USA TODAY 10Best
10 national parks for serene camping and RVing getaways
Best National Park for RVing/Camping (2023)
Camping out in tents or RVs at national parks is a fantastic way to reconnect with nature and enjoy the outdoors. And with 63 beautiful national parks to choose from across the U.S. – each offering a range of campgrounds and amenities – campers are spoiled for choice.
To find the best, an expert panel and 10Best editors selected their top picks, then our readers voted for their favorites. Here are the 10 best U.S. national parks for camping and RVing.
- Big Bend National Park - Texas
- Bryce Canyon National Park - Utah
- Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming
- Badlands National Park - South Dakota
- Rocky Mountain National Park - Colorado
- Grand Canyon National Park - Arizona
- Redwood National and State Parks - California
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park - North Carolina/Tennessee
- Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming
- Chickasaw National Recreation Area - Oklahoma
Photo courtesy of pchoui // Getty Images
No. 10:
Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas is a majestic park that includes the entire Chisos mountain range and a large part of the Chihuahuan Desert. The park has four campgrounds: the Chisos Basin Campground, the Rio Grande Village Campground, the Cottonwood Campground and the Rio Grande Village RV Park.
Photo courtesy of NPS Photo/Peter Densmore
No. 9:
Bryce Canyon National Park is a gorgeous place with pink cliffs, red rocks, dark skies and picture-perfect vistas, as well as the largest concentration of hoodoos (irregular columns of rock) found anywhere in the world. Bryce Canyon National Park has two campgrounds: North Campground and Sunset Campground – both being located near the Visitor Center. North Campground is open all year, while the Sunset Campground is seasonal.
Photo courtesy of JohnnyGreig // Getty Images
No. 8:
Located in Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park boasts pristine alpine terrain, a wide variety of wildlife, the Snake River and over 200 miles of trails. Designated campgrounds are plentiful throughout the park and need to be reserved in advance. If you want to try backcountry camping in the wilderness, keep in mind that you need to get a permit.
Photo courtesy of milehightraveler // Getty Images
No. 7:
The famous Badlands National Park has two established campgrounds: the Sage Creek Campground and the Cedar Pass Campground. They offer campers the chance to observe the thousands of stars and the Milky Way from their campsite at night. By day, they can explore all of the buttes, canyons, pinnacles and spires that the park has to offer.
Photo courtesy of NPS Photo by Debbie Biddle
No. 6:
Rocky Mountain National Park has been celebrated in songs, poems and stories – and for good reason. It has the Continental Divide and encompasses protected mountains, forests and alpine tundra. The Moraine Park Campground is the only winter campground, with a few other campgrounds open in summer. Backcountry camping is also allowed.
Photo courtesy of RyanKing999 // Getty Images
No. 5:
Grand Canyon National Park is home to the famous, massive Grand Canyon that attracts visitors from all over the world. Viewpoints within the park include Yavapai Observation Station, Mather Point and Desert View Watchtower. A variety of year-round and seasonal campgrounds are available, and the most popular campsite is at the South Rim.
Photo courtesy of JessicaHarrison // Getty Images
No. 4:
Redwood National Park wows with its rivers, hills, coastline and, most importantly, its forests. Wildlife that can be spotted in the park include seals, Roosevelt elk and whales. There are four developed campgrounds at the park, and backcountry camping is allowed with a permit.
Photo courtesy of LL28 // Getty Images
No. 3:
The gorgeous Great Smoky Mountains National Park is partly in North Carolina and partly in Tennessee. It has an abundance of wildlife and wildflowers in the spring, and it even includes a segment of the Appalachian Trail. It offers frontcountry campsites where guests can park near their tent, in addition to backcountry camping.
Photo courtesy of Kat Brekken
No. 2:
Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming became the first national park in the United States when it was established in 1872. It has 2.2 million acres and is known for its herds of bison. A variety of campgrounds can be found throughout the park with more than 2,000 established campsites.
Photo courtesy of NPS Photo
No. 1:
Situated in the foothills of the Arbuckle Mountains in south-central Oklahoma, the Chickasaw National Recreation Area encompasses the former Platt National Park and Arbuckle Recreation Area. There are six campgrounds spread throughout the park for both RV and tent camping.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Andrea Richards
Andrea Richards is a Los Angeles and North... Read More
Andrea Richards is a Los Angeles and North Carolina based writer and the author of five books, including The 500 Hidden Secrets of Los Angeles. Find out more at andrearichardsla.com.
Andrea Richards
Andrea Richards is a Los Angeles and North Carolina based writer and the author of five books, including The 500 Hidden Secrets of Los Angeles. Find out more at andrearichardsla.com.
