sites)
- Clarksburg State Park (45 primitive sites)
- DAR State Forest (51 primitive sites)
- Granville State Forest (22 primitive sites)
- Mohawk Trail State Forest (47 primitive sites)
- October Mountain State Forest (44 primitive sites)
- Pittsfield State Forest (31 primitive sites)
- Savoy Mountain State Forest (45 primitive sites)
- Tolland State Forest (92 primitive sites)
Michigan
Any conversation that includes the word “Michigan” typically involves a discussion of Detroit, and it’s rarely in the city’s favor. That is but one swath of a state that offers more outdoor opportunity per square foot than just about anywhere we’ve ever visited. Seventy two state parks, recreation areas and state forests should speak for itself. Particularly up north, and even more so in the Upper Peninsula, you’ll find some of the most beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife east of the Mississippi.
State Parks in Michigan are typically pretty rustic, though they almost always offer electric hookups. Bring your own water and use a dump station. And don’t get the locals started on their sunsets…
In / Out Rules
15 nights max and then you have to move to a new campsite.
Junior Ranger Program
Many state parks in Michigan have programs for children which are typically short hikes or explorations around the park where volunteers hand out bug boxes or let kids feel animal hides and learn more about the state’s wildlife and natural areas.
List of Michigan State Parks
- Algonac (296 electric sites)
- Aloha (285 electric sites)
- Baraga (116 electric sites)
- Bay City (193 electric sites)
- Bewabic (144 electric sites)
- Big Bear Lake State Forest (11 primitive sites)
- Brighton Recreation Area (144 electric sites)
- Brimley (237 electric sites sites)
- Burt Lake (306 electric sites)
- Cheboygan (68 electric sites)
- Clear Lake (200 electric sites)
- Elk Hill (11 primitive sites)
- Fayette (61 electric sites)
- Fishermans Island (80 primitive sites)
- Fort Custer Recreation Area (219 electric sites)
- Fort Wilkins Historic State Park (159 electric sites)
- Grand Haven (174 electric sites)
- Harrisville (195 electric sites)
- Hartwick Pines (100 full hookup sites)
- Hayes (185 electric sites)
- Highland Recreation Area (30 primitive sites)
- P.H. Hoeft (144 electric sites)
- P.J. Hoffmaster (293 electric sites)
- Holland (309 full hookup sites)
- Holly Recreation Area (144 electric sites)
- Indian Lake (200 electric sites)
- Interlochen (418 electric sites)
- Ionia Recreation Area (100 electric sites)
- Lake Gogebic (127 electric sites)
- Lake Hudson Recreation Area (50 electric sites)
- Lake Margrethe State Forest (37 primitive sites)
- Lakeport (251 water & electric sites)
- Leelanau (196 full hookup sites)
- Ludington (350 electric sites)
- F.J. McLain (104 electric sites)
- Charles Mears (175 electric sites)
- Metamora-Hadley State Recreation Area (214 electric sites)
- William Mitchell (221 electric sites)
- Muskallonge Lake (170 electric sites)
- Muskegon (244 electric sites)
- North Higgins Lake (174 electric sites)
- Onaway (97 electric & 200 full hookup sites)
- Orchard Beach (166 electric sites sites)
- Otsego Lake (155 electric sites)
- Petoskey (98 electric sites)
- Pinckney Recreation Area (186 electric sites)
- Pontiac Lake (176 electric sites)
- Porcupine Mountains (100 electric sites)
- Port Crescent (110 electric sites)
- Proud Lake Recreation Area (130 electric sites)
- Rifle River State Forest (180 electric sites)
- Seven Lakes (70 electric sites)
- Silver Lake (237 electric sites)
- Albert E. Sleeper (226 electric sites)
- Sleepy Hollow (181 electric sites)
- South Higgins Lake (400 electric sites)
- Sterling (256 full hookup sites)
- Straits (270 electric sites)
- Tahquamenon Falls (298 electric sites)
- Tawas Point (210 electric sites)
- Tippy Dam (41 primitive sites)
- Traverse City (480 electric sites)
- Twin Lakes (62 electric sites)
- Van Buren (220 electric sites)
- Van Riper (147 sites)
- Warren Dunes (100 electric sites)
- Waterloo Recreation Area (136 electric sites)
- J.W. Wells (178 electric sites)
- Wilderness (290 electric sites)
- Wilson (160 electric sites)
- Yankee Springs (12 primitive sites, 200 electric)
- Young (150 electric sites)
Minnesota
In / Out Rules
14 days max except with permission by the park manager.
Junior Ranger Program
List of Minnesota State Parks with RV Camping
- Banning (33 sites, 11 with electric)
- Bear Head Lake (73 sites, 45 with electric)
- Beaver Creek Valley (42 sites, 16 with electric)
- Big Bog State Recreation Area (31 sites, 26 with electric)
- Big Stone Lake (37 sites, 10 with electric)
- Blue Mounds (73 sites, 43 with electric)
- Buffalo River (44 sites, 35 with electric)
- Camden (80 sites, 29 with electric)
- Carley (20 primitive sites)
- Cascade River (40 primitive sites)
- Cascade River (38 sites, 15 with electric)
- Crow Wing (59 sites, 12 with electric)
- Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area (25 primitive sits)
- Father Hennepin (103 sites, 51 with electric)
- Flandrau (92 sites, 34 with electric)
- Forestville/Mystery Cave (73 sites, 23 with electric + 60 additional equestrian sites)
- Fort Ridgely (31 sites, 15 with electric)
- Franz Jevne (18 sites, 1 with electric)
- Frontenac (58 sites, 19 with electric)
- Glacial Lakes (37 sites, 14 with electric)
- Gooseberry Falls (69 primitive sites)
- Great River Bluffs (31 primitive sites)
- Hayes Lake (35 sites, 18 with electric)
- Interstate (37 sites, 22 with electric)
- Itasca (223 sites, 160 with electric)
- Jay Cooke (79 sites, 21 with electric)
- Judge C.R. Magney (27 primitive sites)
- Kilen Woods (33 sites, 11 with electric)
- La Salle Lake State Recreation Area (39 electric sites)
- Lac qui Parle (77 sites, 58 with electric)
- Lake Bemidji (95 sites, 43 with electric)
- Lake Bronson (152 sites, 67 with electric)
- Lake Carlos (121 sites, 81 with electric)
- Lake Louise (20 sites, 11 with electric)
- Lake Shetek (70 sites, 64 with electric)
- McCarthy Beach (86 sites, 21 with electric)
- Maplewood (71 sites, 32 with electric)
- Mille Lacs Kathio (70 sites, 22 with electric)
- Minneopa (61 sites, 6 with electric)
- Monson Lake (20 primitive sites)
- Myre – Big Island (93 sites, 32 with electric)
- Nerstrand Big Woods (51 sites, 27 with electric)
- Old Mill (26 sites, 10 with electric)
- Red River State Recreation Area (109 sites, 85 with electric)
- Rice Lake (40 sites, 18 with electric)
- St. Croix (211 sites, 81 with electric)
- Sakatah Lake (62 sites, 14 with electric)
- Savanna Portage (61 sites, 18 with electric)
- Scenic (93 sites, 23 with electric)
- Schoolcraft (28 primitive sites)
- Sibley (132 sites, 53 with electric)
- Split Rock Creek (34 sites, 21 with electric)
- Temperance River (52 sites, 18 with electric)
- Tettegouche (28 sites, 22 with electric)
- Upper Sioux Agency (34 sites, 14 with electric)
- Whitewater (104 sites, 47 with electric)
- Wild River (94 sites, 34 with electric)
- William O’Brien (112 sites, 70 with electric)
- Zippel Bay (57 primitive sites)
Mississippi
List of Mississippi State Parks where RVers can Camp
If a campground is listed as “full hookup”, it doesn’t necessarily mean all of the sites have sewer, water and electric, but that full hookups are available.
- Buccaneer (301 full hookup sites)
- Clarkco (79 full hookup sites)
- George P. Cossar (30 full hookup sites)
- Golden Memorial (16 water & electric sites)
- Holmes County (28 water & electric sites)
- Hugh White (30 water & electric sites)
- John W. Kyle (220 full hookup sites)
- J.P. Coleman (69 full hookup sites)
- Lake Lincoln (86 full hookup sites)
- Lake Lowndes (58 full hookup sites)
- Legion (34 full hookup sites)
- Leroy Percy (24 full hookup sites)
- Natchez (68 water & electric sites)
- Paul B Johnson (155 full hookup sites)
- Percy Quin (180 full hookup sites)
- Roosevelt (124 full hookup sites)
- Shepard (28 water & electric sites)
- Tishomingo (69 water & electric sites)
- Tombigbee (37 full hookup sites)
- Trace (70+ full hookup sites)
- Wall Doxey (91 water & electric sites)
Missouri
In / Out Rules
15 consecutive days within any one park, in a 30 day period. If you make a reservation, they’ll hold your site for 24 hours, so if you’re a day late, you still get your site.
Junior Ranger Program
List of Missouri State Parks with Campgrounds Suitable for RVs
All parks have electric available. Those that mention “full hookups available” typically have just water & electric sites, too, in addition to full hookups.
- Arrow Rock State Historic Site (full hookups available)
- Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park
- Sam A. Baker State Park
- Battle of Athens State Historic Site
- Bennett Spring State Park (full hookups available)
- Big Lake State Park
- Crowder State Park
- Cuivre River State Park (full hookups available)
- Finger Lakes State Park
- Graham Cave State Park
- Hawn State Park
- Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park (full hookups available)
- Knob Noster State Park
- Lake Wappapello
- Lake of the Ozarks State Park
- Lewis and Clark State Park
- Long Branch
- Meramec State Park (full hookups available)
- Montauk State Park
- Onondaga Cave State Park
- Pershing State Park
- Pomme de Terre State Park
- Prairie State Park
- Roaring River State Park (full hookups available with premium family campsites)
- Robertsville State Park
- St. Francois State Park
- St. Joe State Park
- Stockton State Park
- Table Rock State Park (full hookups available)
- Taum Sauk Mountain State Park
- Thousand Hills State Park
- Trail of Tears State Park (full hookups available)
- Harry S Truman State Park
- Mark Twain State Park
- Van Meter State Park
- Wakonda State Park (full hookups available)
- Wallace State Park
- Washington State Park
- Weston Bend State Park
Montana
Whether you’re just passing through on I-94, or exploring around Glacier, Montana has some twenty-four parks that offer camping suitable for RVs. While these are largely concentrated in the eastern part of the state, there is at least one state park that can accommodate trailers and motorhomes in every corner of Big Sky Country.
