Tent Camping Spots in the United States

1. Acadia National Park, Maine

Acadia National Park is best experienced by camping at one of the three campgrounds in the park. The first one, Blackwoods, is open year-round and has the closest access to Bar Harbor and the park’s best hiking trails. Each site is nestled in the woods and just a ten-minute walk to the ocean.

Seawall Campground can be found on the western side of Mount Desert Island and offers almost 200 woodland campsites. This area features an oceanfront picnic area nearby.

Schoodic Woods is the final campground in Arcadia Park and the newest. This campground is located on the mainland with less crowding and features hike-in campsites with ocean views.

Bar Harbor, ME 04609, Phone: 207-288-3338

2. Arches National Park, Utah

Arches National Park requires a reservation for camping at Devils Garden Campground. Each of the 51 campsites are tucked into the desert landscape among the outcropping of sandstone rock formations. The campground is a thriving ecosystem of juniper and pinyon pines.

The area is dotted with flowering cacti and desert wildflowers. There is an abundance of hiking trails including Broken Arch Trail, a scenic loop that starts at the campground.

Visitors to the park can take part in a guided hiking tour of the Fiery Furnace, an extreme terrain hike that is physically demanding and dangerously treacherous in areas of the maze-like labyrinth.

Arches Entrance Rd, Moab, UT 84532, Phone: 435-719-2299

3. Assateague Island National Park, Maryland

Assateague Island National Park calls for careful planning and packing of necessary gear in preparation for the harsh habitat of the barrier island.

Reservations for campsites can be made up to 6-months in advance. Guests can choose between oceanside spots or campsites on the bayside of the narrow strip of sand and dunes. The highlight of the park is the two herds of wild horses that inhabit the island, descendants of 17th-century horses brought to the area by colonists dodging livestock taxes.

The campground is open year-round and can accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs but there are no hook-ups or dump stations on site.

6915 Stephen Decatur Hwy, Berlin, MD 21811, Phone: 410-641-2918

4. Badlands National Park South, Dakota

Badlands National Park South provides camping at two campgrounds and allows backcountry camping among its 224,000 acres. Cedar Pass Campground offers seasonal camping and is ideal for families, large groups, and RV camping. Electricity is available at the RV sites but there is no water or sewer hook-up onsite. Visitors interested in primitive camping can choose between Sage Creek Campgrounds or venture out into the wildlands of the backcountry. Fires are not allowed anywhere inside the park but camp stoves and charcoal grills are permitted. During the summer, visitors can enjoy ranger-led stargazing sessions at the Cedar Pass Campground Amphitheatre.

25216 Ben Reifel Road, Interior, SD 57750, Phone: 605-433-5361

5. Big Bend National Park, Texas

Big Bend National Park has three developed front country campgrounds under the management of the National Park Service and one full-hookup RV campground managed by Forever Resorts. Chisos Basin Campground, found at the end of a narrow windy road, offers cozy primitive campsites surrounded by towering rocky cliffs. The Cottonwood Campground is named for the numerous shade trees in this quiet section of the park. The Rio Grande Village Campground is adjacent to the river and offers breathtaking views of the Chisos Mountain Range. The undeveloped backcountry offers primitive roadside campsites and the solitude of wilderness camping after a hike through the remote desert.

Big Bend National Park, TX 79834, Phone: 432-477-2251

6. Cayo Costa State Park, Florida

Cayo Costa State Park features nine miles of natural shoreline on this Gulf Coast barrier island in Charlotte Harbor. This well-preserved tropical ecosystem is only accessible by boat or helicopter and is a haven to shorebirds, manatees, and sea turtles. The park has 30 primitive campsites with picnic tables and fire pit rings. The campground has little shade available but is near the beach where guests enjoy swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Bathroom facilities are available offering flushing toilets and cold showers. Tram service runs during the day to take campers and their gear the mile-long trek from the dock to the grounds.

Captiva, FL 33924, Phone: 941-964-0375

7. Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, California

Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park is an eight-mile section of rugged coastline in California’s Redwood National Forest and is home to one of the four developed campgrounds in the area, Mill Creek Campground. Open from mid-May until the end of September, this campground has 145 primitive sites suitable for tents and small RVs. Each campsite is well shaded by enormous maples, alders, and young redwoods and has a picnic table and fire pit bbq grill. The campground has restroom facilities with hot showers. The highlight of the park is Damnation Creek Trail, a steep two-milk hike leading down to tide pools and crashing waves.

Crescent City, CA 95531, Phone: 707-465-7335, Video

8. Denali National Park, Alaska

Denali National Park is an enormous 6 million-acres of rugged mountains, lush valleys, crystal clear rivers, dense forests, and barren tundra. Year-round camping is only available at the park’s largest, most-developed campground, Riley Creek. The other five campgrounds are open from mid-May to mid-September depending on the weather and road conditions. Most campsites are spacious and spread out for added privacy and each campground varies in size and amenities. Tent-only camping is available at three of the park’s campgrounds, Sanctuary River, Igloo, and Wonderlake. Except for Riley Creek, each of the campgrounds offer spectacular views of Denali (formerly Mount McKinley).

Parks Hwy, Denali National Park and Preserve, AK, Phone: 907-683-9532

9. Everglades National Park, Florida

Everglades National Park has easily accessible front-country camping at its year-round campground, the Flamingo, and seasonal camping from November to May at Long Pine Key Campground. Long Pine Key is a first-come-first-serve campground close to Anhinga Trail and next to Long Pine Key Trail. The Flamingo Campground is an open expanse of land on the breezy Florida Bay.

This campground has showers picnic tables, grills, and an amphitheater with performances during the winter months. Backcountry camping is available on the beach and on elevated platforms throughout Everglades National Park and is only accessible by watercraft. A permit is required for all backcountry wilderness camping.

40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, FL 33034, Phone: 305-242-7700