Brandon Withrow
Brandon Withrow is a travel journalist based in... Read More
Brandon Withrow is a travel journalist based in Northwest Ohio, covering ecotourism, wildlife, outdoor adventures, and eco-friendly stays, as well as the secrets of underrated cities. He appears in The Daily Beast, BBC Travel, Canadian Geographic, Business Insider, The Hill, and Sierra Magazine. You can find him at www.brandonwithrow.com, @bwithrow on Twitter, and @bgwithrow on Instagram.
Brandon Withrow
Brandon Withrow is a travel journalist based in Northwest Ohio, covering ecotourism, wildlife, outdoor adventures, and eco-friendly stays, as well as the secrets of underrated cities. He appears in The Daily Beast, BBC Travel, Canadian Geographic, Business Insider, The Hill, and Sierra Magazine. You can find him at www.brandonwithrow.com, @bwithrow on Twitter, and @bgwithrow on Instagram.
Chelle Koster Walton
Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for... Read More
Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean — has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for Caribbean Travel & Life for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes; has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.
Chelle Koster Walton
Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean — has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for Caribbean Travel & Life for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes; has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.
Chez Chesak
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor... Read More
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com.
Chez Chesak
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com.
Dave Stamboulis
Dave Stamboulis is a travel writer/photographer... Read More
Dave Stamboulis is a travel writer/photographer based in Bangkok. Born in Athens, Greece and growing up in the U.S., Dave first discovered Bangkok while on a 45,000-kilometer bicycle trip and moved there for good in 2005. Dave's photos appear in publications around the world. He's the author of Odysseus' Last Stand, which received the Silver Medal for Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers. In addition to updating the Fodor's Guidebook to Thailand, he is the author of 500 Hidden Secrets to Bangkok, and his travel stories and photography appear in publications around the globe.
Dave Stamboulis
Dave Stamboulis is a travel writer/photographer based in Bangkok. Born in Athens, Greece and growing up in the U.S., Dave first discovered Bangkok while on a 45,000-kilometer bicycle trip and moved there for good in 2005. Dave's photos appear in publications around the world. He's the author of Odysseus' Last Stand, which received the Silver Medal for Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers. In addition to updating the Fodor's Guidebook to Thailand, he is the author of 500 Hidden Secrets to Bangkok, and his travel stories and photography appear in publications around the globe.
Kim Foley MacKinnon
Kim Foley MacKinnon is an award-winning editor,... Read More
Kim Foley MacKinnon is an award-winning editor, author and journalist based in Boston, MA. She is the executive editor of Girl Camper Magazine and is currently serving as the president of SATW (Society of American Travel Writers). There is nothing she loves more than a road trip and discovering offbeat places to eat. She owns a 1981 13-foot Scamp travel trailer, a fiberglass "egg," which serves as her tiny home on the road. Kim has also authored many guidebooks, with her most recent being "100 Things to Do on Cape Cod & the Islands Before You Die."
Kim Foley MacKinnon
Kim Foley MacKinnon is an award-winning editor, author and journalist based in Boston, MA. She is the executive editor of Girl Camper Magazine and is currently serving as the president of SATW (Society of American Travel Writers). There is nothing she loves more than a road trip and discovering offbeat places to eat. She owns a 1981 13-foot Scamp travel trailer, a fiberglass "egg," which serves as her tiny home on the road. Kim has also authored many guidebooks, with her most recent being "100 Things to Do on Cape Cod & the Islands Before You Die."
Meg St-Esprit
Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh... Read More
Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh who covers family travel, lifestyle, education, and parenting. With their four kids in tow, she and her husband love to travel anywhere and everywhere — but have a soft spot for camping and outdoor adventures. In fact, her kids are well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. Meg believes travel doesn’t need to be luxurious or costly to be valuable, and aims to share that with her audience. Meg’s work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Thrillist, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, Yahoo, Good Housekeeping, Romper, and more. Follow Meg on Instagram and Twitter at @megstesprit or check out her work on https://megstesprit.com/
Meg St-Esprit
Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh who covers family travel, lifestyle, education, and parenting. With their four kids in tow, she and her husband love to travel anywhere and everywhere — but have a soft spot for camping and outdoor adventures. In fact, her kids are well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. Meg believes travel doesn’t need to be luxurious or costly to be valuable, and aims to share that with her audience. Meg’s work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Thrillist, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, Yahoo, Good Housekeeping, Romper, and more. Follow Meg on Instagram and Twitter at @megstesprit or check out her work on https://megstesprit.com/
Nicky Omohundro
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of Read More
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter and Instagram.
Nicky Omohundro
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter and Instagram.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Expert and Award Eligibility... Read More
Catherine Smith, Expert and Award Eligibility Coordinator for the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, has a special interest in health and wellness, family travel, women's solo travel and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Expert and Award Eligibility Coordinator for the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, has a special interest in health and wellness, family travel, women's solo travel and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