Junior Ranger Program
Montana’s KUB Ranger program is similar to a Junior Ranger program, and there are additional activities throughout the parks focused toward kids.
List of Montana State Parks with RV Camping
Note that many of state parks in Big Sky Country have short RV length limits, sometimes 25 feet or less.
- Ackley Lake (15 sites)
- Bannack (28 sites)
- Beavertail Hill (28 sites)
- Big Arm (70+ sites, 44 with electric)
- Black Sandy (29 sites)
- Brush Lake
- Cooney (72 sites, 13 with electric)
- Finley Point (16 water & electric sites)
- Hell Creek (55 sites, 45 with electric)
- Lake Mary Ronan (25 electric sites)
- Lewis & Clark Caverns (40 sites)
- Logan (37 sites)
- Lost Creek (25 sites)
- Medicine Rocks (12 sites)
- Makoshika (16 sites)
- Missouri Headwaters (17 sites)
- Painted Rocks (25 sites)
- Placid Lake (40 sites)
- Salmon Lake (20 sites)
- Thompson Falls (17 sites)
- Tongue River Reservoir (150 sites, 40 with electric)
- Wayfarers (40 sites)
- West Shore (24 sites)
- Whitefish Lake (25 sites)
Nebraska
Like Kansas, Nebraska at times gets a bad rap as just being a big ol’ stretch of nothing en route to almost always somewhere else. With that in mind, and your imagination on overdrive, the stretch of US Route 20 that runs through the northern part of the state is particularly enjoyable. Small towns fighting off ghost town status, an easy two lane highway, and as you approach the northwest corner, sand dunes covered in flowing waves of amber grain. Walgren State Park would make a great place to explore this section of the state, which includes said sand dunes but also various other state parks (which don’t offer camping).
In / Out Rules
14 days in any one specific area, except for a few specifically designated “extended stay” areas.
Alcohol
Some parks, specifically Lake McConaughy and Willow Creek State Recreation Area, prohibit alcohol all together. Additionally, it’s illegal to drink alcohol in any park after 10pm and before 6am. I guess a beer at 11pm is worse than one at 7am?
List of Nebraska State Parks with RV Camping
Most of the state run areas that offer camping in Nebraska are called “State Recreation Areas” and have been denoted as such or with an “SRA” after their names, for convenience when Googling.
Nebraska State Parks with Modern Camping
These campgrounds offer at least electric and a non-dirt camping service, and sometimes water and sewer right at your site.
- Branched Oak State Recreation Area
- Calamus State Recreation Area
- Enders SRA
- Fort Kearny SRA
- Fremont SRA
- Indian Cave State Park
- Johnson Lake SRA
- Lake McConaughy SRA
- Lake Minatare SRA
- Lake Ogallala SRA
- Lake Wanahoo State Recreation Area
- Louisville SRA
- Medicine Creek SRA
- Mormon Island SRA
- Pawnee Lake SRA
- Red Willow SRA
- Rock Creek Station State Historical Park
- Smith Falls State Park
- Swanson Lake SRA
- Willow Creek SRA
- Windmill SRA
Nebraska State Parks with Primitive Camping Only
While some of these campgrounds offer electric hookups, they are otherwise “primitive”. Those with electric are noted below.
- Alexandria State Recreation Area (46 sites with electric)
- Bluestem State Recreation Area (219 sites)
- Box Butte Reservoir State Recreation Area (54 sites, 14 with electric)
- Bridgeport State Recreation Area (130 sites)
- Buffalo Bill Ranch State Recreation Area (29 sites, 23 with electric)
- Cheyenne State Recreation Area (8 sites)
- Conestoga State Recreation Area (57 sites, 25 with electric)
- Cottonwood Lake State Recreation Area (30 sites)
- Dead Timber State Recreation Area (42 sites, 17 with electric)
- Gallagher Canyon State Recreation Area (25 sites)
- Keller Park State Recreation Area (35 sites, 25 with electric)
- Lake Maloney State Recreation Area (256 sites, 56 with electric)
- Long Pine State Recreation Area (28 sites)
- Memphis State Recreation Area (150 sites)
- Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area (218 sites, 28 with electric)
- Olive Creek State Recreation Area (50 sites)
- Oliver Reservoir State Recreation Area (175 sites)
- Pibel Lake State Recreation Area (30 sites)
- Riverview Marina State Recreation Area (46 sites, 16 with electric)
- Rockford State Recreation Area (107 sites, 30 with electric)
- Sherman Reservoir State Recreation Area (360 sites)
- Stagecoach State Recreation Area (72 sites, 22 with electric)
- Summit Lake State Recreation Area (67 sites, 30 with electric)
- Sutherland Reservoir State Recreation Area (85 sites)
- Union Pacific State Recreation Area (5 sites)
- Verdon State Recreation Area (20 sites)
- Wagon Train State Recreation Area (108 sites, 28 with electric)
- Walgren Lake State Recreation Area (40 sites)
- War Axe State Recreation Area (8 sites)
- Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area (5 sites)
Nevada
US-50 through the Silver State is one of those rare routes left in the nation where the distances between gas stations is typically “about one tank”. Fill up somewhere, hit the red line just in time to see another one a few miles down the road. Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park can make that an even more remote experience with a little southerly detour.
But far from just the massive empty desert most of the state is comprised of, state park experiences in Nevada can range from camping under massive pine trees near the crystal clear waters of Lake Tahoe to the striating red rock experiences of Valley of Fire State Park, and yes, plenty of that Great Basin tan desert expanse the majority of the state exudes.
In / Out Rules
14 days in a 30 day period per park.
Nevada State Parks Passport
There is a fun program called the Nevada State Park Passport Booklet which is an actual passport-like book with lots of info on every park. You get one, visit parks, and get stamps for each park visited. Fifteen stamps and you get a free annual pass to Nevada State Parks.
List of Nevada State Parks with RV Camping
All sites are primitive, i.e. no hookups, unless otherwise noted. Most Nevada State Parks can’t be reserved and are all first-come, first-served.
- Beaver Dam State Park (69 sites)
- Berlin-Ichthyosaur (14 sites)
- Big Bend of the Colorado (24 full hookup sites)
- Cathedral Gorge (22 electric sites)
- Cave Lake (75 sites)
- Echo Canyon (33 sites)
- Fort Churchill State Historic Park (20 sites)
- Kershaw-Ryan (15 sites)
- Rye Patch State Recreation Area (47 sites)
- South Fork State Recreation Area (25+ sites)
- Spring Valley (37 sites)
- Valley of Fire (72 sites)
- Ward Charcoal
- Washoe Lake (49 sites)
- Wild Horse State Recreation Area (33 sites)
New Hampshire
Though Mount Washington State Park, named for the mountain once thought to be the highest in the Eastern US, is probably the most famous of New Hampshire’s park system, it also offers no opportunity for camping. Luckily, the state which encourages its residents to “Live Free, or Die” has a plethora of opportunities to get out and RV it in the White Mountains and otherwise, particularly if you don’t mind boondocking.
In / Out Rules
14 night maximum stay. Inversely, if you make a reservation before April 1st, you have to reserve at least 3nights.
Alcohol
Pawtuckaway State Park doesn’t allow alcohol consumption of any kind.
List of New Hampshire State Parks
- Bear Brook (101 primitive sites)
- Coleman (25 primitive sites)
- Crawford Notch (36 primitive sites)
- Connecticut Lakes (25 primitive sites)
- Ellacoya (47 full hookup sites)
- Franconia Notch (7 full hookup sites)
- Greenfield (45 primitive sites)
- Hampton Beach (28 full hookup sites)
- Lake Francis (45 sites)
- Milan Hill
- Mollidgewock (42 primitive sites)
- Monadnock (primitive sites)
- Moose Brook (59 sites)
- Mount Sunapee (primitive sites)
- Pawtuckaway (192 primitive sites)
- Pillsbury (primitive sites)
- Umbagog Lake (27 water & electric sites)
- White Lake (primitive sites)
New Jersey
Bruce Springsteen doesn’t have a lot of nice things to say about his home state of New Jersey, and I don’t know many people who think “let’s get outdoors, how far to Jersey?” Nevertheless, the Garden State comes packed with fourteen places to call home for the night in a state park.
In / Out Rules
14 consecutive nights initially, then it’s seven nights out, seven nights in.
Alcohol
Alcohol is prohibited in New Jersey State Parks.
List of New Jersey State Parks with RV Camping
Note that there are no hookups within the Garden State’s parks.
- Allaire State Park (45 sites)
- Bass River State Forest (176 sites)
- Belleplain State Forest (169 sites)
- Brendan T. Byrne State Forest (82 sites)
- Cheesequake State Park (53 sites)
- Jenny Jump State Forest (22 sites)
- Parvin State Park (56 sites)
- Spruce Run Recreation Area (67 sites)
- Stephens State Park (40 sites)
- Stokes State Forest (82 sites)
- Swartswood State Park (65 sites)
- Voorhees State Park (47 sites)
- Wharton State Forest (50 sites)
- Worthington State Forest (69 sites)
New Mexico
Thirty state parks in New Mexico offer camping suitable for RVs, and their $225 annual pass program can get your nightly rate down to $4, making the Land of Enchantment an ideal place for full-timers looking to escape the northern winters on a budget.
If my math is correct, and it sometimes is, it’ll take you about 28 days to make your money back on the annual pass. So if you plan on hanging around for a couple of months, you could save some decent cash…
In / Out Rules
14 days in any given park out of 20. So 14 days in, 6 out.
