Are there convenient camping sites in the U.S.?
You and I, or for that matter, every Tom, Dick, and Harry won’t certainly look for camping sites even in our city or village nearby. In fact, even if we are offered a free night stay in a lakefront camp, we would probably refuse.
However, adventure travelers, nature lovers, and those who want to have a date with nocturnal creatures are always scouring the web for convenient camping sites. Even if they are living in a deep Southern state, they would love to pitch their camp as far as Michigan that is sharing their state border with Canada.
I have strived hard to come up with 6 excellent camping grounds that are very convenient even for a first-time camper.
The United States has numerous great places to camp. You can simply put up a tent or park your recreational vehicle (RV) at any one of these camping sites and enjoy the fresh air, listen to the mountain stream throughout the night, and do angling in the lake with the aid of the moonlight.
During the day, you can explore the lush jungles, hike on the mountain, sink in the sight of picturesque views, and do your barbeque in the company of local birds with the help of perfect camping and hiking gears.
Some of the camping sites in my list have convenient, readymade camping grounds where there are parking grounds earmarked for motorhomes. At some other places, you can either stay in a chalet or do your own backcountry camping.
-
1. Camping Sites at White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire
Ah, just perfect for pitching up your canvas tent in this picturesque camping sites. The White Mountain National Forest is located at the foothills of the White Mountains in the U.S. of New Hampshire. For your information, Maine State also is sharing this exotic camping ground in the U.S.
What can you do in the White Mountain National Forest?
You can:
- Hike on any one of the White Mountain Trails
- Take a drive through the scenic Kancamagus highway connecting the North Woodstock.
- Choose your either easy or strenuous Appalachian Trail.
The White Mountain National Forest comprises a vast area of over 3000 sq.km. There are as many as 800 camping sites and the fall season is highly recommended for a camping holiday.
-
2. Camping Sites at Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
This convenient camping site is in the Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. It is not far from the capital of the United States, the Washington D.C.
The Shenandoah National Park is a haven for avid hikers because there is nearly 900 km of walking trail on the Old Rag Mountain and the surrounding forest areas of the national park. In spite of such a vast area, there are only 4 camping grounds but all are convenient for a weekend stay.
-
3. Camping Sites at Acadia National Park, Maine
It’s a patched-up tent that is rather crudely made but totally indigenous camp. It’s a convenient camping ground that is located on Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park, Maine.
Acadia National Park is home to as many as 26 mountains (Source: Wikipedia) comprising a whopping 47,000-acre on the Atlantic coast’s Mount Desert Island. Campers love the whole landscape that is a mixture of wooded forests, rock-strewn beaches and tall mountains including the Cadillac Mountain that happens to be the highest point on the East Coast of United States.
-
4. Camping Sites at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
How about camping, facing the Gulf of Mexico where snorkelers can have a fun time touching the coral reefs? I wonder why it is called “Dry” Tortugas National Park” in spite of located right on the Gulf of Mexico, Key West, Florida! A total of seven islands give the campers several choices of convenient camping.
The famous Florida Birding Trail passes through the Dry Tortugas National Park. If the campers have some knowledge of birding, they can spot:
- Roseate Terns
- Double-Crested Cormorants
- Brown Pelicans
- Bridled Terns
- Red-Necked Phalarope
- Brown Boobies
- Red-Footed BoobiesThese boobies are a delight to watch.
- Caribbean Short-Eared Owl
I am sure the campers’ day will be full, with the activities of snorkeling and bird watching.
-
5. Camping at Minnewaska State Park Reserve, New York
This campers’ paradise is only an hour drive from New York City. The surrounding area is very scenic, especially the Shawangunk Ridge that is situated 2000 feet above the sea level.
Campers can easily get bored during the day. They need a variety of activities to keep them engaged. For that, the landscape should be varied and places to see should be many.
Minnewaska State Park Reserve, New York has several places to set up your camp but with some restrictions such as ‘no cooking’ on the camping grounds. Campers can go to see several waterfalls inside the park. Fishing and swimming are possible in three clear-water lakes. If fishing is not your plate of food, you can explore the dense wood leisurely, the wooded path suddenly ending on a cliff. During winter, skiing is a possibility on the Shawangunk Mountains.
The 20 plus campgrounds allow campers to tent-only camping which means motor-homes are not permitted on the camping sites.
-
6. Camping at Ozark National Forest, Arkansas
Comprising an area of nearly 4700 sq.km, the Ozark National Park in the state of Arkansas, U.S. is often an underestimated camping ground. For example, if such vast area has about 20 odd camping grounds that are backed by as many as nine beaches, acres, and acres of lakes, about 600 km of walking trails, don’t you think this is what a camper would be looking for? These convenient camping grounds in Arkansas permit RVs (recreational vehicles) too. They will even let you ship one there if you would rather not drive all the way there.
Some states may have more than one place as a camping site. The only the most convenient camping sites are covered in this blog post.
1 comment
awesome travel diary with beautiful pix