List of New Mexico State Parks with RV Camping
- Bluewater Lake (149 sites, 14 with electric)
- Bottomless Lakes (37 sites, 32 with electric)
- Brantley Lake (51 sites, 48 with water & electric, 3 with full hookups)
- Caballo Lake (170 sites, 108 with water & electric, 7 full hookups)
- Cimarron Canyon (94 sites)
- City of Rocks (52 sites, 6 with water & electric, 4 full hookups)
- Clayton Lake (26 sites, 7 sites with water, 9 with water & electric)
- Conchas Lake (105 sites, 40 with water & electric)
- Coyote Creek (47 sites, 19 with electric, 15 water & electric)
- Eagle Nest Lake (19 sites)
- Elephant Butte Lake (173 sites, 144 with water & electric, 8 full hookups)
- El Vado Lake (80 sites, 17 with water & electric, 2 full hookup)
- Fenton Lake (5 water & electric sites)
- Heron Lake (250 sites, 54 with electric)
- Hyde Park Memorial (50 sites, 7 with electric)
- Leasburg Dam (31 sites, 16 with water & electric)
- Manzano Mountains (23 sites, 9 with electric)
- Morphy Lake (24 sites)
- Navajo Lake (244 sites, 41 with electric, 56 water & electric, 8 full hookup)
- Oasis (29 sites, 10 with water, 17 with water & electric, 2 full hookups)
- Oliver Lee Memorial (44 sites, 16 with water & electric)
- Pancho Villa (79 sites, 75 with electric)
- Percha Dam (50 sites, 29 with water & electric, 1 full hookup)
- Rockhound (29 sites, 23 with electric)
- Santa Rosa Lake (75 sites, 25 with electric)
- Storrie Lake (45 sites, 22 with water & electric)
- Sugarite Canyon (40 sites, 8 with water & electric, 2 full hookup)
- Sumner Lake (50 sites, 16 with water & electric, 16 with electric)
- Ute Lake (142 sites, 77 with water & electric)
- Villanueva (33 sites, 12 with electric)
New York
From old growth forests along mountain ridges in the Adirondacks to crashing waterfalls and sparkling water in the Fingerlakes area, the Empire State is full of nature. Including below is information on not only every state park in New York with camping, but also many public campgrounds found in the Catskills and Adirondacks as well.
In / Out Rules
From July 1st – Labor Day, 14 consecutive nights max per campground. Reservations can only be made for 14 days any time of year, but outside of those dates they can be extended if availability allows.
Alcohol
Most of New York’s state parks allow alcohol, with the exceptions of Stony Brook, Wildwood and Beaver Pond.
List of New York State Parks with RV Camping
State Parks with RV Hookups Available
- Cedar Point State Park (40 full hookup sites)
- Golden Hill State Park (52 water & electric sites)
- Taconic / Copake Falls (33 water only sites)
- Wellesley Island State Park (288 full hookup sites)
- Wildwood State Park (193 full hookup sites)
State Parks with Primitive Camping Only
- Allegany (245 sites)
- Ausable Point (141 sites)
- Bowman Lake (141 sites)
- Green Lakes (127 sites)
- Gilbert Lake (135 sites)
- Verona Beach (46 sites)
- Chenango Valley (178 sites)
- Fillmore Glen (60 sites)
- Oquaga Creek (90 sites)
- Delta Lake (101 sites)
- Glimmerglass (36 sites)
- Buttermilk Falls State Park (45 sites)
- Taughannock Falls State Park (34 sites)
- Robert H. Treman (64 sites)
- Bear Spring Mountain (25 sites)
- Cayuga Lake State Park (264 sites)
- Sampson (299 sites)
- Selkirk Shores State Park (143 sites)
- Watkins Glen (148 sites)
- Max V. Shaul (21 sites)
- Beaverkill (83 sites)
- Fair Haven Beach (173 sites)
- Little Pond Campground (68 sites)
- Caroga Lake Campground (156 sites)
- Newton Battlefield (12 sites)
- Whetstone Gulf State Park (57 sites)
- Mongaup Pond (154 sites)
- Keuka Lake (132 sites)
- Point Comfort Campground (63 sites)
- Little Sand Point Campground (58 sites)
- Nicks Lake Campground (101 sites)
- Poplar Point Campground (19 sites)
- Fish Creek Pond Campground (302 sites)
- Forked Lake Campground (5 sites)
- Four Mile Creek (258 sites)
- Gilbert Lake (135 sites)
- Golden Beach Campground (159 sites)
- Grass Point (70 sites)
- Green Lakes (126 sites)
- Hamlin Beach (251 sites)
- Hearthstone Point (174 sites)
- Higley Flow (128 sites)
- Hithers Hills (153 sites)
- Jacques Cartier (88 sites)
- Keewaydin (36 sites)
- Kenneth L. Wilson (66 sites)
- Keuka Lake (132 sites)
- Kring Point (73 sites)
- Lake Durant (52 sites)
- Lake Eaton (110 sites)
- Lake Erie (98 sites)
- Lake George Battleground Campground (57 sites)
- Lake Harris Campground (70 sites)
- Lake Taghkanic (8 sites)
- Lakeside (268 sites)
- Letchworth (258 sites)
- Lewey Lake Campground (177 sites)
- Limekiln Lake Campground (199 sites)
- Lincoln Pond Campground (18 sites)
- Little Pond Campground (61 sites)
- Little Sand Point Campground (56 sites)
- Long Point State Park (77 sites)
- Luzerne Campground (144 sites)
- Macomb Reservation State Park (95 sites)
- Max V. Shaul State Park (18 sites)
- Meacham Lake Campground (146 sites)
- Meadowbrook Public Campground (20 sites)
- Mills-Norrie State Park (42 sites)
- Moffitt Beach Campground (194 sites)
- Moreau Lake State Park (141 sites)
- Newton Battlefield State Park (12 sites)
- North-South Lake Campground (207 sites)
- Northampton Beach Campground (158 sites)
- Paradox Lake Campground (41 sites)
- Point Comfort Campground (43 sites)
- Poplar Point Campground (5 sites)
- Putnam Pond (44 sites)
- Robert Moses State Park (196 sites)
- Rogers Rock Campground (232 sites)
- Rollins Pond Campground (245 sites)
- Sacandaga Campground (125 sites)
- Sampson State Park (299 sites)
- Scaroon Manor Campground (55 sites)
- Sharp Bridge Campground (16 sites)
- Southwick Beach State Park (100 sites)
- Stony Brook State Park (80 sites)
- Taconic State Park (9 sites)
- Taylor Pond Campground (20 sites)
- Thacher State Park (131 sites)
- Westcott Beach State Park (154 sites)
- Wilmington Notch (41 sites)
- Woodland Valley (51 sites)
North Carolina
When it came time to settle down for a few months and find a spot where our third son could be born, we knew that this time around we wanted to be back east. The decision was based purely on wanting to be relatively close to family in Pennsylvania and Florida for awhile, before the little guy was born and we headed back out West. To that end, we toured extensively through the mountains of New England and the Great Lakes, certain we’d find some perfect place in of those two locations.
Unable to decide, we took a quick roadtrip to Western North Carolina and instantly fell in love. From the Smoky Mountains to small towns like Montreat and Bryson City to bustling Asheville, everything along the Blue Ridge Parkway and these largest-mountains-in-the-east sings of the kind of beauty usually only found out west.
In / Out Rules
14 nights out of 30.
Alcohol
Alcohol is not permitted in North Carolina’s State Parks.
Junior Ranger Program
North Carolina has a Junior Ranger Program, in addition to a variety of other children’s programs, like their Scavenger Hunt, where you can go out to any park, photograph 12 of the 15 items on the list, and then be entered into a drawing to win stuff like REI gift cards.
The Junior Ranger Program is statewide, but Carvers Creek, Chimney Rock, Mount Jefferson and William B. Umstead State Parks also have their own individual Jr. Ranger Programs. Note that none of those parks offer RV camping, though.
List of North Carolina State Parks with RV Camping
Note that “with hookups” typically means water and electric only.
- Falls Lake State Recreation Area (176 sites with hookups, 99 without)
- Jordan Lake State Recreation Area (690 sites with hookups, 1000 total)
- Kerr Lake State Recreation Area (342 sites with hookups, 700 total)
- Carolina Beach State Park (80 sites)
- Cliffs of the Neuse State Park (30 sites)
- Jones Lake State Park (20 sites)
- Merchants Millpond State Park (20 sites)
- Medoc Mountain State Park (34 sites, 12 with hookups)
- Pettigrew State Park (13 sites)
- Hanging Rock State Park (70 sites)
- Lake Norman State Park (30 sites)
- Morrow Mountain State Park (100+ sites)
- Pilot Mountain State Park (~50 sites)
- Stone Mountain State Park (~40 sites)
North Dakota
In / Out Rules
14 out of 30 nights.
List of North Dakota State Parks with RV Camping
- Beaver Lake (31 sites)
- Cross Ranch (65 sites)
- Lewis and Clark (87 water & electric sites)
- Fort Ransom (25 electric sites)
- Turtle River (125 water & electric sites)
- Shelvers Grove State Rec Area (26 full hookup sites)
- Grahams Island (144 full hookup sites)
- Lake Metigoshe State Park (125 water & electric sites)
- Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park (95 water & electric sites)
- Little Missouri State Park (25 electric sites)
- Sully Creek State Rec Area (37 sites)
- Doyle Memorial State Park (? sites)
- Indian Hills State Rec Area and Resort (water and electric sites)
- Lake Sakakawea State Park (192 water & electric sites)
- Fort Stevenson State Park (145 full hookup sites)
Ohio
Ohio’s state parks largely reflect its residents. Fishing is encouraged. Hunting is even allowed. Otherwise, the experience can be imagined largely as your traditional family camping. S’mores over campfires and lots of tenters under trees. But without the beers, alcohol is not allowed (common for state parks in this part of the country).
In / Out Rules
14 nights out of 30.
Alcohol
Ohio is one of the states that does not permit alcohol at its state parks.
List of Ohio State Parks with RV Camping
Note that the hookups listed are the most possible, but not every site may have all hookups. For example, if a campground is listed as “50 site, full hookup”, only some of those sites may have actual full hookups. Check with the parks availability.
- Mt. Gilead (54 sites, electric only)
- Delaware (176 sites, electric hookup)
- Alum Creek (252 sites, full hookup)
- Malabar Farm (15 primitive sites)
- Mohican (156 sites, full hookup)
- Indian Lake (444 sites, full hookup)
- Van Buren (61 sites, electric only)
- Findley (254 sites, electric only)
- Kiser Lake (65 sites, electric only)
- Buck Creek (95 sites, electric only)
- Dillon (169 sites, electric only)
- Muskingum River (19 primitive sites)
- East Harbor (485 sites, full hookup)
- A.W. Marion (48 sites, electric only)
- Deer Creek (20 sites, electric only)
- Kelley’s Island (93 sites, electric only)
- Mary Jane Thurston (35 sites, electric only)
- John Bryan (53 sites, electric only)
- South Bass Island (62 sites, full hookup)
- Lake Loramie (124 sites, electric only)
- Grand Lake St. Mary’s (194 sites, full hookup)
- Maumee Bay (224 sites, electric only)
- Portage Lakes (69 sites, electric only)
- Blue Rock (97 sites)
- Great Seal (25 sites)
- Hocking Hills (169 sites, electric only)
- Tar Hollow (83 sites, electric only)
- Salt Fork (252 sites, full hookups)
- Sycamore (15 non-electric equestrian sites)
- Caesar Creek (245 sites, electric only)
- Burr Oak (93 sites, electric only)
- Lake Hope (190 sites, electric only)
- Paint Creek (156 sites, electric only)
- Scioto Trail (47 sites, electric only)
- Cowan Lake (220 sites, electric only)
- Wolf Run (128 sites, electric only)
- Pike Lake (79 sites, electric only)
- Harrison Lake (177 sites, electric only)
- Rocky Fork (124 sites, full hookups)
- Lake Alma (70 sites, electric only)
- West Branch (184 sites, full hookup)
- Barkcamp (138 sites, electric only)
- Stonelick (95 sites, electric only)
- Punderson (111 sites, full hookups)
- Guilford Lake (36 sites, electric only)
- Jefferson Lake (45 primitive sites)
- Hueston Woods (345 sites, electric only)
- East Fork (341 sites, full hookups)
- Forked Run (145 sites, electric only)
- Beaver Creek (56 sites, electric only)
- Mosquito Lake (177 sites, electric only)
- Shawnee (88 sites, electric only)
- Geneva (79 sites, full hookups)
- Pymatuning (279 sites, full hookups)
Oklahoma
OK is one of the states with “resort parks”, where you’ll find things like shops, restaurants and golfing. They’re more or less one of the swankier of parks, and by that I do mean that there are no parks that offer primitive-only camping, so if you love to at least have an electric and water connection, you’re in luck in the Sooner State.
In / Out Rules
14 nights at any one campground. Extensions are available upon request.
Junior Ranger Program
List of Oklahoma State Parks
- Little Sahara (86 water & electric sites)
- Alabaster Caverns (22 water & electric sites)
- Grand Lake (215 water & electric sites)
- Beavers Bend & Hochatown (87 water & electric sites)
- Roman Nose (12 full hookup, 35 water & electric sites)
- Robbers Cave (22 full hookup, 67 water & electric sites)
- Sequoyah Bay (71 water & electric sites)
- Lake Texoma (88 full hookup, 41 water & electric sites)
- Osage Hills (20 water & electric sites)
- Raymond Gary (100 full hookup, 9 water & electric sites)
- Lake Thunderbird (30 full hookup, 170+ water & electric sites)
- Great Plains (14 full hookup, 38 water & electric sites)
- Roman Nose (48 sites, full hookups available)
- Tenkiller (85 water & electric sites, some also have full hookups)
- Great Salt Plains (1 full hookup, 63 water & electric sites)
- Keystone (72 full hookup sites)
- Foss (10 full hookup, 100 water & electric sites)
- Greenleaf (100 water & electric sites, some also have full hookups)
- Cherokee Landing (93 water & electric sites)
- Talimena (10 water & electric sites)
- Red Rock Canyon (44 full hookup, 26 primitive and 44 water & electric sites)
- Lake Murray (329 full hookup sites, + more)
- Okmulgee (47 water & electric sites + 1 full hookup site)
- Natural Falls (17 full hookup, 27 water & electric sites)
- Clayton Lake (30 water & electric sites)
- Lake Wister (118 sites, some of which are water & electric)
- Fort Cobb (7 full hookup, 284 water & electric sites)
- Dripping Springs (76 water & electric sites)
- Black Mesa (36 water & electric sites)
- Boiling Springs (40 water & electric sites)
- McGee Creek (100+ water & electric sites)
- Sequoyah (48 full hookup, 80 water & electric sites)
- Arrowhead (20 full hookup, 71 water & electric sites)
- Lake Eufaula, formerly Fountain Head (34 full hookup, 65 water & electric sites)
Oregon
The entirety of Oregon’s coast is public land. That’s not to say that it’s all officially “state park”, but it’s a testament to the dedication this state has for nature. Probably one of the big reasons so many of the Beaver State’s residents are outdoor enthusiasts to the max.
Other perks, like lush rainforest, jagged mountains and the fact that you’re allowed to have a campfire on the beach, just add to the mix. Oregon ranges from coastal forest to desert plains, and plenty of cool towns and cities in between. Few other states offer the range of pure awesomeness swirled with liberal tendencies that Oregon does.
Best of Oregon’s State Parks from Nealys on Wheels
Oregon is another state in which we found an abundance of great state parks! In particular we found several along the Oregon coast, but one of our favorites was farther inland. Camping is definitely part of the culture in Oregon, and residents and visitors to the state are lucky to have such a great state park system to take advantage of. One interesting difference we noted in Oregon was that the majority of the campers all had Oregon tags on the vehicles. It seemed like in most other states, there was always a good mix of in-state and out-of-state campers. But in Oregon it seemed most campers were happy to camp/vacation right in their own state. And with good reason–the state parks are excellent.
Memaloose State Park
Our favorite part of Oregon in general was the spectacular coast, but our favorite park was actually in Hood River – Memaloose State Park. The park is right on the Columbia River and several of the sites have great views of the water. These sites are very popular, though, so if you want a river site you must book early. There is a mixture of full hook-up sites and dry camping sites. If, like us, you don’t like to plan too far in advance, the dry sites were pretty easy to get at the last minute. The park itself is full of lots of trees that provide shade. There is an active railroad track between the campground and the river, so you can’t access the river directly from the park. The entrance to the park is via a rest area off the interstate. This made it very easy to leave the park and visit the nearby town of Hood River, which we really fell in love with; restaurants, breweries, and lots of river activities including windsurfing and kiteboarding. The only small disadvantage is that when you return to the park, there is no exit off the interstate into the park from that direction, so you have to drive a few miles down the road to the next exit and then get back on the interstate in the opposite direction.
Nehalem Bay State Park
A close 2nd favorite park was Nehalem Bay State park near the adorable coastal town of Manzanita. The beach here is just gorgeous and we loved strolling the streets of Manzanita and visiting the restaurants, coffee shops, and cute stores. The park is beautiful with walking access to the beach and the sites are spacious. It’s a very popular park though–without advance reservations we were only able to snag a 2-night stay.
Bullards Beach State Park
Bullards Beach was another favorite park. This part of the coastline is amazing, and a photographer’s dream! The rock formations on the beach and other-worldly and we spent a few hours just walking around and gawking. The park also has close to 200 sites, most of which are full hook-ups (the others are water/electric only). There’s also a historic lighthouse with guided tours throughout the day. And the nearby town of Bandon was another cute coastal town that we very much enjoyed.
In / Out Rules
14 nights in, 3 nights out.
Junior Ranger Program
Oregon has one of the best state Jr. Ranger Programs in the country. Get a book, do the activities, get a passport, visit a bunch of OR state parks, have a blast!
Get four stamps in your passport and you get a badge. Two stamps after that and you’ve earned your patch. As if Oregon wasn’t fun enough, add a little Beaver-themed goodness for the kiddos.
List of Oregon State Parks
- Ainsworth (40 full hookup sites)
- Alfred A. Loeb (45 water & electric sites)
- Beachside State Recreation Site (30 water & electric sites)
- Beverly Beach (53 full hookup sites)
- Bullards Beach (100 full hookup + 82 water & electric sites)
- Cape Blanco (50 water & electric sites)
- Cape Lookout (35 full hookup sites)
- Carl G. Washburne (500 full hookup + 5 water & electric sites)
- Catherine Creek (20 primitive sites)
- Champoeg (8 full hookup + 67 water & electric sites)
- Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site (30 water & electric sites)
- Collier Memorial (10 full hookup sites)
- Deschutes River State Recreation Area (34 water & electric sites)
- Detroit Lake (105 full hookup sites + 98 water & electric)
- Devil’s Lake State Recreation Area (25 full hookup sites + additional electric-only sites)
- Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area (18 full hookup + 1 water & electric site)
- Fall Creek State Recreation Area (39 primitive sites)
- Farewell Bend State Recreation Area (90 water & electric sites)
- Fort Stevens (170 full hookup + 300 water & electric sites)
- Goose Lake State Recreation Area (45 water & electric sites)
- Harris Beach (35 full hookup + 50 water & electric sites)
- Hilgard Junction (18 primitive sites)
- Humbug Mountain (40 water & electric sites)
- Jasper Point (30 water & electric sites)
- Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial (45 full hookup + 120 water & electric sites)
- Joseph H. Stewart State Recreation Area (150 water & electric sites)
- L.L. Stub Stewart (88 full hookup sites, some are equestrian)
- LaPine (80 full hookup + 45 water & electric sites)
- Lake Owyhee (29 water & electric sites)
- Memaloose (40 full hookup sites)
- Milo McIver (44 water & electric sites)
- Minam State Recreation Area (40 water only sites)
- Nehalem Bay (265 water & electric sites)
- Prineville Reservoir (22 full hookup + 20 water & electric sites)
- Red Bridge State Wayside (10 primitive sites)
- Silver Falls (116 water & electric sites)
- South Beach (225 water & electric sites)
- Sunset Bay (30 full hookup + 35 water & electric sites)
- Cove Palisades (85 water & electric sites)
- Tumalo (23 full hookup sites)
- Umpqua Lighthouse (10 full hookup + 9 water & electric sites)
- Unity Lake (35 water & electric sites)
- Valley of the Rogue (85 full hookup + 59 water & electric sites)
- Viento (55 water & electric sites)
- Wallowa Lake (121 full hookup sites)
- William M. Tugman (94 water & electric sites)
Pennsylvania
I grew up in Pennsylvania, and have had the opportunity to camp in many of the Keystone State’s State Parks.
It’s a largely wholesome experience. PA has very few dramatic features, but it is still beautiful in exactly the way you’d expect a state named for the forest to be. Rolling hills, mixed hardwood and pine forests, and when Autumn comes around the colors will blaze. Picture families roasting hot dogs over an open fire, maybe a little country music in the background, some fishing and a hike or two.
Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon, Pine Creek Gorge, and Ohiopyle, a white water rafting destination, are a couple of the highlights.
In / Out Rules
14 nights from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 21 otherwise.
Alcohol
Pennsylvania does not allow alcohol at it’s state parks. I’ve personally seen this rule enforced, and also seen it blatantly ignored by rangers and campers alike.
List of Pennsylvania State Parks with RV Camping
PA State Parks with Full Hookups
- Black Moshannon (74 sites, )
- Hills Creek (87 sites)
- Gifford Pinchot (289 sites)
- French Creek (200 sites)
- Hickory Run (380 sites)
- Promised Land (256 sites)
- Cook Forest (215 sites)
- Kooser (35 sites)
- Laurel Hill (260 sites)
- Pymatuning (400 sites)
PA State Parks with Electric Hookups
Note that the parks in the “Full Hookups” list above are not listed here again.
- Bald Eagle (167 sites)
- Chapman (80 sites)
- Hyner Run (30 sites)
- Kettle Creek (71 sites)
- Leonard Harrison (25 sites)
- Little Pine (99 sites)
- Lyman Run (36 sites)
- Ole Bull (79 sites)
- Parker Dam (109 sites)
- Poe Valley (50 sites)
- Raymond B. Winter (58 sites)
- Sinnemahoning (35 sites)
- Sizerville (23 sites)
- Blue Knob (50 sites)
- Caledonia (178 sites)
- Codorus (193 sites)
- Colonel Denning (52 sites)
- Cowans Gap A (204 sites)
- Fowlers Hollow (18 sites)
- Greenwood Furnace (51 sites)
- Little Buffalo (40 sites)
- Pine Grove Furnace (70 sites)
- Prince Gallitzin (400 sites)
- Shawnee (260 sites)
- Trough Creek (29 sites)
- Frances Slocum (100 sites)
- Lackawanna (90 sites)
- Locust Lake (280 sites)
- Worlds End (70 sites)
- Clear Creek (53 sites)
- Keystone (90 sites)
- Ohiopyle (200 sites)
- Raccoon Creek (184 sites)
- Ryerson Station (45 sites)
PA State Parks with Primitive Camping Only
- Cherry Springs (30 sites)
- Colton Point (25 sites)
- Patterson (10 sites)
- Poe Paddy (34 sites)
- Simon B. Elliott (25 sites)
- Ricketts Glen (120 sites)
- Tobyhanna (140 sites)
Rhode Island
The smallest state also offers the least number of state parks with camping suitable for RVs, but at four, you can bet that per capita, or at least per square footage, they’re doing alright.
In / Out Rules
During the summer, the max consecutive nights one can stay in a Rhode Island State Park is 14. The rest of the year (while the parks are open), it’s extended to 21 nights. In both cases, you have to leave for 7 days before you can come back to that particular state park.
Another interesting note is that if you make your reservation between November and May for a summer stay, you have to reserve at least four nights. Weird.
Alcohol
Rhode Island does not allow the possession or consumption of booze within it’s hallowed state campgrounds.
List of Rhode Island State Parks that offer RV Camping
Four of Rhode Island’s five state park campgrounds accommodate RVs. The only one that doesn’t, East Beach, is a beach camping area that requires 4WD, so if you’re in a van with four wheel drive or a truck camper, that may be an option too, but we’ve omitted it from this list.
- Burlingame State Park (900 primitive sites)
- Charlestown Breachway (75 primitive sites)
- Fishermen’s State Park and Campground (182 sites, 40 or so with full hookups)
- George Washington Memorial Camping Area (45 primitive sites)
South Carolina
From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, South Carolina is another great southeastern state that offers diversity not only naturally, but culturally as well. From small towns and farmlands packed with down home locals and hiking adventurers alike to the swank sophistication and fashion forward residents of coastal cities like Charleston, we haven’t found much to dislike when it comes to the Palmetto State. Oh, except for their Sunday alcohol laws. And Orangeburg. Stay away from Orangeburg.
In / Out Rules
Maximum stay on one particular site is 14 days.
Junior Ranger Program
South Carolina has an official Junior Ranger program, complete with its own website. 26 of the state’s parks participate in the program, including 20 of the parks that provide RV camping accommodations below.
There are three levels of completion for the program and each one comes with a different award, such as a flashlight, field notebook and a Junior Ranger hat or backpack. And of course, a badge!
List of South Carolina State Parks suitable for RV Camping
- Andrew Jackson (25 water & electric sites)
- Baker Creek (100 water & electric sites)
- Barnwell (25 full hookup sites)
- Calhoun Falls State Recreation Area (86 water & electric sites)
- Cheraw (18 water & electric sites)
- Chester (27 water & electric sites)
- Colleton (25 water & electric sites)
- Croft State Natural Area (50 water & electric sites)
- Devil’s Fork (82 water & electric sites)
- Dreher Island State Recreation Area (112 water & electric sites)
- Edisto Beach (125 water & electric sites)
- Givhans Ferry (25 water & electric sites)
- H. Cooper Black (27 water & electric sites)
- Hamilton Branch (200 water & electric sites)
- Hickory Knob State Resort Park (44 water & electric sites)
- Hunting Island (200 water & electric sites)
- Huntington Beach (133 full hookup sites)
- Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area (24 water & electric sites)
- Kings Mountain (125 water & electric sites)
- Lake Greenwood (125 water & electric sites)
- Lake Hartwell (117 water & electric sites)
- Lake Wateree State Recreation Area (72 water & electric sites)
- Lee (48 water & electric sites)
- Little Pee Dee (50 water & electric sites)
- Myrtle Beach (300 full hookup sites)
- Oconee (155 water & electric sites)
- Paris Mountain (39 water & electric sites)
- Poinsett (50 water & electric sites)
- Sadlers Creek (66 water & electric sites)
- Santee (188 water & electric sites)
- Sesquicentennial (87 water & electric sites)
- Table Rock (110 water & electric sites)
South Dakota
When it comes to South Dakota, we say “head to the Black Hills!” From the Badlands to Custer State Park, this corner of the state rivals anywhere else in the US simply for its combination of natural beauty and old time cowboy style small towns.
In / Out Rules
14 nights max at any one park.
Junior Ranger Program
Going by the name “Junior Naturalist Program”, there are three levels, each requiring varying tasks to be performed such as learning about nature and hiking a trail. Conquer level one and you’ve scored yourself a Junior Naturalist badge. Level two will get you a sleeping bag, and level three will get you the sweetest score yet: your choice of cool gear ranging from binoculars to snow shoes.
Grabbing that last level won’t be as easy as most Jr. Ranger programs though, one of the challenges includes “creating a nature program and presenting it to the public.”
Pretty extra fabulous South Dakota.
List of South Dakota State Parks with RV Camping
South Dakota “Prime Campgrounds”, including Electric Hookups and Waterfront Sites
These campgrounds have restrooms with showers.
- Chief White Crane Recreation Area (37 sites)
- Lewis & Clark Recreation Area (101 sites)
South Dakota “Preferred Campgrounds”
This is a list of the most popular campgrounds in South Dakota. $19 / night for electric hookups, $15 for primitive. These campgrounds also have restrooms with showers.
- Angostura Recreation Area (169 sites)
- Big Sioux Recreation Area (49 sites)
- Farm Island Recreation Area (90 sites)
- Hartford Beach (87 sites)
- Lake Cochrane Recreation Area (30 sites)
- Lake Herman (72 sites)
- Lake Louise (39 sites)
- Lake Poinsett (114 sites)
- Lake Thompson (103 sites)
- Lake Vermillion Recreation Area (94 sites)
- Mina Lake Recreation Area (36 sites)
- Newton Hills (128 sites)
- North Point Recreation Area (111 sites)
- Oahe Downstream Recreation Area (204 sites)
- Oakwood Lakes (136 sites)
- Palisades (34 sites)
- Pelican Lake Recreation Area (76 sites)
- Pickerel Lake Recreation Area (77 sites)
- Pierson Ranch Recreation Area (67 sites)
- Randall Creek Recreation Area (132 sites)
- Richmond Lake Recreation Area (24 sites)
- Rocky Point Recreation Area (66 sites)
- Roy Lake (100 sites)
- Sandy Shore Recreation Area (23 sites)
- Shadehill Recreation Area (56 sites)
- Snake Creek Recreation Area (115 sites)
- Springfield Recreation Area (20 sites)
- Walker’s Point Recreation Area (43 sites)
- West Bend Recreation Area (127 sites)
South Dakota “Modern Campgrounds”
Those with more modern conveniences, like restrooms and showers, but which didn’t make the “preferred” cut. $17 / night for electric hookups, $13 for primitive.
- Buryanek Recreation Area (44 sites)
- Cow Creek Recreation Area (39 sites)
- Fisher Grove (22 sites)
- Fort Sisseton Historic State Park (14 sites)
- Indian Creek Recreation Area (124 sites)
- Okobojo Point Recreation Area (17 sites)
- Pease Creek Recreation Area (23 sites + 5 equestrian sites)
- Platte Creek Recreation Area (36 sites)
- Swan Creek Recreation Area (26 sites)
- Union Creek (25 sites, including 4 equestrian sites)
- West Pollock Recreation Area (29 sites)
- West Whitlock Recreation Area (105 sites)
South Dakota “Basic Campgrounds”
These sites may still have electric hookups, but offer no showers and only outhouse / vault toilets. $15 for an electric site, $11 for primitive.
- Bear Butte State Park (23 sites, including 4 equestrian)
- Burke Lake Recreation Area (15 sites)
- Lake Hiddenwood Recreation Area (13 sites)
- Llewellyn Johns Recreation Area (10 sites)
- North Wheeler Recreation Area (25 sites)
Tennessee
Jerry Garcia claims there’s no place he’d rather be, and at times the understated natural areas of Tennessee do make one long to be in an old time hippy country band.
From parks dedicated specifically to birding to those in the Smoky Mountains area and even some not too far from metropoles such as Nashville or Memphis
In / Out Rules
Two weeks max stay.
Junior Ranger Program
Yes, Tennessee has an official Jr. Ranger program.
Alcohol
Technically, it’s illegal to drink anywhere at a Tennessee State Park, except for the golf courses, restaurants and lodges that sell alcohol.
List of Tennessee State Parks with RV Campgrounds
All campgrounds have water & electric, except where noted elsewhere below.
- Big Ridge (50 sites)
- Bledsoe Creek (57 sites)
- Cedars of Lebanon (87 sites)
- Chickasaw (52 sites + 32 additional equestrian sites)
- Cove Lake (106 sites)
- Cumberland Mountain (145 sites)
- David Crockett (115 sites)
- Davey Crockett Birthplace (88 sites, 54 with full hookups)
- Edgar Evins (60 sites)
- Fall Creek Falls (222 sites, including 92 full hookup sites)
- Harrison Bay (128 sites)
- Henry Horton (56 sites)
- Indian Mountain (47 sites)
- Meeman-Shelby Forest (49 sites)
- Montgomery Bell (40 sites, full hookups available)
- Mousetail Landing (25 sites)
- Natchez Trace (200+ sites, about half with full hookups)
- Nathan Bedford Forrest (37 sites)
- Norris Dam (75 sites)
- Old Stone Fort (51 sites)
- Panther Creek (50 sites)
- Paris Landing (45 sites)
- Pickett (32 sites)
- Pickwick Landing (86 sites)
- Reelfoot Lake (86 sites)
- Roan Mountain (87 sites)
- Rock Island (60 sites)
- Standing Stone (36 sites)
- T.O. Fuller (45 sites)
- Tims Ford (52 sites)
- Warriors’ Path (174 sites)
Texas
Texas is, if I may be so blatant, friggin’ rad. Libertarian ideals in the rural areas, and liberal bastions of natural playgrounds in cities like Austin butter the bread, but for our money it’s all about West Texas. The entire Big Bend region is full of rustic, sometimes crusty, small towns and open vast endless Chihuahuan desert. It’s gorgeous, and it’s tough living, but the rewards are there for those who don’t mind dirty boots and quickly warming beers.
The Best State Parks in West Texas
As noted, when it comes to Texas, like the rest of the nation, the west is the best. Most of my first year on the road was spent in West Texas, and much of the second, too. This past winter we hung around there for over month. Here’s a little hint at why…
Balmorhea State Park
A massive clear and natural pool are the highlights of the park itself, but the surrounding cliffs–a black rock covered in green lichen–make the drive here from Fort Davis as worthy as the state park itself. Notice! The wind here will knock over a small child…
Davis Mountains State Park
This park boasts Indian Lodge, a full service hotel in a state park, not always an easy thing to find. But like the drive from the above mentioned Balmorhea, this state park is all chocolate colored mountains and vegetation between. While no cell service exists in the campground, you can drive up Skyline Drive to a vista spanning all of the town of Fort Davis, the National Historic Site, and miles beyond, and as a plus full service AT&T and Verizon reception meanders it’s way on in. The nearby town is not exactly plentiful in resources, but a hardware store, post office, a few Mexican restaurants and a bar open every day but Wednesday made it worth the visit. While this is probably our least favorite corner of West Texas, or Big Bend anyway, it’s the edge of the all of the good stuff.
Big Bend Ranch State Park
Easily our favorite state park so far in the Continental US. It’s puzzling why it isn’t part of the National Park, as it would be an addition that would easily double Big Bend National Park’s value. In fact, the state park is even better than the national, as the River Road makes our #1 spot on best drives in the US and everything is just so much more easily accessible.
Instead of driving half an hour between destinations as you need to in the national park, there are trails and ruins and interesting spots to pull over and play in old movie sets or dip your toes in the Rio Grande at nearly every mile marker in Big Bend Ranch State Park.
Best of Texas’ State Parks from Nealys on Wheels
Texas is generally more of a place-we-have-to-drive-through-in-order-to-go-west, rather than a specific destination for us, but because it’s so large we have spent quite a bit of time there, and we always stay in the state parks. Texas has a good state park system and with many parks to choose from, we were always able to find one that along our route. Many of these parks were just one-night stopovers for us, but there are two parks in particular in Texas that we really love.
Texas also has a pretty good state park pass, which gets you discounted camping fees. Even though we only spent a few nights in Texas as we were passing through, it was still worthwhile for us and would definitely be beneficial for anyone planning to spend a lot of time in Texas.
Caprock Canyon State Park
Caprock Canyon State Park was selected by us only because it was somewhat along our route. But when we got there we were surprised at how beautiful it was! As soon as we pulled in, we saw a sign indicating the park is home to the Official Bison Herd of Texas. And a couple of miles later…we saw the herd! The camp sites here are very large and spacious and we had plenty of room to stretch out. There are several miles of trails for hiking in the park. We only did a couple of them but I’d love to return someday and hike some more. The red rocks and canyons are really stunning and it’s definitely a park I’d recommend.
McKinney Falls State Park
Our other favorite Texas state park is McKinney Falls. For one thing, it’s right outside of Austin, which is one of our favorite cities. But in addition to that, it’s just a really great park. The sites are well spaced and offer water and electric (but no sewer). There are hiking/biking trails, swimming, and waterfalls. We were also treated a field full of the iconic Texas blue bonnets during our April visit.
In / Out Rules
While some parks do allow for monthly rentals during the winter months, the official stance of most parks is 14 days in, 14 days out. Some parks are less strict about this than others. Inversely, some parks enforce a “14 days in the entire park system, 14 days out of the entire park system”, so if you stay in Brazos Bend for 14 days and try and show up at McKinney Falls the next day, they will inform you that you can’t come back until you’ve been completely out of every Texas State Park for 14 days.
Junior Ranger Program
Texas has a great Junior Ranger Program where kids fill out the typical booklet where they learn about the history and nature of the state. Their are three levels, and kids can earn a button for each level they complete.
List of Texas State Parks with RV-friendly Campgrounds
Texas State Parks with Full Hookups
- Abilene
- Atlanta
- Bastrop
- Blanco
- Caddo Lake
- Cleburne
- Daingerfield
- Davis Mountains
- Eisenhower
- Falcon
- Fort Richardson, Lost Creek Reservoir State Trailway
- Goliad
- Lake Brownwood
- Lake Corpus Christi
- Lake Livingston
- Lake Whitney
- Lockhart
- McKinney Falls
- Meridian
- Mission Tejas
- Stephen F. Austin State Park
- Tyler
Texas State Parks with Water & Electric Sites
- Balmorhea (cable TV hook-ups)
- Bonham (Some sites are tent-only)
- Brazos Bend
- Buescher
- Caprock Canyons Trailway
- Cedar Hill
- Choke Canyon
- Cooper Lake
- Copper Breaks
- Dinosaur Valley
- Fairfield Lake
- Fort Parker
- Galveston Island
- Garner
- Goose Island
- Guadalupe River
- Hueco Tanks SHS
- Huntsville
- Inks Lake
- Lake Arrowhead
- Lake Bob Sandlin
- Lake Casa Blanca
- Lake Colorado City
- Lake Mineral Wells Trailway
- Lake Somerville Trailway
- Lake Tawakoni
- Lake Texana
- Lost Maples SNA
- Martin Creek Lake
- Martin Dies, Jr.
- Monahans Sandhills
- Mother Neff
- Mustang Island
- Palmetto
- Palo Duro Canyon
- Pedernales Falls
- Possum Kingdom
- Purtis Creek
- Ray Roberts Lake
- San Angelo
- Sea Rim
- Seminole Canyon
- South Llano River
- Village Creek
Texas State Parks with Primitive Camping Only
While offering no hookups, these parks can still accommodate RVs for the most part.
- Big Bend Ranch
- Colorado Bend
- Devils River State Natural Area
- Franklin Mountains
- Hill Country State Natural Area
Utah
Ah, Utah, how we do love thee. From the cornucopia of color found along US 40 in the northeastern corner of the state to the entire southern National Parks area, we have spent months at a time exploring this paradise which is all too often given a bad reputation from the occasional media report on some messed up Mormon activity. Please though, do your good self a favor and look beyond that one dark spot the state is forced to endure and see the raw natural beauty that the state indeed does embrace.
Best of Utah’s State Parks from Nealys on Wheels
As far as spectacular, natural scenery, this state has several state parks that rank right up there with the best of the best. Utah is known for Arches, Zion, and Bryce Canyon National Parks, but we found several state parks that had some of the same natural beauty. One added benefit is that most of the state parks we visited allowed advanced reservations, whereas most of the national parks were first-come-first-served, or didn’t have big enough campgrounds to fit a larger RV (our RV is 35′ long.) We visited 5 different state parks in Utah, and camped at 4 of them. After two years of travel, the Utah state parks still rank among our favorites as far as scenery and access to hiking.
Kodachrome Basin State Park
This state park is located just southeast of Bryce Canyon. The name Kodachrome was inspired by the natural beauty and color within the park. The natural geologic features, including stone spires and sandstone layers, are simply outstanding. The park has the added benefit of several sites…with full hook-ups! There are good hiking trails right in the park, and you can access a part of the Grand Staircase National Monument via a dirt road right nearby, too. The only downside is there is zero cell service here – it’s a total dead zone. You’ll have to drive about 30 minutes if you need to check your voice mail or email. Of course, this may be considered a benefit if you’re really looking to disconnect!
Dead Horse Point State Park
This park is located southwest of Moab and Arches National Park. We didn’t stay in this park, but based upon several recommendations we decided to visit it on a day trip and do some hiking. It’s a mini-Grand Canyon, with dramatic overlooks of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. In all honesty, I thought it was even more beautiful than the Grand Canyon! There are several hiking trails, including one which leads out to Deadhorse Point. Legend has it that cowboys would round up wild horses and bring them to Deadhorse Point, which provided a natural corral with the dropoffs into the canyon. The cowboys would take the best horses, leaving the remaining horses on the point to starve or fall to their deaths.
This is also where the famous final scene in Thelma & Louise was filmed.
Jordanelle State Park
If you want to visit Park City, Jordanelle State Park is an excellent place to camp. Park City is only about 20 minutes away, and the park has nice views of the Jordanelle Reservoir. Most sites do not have full hook-ups, but if you visit in the off-season, you can nab one of the full-hook up spots which are normally reserved for camp hosts.
We also visited Palisade State Park, which has a golf course and kayak/paddle board rentals, and fishing, as well as Bear Lake State Park, which is a stunning turqoise blue lake nicknamed the Caribbean of the Rockies.
In / Out Rules
14 days in any 30 day period.
Junior Ranger Program
Utah does indeed have its own Jr. Ranger program – get the book, do the stuff, earn the badge!
List of Utah State Parks with RV Camping
- Antelope Island (26 primitive sites)
- Bear Lake (143 sites, full hookups available)
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes (22 primitive sites)
- Dead Horse Point (21 electric sites)
- Deer Creek (53 sites, full hookups available)
- East Canyon (76 sitesm full hookups available)
- Escalante Petrified Forest (22 water & electric sites)
- Fremont Indian (30 primitive sites)
- Goblin Valley (23 primitive sites)
- Goosenecks (no specific sites, but loads of primitive dispersed camping)
- Great Salt Lake (water & electric sites)
- Green River (36 electric sites)
- Gunlock (primitive sites)
- Huntington (22 primitive sites)
- Hyrum (32 water & electric sites)
- Jordanelle (144 water & electric sites)
- Kodachrome Basin (31 sites, full hookups available)
- Millsite (20 primitive sites)
- Otter Creek (53 electric sites)
- Palisade (76 sites, full hookups available)
- Piute (primitive sites)
- Quail Creek (23 primitive sites)
- Red Fleet (38 sites, full hookups available)
- Rockport (86 water & electric sites)
- Sand Hollow (67 sites, full hookups available)
- Scofield (water & electric sites)
- Snow Canyon (31 water & electric sites)
- Starvation (33 water & electric sites)
- Steinaker (31 sites, full hookups available)
- Utah Lake (71 water & electric sites)
- Wasatch Mountain (139 sites, full hookups available)
- Willard Bay (78 sites, full hookups available)
- Yuba (107 water & electric sites)
Vermont
Vermont means “Green Mountains”, and that’s what it has to offer. From Lake Champlain and the hippy hipster of Burlington to VT Route 100, small towns like Wilmington to the 3rd of July Parade in Montpelier. Vermont understands the beauty of keeping towns small and areas natural, and laws are in place to keep billboards virtually non-existent and even when chain stores like McDonalds do exist, there signage is kept low to the ground a low to the key.
In / Out Rules
21 nights at any one particular campground. There’s also a minimum 2-nights for any reservation, and before March 1st there’s a 4-night minimum reservation for Brighton, Burton Island, Button Bay, Coolidge, Emerald Lake, Half Moon, Jamaica, Lake St. Catherine, Little River, Maidstone, Ricker Pond, and Stillwater State Park.
Junior Ranger Program
Split into two age groups, kids can participate in the Salamander Junior Ranger Program (aimed at ages 4-8) or the Beaver Program (9+). Activities range from writing poems to identifying animal tracks, and you get a patch when you’re done!
List of Vermont State Parks with RV Camping
There are no hookups in any of Vermont’s State Parks. Generators are typically allowed, and water is available to refill your coffers every few campsites.
- Elmore (45 primitive sites)
- Emerald Lake (67 primitive sites)
- Maidstone (34 primitive sites)
- Brighton (61 primitive sites)
- Big Deer (23 primitive sites)
- New Discovery (46 primitive sites)
- Ricker Pond (27 primitive sites)
- Stillwater (62 primitive sites)
- Quechee (45 primitive sites)
- Silver Lake (40 primitive sites)
- Branbury (17 primitive sites)
- Gifford Woods (22 primitive sites)
- Jamaica (41 primitive sites)
- Mt. Ascutney (39 primitive sites)
- Coolidge (26 primitive sites)
- Fort Dummer (50 primitive sites)
- Molly Stark (23 primitive sites)
- Woodford (103 primitive sites)
- Townshend (30 primitive sites)
- Wilgus (17 primitive sites)
- Half Moon Pond (52 primitive sites)
- Branbury (17 primitive sites)
- Bomoseen (~56 primitive sites)
- Lake St. Catherine (50 primitive sites)
- Button Bay (60 primitive sites)
- Little River (81 primitive sites)
- Smugglers’ Notch
- Lake Carmi (140 primitive sites)
- Burton Island (17 primitive sites)
Virginia
Though they say that Virginia is for lovers, we think it’s for families on the trail. The state parks are similar to nearby states–it’s less about dramatic natural features and more about the wholesome experience that families can experience by spending their days fishing, touring the trails, and picnicking and evenings spent ’round the fire. We particularly loved the state parks surrounding Shenandoah National Park, which offered a little hookup relief from the strictly boondocking experience the National Park provides.
In / Out Rules
14 nights in any 30 day period.
Alcohol
State Parks in Virginia don’t permit alcohol, except in private areas, which they define as more or less being inside. So if you’re in your RV it should be cool, though we’ve personally never had an issue with drinking beer around a fire at our campsite.
Junior Ranger Program
Individual state parks such as Pocahontas State Park have their own ranger programs, with a patch to earn and all.
List of Virginia State Parks
Parks are generally listed from West to East.
- Hungry Mother (42 water & electric sites, 30 full hookup sites)
- Grayson Highlands (41 water & electric sites, 32 primitive sites & 23+ equestrian water & electric)
- Claytor Lake (40 water & electric sites, 70 primitive sites)
- Fairy Stone (50 water & electric sites)
- Smith Mountain Lake (24 water & electric sites)
- Douthat (19 primitive, 68 water & electric sites)
- Staunton River (34 water & electric sites)
- Occoneechee (9 primitive, 39 water & electric sites)
- Twin Lakes (33 water & electric sites)
- Holliday Lake (36 water & electric sites)
- James River (40 water & electric sites)
- Bear Creek Lake (37 water & electric sites)
- Pocahontas (114 water & electric sites)
- Lake Anna (23 water & electric sites, 23 primitive sites)
- Shenandoah River (32 water & electric sites, 10 primitive sites)
- Westmoreland (42 water & electric sites, 74 primitive sites)
- Belle Isle (28 water & electric sites)
- Chippokes Plantation (50 water & electric sites)
- Kiptopeke (54 water & electric sites, 32 full hookup sites, 5 primitive)
- First Landing (107 water & electric sites, 81 primitive sites)
- Breaks Park (115 water & electric sites, 9 primitive sites)
- Natural Tunnel (34 water & electric sites)
Washington
When we eventually stop this whole full-time traveling life, Washington is first on our list of places to “settle down”. Volcanos, rainforest, the birthplace of grunge…what isn’t to like?
Unfortunately, it’s state parks are some of the worst–at least when it comes to value–in the country.
They can cost as much as $45 / night which doesn’t even necessarily mean you’re going to get full hookups. And for a state so blessed with gorgeous natural environments, the state parks don’t always celebrate those. For example, a desert park near Quincy, WA is basically a big grass yard, an eyesore in the middle of a largely barren environment. Or the state park near Chelan, WA where we literally were electrified as we camped beneath so many buzzing powerlines that our Airstream was shocking us when we touched it. Bad form, Washington, you can do better.
In / Out Rules
10 days in any one park April through September, 20 days otherwise.
Junior Ranger Program
Certain parks, such as Deception Pass, have their own Junior Ranger programs. Others, like Cape Dissapointment, have programs integrated with nearby National Parks or Monuments. But many of the parks also offer out of the ordinary activities for kids, such as Cama State Park’s wooden toy boat building classes (which are free, or suggested donation of $3)!
List of Washington State Parks
- Alta Lake (34 water & electric sites)
- Battle Ground Lake (25 water & electric sites + 25 primitive)
- Bay View (30 water & electric sites)
- Beacon Rock (5 full hookup sites + 26 primitive sites, but only a few can accommodate RVs)
- Belfair (19 full hookup sites + 37 additional sites)
- Birch Bay (149 primitive sites + 20 water & electric)
- Blake Island (44 primitive sites)
- Bogachiel (26 primitive sites + 6 water & electric)
- Bridgeport (20 water & electric sites)
- Brooks Memorial (23 full hookup sites)
- Camano Island (88 primitive sites)
- Cape Disappointment (137 primitive, 18 water & electric + 60 full hookup sites)
- Columbia Hills (8 water & electric sites)
- Conconully (20 water & electric sites)
- Curlew Lake (18 full hookup + 7 water & electric sites)
- Daroga (28 water & electric sites)
- Dash Point (27 full hookups + 114 primitive sites)
- Deception Pass (143 water & electric sites)
- Dosewallips (70 primitive, 10 water & electric + 45 full hookup sites)
- Fields Spring (20 primitive sites)
- Fort Casey (21 primitive + 14 water & electric sites)
- Fort Ebey (39 primitive + 11 water & electric sites)
- Fort Flagler (59 primitive + 55 full hookup sites)
- Fort Townsend (40 primitive sites)
- Fort Worden State Park and Conference Center (50 full hookup + 30 water & electric sites)
- Ginkgo / Wanapum (50 full hookup sites)
- Grayland Beach (58 full hookup + 38 water & electric sites)
- Ike Kinswa (31 primitive, 41 full hookup + 31 water & electric sites)
- Illahee (23 primitive + 2 full hookup sites)
- Jarrell Cove (22 primitive sites)
- Kanaskat-Palmer (19 electric sites)
- Kitsap Memorial (21 primitive + 18 water & electric sites)
- Lake Chelan (18 water & electric + 17 full hookup sites)
- Lake Easton (45 full hookup sites)
- Lake Sylvia (4 water & electric sites + 31 additional sites, most of which can accommodate RVs)
- Lake Wenatchee (42 water & electric sites)
- Larrabee (26 full hookup sites)
- Lewis & Clark (9 full hookup sites)
- Lewis & Clark Trail (24 primitive sites)
- Lincoln Rock (32 full hookup + 35 water & electric sites)
- Manchester (15 water & electric sites)
- Maryhill (50 full hookup sites)
- Millersylvania (48 water & electric sites)
- Moran (151 primitive sites)
- Mount Spokane (8 primitive sites)
- Ocean City (149 primitive + 29 full hookup sites)
- Pacific Beach (18 primitive sites + 42 electric)
- Paradise Point (18 water & electric sites)
- Pearrygin Lake (76 primitive, 50 full hookup + 27 water & electric sites)
- Potholes (60 full hookup sites)
- Potlatch (35 water & electric sites)
- Rainbow Falls (39 primitive + 8 water & electric)
- Rasar (18 primitive + 20 water & electric sites sites)
- Riverside (16 water & electric sites, 16 primitive sites, 10 equestrian sites + additional availability)
- Saltwater (47 primitive sites)
- Scenic Beach (18 sites that can accommodate large RVs)
- Schafer (9 water & electric sites + additional primitive)
- Seaquest (33 sites, some with full hookups)
- Sequim Bay (15 full hookup sites)
- South Whidbey (8 water & electric sites sites)
- Steamboat Rock (136 full hookup sites)
- Sun Lakes (39 full hookup sites)
- Twanoh (22 full hookup sites)
- Twenty-Five Mile Creek (13 full hookup + 8 water & electric sites sites)
- Twin Harbors (42 full hookup sites)
- Wenatchee Confluence (51 full hookup sites)
- Yakima Sportsman (37 full hookup sites)
West Virginia
Our favorite of all the Appalachian States, West Virginia is old growth forests on dramatic mountains and plenty of small towns like you won’t find in most of the heavily populated eastern states.
I could list of names of great areas, Fayetteville, Thomas, the Savage River area, but I won’t…oh wait, I already did. Well there you go.
In / Out Rules
14 consecutive days with exceptions granted during the Fall, Winter and Spring seasons.
Junior Ranger Program
No official program nor mention of one in individual parks.
List of West Virginia State Parks
West Virginia State Parks with RV Camping
- Audra (6 electric + 61 primitive sites)
- Babcock (52 sites, some with electric)
- Beech Fork (49 full hookup, 49 electric + additional primitive sites)
- Blackwater Falls (30 electric + 35 primitive sites)
- Bluestone (7 water & electric, 15 electric-only + 10 primitive sites)
- Camp Creek (16 electric, 7 water & electric + 3 full hookup sites)
- Canaan Valley Resort (57 full hookup sites, a “West Virginia Resort State Park”)
- Cedar Creek (65 water & electric sites)
- Chief Logan (14 full hookup + 12 water & electric sites)
- Holly River (88 electric sites)
- Little Beaver (30 water & electric + 16 water-only sites)
- Moncove Lake (25 electric + 23 primitive sites)
- North Bend (28 water & electric, 26 electric + 24 primitive sites)
- Pipestem (21 full hookup, 19 electric + 32 primitive sites, another “West Virginia Resort State Park”)
- Stonewall Jackson (multiple full hookup sites, this is also a “West Virginia Resort State Park”)
- Tomlinson Run (39 electric + 15 primitive sites)
- Twin Falls (25 electric + 25 primitive sites)
- Tygart Lake (14 electric + 26 primitive sites)
- Watoga (50 electric sites + 38 primitive)
West Virginia State Forests with RV Camping
- Cabwaylingo (17 primitive + 6 water & electric sites)
- Coopers Rock (25 electric sites)
- Greenbrier (16 electric sites)
- Kanawha (46 water & electric sites)
- Kumbrabow (13 sites that can accommodate small RVs)
- Seneca (10 primitive sites)
West Virginia Wildlife Management Areas with RV Camping
All sites are primitive except at Panther WMA.
- Berwind Lake WMA (8 sites)
- Bluestone WMA (hundreds of sites, not all suitable for RVs)
- Panther (6 electric sites)
- Plum Orchard Lake WMA (38 sites)
Wisconsin
They’ve got cheese. And 32 state parks with camping that can accommodate state parks. All of which have at least electric hookups. So there’s that!
In / Out Rules
14 days in a particular park in any 21-day period. Two weeks in, two weeks out, not too shabby considering how many parks there are to hop.
Junior Ranger Program
Wisconsin’s version is called the Wisconsin Explorer Program. There are three different books, aimed at different age groups, and a badge for each when you wrap it all up. Start when you’re now, end when you’re then!
Alcohol
For the most part, having a beverage around your campsite is allowed. Even bringing a beer or two along with you to enjoy during day use at picnic areas is allowed. Exceptions are Bigfoot Beach and Heritage Hill State Parks. Heritage Hill doesn’t have camping, but it’s probably a safe bet that while you can’t drink on the beach, if you’re at Bigfoot and in a campsite you’re all set.
Generators
Wisconsin is not down with generators. Basically, get yourself an electric site or don’t show up.
List of Wisconsin State Parks with RV Camping
All sites primitive (no hookups) except where noted. The numbers reflect the amount of reservable sites, additional sites may be available.
- Amnicon Falls (36 sites)
- Big Bay (38 sites + 15 electric)
- Big Foot Beach (29 sites + 32 electric)
- Blue Mound (27 sites + 18 electric)
- Brunet Island (34 sites + 15 electric)
- Buckhorn (59 sites + 10 electric)
- Copper Falls (21 sites + 24 electric)
- Council Grounds (33 sites + 19 electric)
- Devil’s Lake (178 sites + 121 electric)
- Governor Dodge (75 sites + 57 electric)
- Governor Thompson (84 sites + 16 electric)
- Harrington Beach (26 sites + 29 electric)
- Hartman Creek (54 sites + 24 electric)
- High Cliff (77 sites + 30 electric)
- Interstate (34 sites + 23 electric)
- Kohler-Andrae (54 sites + 68 electric)
- Lake Wissota (57 sites + 59 electric)
- Merrick (32 sites + 22 electric)
- Mill Bluff (15 sites + 6 electric)
- Mirror Lake (76 sites + 34 electric)
- Nelson Dewey (11 sites + 18 electric)
- New Glarus Woods (17 sites)
- Pattison (38 sites + 17 electric)
- Peninsula (299 sites + 157 electric)
- Perrot (43 sites + 36 electric)
- Potawatomi (56 sites + 39 electric)
- Roche-A-Cri (30 sites + 5 electric)
- Rocky Arbor (61 sites + 17 electric)
- Wildcat Mountain (15 sites + 21 equestrian electric sites)
- Willow River (95 sites + 55 electric)
- Wyalusing (53 sites + 26 electric)
- Yellowstone (50 sites + 24 electric)
Wyoming
The least populated state given the amount of land, Wyoming is more or less vacant, making it a perfect place to explore if you’re the get away from it all type. To match, there are only ten state parks with campgrounds suitable for RVs, but we can more or less promise that–if you love the wild wild west–you will not be disappointed.
In / Out Rules
14 days out of 30.
Junior Ranger Program
In addition to an official Junior Ranger program, Wyoming offers other experiences like “Trees for Wyoming”, where youth can help fight beetle infestations, and Off Road Vehicle Safety programs. It’s a pretty great place for kids to discover nature, and the state is trying to make such activities a priority.
Get ’em while they’re young.
List of Wyoming State Parks with RV Camping
Sites are all primitive unless noted otherwise
- Boysen State Park (64 sites)
- Buffalo Bill State Park (99 water & electric sites)
- Connor Battlefield Historic Site (20 sites)
- Curt Gowdy State Park (145 water & electric sites)
- Glendo State Park (435 sites)
- Guernsey State Park (240 sites)
- Hawk Springs State Recreation Area (24 sites)
- Keyhole State Park (283 water & electric sites)
- Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site (25 sites)
- Seminoe State Park (60 sites)
US State Park Systems Ranked
This is our list of how friendly each state’s park system is for RVers. We took into account pricing, availability, and the number of sites. Any ties were broken by our own particular fondness for a particular state. Ranked from best to worst.
- Utah
- Texas
- Colorado
- Oregon
- Wyoming
- Arizona
- North Carolina
- West Virginia
- South Dakota
- Idaho
- Georgia
- California
- Montana
- Alaska
- Vermont
- Maine
- South Carolina
- Florida
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
- New York
- Nevada
- Michigan
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
- North Dakota
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Delaware
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
- Maryland
- Nebraska
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Missouri
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Washington
- Ohio
- New Jersey
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Hawaii